COMPLETE GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING TEXTILE CERTIFICATIONS (OEKO-TEX, GOTS, GRS)

With marketing messages, unfamiliar logos and technical jargon everywhere, it’s normal to feel lost. At Tissus Print, we support creators, organisations and French brands every day who simply want to make the right choices. Here is a clear, straightforward guide to understanding textile labels, with no unnecessary technical talk and no greenwashing.

Why are there so many labels in textiles? (and why it’s normal to feel lost)

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Faced with environmental and social challenges, numerous certifications have emerged to regulate practices and reassure consumers.

The issue? All these labels do not certify the same thing. Some control the composition of the textile, others check the printing inks, and others focus on working conditions for employees. A customer may think that a single label is enough to call a product eco-friendly, but that’s not always true.

The goal of this guide is simple: to help you understand that one label = one specific promise. Once you’ve grasped this logic, everything becomes clearer.

The 3 main families of textile certifications

To simplify things, we can group certifications into three main categories. Each one addresses a different concern.

1. Health and safety certifications (no harmful substances)

These labels guarantee that the product does not contain dangerous chemicals for skin or health. They check for heavy metals, pesticides, allergenic dyes, and more.

Example: OEKO-TEX Standard 100

2. Ecological and organic certifications

Here, the focus is on the environmental impact of production: organic farming, eco-friendly dyes, water management, waste treatment, as well as respect for human rights.

Example: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

3. Recycling and second-life certifications

These labels confirm that part or all of the textile comes from recycled materials, such as plastic bottles transformed into polyester (rPET) or cotton made from production offcuts.

Example: Recycled polyester / rPET

OEKO-TEX Standard 100: the best-known label, but often misunderstood

What OEKO-TEX guarantees (simple explanation)

The OEKO-TEX Standard 100 label checks that the textile contains no harmful substances for human health. It tests more than 100 criteria on the finished product: heavy metals, formaldehyde, pesticides, carcinogenic dyes, phthalates, etc.

Key points:

• The control is carried out on the finished product, not just the raw materials.
• Suitable for clothing, accessories, home textiles and printed textiles.
• It is a guarantee of safety for the skin, particularly important for children and sensitive skin.

What OEKO-TEX does NOT guarantee

OEKO-TEX does not certify that the textile is organic, that it was produced in an environmentally friendly way, or that workers were treated fairly. It is purely a health and safety label.

GOTS: the organic (and ethical) textile label

What GOTS guarantees

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is the leading label for organic textiles. It goes far beyond the simple absence of harmful substances.

Here’s what GOTS guarantees:

• Organic cotton: at least 70% certified organic fibres.
• Controlled dyes and inks: no heavy metals or toxic products.
• Water treatment: strict obligations for managing wastewater.
• Social criteria: respect for workers’ rights, decent wages, safe working conditions.

GOTS is the most comprehensive label in the textile market. It covers both environmental and ethical aspects.

What GOTS does not guarantee

GOTS only applies to natural fibres such as cotton, linen or wool. It cannot certify polyester, even when recycled. In addition, obtaining GOTS certification is more expensive and requires a fully certified supply chain from start to finish.

Recycled fibres: what do they really guarantee?

Recycled polyester / rPET

Recycled polyester (also called rPET) is made from used plastic bottles or textile production offcuts. Instead of ending up in the ocean or landfill, this waste is turned into quality textile fibres.

Advantages:

• Reduces plastic waste.
• Lowers the use of oil needed to produce new polyester.
• Ideal for sublimation printing (high-quality visual results).
• Strong, lightweight and durable.

What you need to know

A recycled textile is not necessarily organic. Recycling plastic is still a positive approach, but it doesn’t turn it into a natural fibre. However, a recycled textile can also be OEKO-TEX certified, which guarantees it is safe for the skin.

Recycled polyester is widely used in the following sectors: sportswear, bags and luggage, promotional merchandise, textile décor.

This type of material is offered at Tissus Print on a selection of promotional textile items in recycled polyester, customisable on demand for useful, visible and more responsible branded goodies.

Simple table: comparison of recycled materials

Additional social and environmental labels

Beyond OEKO-TEX and GOTS, other certifications help build a responsible textile offer. Here are the main ones to know.

FairTrade (Fair trade)

Guarantees that cotton producers and textile workers receive a fair wage and work in decent conditions. FairTrade focuses on the human aspect of production.

WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production)

International certification that audits textile factories on safety, working conditions and respect for human rights. Less known to the general public, but widely used in the industry.

REACH

European regulation governing the use of chemicals across all sectors, including textiles. A REACH-compliant product meets European Union safety standards.

PETA Approved Vegan

Certifies that no animal-derived components have been used in the textile (no wool, leather, silk, etc.). Ideal for vegan brands.

How labels do (or don’t) apply to textile printing

Many customers think that if a textile is certified, the finished product automatically remains certified. That’s not always the case. Here’s why.

Textile certifications vs ink certifications

Some certifications apply to the textile itself (the T-shirt, the tote bag, etc.), others to the inks used for printing, and others still to the entire production chain. If one link in the chain is not certified, the final product loses its certification.

The economic reality of certifications (let’s be honest)

To be fully transparent: obtaining and maintaining certifications is expensive. Certification bodies charge for regular audits and, in some cases, if a textile passes through several countries, the certificate has to be renewed in each one. These administrative costs can amount to several thousand euros per year.

This creates a vicious circle: these costs are passed on to the final price. If buyers are not prepared to pay a little more, suppliers won’t certify their textiles. And yet, a non-certified textile is not necessarily low quality. In many cases, it meets OEKO-TEX or GOTS criteria, but the supplier has simply not paid to obtain the official label.

This is why at Tissus Print, we work with trusted suppliers and make every effort to list all their certificates. Even when a textile does not display an official logo, we check its composition and traceability.

Certifications and price: understanding the cost of transparency

Let’s talk money, because that’s often the key question. Why does a GOTS-certified T-shirt cost more than a standard T-shirt? The answer is simple, but worth explaining.

The real cost of certifications

International certifications such as GOTS or OEKO-TEX involve:

• an initial audit of the company,
• mandatory annual audits,
• licence fees,
• sometimes additional checks when several countries are involved in production.

These processes represent a fixed cost for manufacturers and processors.
The longer the production chain, the higher the cost.

Why this affects the final price

When a textile is certified, this administrative cost is added to the price of the material, transport and processing. This is why a certified textile is generally more expensive than an equivalent non-certified textile.

It’s not an extra cost linked to the quality of the fabric itself, but to the cost of the control process.

Non-certified ≠ poor quality

Some suppliers produce textiles that are:

• compliant with OEKO-TEX or GOTS criteria,
• but without an official certificate.

This may be a financial choice: if they mainly sell to a market that doesn’t demand these labels, they simply don’t pay for certification.

So non-certified doesn’t mean “non-compliant”: it simply means the manufacturer has not gone through the administrative process.

A question of volume, not goodwill

The more demand there is for certified textiles, the more volumes increase, which allows certification costs to be spread across a larger quantity.

This explains why some labels are gradually becoming more accessible.

Certifications at Tissus Print (explained simply)

We have selected the most relevant certifications to support your custom textile printing projects. But beyond the labels themselves, our commitment is based on three key pillars.

Our commitment no. 1: local production

This is our core focus. We print in France, in our workshop near Toulon in the Var region. Our small factory, at our scale, allows us to control every stage of production and drastically reduce the carbon footprint linked to transport.

Producing locally also means creating jobs in France, guaranteeing decent working conditions and being able to welcome you into our workshop if you wish. Transparency starts with proximity.

Certified inks and eco-conscious machinery

We use DTF inks certified OEKO-TEX Standard 100 for our short-run printing, guaranteeing the absence of harmful substances. For ethical projects, we also offer GOTS-certified inks for cotton printing.

Our printing machines are chosen for their reduced environmental impact: they use no water in the printing process, unlike traditional screen-printing techniques which can consume several litres of water per print run.

Certified textiles and supplier traceability

Our catalogue includes a wide range of certified textiles: OEKO-TEX T-shirts, GOTS tote bags, products in recycled polyester. We make every effort to list all our suppliers’ certificates and to check their traceability, even when the textiles do not carry an official label.

Other guarantees available in our range

• Eco-friendly promotional items.
• FairTrade products.
• PETA Approved Vegan products.
• REACH-compliant products.
• Materials from recycling.

You are part of the change too

We’re keen to expand our selection of certified and recycled fabrics, but to do that, we need you. Tell us what you’d like to see in our catalogue. It’s important for us to feel that you’re just as committed as we are to this responsible approach.

The more people request certified textiles, the more we can negotiate with our suppliers and offer you fair prices. Together, we can make a real difference.

How to choose the right certification for your project

Every project has different needs. Here is a simple decision table to help you choose.

The right certification depends on your budget, your values and the message you want to send to your customers.

Conclusion

Understanding textile labels is not that complicated once you know what they really guarantee. Keep these three key points in mind:

• Labels do not all mean the same thing: health, ecology, ethics or recycling.
• Understanding their role helps you make choices that are consistent with your values.
• At Tissus Print, we help you choose with confidence, from fabric selection through to inks.

Whether you’re a beginner designer, a committed brand or an association, we’re here to guide you towards the most suitable solutions for your project.