As mothers, we're the kind of shoppers who reach for the organic eggs, organic baby food, organic biscuits… the version with the leaf on the label, sitting right there next to the regular one.

We know, roughly, what that leaf is supposed to mean: fewer pesticides, better processing, some kind of third-party check behind it. But it's not always easy to understand what a certification really means. And since we know quite a lot about textile ones, sharing some of it (and making your choices a little simpler) has been on our to-do list for a long time. We're sure you can relate to having a to-do list that's hard to get to. But we're finally getting to it.

So let's unpack some of it.

What GOTS actually is.

All our denim and knits are made of 100% organic cotton, made in India by our GOTS-certified partners. Each product is therefore covered by a Transaction Certificate (TC), ensuring its traceability throughout the certified supply chain. GOTS (the Global Organic Textile Standard) is one of the most respected certifications in clothing, for good reason. It checks organic fiber content, restricts harmful processing chemicals, and requires fair labor conditions across the supply chain. That's real, independently verified work. 

But here is what's easy to miss.

GOTS actually has two tiers. "Organic" means at least 95% organic fiber. "Made with organic materials" means just 70%. Same certification, genuinely different product, and most of us have never been taught to spot the difference.

There's another layer, too. GOTS certifies the process: the facility, the supply chain, the practices, which is real, valuable work. It's just a different kind of check than a substance-by-substance test of the exact garment in your hands. That's part of why we don't stop at GOTS, we also built our own Product Restricted Substances List (PRSL), the layer that looks at the specific limits within each garment, not just the practices behind it.

So, when looking at a certification, here are a few things we suggest you look out for:

1. Check which tier. "Organic" and "made with organic" aren't the same thing.

2. Notice if the claim is about the fiber or the finished garment. A cotton yarn can be certified organic, but the thread, dye, or trims used to actually construct the piece might not be covered by the same certification.

3. See if the certifying body is named. A real certification always names who did the checking: GOTS, OEKO-TEX, a specific auditor. If there's no named issuing organization behind it, that's a claim, not a certification.

4. Remember a logo is a starting point for trust, not the end of the question.

We'll stop there for now, but if you have any questions (or something about organic food you think we should know) drop us an email!