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Global Organic Textile Standard logo
Global Organic Textile Standard
Global · Tier 2 Trusted
Nordic Swan Ecolabel logo
Nordic Swan Ecolabel
Nordic Countries · Tier 3 Specialty
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'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
What it meansThe strictest, most widely-recognised standard for organic textiles. Covers the full supply chain from organic fibre to finished garment, with environmental AND social criteria.The official environmental label of the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland). Covers ~60 product categories from cleaning products to hotels — NOT specifically an organic standard.The word 'natural' on packaging is a marketing term, not a certification. In most jurisdictions there's no legal definition, no standard, and no inspection. A product labelled 'natural' can contain synthetic ingredients, pesticides, GMOs, and artificial flavours.
ScopeTextilesSeveral categoriesSeveral categories
Established20021989—
InspectionAnnual on-site, IOAS-accreditedOn-site + product review by national Ecolabel officeNone
Residue testingRequired for finished productsRisk-based per categoryNone
Guarantees
  • ≥70% certified-organic natural fibre (the 'organic' grade requires ≥95%).
  • Restricted dyes, no chlorine bleach, no formaldehyde, no banned heavy metals.
  • Wastewater treatment requirements.
  • Social standards based on ILO core conventions (no child labour, no forced labour, fair wages, safe workplace).
  • Annual on-site inspection by IOAS-accredited certifier.
  • Lifecycle-based environmental criteria for the product category.
  • Restrictions on hazardous chemicals.
  • Recyclability and packaging requirements.
  • Audited every 3-5 years against an updated standard.
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
Does NOT
  • Doesn't cover non-textile components (zips, buttons, prints) beyond the chemical-restriction list.
  • Doesn't certify food as organic — Nordic Swan on a food package means lower-environmental-impact, not 'no synthetic pesticides'.
  • Doesn't mean organic. Doesn't mean pesticide-free. Doesn't mean GMO-free. Doesn't mean ethically produced.
  • Some markets (e.g. the US FDA on food, EU on cosmetics) place very limited restrictions on the word, but enforcement is weak.

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