GOTS Certification Process
Companies applying for GOTS certification must complete the following steps, which typically take 3-6 months (depending on the company's size and the complexity of its supply chain):
Determine the scope of certification: Identify the product categories and production stages to be certified (e.g., spinning only, or covering weaving, printing and dyeing, and finished products).
Choose a certification body: Select an officially GOTS-recognized body (available on the GOTS official website, such as Control Union, SGS, and Ecocert). Fees and service offerings vary slightly between different bodies.
Document Submission and Self-Assessment: Submit company qualifications (business license, production license), supply chain records (raw material procurement receipts, production process records), environmental compliance documents (wastewater testing reports, environmental impact assessment approvals), social responsibility documents (employment contracts, payroll), etc. to the certification body, and complete a self-assessment against the GOTS standard.
On-site Audit: The certification body will dispatch auditors to the company's production site (including raw material warehouses, production workshops, wastewater treatment plants, employee dormitories, etc.) to conduct an on-site inspection to verify the authenticity of the documents and compliance with the standards. Rectification and certification: If the audit finds minor non-conformities, the company must rectify them within the specified time and submit proof; after the rectification is passed, the certification body will issue a GOTS certification certificate (valid for 1 year and requires annual review).