Many of our customers report feeling confused about products that are “green” or organic. We like to make sure that if a manufacturer says that their product is organic that it really is. There are many variables that determine whether or not a product is organic, so we depend on certification from internationally recognized organizations when we buy organic products. Here are three that we rely on.
GOTS Certified Organics.
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a standard used around the world that guarantees the organic products you bring into your home are healthy and safe for you and the environment – and provide a fair and just working environment for those who manufacture them.
The aim of GOTS is to be a credible resource for consumers looking for textiles that produced in an environmentally and socially responsible method. Not only are these fabrics free of harmful chemicals, the results of the production pose no threat to the environment or the communities in which they are produced. This universal standard assures that no harmful or toxic chemicals are used from harvest to manufacture, including the dyeing, washing, and finishing processes. The standard even examines the disposal of waste and wastewater treatment. Strict guidelines have to met in working conditions as well; companies must provide a safe a hygienic environment, with livable wages, appropriate working hours, and absolutely no child labor. www.global-standard.org.
Oeko-Tex Standard
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100, developed by a group of European textile institutes, is a global testing and accreditation program for the screening of harmful substances in consumer textiles. Products with the Okeo-Tex label are tested and guaranteed to be free of all harmful substances, including toxins and irritants.
What’s the difference between the Oeko-Tex certification and the GOTS certification? Both certify textiles to be free of all harmful chemicals, but GOTS takes it a step further and certifies that no harmful chemicals were used from harvest through manufacture, waste is disposed of responsibly, and fair labor practices are enforced. www/oeko-tex.com.
SKAL
Control Union World Group, formerly called SKAL, surveys the organic production by means of inspection and certification. Inspections consist of visits to farms, processing and importing units, but also examination of soil, crop or tissue samples and administrative assessments. Their certification process includes the entire process of growing the cotton, spinning the fibers, and storing the yarns at the production site. Certification is issued periodically, once the manufacturing site has been checked and process is established. These controls and checks are ongoing. www.controlunion.com.
Products that are called “natural” don’t have to go though a verification process to use the term. Typically, organic sheets are more expensive than comparable products that are not organic, almost twice as much in some cases.
As a consumer, what do you think, is buying organic bedding worth the extra cost?
