GOTS Sets Record Number of Certified Facilities on Its 20th Anniversary
Among the countries with the largest increase in GOTS certified facilities in 2021 are Turkey (+61% to 1.799), Italy (+53% to 894), Germany (+19% to 817), Portugal (+35% to 608), France (+22% to 122), Denmark (+14% to 115), Switzerland (+15% to 61), Belgium (+55% to 59), Sweden (+34% to 51) and Vietnam (+264% to 51).
“What seemed utopian to many in 2002 has become a reality in the past 20 years. We have created an organic textile standard, certified by approved certification bodies, which is accepted in all major markets. GOTS is a standard that gives consumers the power to choose truly organic products sourced from sustainable supply chains.” says Claudia Kersten, Managing Director at GOTS. “Despite ongoing difficulties and uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, decision-makers continue to pursue their sustainability goals and value GOTS as a tool to accomplish them”.
The results of the annual GOTS Survey among certified entities underline this. Out of 1.114 respondents (+39%), 63% indicated a permanent shift in their sustainability strategy with a focus on the environment and health of their workers and staff.
Growing interest from industry, the public, and the media drove website visits up an impressive 48 percent. Media exposure grew by 64 percent and GOTS social media followers across several platforms jumped by 57percent.
“As much as we are pleased with the development so far, we don’t intend to rest on our laurels” adds Rahul Bhajekar, Managing Director at GOTS. “In March 2022 we begin revision for GOTS version 7.0 involving all stakeholders including associations, organisations, companies, and individuals to further advance the progressive, innovative, stringent yet practical standard of GOTS”.
The record growth in Turkey (+61% to 1,799) was in line with the general purchasing trends in the world. However, during this period, both manufacturers and traders used GOTS as an effective tool to achieve their sustainability goals. They said that they also use GOTS to stand out in the tough race in the market. This year, unlike other years, in order to meet the intense demand from brands, both state administrations and sector organizations conducted studies on increasing the amount of organic cotton and exchanged information with GOTS on the subject.
