Germany recognizes GOTS certification and expands Green Button Label

In September 2019, Germany launched the Green Button, the world’s first government sustainable textile label. Its purpose is to enhance textile production and label products that adhere to social and environmental standards. This label is awarded exclusively to products from responsible companies that prioritize sustainability in their production processes.

The Green Button initially focused on environmental requirements for bleaching, dyeing, and social conditions during cutting and sewing. Recently, Green Button 2.0 expanded these criteria to include sustainable raw material extraction. Approved fibers and materials are now prerequisites for products seeking the Green Button certification.

To prove sustainable production, the Green Button accepts certification labels meeting the German federal government’s credibility criteria. These labels must assess the necessary social and environmental requirements throughout the supply chain. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has recently joined the list of recognized certification labels under Green Button 2.0, meeting the benchmarking process for production process requirements.

The GOTS certification label is now accepted for manufacturing and wet processes, as well as for fiber and material production, including plant-based and animal fibers and man-made fibers with a proportion between 10 and 30 percent in the final product