GOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard, certifies that a textile is made from organically grown natural fibre and that every stage of processing it, from spinning to dyeing to the finished product, met the standard's rules on chemicals, wastewater, traceability and working conditions. On a yoga mat, "GOTS-certified organic cotton" means exactly that about the cotton. It does not certify the mat's grip, its latex layer, or any grass or banana fibre woven alongside it, and we think buyers deserve to know where the label stops.
What GOTS actually covers
The standard is run by Global Standard gGmbH, and its own website is the only place to check the current rules. The summary below is drawn from the GOTS standard overview and the key features pages.
Organic fibre, in two grades
GOTS applies to certified organic natural fibres such as cotton, linen, hemp, wool and silk. A finished product can carry one of two label grades:
- "Organic": at least 95 per cent certified organic fibres.
- "Made with organic materials": at least 70 per cent certified organic fibres.
The fibre itself must be grown to a recognised organic farming standard before GOTS even begins. GOTS then takes over from the point the fibre leaves the farm.
Every processing stage
This is the part most people miss. GOTS is not only a farming claim. The standard requires certification of all processing stages, from the first handling of the organic fibre to the finished product, which takes in spinning, weaving or knitting, wet processing such as dyeing and finishing, manufacturing and trading. Each company involved in processing the product must be certified by an approved independent certification body, and certified facilities are audited on site every year.
Chemical and environmental rules
GOTS restricts the chemical inputs that may be used in processing and requires wastewater treatment at wet-processing sites. It sets requirements for environmental management and asks for traceability and transparent documentation of the product's flow through the supply chain, so that a certified product can be traced back through certified hands.
Social criteria
The standard includes social criteria based on internationally recognised norms. Among the requirements listed on the official site are safe and hygienic working conditions, a prohibition of child labour and forced labour, and freedom of association and collective bargaining.
What GOTS does not cover
A standard is only useful if you know its edges. Here is where GOTS stops on a mat like ours.
| Question | Does GOTS answer it? |
|---|---|
| Was the cotton grown organically? | Yes, through the farm standard GOTS builds on |
| Were spinning, weaving and dyeing done under GOTS chemical and social rules? | Yes, for certified stages |
| Is the natural latex grip layer certified? | No, it is not a textile fibre |
| Are the grass or banana fibres in a blended mat certified? | No, GOTS covers the organic fibre |
| Does the mat grip well? | No, GOTS is not a performance standard |
| Is the dye "healthy" or "healing"? | No, and nobody should claim that |
| Is the mat biodegradable? | No, GOTS does not certify end of life |
So when you read "GOTS-certified yoga mat" anywhere, the claim is about the textile fibre and its processing, not the latex or any non-organic fibre in the mat. We try never to use the shorter phrase ourselves.
What it means on our mats
We hold GOTS certification for our organic cotton. That is the full claim, and we apply it only where it is true:
- The cotton rugs and mats, Indico, the Diamond weaves such as Diamond Clay, and the chakra rugs, are woven from GOTS-certified organic cotton.
- Sambu Frame is sambhu grass woven with GOTS-certified organic cotton. The grass is grass; the certification is about the cotton.
- Our Darbha and Banana Fibre mats are grass and plant fibre bound with cotton. We do not call them GOTS-certified.
The latex underside is natural tree latex brushed on by hand. It is not part of the certification, and if you are allergic to natural latex, choose with care and write to us first. We have not yet published our licence details on the site; if you would like to see them before buying, ask us through the Contact page.
Why it matters on a mat in particular
A yoga mat is something you put your face on, sweat into and wash. For a textile that close to the skin, knowing that the dyeing and finishing happened under restricted-chemical rules, with wastewater treated, is worth more than a vague "natural" label. It is also a check on the supply chain: GOTS requires every processing company in the chain to be certified, which is hard to fake.
What it is not is a promise about feel. Organic cotton handles much like conventional cotton of the same grade, as we explain in organic cotton vs conventional cotton. You choose GOTS for what happened before the mat reached you, not for a different sensation under the hands.
For a wider look at what labels on mats can and cannot mean, including PVC, TPE and "non-toxic" claims, read our guide to non-toxic yoga mats in India.
Frequently asked questions
What does GOTS-certified mean on a yoga mat?
It means the mat's cotton was grown organically and that every processing stage, from spinning through dyeing to the finished textile, was certified by an independent body under the Global Organic Textile Standard's chemical, wastewater, traceability and social rules. It says nothing about the mat's grip, its latex layer or any non-cotton fibre in the weave.
Is a GOTS-certified mat entirely organic?
Not necessarily. GOTS has two label grades: "organic" requires at least 95 per cent certified organic fibre, and "made with organic materials" requires at least 70 per cent. Either way, the certification concerns the textile fibre, so a latex grip layer or a grass weft is outside its scope.
Does GOTS cover the natural latex on the underside of a mat?
No. GOTS certifies organic natural fibres and their processing. Natural tree latex is not a textile fibre, so it is not covered. On our mats the latex is brushed on by hand as a thin grip layer; if you are allergic to natural latex, choose with care and write to us first.
Can a grass or banana fibre mat be GOTS-certified?
Not as a whole. GOTS applies to certified organic natural fibres such as cotton. Where a grass mat is woven with GOTS-certified organic cotton, as our Sambu Frame is, the certification applies to the cotton in it, and the honest wording says so.
How do I check a GOTS claim?
Ask the seller for the certificate or licence number and check it against the public database on the official GOTS website. A genuine claim can always be traced to a certified company. If a seller cannot show you anything, treat the label as marketing.
If you want to start with the cotton itself, our cotton mats are all woven from GOTS-certified organic cotton, with the fibre, size and care listed on each page.
