--- title: "Textile Certifications: GOTS, GRS, RWS, OEKO-TEX" description: "GOTS, OCS, GRS, RCS, RWS and OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 explained for apparel buyers: what each certifies, chain of custody, and what we can document." url: https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/textile-certifications/ language: en-US updated: 2026-10-21T14:36:39+00:00 alternates: fr: https://mrbalaclava.com/fr/materiaux/certifications-textiles.md de: https://mrbalaclava.com/de/materialien/textilzertifizierungen.md es: https://mrbalaclava.com/es/materiales/certificaciones-textiles.md publisher: Mr Balaclava (https://mrbalaclava.com/) --- Material Library · Guide # Textile Certifications Guide GOTS, OCS, GRS, RCS, RWS and OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 are the textile certifications buyers ask about most. This guide explains what each one certifies and how a certified claim reaches a finished product, and, separately for each scheme, what Mr Balaclava can document today. [Request a quote](https://mrbalaclava.com/contact-us/) Jump to the guide Updated 23 October 2026 ![Blank paper hang tag lying on a beige fabric](https://mrbalaclava.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/blank-hang-tag-on-fabric-1024x682.webp) - **50 pcs** Minimum order - **14 days** Standard lead time - **OEKO-TEX®** Fabrics from certified mills - **ISO 9001** Certified (Eco Jersey Limited) - **Sedex** Member (Eco Jersey Limited) Three kinds of claim ## What a textile certification can prove Certifications answer different questions. Knowing which question you need answered narrows the list quickly. - **What the fabric is made of** Organic content (OCS, GOTS) and recycled content (RCS, GRS) certify the share of organic or recycled fibre and track it through the supply chain. - **How the raw material was produced** Animal-welfare standards such as RWS certify the farms that produce the wool and keep that wool identified up to the product. - **What the fabric contains** OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 tests textiles for harmful substances. It says nothing about organic or recycled content. Chain of custody ## How a certified claim reaches your product Content standards work as a chain. Every company that owns or processes the material must be certified for the claim to survive to the label. 1. **Scope certificate** Each certified company holds a scope certificate listing the products and processes it is certified for. 2. **Transaction certificate** Each certified shipment travels with a transaction certificate linking it to the certified input. 3. **Every stage** Fibre, yarn, fabric, product maker and brand: if one stage is not certified, the chain breaks and the product cannot carry the claim. 4. **Label rules** Each standard sets minimum content and its own wording and logo rules for the product label. Scheme by scheme ## What each certification means, and our status For each scheme, the left column explains the standard; the right column states what Mr Balaclava can document for your order today. We only state a certification where we hold the evidence. ### GOTS Global Organic Textile Standard · Organic fibre and processing #### What this certification means Textiles made from certified organic fibres, from fibre processing through manufacturing, with environmental and social criteria. A product labelled "organic" needs at least 95% certified organic fibre; "made with X% organic" needs at least 70%. Every processing and trading stage must be certified, and shipments carry transaction certificates. A fabric being organic does not make a finished product GOTS certified. Standard owner: [Global Standard gGmbH](https://global-standard.org/) #### Mr Balaclava availability Not claimed Mr Balaclava does not currently hold or claim this certification. If your product needs it, tell us at the brief stage and we will check what the fabric supply chain can document. ### OCS Organic Content Standard · Organic content #### What this certification means Verifies the presence and amount of organically grown material in a product and tracks it through the supply chain. It is a content claim only: no chemical or social criteria for processing. Chain of custody from the farm to the final product, with a transaction certificate for each certified shipment. Standard owner: [Textile Exchange](https://textileexchange.org/) #### Mr Balaclava availability Not claimed ### GRS Global Recycled Standard · Recycled content and processing #### What this certification means Verifies recycled content and adds social, environmental and chemical requirements for processing. A product needs at least 20% recycled content to be certified, and at least 50% to carry the GRS label. Every stage that handles the product must be certified; transaction certificates document each shipment. Buying recycled polyester alone is not a GRS claim. #### Mr Balaclava availability Not claimed ### RCS Recycled Claim Standard · Recycled content #### What this certification means Tracks recycled raw material through the supply chain to support a recycled-content claim (at least 5% recycled material). A content claim only: no processing criteria. Chain of custody through each certified stage, documented with transaction certificates. #### Mr Balaclava availability Not claimed ### RWS Responsible Wool Standard · Animal welfare and land management #### What this certification means Certifies wool from farms that meet animal-welfare and land-management requirements (mulesing is not allowed) and keeps that wool identified up to the final product. Farms are certified and each later stage keeps the chain of custody. Merino from an RWS farm is only an RWS claim on the product when the chain is unbroken. #### Mr Balaclava availability Not claimed ### OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® · Harmful substances #### What this certification means Tests textiles for harmful substances against a published limit catalogue. A certificate covers the specific articles tested, in a product class (class I for baby articles up to class IV for decoration material). The certificate belongs to its holder, for example the mill that makes the fabric, and is renewed every year. A certified fabric does not make the finished product or its maker certified. Standard owner: [OEKO-TEX® Association](https://www.oeko-tex.com/) #### Mr Balaclava availability Through certified suppliers Our fabrics and yarns come from OEKO-TEX® certified mills. The mill's certificate for the fabric in your order is available on request. The certification belongs to the mill, not to Mr Balaclava. Company certifications ## Quality and responsible sourcing Company-level certifications, such as Eco Jersey Limited’s ISO 9001 certification and Sedex membership, and the documents you can request for your supplier file, are explained on our [ethical manufacturing and certifications](https://mrbalaclava.com/sustainability/ethical-manufacturing/) page. Planning a claim ## If your product needs a certified claim Certified claims shape the supply chain, so they belong at the start of a project. 1. **Name the claim** Tell us in your brief which claim you want to make and in which markets, for example "organic cotton" or "recycled polyester". 2. **We check the documentation** We tell you honestly what the fabric supply chain can document for that claim before you order. 3. **You approve the wording** As the brand owner, you decide the final label and marketing wording, and check it against the rules of your market. FAQ ## Textile certifications: frequently asked questions **### Does using recycled polyester make my product GRS certified?** No. GRS needs a certified chain of custody through every stage, with transaction certificates, and at least 50% recycled content to carry the GRS label. Recycled fabric without that chain supports only an uncertified recycled-content statement, and only with the mill's documentation. **### Is organic cotton the same as GOTS?** No. Organic cotton is a fibre; GOTS certifies the whole processing chain, including environmental and social criteria. A GOTS claim needs every stage to be certified. **### Are Mr Balaclava products OEKO-TEX certified?** No, not as a company. We work with partner mills, including OEKO-TEX® certified mills, and the mill's certificate for your fabric is available on request. **### Can you send transaction certificates?** Transaction certificates exist only where every stage of the chain is certified for that scheme. Check our status for each scheme above, and ask in your brief if your product needs one. Material Library ## Fabric families and guides - [All fabrics in the Material Library](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/) - [Fleece Fabrics](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/fleece/) - [Cotton Fabrics](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/cotton/) - [Merino Wool & Wool Blend Fabrics](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/merino-wool-blends/) - [Polyester & Recycled Polyester Fabrics](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/polyester-recycled-polyester/) - [Acrylic Knits & Yarns](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/acrylic/) - [Performance Fabrics](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/performance-fabrics/) - [Shell & Waterproof Fabrics](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/shell-fabrics/) - [Insulation & Linings](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/insulation-linings/) - [Cap & Hat Materials](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/cap-hat-materials/) - [Sock Yarns & Constructions](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/sock-yarns/) - [Knitting Yarns](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/knitting-yarns/) - [Scarf Fabrics](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/scarf-fabrics/) - [Waterproof & Breathability Ratings Explained](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/waterproof-breathability-ratings/) - [Fabric Weight & GSM Guide](https://mrbalaclava.com/materials/fabric-weight-gsm-guide/)