Sustainability and honest claims

Customers care about what they wear, but they notice exaggeration. The best policy is to say only what you can prove.

Well known certifications

• OEKO-TEX Standard 100: Tests for potentially harmful substances in textiles.
• GOTS: A standard for organic textiles.
• GRS: A standard for recycled content.

How to verify

• Ask for a copy of the certificate and its number and check it in the issuing body’s database.
• Make sure the certificate covers the specific fabric and not only the factory in general.
• Watch the expiry date.

Avoid exaggeration

• Do not write “eco friendly” with no evidence of what you mean.
• State the specific fact: “GOTS certified cotton” rather than a general claim.
• Rules on environmental claims are tightening in several markets, so check the law in yours.

Exercise

Write three statements you could make about your materials, each with the evidence behind it. Delete any statement without evidence.