THE CERTIFICATION DICTIONARY

When you're shopping online or in person, we're sure you've come across clothing tags that highlight various certifications. Sometimes it feels like there are so many certifications and buzzwords used on clothing labels that it can be hard to know what they all mean. To make it easier for the Cotina community to understand these certifications, we created this certification dictionary.

Everything here is alphabetized, and sources are linked for easy access in case you'd like to learn more. We hope this serves as a guide you can keep coming back to. This dictionary is also a living document; as we discover new certifications and important information, we'll continue growing and updating it over time.

B CORPORATION (B CORP)

B Corp Certification is a business certification that recognizes companies that meet social, environmental, and governance standards established by the B Lab. The B Lab Standards are intended to provide a global framework for measuring and improving business impact. These standards are developed by an independent advisory council that has representatives from around the world that have backgrounds in business, government, academia, and other fields.

Some of the key areas evaluated during the certification process include:

• Whether the company operates in an industry that aligns with B Lab's eligibility requirements
• The company's legal structure and accountability commitments
• Potential impacts on human rights and the environment
• The company's purpose, governance, and transparency practices
• Workplace quality, employee well-being, and inclusion
• The company's impact on communities and the environment

For a complete breakdown of the certification requirements and assessment criteria, you can download the full B Lab Standards documentation here.

bluesign

bluesign is described as a "system-based" certification. To acquire this certification, the production processes are evaluated by bluesign experts. These experts analyze every single phase in the product's journey; this means from the materials to the finished product.

Here are some examples of what the bluesign experts look for in their evaluation:

• Restricted and hazardous chemicals are managed and eliminated according to Bluesign criteria
• Materials and supply chains are traceable
• Emissions and wastewater are properly managed
• Energy and water are used efficiently
• Workers are protected from exposure to hazardous substances
• Facilities meet social responsibility requirements and follow applicable labor standards

The bluesign offical documentation can be found here here for more details

BSCI (BUSINESS SOCIAL COMPLIANCE INITIATIVE)

BSCI is essentially an auditing system (not a certification) that is managed by amfori, a global business association that helps companies improve and manage social responsibility within their supply chains.

The initiative allows companies to evaluate their suppliers to determine whether they are meeting established social and ethical standards.

To participate in BSCI audits, suppliers are expected to follow the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct. Some of the areas covered by this code include:

• Respecting worker rights
• Allowing workers to join trade unions
• Providing fair remuneration
• Ensuring healthy and safe working conditions
• Maintaining reasonable working hours
• Prohibiting forced labor
• Prohibiting child labor
• Implementing measures to reduce environmental harm
• Following ethical business practices, including anti-corruption measures

BSCI itself does not "certify" products or factories in the same way some other standards do. Instead, it provides a framework and auditing process to help companies assess and improve working conditions within their supply chains. So if you see BSCI referenced by a brand, it generally means the company is working to monitor and improve social conditions within its supply chain, rather than certifying a specific product.

CLIMATE NEUTRAL CERTIFIED / THE CLIMATE LABEL

Climate Neutral Certified (now transitioning to The Climate Label) is a certification that requires companies to measure their greenhouse gas emissions and invest in climate solutions based on their climate impact. To achieve certification, companies must account for emissions across their operations and supply chain and allocate funding toward projects that support the transition to a lower-emissions economy. In 2025, certified companies were required to allocate a minimum of $15 per tonne of emissions they produce through what is called a Climate Transition Budget.

What's really neat about this initiative is that you can see all the companies that have the Climate Neutral certification, and how much their emissions are here. You can also see how much money they are funding for climate solutions. For example, see Reformation's numbers here.

CRADLE TO CRADLE PRODUCTS INNOVATION INSTITUTE

Cradle to Cradle Certified sets standards for designers, brands, and manufacturers to ensure that high quality products are created with the planet and people in mind. The certification includes third-party verification to assess products against the Cradle to Cradle Certified standards.

These are the 5 pillars that this certification focuses on:

• Material Health: Recognizes that the chemicals and materials used in the product are safer for human health and the environment.
• Product Circularity: Evaluates whether a product was designed with its next life in mind. It looks at how easily a product can be reused, repaired, recycled, or composted and whether the company has systems in place to help keep materials out of landfills.
• Clean Air & Climate Protection: Evaluates how a company is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase renewable energy use.
• Water & Soil Stewardship: Considers whether the company is keeping the welfare of the water and soil resources in mind during production.
• Social Fairness: Evaluates whether the company respects human rights and promotes fair, safe, and equitable conditions for workers and communities.

The exact breakdown of the 5 pillars above can be found here.

EUROPEAN FLAX CERTIFICATION / MASTERS OF FLAX FIBRE™

The European Flax Certification is now being rebranded as the Masters of FLAX FIBRE™. The Masters of Flax FIBRE certification applies to Linen products, since Linen is exclusively made from the flax plant. This certification ensures that the European flax fibers used for the product are traceable; from the flax fiber to the finished product. The traceability is verified by Bureau Veritas Certification, an independent third-party organization.

For brands to use this certification for their products, 50% of their product needs to be made out of certified European origin flax fiber. Any flax fiber claimed under the certification must originate from certified European sources.

Here are some key requirements for this certification:

• The flax must be grown in Europe and be traceable from farm to finished product.
• Farmers use practices designed to reduce water use, and the flax is typically grown without irrigation.
• GMO flax seeds are not permitted.
• Farmers are encouraged to responsibly manage their use of fertilizers and pesticides.
• Farming practices that support soil health and biodiversity are encouraged.
• Workers must be employed in accordance with European labor laws.
• Fibers are extracted using a mechanical process without water or chemical solvents.
• All parts of the flax plant are utilized, minimizing waste.

For a more thorough breakdown, please see the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp's official documentation here. Their full technical documents can also be found here.

FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED

The Fair Trade Certification focuses on ethical sourcing to help protect human rights and the environment. One of their goals is to enable sustainable livelihoods for farmers, fishers, and other workers involved in the supply chain of certified products.

There are multiple industries that can have their products Fair Trade Certified, such as coffee, florals, produce, seafood, and factories for example. For apparel products, Fair Trade Certified focuses on the factories where garments are made.

To be a Fair Trade Certified factory, it needs to be compliant with the Fair Trade USA's Factory Production Standard (FPS). These are the four focal impact areas for these standards:

• Worker Engagement: Workers must have opportunities to communicate with management, raise concerns without retaliation, and participate in decisions that affect their working conditions.
• Economic Development: Workers receive access to a Fair Trade Premium fund, which is an additional fund that workers collectively decide how to use for projects that benefit workers and their communities. For example, premium funds can be used for projects such as healthcare services, scholarships, transportation, childcare, meals, safety improvements, or other priorities chosen by workers.
• Social Responsibility: Factories must respect human rights, follow labor standards, provide safe working conditions, and comply with applicable labor laws.
• Environmental Responsibility: Factories are expected to reduce the environmental impacts of production by responsibly managing waste, chemicals, energy use, water use, and emissions.

For more information on this certification, please see the official website here.

FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC)

Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification promotes responsible forest management and aims to protect biodiversity, forests, and ecosystems. In the fashion industry, FSC certification is commonly associated with wood-based fibers such as viscose, lyocell, and modal.

For a finished product to carry an FSC label, FSC-certified materials must be tracked through the supply chain using FSC's Chain of Custody certification system. This helps ensure that the certified material can be traced from its original source to the finished product.

Key requirements include:

• Products carrying an FSC label must contain FSC-certified or approved reclaimed materials.
• Certified materials must be identified and tracked throughout manufacturing and distribution.
• Companies must maintain records that verify the origin and movement of certified materials.
• Companies must meet basic labor requirements, including no child labor, forced labor, and workplace discrimination.
• Workers must have the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining.

For more information on this certification, please see the official website here.

GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD (GOTS)

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a textile processing standard for organic fibers. This standard sets requirements for environmental and social practices throughout the supply chain.

Here are the key features:

• Compliance Support: GOTS establishes environmental and social requirements that certified companies must follow throughout the production process.
• Organic Fibers: GOTS has two main product label grades. Products that meet all GOTS requirements can carry the GOTS Organic label if they contain at least 95% certified organic fibers. Products that meet all GOTS requirements and contain at least 70% certified organic fibers can carry the GOTS Made with Organic Materials label. You might also see some labels containing "Made with Organic-in conversion"; this means that the fibers are from farms that are transitioning to certified organic farming.
  • Organic fibers must be grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
  • GMOs are prohibited.
  • Fibers must be certified according to recognized organic standards.
• Due Diligence: Certified companies are expected to identify, assess, and address environmental and social risks within their operations and supply chains.
• Third-Party Certification: Independent certification bodies conduct inspections and audits to verify compliance with GOTS requirements.
• Human Rights and Social Criteria: GOTS includes requirements designed to protect workers throughout the textile supply chain.
  • Child labor is prohibited.
  • Forced labor is prohibited.
  • Workplace discrimination is prohibited.
  • Workers must be treated with dignity and respect.
  • Gender equality is promoted.
  • Standards related to worker health, safety, and working conditions must be followed.
• Environmental Criteria: Environmental requirements apply throughout the textile production process.
  • Restrictions on certain chemicals used during textile processing.
  • Requirements for responsible wastewater and chemical management during manufacturing.
• All Processing Stages: GOTS requirements apply throughout the supply chain, including processing, manufacturing, and trading.
• Traceability: Certified materials must be traceable throughout the supply chain, helping verify that organic fibers are maintained from source to finished product.

For more information on this certification, please see the official website here.

GLOBAL RECYCLED STANDARD (GRS)

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is a certification that focuses on traceability, environmental impacts, social requirements, and chemical content of the product. This certification is actually not limited to textiles and can be used for all products utilizing recycled content.

Here are the key requirements:

• Products must contain at least 20% recycled content to qualify for GRS certification.
• Labor standards identified by the International Labour Organization are respected.
• Companies are required to assess and manage environmental and social risks within certified operations.
• Certified facilities must meet environmental requirements related to energy use, water use, waste management, and other environmental impacts.
• Materials have transaction certificates that follow them through the supply chain.

More thorough documentation can be found here.

OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100

OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 is a product safety certification that tests textiles for regulated and potentially harmful substances. Every component of a certified product must pass laboratory testing, including fabrics, threads, buttons, zippers, and other components.

Here are the key features:

• Products are tested for over 1,000 potentially harmful substances. Testing covers a wide range of substances, including:
  • Heavy metals such as lead and cadmium
  • Certain dyes and colorants
  • Certain PFAS ("forever chemicals")
  • Pesticide residues
  • Other chemicals that may pose risks to human health
• Product Classes: OEKO-TEX uses four product classes with different testing requirements based on how much skin contact is expected.
  • Product Class I: Products for babies and children up to 3 years old (strictest requirements)
  • Product Class II: Products with direct skin contact, such as underwear, bedding, and t-shirts
  • Product Class III: Products with little or no direct skin contact, such as jackets
  • Product Class IV: Home textiles and decorative items, such as curtains and tablecloths
• Third-Party Testing: Products are tested and certified by independent OEKO-TEX-approved laboratories. Certification is valid for one year and must be renewed to remain current.
• Traceability: Certified products receive a certification number that can be used to verify the validity of the certification through OEKO-TEX.

A more thorough breakdown of the certification can be found here.

ORGANIC CONTENT STANDARD (OCS)

The Organic Content Standard (OCS) is an international standard that helps verify that the organically grown raw materials used in a product are traceable throughout the supply chain from certified source to finished product. This standard is managed by the Textile Exchange.

Here are the key components of this standard:

• Organic Content:
  • Organic materials used come from farms certified to recognized organic standards.
  • Organic fibers must be verified through certification documentation.
  • Organic cotton must undergo GMO screening requirements.
  • Organic wool must come from non-mulesed sheep or farms that have ceased mulesing.
• Chain of Custody:
  • Each organization along the supply chain must ensure that the integrity and identity of the input organic material are preserved.
  • Companies must maintain records for certified materials.
  • Supply chain participants must follow traceability requirements to preserve the integrity of the organic content claim.
• Third-Party Certification: Independent certification bodies conduct annual audits to verify compliance with OCS requirements.
• Product Eligibility: Products must contain at least 5% certified organic content to qualify for OCS Blended certification, while OCS 100 requires at least 95% certified organic content.

A more thorough summary can be found here.

REGENERATIVE ORGANIC CERTIFIED (ROC)

The Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) from the Regenerative Organic Alliance is a certification that combines organic agriculture with additional requirements related to soil health, animal welfare, and social responsibility. Products must already meet recognized organic standards before qualifying for ROC certification. ROC is also a tiered certification system (Bronze, Silver, Gold), with higher levels requiring stronger regenerative, animal welfare, and social standards.

Here are some key components of what this certification checks for:

• Soil Health & Land Management:
  • Building and maintaining healthy soil; soil will be re-tested every 3 years to ensure that the soil quality meets the certification standards.
  • Using practices that support biodiversity.
  • Wastewater cannot be discharged untreated into natural waterways or soil and must go through required treatment processes before it is.
  • No genetically modified fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, seeds, or crops are used.
• Animal Welfare:
  • Animals should have easy access to food and clean water for drinking.
  • Severe confinement is prohibited, and animals must have access to outdoor space and natural behaviors.
  • Humane treatment and handling are required.
  • Certain animal mutilation practices, including mulesing, are prohibited.
• Farmer & Worker Fairness:
  • No children under 15 are allowed to work on the farms; for children under 18, specific protective rules apply to what they’re allowed to work on.
  • Forced labor and human trafficking are prohibited.
  • Workplace harassment and discrimination are prohibited.
  • Workers must have the right to organize and collectively bargain.
  • Workers must receive wages that meet legal requirements, with a commitment toward living wages.
  • Workers have access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities, and have a safe overall working environment.

For a more thorough breakdown, please see the documentation for the ROC framework here.

RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD (RWS)

The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is a certification developed by Textile Exchange that aims to promote responsible wool production. The standard includes requirements related to animal welfare, land management, and social responsibility, while also providing traceability throughout the supply chain.

Here are some key components of what this certification checks for:

• Animal welfare
  • Sheep should have access to adequate nutrition and clean drinking water.
  • Housing for sheep is well ventilated, kept clean, and provides enough space for freedom of movement.
  • Farm conducts routine welfare inspections to monitor for signs of disease and any sheep suffering from health issues receive prompt medical care.
  • Mulesing is prohibited.
  • Shearing will be conducted using techniques and equipment designed to minimize stress and injury for the sheep.
• Land management
  • Land shall not be degraded by overgrazing.
  • Soil erosion will be monitored and managed.
  • Hazardous materials must be managed to prevent contamination of soil, water, and grazing land.
  • Farm needs to develop a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) to protect the biodiversity on and around the farm.
  • Aquatic ecosystems and bodies of water on the farm shall stay protected.
  • Fertilizers and pesticides must be used responsibly to minimize environmental impact.
• Social welfare
  • Forced labor is prohibited.
  • Child labor is prohibited, and minimum working age requirements follow International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.
  • Discrimination as outlined by the ILO is prohibited.
  • Workers have the right to organize and collectively bargain.
  • Equal pay rights are protected.

For a complete breakdown of what exactly this standard certifies, please see Textile Exchange’s documentation here.