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'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
OTC
OEKO-TEX Organic Cotton
Global · Tier 2 Trusted
EU Ecolabel (Flower) logo
EU Ecolabel (Flower)
European Union · Tier 3 Specialty
What it meansThe 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.Launched April 2023 by the OEKO-TEX Association. A separate certificate from Standard 100 that combines the Standard 100 chemical-residue test with verified organic-cotton supply chain — addressing the long-standing confusion that Standard 100 alone is NOT an organic mark.The European Commission's voluntary environmental label. Covers cleaning products, paper, textiles, electronics, accommodation services. NOT an organic mark.
ScopeSeveral categoriesTextilesSeveral categories
Established—20231992
InspectionNoneAnnual on-site by OEKO-TEX-accredited institute (Hohenstein et al.)Annual audit by national Ecolabel competent body
Residue testingNoneRequired (Standard 100 panel + GMO/pesticide screening)Per-category limits
Guarantees
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
  • Two grades: 'Organic Cotton' (100% certified-organic cotton) and 'Organic Cotton Blended' (≥70% certified-organic cotton).
  • Full Standard 100 chemical residue test on the finished product.
  • Additional GMO test + pesticide residue test specific to organic farming.
  • Verified chain of custody from farm to finished product.
  • Annual re-certification with independent OEKO-TEX institute audits.
  • Lifecycle-based environmental criteria per product category.
  • Restrictions on hazardous chemicals.
  • Annual licence renewal with audit.
Does NOT
  • 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.
  • Doesn't certify the social/labour conditions across the supply chain in the way GOTS does (use OEKO-TEX STeP for that, or pair with GOTS).
  • Cotton-only — doesn't apply to other organic fibres (wool, hemp, linen).
  • Doesn't apply to food. Doesn't mean organic.

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