Skip to content
Organic.is
All certifications
Side-by-side

Compare certifications.

Up to four certifications, side by side. Choose which ones

 
Rainforest Alliance logo
Rainforest Alliance
Global · Tier 3 Specialty
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 logo
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Global · Tier 3 Specialty
Global Organic Textile Standard logo
Global Organic Textile Standard
Global · Tier 2 Trusted
What it meansSustainable-agriculture certification (post-2020 merged standard with UTZ). Covers environmental, social, and economic criteria. NOT an organic mark.Tests finished textiles for harmful substances. Important: OEKO-TEX 100 is NOT an organic certification — it certifies that the finished item is free of certain chemicals, regardless of how the fibre was grown.The strictest, most widely-recognised standard for organic textiles. Covers the full supply chain from organic fibre to finished garment, with environmental AND social criteria.
ScopeFoodTextilesTextiles
Established198719922002
InspectionAnnual third-party audit (RA-accredited)Annual on-site + lab testing of finished productsAnnual on-site, IOAS-accredited
Residue testingRisk-basedRequired (this is the entire point)Required for finished products
Guarantees
  • 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.
  • Finished textile tested against the OEKO-TEX harmful-substance limit list.
  • Limits on heavy metals, formaldehyde, pesticide residue, banned amines, allergenic dyes.
  • ≥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.
Does NOT
  • Allows synthetic pesticides — does NOT meet any organic standard. Often confused with organic but it's a different programme.
  • Does NOT mean organic. Does NOT cover farming, dyeing chemistry beyond the limit list, or social/labour standards. A 100% conventional cotton t-shirt can be OEKO-TEX 100 certified.
  • Doesn't cover non-textile components (zips, buttons, prints) beyond the chemical-restriction list.

Choose up to 4 (3 chosen)

Stay in the loop

Get notified when we publish new articles, updates, and organic guides. No spam, just honest content, straight to your inbox.

Compare certifications · Organic.is