We serve as the unifying voice of the U.S. organic industry on Capitol Hill, and we advance our mission to promote and protect organic agriculture and trade through legislative and regulatory advocacy.
As the only trade association working on behalf of the organic sector, we build and retain meaningful relationships with Members of Congress and their staff, USDA’s National Organic Program, NOSB, and the FDA on food and farming policy.
We bring farmers, processors, distributors, retailers and others together to promote and protect the growing organic sector.
We represent our members to government on sector needs, market development and promotion, and strong organic standards and regulations. Members also receive the latest information and quick answers on organic regulations and standards in the U.S. and around the world.
Our insightful and comprehensive data reports on the U.S. organic industry illustrate the positive economic impact of organic agriculture and products, and the importance of consumer choice in the marketplace.
Whether you're looking for the size of the organic market, organic industry trends or insights into the organic consumer, we are here to help.
We bring the U.S. organic industry to developing markets around the world through our U.S. Organic Worldwide programs.
As a cooperator with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service Market Access Programs, we create new opportunities for organic products through international promotions, organic exporter education, business to business connections, and trade negotiations.
From our signature policymaking event, Organic Week in Washington, D.C., to a full roster of education and networking events at the Natural Products Expos, join us for association business, member meetings, and social and networking events.
If you’re looking for high-level networking opportunities, exciting venues to showcase your brand, and a guaranteed good time with an always-organic menu, then join us for any of our many activities throughout the year.
We educate influencers and consumers about the benefits organic practices and products. This includes having an expansive social media presence, as well as actively engaging with the press to share facts about organic methods, benefits, and milestones.
Check out our expansive collection of informative resources that explain what organic is, and why it is definitely worth it.
We are your connected community of organic innovators and pioneers. Our path forward is organic.
As the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America, we are the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Our Board of Directors is democratically elected by our members.
The aim of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is to define requirements to ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labeling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.
GOTS is recognized as the world's leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibers. It defines high-level environmental criteria along the entire organic textiles supply chain and requires compliance with social criteria as well.
Only textile products that contain a minimum of 70% organic fibers can become GOTS certified. All chemical inputs such as dyestuffs and auxiliaries used must meet certain environmental and toxicological criteria. The choice of accessories is limited in accordance with ecological aspects as well. A functional waste water treatment plant is mandatory for any wet-processing unit involved and all processors must comply with minimum social criteria.
Finished or processed textile products sold in the U.S. that imply or leave the consumer to believe that the final product is certified organic must meet either the USDA organic regulations or GOTS.
The Global Standard gGmbH on a Global Organic Textile Standard is made up of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), The Soil Association (UK), International Association Natural Textile Industry (IVN)(Germany), and the Japan Organic Cotton Association.
The Standard
The latest version 6.0 of the Global Organic Textile Standard was released March 1, 2020, replacing Version 5.0. All GOTS companies must fully comply with Version 6.0 by March 1, 2021.
The Manual for Implementation is a tool that was developed by the GOTS Technical Committee to provide interpretation advice on specific GOTS criteria and the related quality assurance system.
The Manual represents a flexible quality assurance tool of the Technical Committee to provide advice and clarification to the GOTS approved certifiers and users of the GOTS and can be updated as needed without going through a formal standard revision procedure. The interpretations, corrections and further clarifications as provided in this document are binding for all approved GOTS certifiers and users of the GOTS.
Textile processing, manufacturing and trading entities can apply for certification according to GOTS. There are four different GOTS certification scopes.
Scope 1: Certification of mechanical textile processing and manufacturing operations and their product.
Scope 2: Certification of wet processing and finishing operations and their product.
Scope 3: Certification of trading operations and related product.
Scope 4: Approval of textile auxiliary agents (chemical inputs) on positive list.
Please contact one of the following OTA-member certification agencies for getting certified: