Global Standard announces the launch of the public consultation period for its new voluntary sustainability standard: the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS). The non-profit organisation behind the internationally recognised Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), designed GRTS with core principles and same trusted process in GOTS.
GRTS aims to extend the same principles of health, ecology, fairness, and care to a broader range of fibres. While GOTS remains the global benchmark for organic textiles, GRTS will enable companies using other responsible fibres to credibly demonstrate both environmental and social performance under the same trusted system.
GRTS; expanding impact with minimal burden
GRTS is designed to help the textile industry drive positive change across the entire value chain. It enables companies to respond to rising market expectations and comply with emerging regulatory requirements without adding unnecessary complexity or cost.
Many GOTS-certified entities already process fibres that fall outside the scope of organic. With GRTS, these companies can now extend rigorous certification to those materials and products without duplicating effort or introducing additional systems. Built on the established GOTS infrastructure, GRTS simplifies implementation and draws on Global Standard’s technical expertise.
Rahul Bhajekar and Claudia Kersten, Managing Directors of Global Standard says that this expansion of the Global Standard portfolio empowers them to maintain minimal fees in their non -profit setup, as they are dedicated to avoiding additional burdens on the industry’s sustainability measures. “On the one hand, the GOTS framework will now serve as a foundation for broader applications, while on the other, it continues to stand as the leading voluntary sustainability standard in the organic textile sector,” they explain.
In line with ISEAL best practices, GRTS is being developed through a transparent, multi-stakeholder process. The public consultation period opened July 14th, 2025, inviting input from companies, NGOs, consumers, and certification bodies to ensure the new standard reflects real-world needs and expectations. The public consultation is open until 15th August 2025.
Finalisation and publication of GRTS Version 1.0 is scheduled for Q4 2025.
