Part 1 - Social Responsibility

If you’ve ever shopped our mattresses, you’ve seen us mention our GOTS certification. We do it often because it truly is something we are proud of. Because it is our mission to provide safer, healthier mattresses, it’s important that we have trustworthy third-parties to verify our claims to our consumers.

So what does it mean to be GOTS certified? How did we get here, and why are we so proud? We want everyone to understand the work that goes into this certification—from the materials we use to the way we treat our employees, there are a lot of factors that are considered in the process.

For the next several weeks, we will break down what you need to know about GOTS certification, beginning with the social criteria.

What is GOTS?

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the world's leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria. GOTS studies businesses’ practices for manufacturing, packaging, labeling, trading, and distributing textiles.

From growing and harvesting raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing to labeling products safely and accurately, the Global Organic Textile Standard aims to define globally recognized requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles.

Fun fact: A textile product carrying the GOTS label grade ‘organic’ must contain a minimum of 95%. A product with the label grade ‘made with organic’ must contain a minimum of 70% certified organic fibers.

What this means to consumers: If you’re invested in buying only organic products, be sure to look for the GOTS certification, as these textiles are the most organic and socially responsible products on the market.

What is the Criteria for the GOTS certification? Specially accredited parties show up on-site to inspect and certify processors, manufacturers, and traders who are interested in becoming GOTS certified.

There are specific areas that GOTS focuses on in order to grant certification.

Social Criteria: This includes conducting interviews with management and confidential interviews with workers. The accredited party also reviews personnel documents and performs a physical on-site inspection.

• Safe and hygienic working conditions
• No child labor Minimum wages
• No discrimination, no harsh or inhumane treatment
• Health and safety training (including fire prevention training and evacuation drills)
• Protective equipment for workers when necessary Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for chemicals must be maintained
• Health and safety standards for handling and storing must be met

If you’d like to know more about the GOTS certification process and standards, feel free to check out the latest version of their guidelines.

Be sure to check out the GOTS product database to perform a quick and easy search of our mattresses and other GOTS certified products.

Check back next week for more information about GOTS, including criteria for manufacturing and labeling!