What is GOTS SCOPE-4

Approval of chemical inputs (substance and preparations directly applied as textile auxiliary agents, inks, dyes and pigments).
Chemical manufacturer/formulator/trader can get their chemical input approved by GOTS approved certification body.
GOTS Requirements for chemical inputs:
General Approval Procedure
| Step -1 | Application & contract |
| You can apply online for the GOTS Certification or complete the Application form and return it to GCL International Ltd. head office or one of our local office. We will use the application details to produce a quotation. Once the quotation has been accepted, we will ask you to return a signed copy of the quotation and our Scheme Rules. | |
| Step-2 | Document Review |
GCL will ask for technical documents of applied products & perform technical document review.
Suppliers of chemical inputs must have available a material safety data sheet (MSDS) prepared according to one of the following norms/directives and containing appropriate information with regard to GOTS criteria in order to be used as accepted basic tool for evaluation
ANSI Z400.1/Z129.1:2010
ISO 11014-1
EC 1907/2006 (Reach)
EC 2015/830
GHS (Global Harmonized System)
JIS Z 7253:2012
Not all GOTS criteria can be assessed only on basis of the MSDS. It is additionally sometimes the case that an MSDS contains insufficient, contradictory information. Therefore, we need to consider additional sources of information such as lab tests to determine or get reconfirmed the components of a chemical input and its environmental and toxicological parameters.
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| Step-3 | Onsite Audit (Not Applicable for Traders) |
| If applied products successfully Passed/comply Step 2 then Chemical suppliers shall undergo environmental management system and safety audit of their premises. On-site inspection shall be performed for the first year and every 3rd year of granted Letter of Approval or Standard Revision, whichever is earlier- Audit shall include criteria GOTS section 2.3.4, 2.3.5 of GOTS standard Audit criteria 1. Product stewardship (GOTS 2.3.4) 2. Environmental management (GOTS 2.4.10) 3. Wastewater treatment (GOTS 2.4.11) 4. Occupational Health And Safety (OHS) (GOTS 3.6) A trader or distributor may only apply for GOTS approval with their own unique trade names if the original formulator/manufacturer holds a valid GOTS Letter of Approval for those products. | |
| Step-4 | Final Letter of approval |
| After successful compliance of step-2 for trader & Step-2 & Step-3 for manufacturer/Formulator final letter of approval will be issued with validity of 1 year. | |
| Step-5 | Labelling Release |
| Whenever the client wishes to have its artwork approved, the proposed artwork and Labelling Release form shall be submitted to GCL International for approval | |
Companies in ginning, spinning, weaving and knitting, dyeing and printing, and cut and sew are eligible for certification.
Certification Features
- Recycled Polymer Materials - Contains a minimum of 20% recycled content
- Ethical - Avoids questionable or unethical sources
- Labor Protections - Ensures that workers are treated fairly according to internationally recognized (ILO) labor standards
- Supply Chain Management - Introduces supply chain risk management tools to improve sourcing strategies and prevent destructive environmental practices
- Environmental Impact Assessment - examines the environmental impacts associated with product manufacturing
- Chain of Custody – Transaction certificates follow the material through the supply chain
Certification with GCL benefits you, your customers, and other stakeholders, by demonstrating:
- Alignment of definitions across multiple applications.
- Tracking and tracing Recycled input materials.
- Providing customers (both brands and consumers) with a tool to make informed decisions.
- Reducing harmful impact of production to people and the environment.
- Providing assurance that materials in the final product are actually Recycled and processed more sustainably.
- Driving innovation in addressing quality issues in the use of Recycled materials.
General Publications
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- Application Form - GOTS Scope 4 Colorants and Textile Auxiliaries
- Application Form - GOTS Scope 4-Accessories
- GCL Scheme Rules
- GOTS Standard, v6.0
- GOTS Standard, v7.0
- GOTS Implementation Manual, v7.1
- Policy for Change of Certifiers (CB)
- Policy for Letter of Approval
- Conditions for the Use of GOTS Signs
- Request Operator Handbook
- Request Fee Structure