STUTTGART – The non-profit organisation behind the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has reported major progress in 2024, with a five per cent rise in certified facilities, new initiatives to tackle fraud, and plans to expand its standard framework to additional fibres.
Global Standard’s 2024 Annual Report highlights a series of strategic developments aimed at strengthening the integrity and reach of organic textile supply chains. The organisation ended the year with 15,441 GOTS-certified facilities across 87 countries, an increase of 5.2 per cent over the previous year, certified by 26 approved bodies.
One of the most significant developments in 2024 was the approval of a new voluntary sustainability standard, marking the first expansion of Global Standard’s remit beyond GOTS in its 22-year history. The additional standard is intended to apply the GOTS framework to other fibres and aligns with a newly updated Vision and Mission for the organisation.
“The necessity of our work was compounded in 2024 due to evolving regulations concerning value chains around the world, especially in Europe,” said Claudia Kersten, managing director of Global Standard. “Voluntary sustainability standards are now emerging as strategic tools for compliance – underscoring their evolving role in leading sustainable transformation.”
In 2024, GOTS Version 7.0 became fully operational, featuring strengthened due diligence requirements. To support implementation, Global Standard launched online training for certified entities and published a Due Diligence Handbook for Auditors. Work has begun on Version 8.0, which is now in its first public consultation phase and is expected to include new criteria on circularity, climate change mitigation, and worker well-being.
A highlight of 2024 was the Satellite Cotton Monitoring Project in India, delivered in partnership with the European Space Agency and AI firm Marple. The project achieved a 97 per cent accuracy rate in detecting cotton fields and over 80 per cent accuracy in identifying organic cotton. Co-financed by ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions programme, the initiative could help streamline certification and enhance fibre integrity.
Global Standard plans to expand the technology to other regions and fibre types.
Meanwhile, the organisation’s public awareness campaign, BehindTheSeams, reached more than 70 million people worldwide in September 2024. The month-long campaign involved 265 GOTS-certified brands and included online competitions, trivia, and social media giveaways to boost consumer engagement with certified organic products.
Looking ahead, Global Standard is positioning itself as a broader voluntary sustainability standard setter. The newly proposed standards will be made available for public consultation in 2025, following ISEAL principles.
Managing director Rahul Bhajekar said: “By building on the success and value of GOTS, we aim to strengthen Global Standard’s impact, support diverse sustainability challenges and empower stakeholders across global value chains.”
