Global Standard recently announced a public consultation for a new Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS). We recently caught up with Claudia Kersten, managing director of Global Standard, to find out why this standard is being launched and what it means for existing textile labels.
Global Standard, the non-profit body behind the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), has unveiled a new voluntary sustainability standard set to broaden the scope of responsible textile certification. The Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS) aims to extend the proven credibility of GOTS into non-organic but “responsible” fibres.
Since its inception in 2006, GOTS has become the world’s leading processing standard for organic textiles, covering more than 15,000 facilities in 87 countries. GRTS retains the same social and environmental criteria, third-party certification, and independence, while expanding assurance to a wider set of fibre types.
GRTS is expected to publish its Version 1.0 in Q4 2025. Its scope will apply to natural fibres, regenerated cellulosics, recycled fibres, biopolymers, and certified organic-in-conversion fibres, as listed in the Global Fibre Registry (GFR). All processing stages from raw material to finished product are covered, with requirements spanning human rights protections, ecological criteria, responsible business conduct, traceability, and due diligence.
For GOTS-certified facilities already handling non-organic fibres, GRTS integration has been deliberately designed to be seamless. Claudia Kersten, managing director of Global Standard, explained: “Since GRTS builds directly on GOTS, integration has been designed to be as effective as possible. GOTS-approved Certification Bodies will be auto accredited for GRTS, so existing GOTS certified entities may apply to add GRTS certification either immediately or during their next audit.”
With regulators and consumers increasingly wary of greenwashing, GRTS seeks to offer a trusted, verifiable route for responsible sourcing. Asked how the new system will prevent fibres from being linked to problematic regions, Kersten said that GRTS builds on the same traceability principles as GOTS: “GRTS fibres will use the same concept as GOTS for fibre traceability which includes a declaration of origin. Just as organic fibres are traceable to the country and region in GOTS, where brands have long been empowered to make judicious sourcing decisions to avoid regions with known human rights violations, the same conditions will apply to GRTS.”
In addition, the GFR provides what Kersten calls “an additional layer of oversight and transparency for the first mile in the value chain.” Farmers and farm groups must provide documentation, GIS data, and undergo a “Know Your Customer” (KYC) process, enabling traceability back to the fields where fibres are grown.
The launch of GRTS, Kersten stressed, is in direct response to calls from across the sector. “For many years, stakeholders in the fashion industry have asked us at Global Standard to expand on GOTS’s premier ESG requirements for textile processing. GRTS is therefore a fulfilment of the textile sector’s desire to expand the recognised and robust GOTS principles, processing criteria and traceability systems to other fibres.”
Scope and fibre eligibility
The GRTS framework does not create new production standards, but instead accepts fibres already certified under third-party schemes that meet strict criteria. These include chain of custody with identity preservation, non-GMO production, exclusion of highly hazardous pesticides, respect for animal welfare, and clear social norms.
Kersten confirmed that the permitted fibre categories will include natural plant and animal fibres, regenerated cellulosics, recycled fibres (natural and synthetic), biopolymers, and certified organic-in-conversion fibres. Synthetic fibres are not excluded outright but must come from non-toxic, closed-loop processes and meet strict feedstock and traceability rules.
All approved fibres will be listed in the GFR, which will be updated regularly. “We will also publish a clear procedure for fibre standards to apply for recognition under GRTS,” Kersten said. “Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with the full list reviewed in line with GRTS’s three-year revision cycle.”
One obvious question is whether expanding beyond organics risks diluting GOTS’s long-established credibility. On this, Kersten said: “GRTS and GOTS are complementary, not competing, standards. The strict ESG and due diligence requirements of GOTS will continue to be developed in the same manner that they always have been, and all those fundamental requirements will apply to GRTS. GOTS and GRTS will have clearly distinct labels.”
By offering a credible route for certifying responsible non-organic fibres, GRTS could significantly expand the proportion of textiles covered by voluntary sustainability standards. For companies already investing in sustainability, it may also reduce complexity, streamline audits, and extend assurance across a wider range of products.
As Kersten put it: “For companies committed to improving their environmental and social impact, GRTS will surely improve the overall sustainability of their value chains.”
