What children's clothing certifications really mean
Certifications are the most reliable way to check a sustainability claim, but each one covers something different. Here is what the main labels guarantee, what they do not, and how to verify them yourself in under a minute.
GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard
Covers: organic fibres plus the whole processing chain: chemical inputs, wastewater and social criteria for workers.
Label grades: "organic" means at least 95% certified organic fibres; "made with X% organic" means at least 70%.
Does not cover: products below 70% organic content.
Verify: check the licence number or company in the public database at global-standard.org.
OCS – Organic Content Standard
Covers: tracking of organic fibre content through the supply chain.
Does not cover: chemical use or working conditions during processing, so it is a lighter claim than GOTS.
Verify: Textile Exchange certified-organisations database.
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100
Covers: laboratory testing of the finished product and every component for harmful substances. Product Class I applies to items for babies and toddlers up to 36 months and has the strictest limits. Certificates must be renewed every year.
Does not cover: whether fibres are organic, how the factory treats the environment, or labour conditions.
Verify: enter the label number in the label check at oeko-tex.com and confirm it is valid and Product Class I.
OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN
Covers: products tested for harmful substances and made in facilities certified for environmental and social responsibility, with a traceable label ID.
Verify: the product ID on the label at oeko-tex.com.
GRS – Global Recycled Standard
Covers: verified recycled content across the supply chain, plus social, environmental and chemical requirements. Products need at least 50% certified recycled content to carry the GRS label.
Related: RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) tracks recycled content only, without the social and chemical requirements.
Verify: Textile Exchange certified-organisations database.
FSC – Forest Stewardship Council
Covers: responsibly managed forests. Relevant for wood-based fibres such as viscose, modal and lyocell.
Verify: certificate search on fsc.org.
EU Ecolabel
Covers: the European Union's official environmental label, awarded against life-cycle criteria. It is a Type I ecolabel under ISO 14024, meaning independent, multi-criteria and third-party verified.
Verify: the EU Ecolabel product catalogue.
Fair Wear
Covers: brand membership with independent checks of labour conditions in its factories, based on international labour standards.
Does not cover: materials or chemicals. It is a membership, not a product label.
Verify: member list and brand performance checks at fairwear.org.
B Corp
Covers: the whole company's social and environmental performance, governance and accountability.
Does not cover: any individual product's materials or safety.
Verify: the B Corp directory at bcorporation.net.
Better Cotton
Covers: training and better practices for cotton farmers.
Does not cover: organic status. Most Better Cotton is sourced through "mass balance", so a garment may not physically contain it.
Claims without a certificate
"Organic cotton", "eco-friendly", "non-toxic" or "natural" with no certificate number is a marketing claim, not proof. Always look for the certificate number, then check it.