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OTC
OEKO-TEX Organic Cotton
Global · Tier 2 Trusted
Naturland logo
Naturland
Germany · Tier 2 Trusted
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'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
What it meansLaunched 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.A German farmers' association whose private organic standard is stricter than the EU baseline. Covers food, aquaculture, textiles, and cosmetics. Recognised globally.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
Established20231982—
InspectionAnnual on-site by OEKO-TEX-accredited institute (Hohenstein et al.)Annual on-site by Naturland-accredited inspectorsNone
Residue testingRequired (Standard 100 panel + GMO/pesticide screening)RequiredNone
Guarantees
  • 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.
  • Stricter than EU 2018/848 (lower nitrogen inputs, full-farm conversion, social standards).
  • Annual on-site inspection.
  • Fair-pricing requirements for member farmers.
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
Does NOT
  • 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).
  • Membership-based — only farms that join the Naturland association can use the mark.
  • 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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