Part 3 – Environmental Management
In Part 1 of our GOTS series, we gave you a breakdown of the Standard’s requirements for social responsibility. In Part 2, we provided insight on prohibited materials. Because GOTS is the highest standard certification for organic fiber and textile manufacturing, they are very particular about what cannot be used in products. In Part 3, we’re exploring environmental responsibility.
A Friendly Reminder
In case you need a refresher of what GOTS is and why it matters . . .
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 accurately, the Global Organic Textile Standard aims to define globally recognized requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles.
If a company wants to become GOTS certified, they must comply with national and local environmental requirements for their processing and/or manufacturing stages. They must have written environmental policies and procedures in place to monitor and improve environmental performance.
What Needs to be Included in the Environmental Policies and Procedures?
Depending on the processing stages performed, the policy needs to include the following aspects:
- Person responsible
- Data on energy and water resources and their consumption per kg
- Target goals and procedures to reduce energy and water consumption
- Monitoring of waste and discharges
- Procedures to reduce waste and discharges
- Procedures to follow in case of water and pollution incidents
- Documentation of staff training in the conservation of water and energy
- Proper and minimal use of chemicals and their correct disposal
- Plans for improvement
- No on-site waste burning or uncontrolled waste land-filling should be performed
If you’d like to know more about the GOTS certification process and standards, feel free to look through the latest version of the GOTS guidelines. Also, be sure to check out the GOTS product database to perform a quick and easy search of our mattresses and other GOTS certified products.
In case you missed it, read the GOTS to be Organic Blog – Parts 1 and 2!