Starting a Clothing Brand? That GOTS Certificate You Just Got Might Be Worthless

If you’re serious about sustainability, one recycled PDF won’t cut it. Learn how to source properly — not just perform sustainability — inside Garment Sourcing 101

Me when I see the same GOTS certificate passed to me for the fourth time this week.

It has a logo.

It says “organic.”

It’s dated.

It looks… legit?

And yet somehow, four completely different suppliers — in four cities — all seem to have access to the exact same Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certificate.

It’s almost like it’s not theirs.

Welcome to the Recycling Economy (of Certificates) start a clothing brand.

If you’re figuring out how to start your own clothing line, sustainability probably matters to you.

You’re looking for organic fabrics. Recycled yarns. Ethical production.

So when a factory flashes a GOTS logo or sends you an Oeko-Tex scan, you’re supposed to feel confident.

But here’s the truth: certification does not equal compliance.

Factories reuse certificates. Share them. Borrow them.

And unless the cert is:

• In their company name

• Linked to the exact facility doing your production

• Current and verifiable…

…it’s just decoration.

Why This Happens (And How Brands Get Burned)

Most new founders don’t know what to ask.

They’re trying to start a clothing brand, not become auditors. So when a factory sends a certificate, they assume it means the entire supply chain is compliant.

But that’s not how it works.

There are certificates for:

• Raw materials

• Dyeing mills

• Stitching facilities

• Warehouses

And unless every link in the chain holds a valid cert — your “GOTS-certified” hoodie might be made from certified yarn, sewn in an uncertified workshop, and shipped under someone else’s paperwork.

What To Do Instead

If you’re serious about starting a clothing business the right way, don’t just collect PDFs.

Interrogate them.

• Ask for certs in the factory’s name

• Check expiration dates

• Verify against the GOTS public database

• Understand which part of the process is actually certified

• Get traceability in writing (and hold it in your PO)

Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for transparency.

Because when the “same” GOTS cert shows up four times in a week, that’s not sustainable sourcing — that’s performance art.

Want to know how to actually vet factories, decode certifications, and avoid the greenwashing trap?

We teach all of it — inside Garment Sourcing 101.

Built for new brands who want to launch ethically and intelligently.