Fashion Certification Guide

Fashion Certifications

Keep your eyes peeled for these helpful labels…

Certifications are a quick way to see that a brand has put effort into and invested in improving labour rights or environmental standards in its supply chain. But with so many certifications on the market, it can be hard to know what’s what. That’s why we’ve rounded up a list of the most common certifications you might find on clothing labels, and what it means when you find one.

Labour Rights

• Fairtrade – Fairtrade International/Australia New Zealand
• What does this certification mean?
• Fairtrade empowers millions of farmers and workers around the world by tackling poverty and poor working conditions, as well as conserving the environment. A Fairtrade certification may apply to the cotton farm where the cotton was grown, all the way through to the factory where the clothing was made. At a farm level, Fairtrade ensures farmers receive a Fairtrade Minimum Price which acts as a safeguard against falling prices.
• Where can I learn more? https://fairtradeanz.org/

Environmental Sustainability

• FSC - Forest Stewardship Council
• What does this certification mean?
• FSC certification means that trees (used as a raw material) have been sourced responsibly from sustainably managed forests. For clothing, this label will most often be found on regenerated cellulose fibres such as viscose or lyocell, which are made from wood pulp.
• Where can I learn more? https://fsc.org/en/fsc-labels

• Oeko-Tex
• What does this certification mean?
• Oeko-Tex has a range of labels which certify that textile products have been tested for harmful chemical substances, to assure consumers that the products are safe from a human-ecological perspective. Some Oeko-Tex labels also ensure that chemical use during the manufacturing process has been managed sustainably.
• Where can I learn more? https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards

• GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard
• What does this certification mean? GOTS certification means that a textile product contains a minimum of 70% certified organic fibres (‘made with organic’) or 95% organic fibres (‘organic’). The entire textile supply chain is independently audited across the areas of processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling and trading to ensure high ecological standards and reduced toxic chemical inputs.
• Where can I learn more? https://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html

Labour Rights and Environmental Sustainability

• BCI - Better Cotton Initiative
• What does this certification mean?
• A BCI logo means that a fashion company is sourcing at least 10% of their cotton sustainably through BCI, with a plan to source at least 50% within five years. The Better Cotton Standard System takes a holistic approach to sustainable cotton production covering environmental, social and economic pillars. BCI works to ensure cotton farmers receive training on how to use water efficiently, care for the health of the soil and natural habitats, reduce harmful chemical use, and apply decent work principles.
• Where can I learn more? https://bettercotton.org/better-cotton-standard-system/

• B Corp - Certified B Corporation
• What does this certification mean?
• A company certified as a B Corp means that the business aims to balance profit with purpose, and is generally trying to solve a social or environmental issue through their enterprise. B Corp companies are verified to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, and must achieve a minimum ‘impact score.’
• Where can I learn more? https://www.bcorporation.com.au/