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OTC
OEKO-TEX Organic Cotton
Global · Tier 2 Trusted
Rainforest Alliance logo
Rainforest Alliance
Global · Tier 3 Specialty
Kilimohai Organic Mark (East Africa) logo
Kilimohai Organic Mark (East Africa)
East Africa · Tier 2 Trusted
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.Sustainable-agriculture certification (post-2020 merged standard with UTZ). Covers environmental, social, and economic criteria. NOT an organic mark.The East African regional organic mark, under the East Africa Organic Products Standard (EAOPS). Used across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Administered through Participatory Guarantee Systems coordinated by KOAN (Kenya Organic Agriculture Network).
ScopeTextilesFoodFood
Established202319872007
InspectionAnnual on-site by OEKO-TEX-accredited institute (Hohenstein et al.)Annual third-party audit (RA-accredited)PGS peer-review (annual)
Residue testingRequired (Standard 100 panel + GMO/pesticide screening)Risk-basedRisk-based
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.
  • Reduced (not eliminated) synthetic pesticide use, with bans on the most hazardous classes.
  • Forest conservation requirements (no deforestation after the cut-off date).
  • Worker welfare and community development requirements.
  • Annual third-party audit.
  • Compliance with the East Africa Organic Products Standard (EAOPS).
  • Peer-review inspection via Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS).
  • Regional cross-recognition across the five East African Community member states.
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).
  • Allows synthetic pesticides — does NOT meet any organic standard. Often confused with organic but it's a different programme.
  • PGS-based — the inspection model is community peer-review rather than third-party. Strong for domestic markets, less recognised by the EU/USA than third-party schemes.

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Compare certifications · Organic.is