The criteria for the “additional fibre material” are now stricter regarding the environmentally improved and certified regenerated cellulosic fibres: The use of Viscose and Modal is now restricted to 10% (25% for sportswear and socks). Lyocell may still be used up to 30% because of its more sustainable manufacturing processes.
For the first time GOTS will allow “Combined Products” such as prams with textile fabrics, bassinets, car seats or furniture with textile fabric upholstery to have certified and labelled fabric components.
Regarding the GOTS social criteria an explicit section on Ethical Business Behaviour including a corruption ban was added, based on the UN Global Compact Principles. The mandatory GOTS Social Compliance Management System for the first time includes guidance on the use of tools such as SAI Social Fingerprint™ to help companies measure and improve their social performance.
Full details on the V5 standard and the changes are available on the GOTS website.
