Ask a supplier for proof that their bags are sustainable, and you will likely receive one of two documents: a GOTS certificate or an OEKO-TEX certificate. Both carry genuine credibility. Both are audited by independent third parties. And both are regularly misunderstood — treated as equivalent or interchangeable when they are, in fact, answering entirely different questions.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 asks: Is this finished bag free from harmful substances? GOTS asks: Was this bag made from certified organic fibre, through a supply chain that meets environmental and social standards from farm to finished product?
Neither question is more important in the abstract. Which one matters more depends on what your brand is claiming, what materials your bags are made from, and what your customers — or regulators — need you to prove. This guide explains both standards, shows how they apply specifically to bag production, and gives procurement teams a clear framework for deciding which to require, and when.
What Is OEKO-TEX?
OEKO-TEX is a Switzerland-based independent certification system for textiles and leather products, established in 1992 by the Hohenstein Research Institute and the Austrian Textile Research Institute. Today, it operates as an association of 18 independent research and testing institutes across Europe and Japan. The name is a compound of the German ökologisch (ecological) and Textil (textile), and the system has grown into one of the most widely recognised textile certification marks globally, with more than 230,000 certificates issued to facilities in over 100 countries.
The OEKO-TEX system is not a single certification — it is a family of standards, each designed to address a specific aspect of textile safety, sustainability, or production responsibility. Buyers who receive a supplier’s “OEKO-TEX certificate” without further specification should always confirm which standard is being referenced, as the scope of each varies considerably.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100: The Core Certification
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the most widely used and most commonly referenced OEKO-TEX standard. It tests finished textile products — and every component used to make them — for the presence of more than 100 harmful substances known to pose risks to human health.
The scope of testing is comprehensive. It covers not only the primary fabric but also every component of the finished product: stitching threads, zippers, metal eyelets, buttons, labels, and — critically for branded bags — printing inks and coatings. A bag whose fabric passes testing but whose printed logo contains prohibited substances will not receive Standard 100 certification.
Substances tested include toxic heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium), formaldehyde, banned azo dyes, pesticide residues, plasticisers (phthalates), and allergens, among others. Limits are calibrated against intended use and level of skin contact. The standard applies four product classes:
- Class I: Products for babies and toddlers under 36 months — the most stringent limits
- Class II: Products with direct and prolonged skin contact (underwear, T-shirts, bed linen)
- Class III: Products with no or limited skin contact (outer garments, bags carried by hand)
- Class IV: Decoration and furnishing materials
For most tote bags and promotional bags, Class III applies. However, bags intended for baby products or those with prolonged skin contact may require Class II testing.
One important clarification: OEKO-TEX Standard 100 does not verify where the raw material came from, how it was grown, or what conditions workers experienced during manufacturing. A bag can carry Standard 100 certification and still be made from conventionally grown, pesticide-intensive cotton. The certificate says the finished product is chemically safe — nothing more and nothing less.
OEKO-TEX Made in Green
OEKO-TEX Made in Green builds on Standard 100 by adding a layer of production transparency. A product carrying this label has not only passed harmful substance testing but has also been manufactured in facilities audited for environmentally responsible production conditions and socially responsible working practices.
Made in Green uses a scannable QR code linked to a traceable product story — buyers and consumers can see which countries and facilities were involved in the product’s production. For brands that want to communicate not just product safety but responsible manufacturing, Made in Green provides a stronger and more transparent credential than Standard 100 alone.
OEKO-TEX STeP and Eco Passport
STeP (Sustainable Textile and Leather Production) is a facility-level certification for manufacturers. Rather than certifying a product, STeP certifies that a production facility meets OEKO-TEX standards for chemical management, environmental performance, social responsibility, and quality management. It is relevant to buyers conducting factory-level due diligence rather than product-level specification.
Eco Passport is a certification for chemical products — dyes, finishing agents, and printing inks — confirming that they meet OEKO-TEX requirements for safe use in textile production. For buyers sourcing GOTS-certified organic cotton bags, Eco Passport-certified inks represent one pathway to ensuring that the printing process does not compromise the bag’s certification status. The two standards are not identical in their requirements, but they share significant overlap in the substances they restrict.
What Is GOTS?
GOTS — the Global Organic Textile Standard — is the world’s leading certification for organic textiles. Established in 2006 by a consortium of four organisations (the Organic Trade Association, the International Association Natural Textile Industry, the Soil Association, and the Japan Organic Cotton Association), GOTS was created to provide a single internationally recognised standard for what “organic textile” actually means — from the farm where the fibre was grown to the factory where the finished product was made.
Where OEKO-TEX Standard 100 focuses on the safety of the finished product, GOTS focuses on the integrity of the entire production process. A GOTS-certified tote bag provides assurance that the cotton was grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers on a certified organic farm, that every processing stage met strict environmental criteria for chemical inputs and wastewater management, and that workers at every facility in the supply chain were treated in accordance with ILO labour standards.
GOTS applies exclusively to natural fibres — cotton, linen, hemp, silk, wool, and similar plant or animal-based materials. It does not apply to synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon, or polypropylene, regardless of how those fibres are produced. An rPET bag, however responsibly made, cannot be GOTS certified.
The standard defines two label grades: products containing at least 95% certified organic fibre carry the “Organic” designation; those containing at least 70% carry “Made with Organic.” Both require the same supply chain audit standards — the difference is purely in organic fibre content percentage.
For a detailed breakdown of GOTS requirements, label grades, the Scope Certificate vs Transaction Certificate distinction, and how to verify supplier credentials, see our complete guide: [What Does GOTS Certified Mean for Tote Bags?]
What Each Certification Covers: A Direct Comparison
With both standards defined, the comparison becomes straightforward. They are not competing — they address different dimensions of product and supply chain responsibility.
| OEKO-TEX Standard 100 | OEKO-TEX Made in Green | GOTS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core question answered | Is the finished product chemically safe? | Is the product safe and responsibly made? | Was the organic fibre grown and processed responsibly? |
| Scope | Finished product + all components | Finished product + facility conditions | Full supply chain from farm to finished goods |
| Covers raw material origin | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Organic farming standard required |
| Covers production conditions | ✗ | ✓ Environmental + social | ✓ Environmental + social criteria |
| Applicable to synthetic fibres | ✓ (rPET, PP, nylon, etc.) | ✓ | ✗ Natural fibres only |
| Applicable to natural fibres | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (must be certified organic) |
| Covers printing inks | ✓ (tested as component) | ✓ | ✓ (inks must be GOTS-approved) |
| Labour standards | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ ILO-based criteria |
| Publicly verifiable | ✓ OEKO-TEX Label Check | ✓ QR code traceable | ✓ global-standard.org database |
| Certification renewed | Annually | Annually | Annually |
The table makes the complementary relationship clear. GOTS covers where the material came from and how it was made. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 covers whether the finished product is safe to use. A product can, and in premium applications often should, carry both.
How Each Certification Applies to Eco Bags
OEKO-TEX for Bags: Applicable to All Material Types
OEKO-TEX Standard 100’s material-agnostic scope makes it the most broadly applicable certification in the bag market. It is relevant to cotton canvas bags, rPET bags, PP woven and non-woven bags, nylon bags, and any other material type.
For rPET bags specifically, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the most important available safety certification. Because rPET is a synthetic material, GOTS does not apply. But recycled polyester can contain residual contaminants from its source material or processing — heavy metal traces, dye residues, or chemical additives from the original PET product. Standard 100 testing provides buyers with verified assurance that these residues are within safe limits in the finished bag.
For PP non-woven and woven bags, Standard 100 similarly fills the certification gap left by GOTS’s natural-fibre scope. Brands distributing synthetic promotional bags who want a verifiable safety credential should specify Standard 100 certification rather than leaving chemical safety entirely to supplier assurance.
For cotton canvas bags, Standard 100 and GOTS serve different functions and both remain relevant. GOTS certifies organic origin and production process; Standard 100 independently verifies the finished product is free of harmful residues. The two are not redundant — a bag can be GOTS certified at the production stage and still fail Standard 100 testing if a non-compliant component (such as a metal eyelet or a label ink) introduces prohibited substances.
GOTS for Bags: Where It Applies and Where It Doesn’t
GOTS applies to bags made from certified organic natural fibres. The most common application in the bag market is organic cotton canvas — tote bags, shopping bags, drawstring bags, and similar constructions. Bags made from organic linen or organic hemp can also be GOTS certified, though these are less common in commercial production.
Juco bags (jute/cotton blends) may qualify if the organic cotton content meets the minimum threshold. A bag containing 75% GOTS-certified organic cotton and 25% jute would be eligible for “Made with Organic” certification. The jute content itself does not require organic certification under GOTS rules, provided the overall organic fibre percentage meets the applicable threshold.
GOTS does not apply to any synthetic material regardless of its production method. An rPET bag made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles cannot be GOTS certified. The correct certification for recycled content claims on synthetic bags is GRS (Global Recycled Standard).
The Printing Ink Overlap
One area where the two standards intersect in a practically important way is printing inks. Both GOTS and OEKO-TEX address the chemical content of inks used in bag production, but from different angles.
GOTS requires that any ink applied to a certified product must be on the GOTS approved inputs list — inks containing prohibited substances break the certification chain, regardless of the fabric’s certified status. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 tests inks as components of the finished product and will flag prohibited substances in ink residues during product testing.
OEKO-TEX Eco Passport provides a third pathway: it certifies chemical products, including inks, as meeting OEKO-TEX requirements for safe use in textile production. Eco Passport-certified inks are not automatically GOTS-approved, but the standards share significant overlap in restricted substances. For buyers navigating the ink compliance question, working with a factory that uses Eco Passport-certified inks is a strong indicator of chemical safety, even when GOTS compliance requires separate confirmation.
Which Certification Should You Require? A Practical Decision Framework
When GOTS Alone Is the Right Choice
GOTS is the right primary certification when a brand’s core environmental claim centres on organic origin and ethical supply chain — when the message to customers is “this bag was made from genuinely organic cotton, by verified suppliers who met environmental and labour standards at every stage.”
This is the appropriate positioning for organic food brands, zero-waste retailers, natural beauty companies, and any brand whose identity is built around natural, plant-based materials. For these brands, GOTS provides verifiable credentials that support the organic positioning in a way that no amount of marketing language can replicate.
The prerequisite is that the bag is made from natural organic fibre. If the supply chain cannot produce a GOTS-certified cotton or linen canvas bag within budget and lead time constraints, GOTS is not available as an option — and a brand should not claim organic credentials it cannot verify.
When OEKO-TEX Alone Is the Right Choice
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the right primary certification when the bag material is synthetic — rPET, PP, or nylon — and the brand needs to make a credible, verifiable statement about product safety.
For brands distributing rPET promotional bags who want to reassure customers that their recycled plastic bag does not contain harmful chemical residues, Standard 100 provides the most relevant and defensible certification available. It is also the practical choice for brands sourcing non-woven or woven PP bags at scale, where GOTS is not applicable and where chemical safety is a genuine concern.
When Both Are Required
The combination of GOTS and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 provides the most comprehensive credential set for organic cotton bags in markets with high consumer or regulatory scrutiny.
GOTS certifies what the bag is made from and how it was produced. Standard 100 independently confirms that the finished product — including every component and any applied ink — contains no harmful substance residues above defined thresholds. For brands entering the EU market, selling to health-conscious or baby-product adjacent retail channels, or making strong organic claims that may face regulatory review under the EU Green Claims Directive, both certifications together provide a robust and defensible position.
Decision Matrix for Bag Buyers
| Sourcing Scenario | Primary Certification | Supplementary | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic cotton tote, simple brand positioning | GOTS | — | Verifies organic origin and supply chain |
| Organic cotton tote, EU market / high scrutiny | GOTS + OEKO-TEX Std 100 | — | Organic origin + finished product safety |
| rPET promotional tote | OEKO-TEX Std 100 | GRS | Safety certification + recycled content verification |
| PP non-woven event bag | OEKO-TEX Std 100 | — | Only applicable standard for synthetic material |
| Baby or skin-contact product bag | OEKO-TEX Std 100 Class II | GOTS if cotton | Highest chemical safety threshold |
| Brand requiring recycled content claim | GRS | OEKO-TEX Std 100 | GRS for recycled content, OEKO-TEX for safety |
| Premium organic bag, full credentials | GOTS + OEKO-TEX Std 100 | OEKO-TEX Made in Green | Maximum verifiable credential set |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GOTS or OEKO-TEX better?
Neither is universally better — they serve different purposes. GOTS is more comprehensive in scope, covering organic fibre origin, full supply chain environmental criteria, and labour standards from farm to finished product. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is more broadly applicable, covering all textile materials including synthetics, and focuses specifically on harmful substance safety in the finished product. For organic cotton bags, GOTS is the more meaningful certification for organic claims; for synthetic bags, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the most relevant available option.
Can a bag be both GOTS and OEKO-TEX certified?
Yes, and for premium organic cotton bags sold in regulated markets, carrying both is often the strongest approach. GOTS certifies the production process and organic origin; OEKO-TEX Standard 100 independently verifies the finished product is free from harmful substances. The two standards are complementary rather than redundant — a bag can pass GOTS supply chain audits and still require separate Standard 100 testing to verify that no prohibited residues are present in the finished product.
Does OEKO-TEX mean organic?
No. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifies that a finished textile product is free from harmful chemical substances above defined safety thresholds. It does not verify that the fibre used to make the product was organically grown, or that any stage of production met organic farming or processing standards. A conventionally grown, non-organic cotton bag can carry Standard 100 certification. For organic origin verification, GOTS is the relevant standard.
Which certification is required for the EU market?
Neither GOTS nor OEKO-TEX is currently mandated by EU law for bag products specifically. However, the EU Green Claims Directive — which entered into force in 2024 and is being transposed into member state law — requires that environmental claims be substantiated by verifiable third-party evidence. Brands making organic, eco-friendly, or sustainable claims about bags sold in the EU should ensure those claims are backed by recognised certifications such as GOTS or OEKO-TEX. Claims that cannot be verified face increasing legal exposure under the Directive.
What is OEKO-TEX Eco Passport?
OEKO-TEX Eco Passport is a certification for chemical products — including dyes, finishing agents, and printing inks — confirming they meet OEKO-TEX requirements for safe use in textile production. For bag buyers, it is most relevant as a tool for verifying that the inks used to print logos and designs do not introduce prohibited substances into an otherwise certified product. Eco Passport-certified inks and GOTS-approved inks share significant overlap in restricted substances, though the two standards are not identical and Eco Passport certification does not automatically satisfy GOTS ink compliance requirements.
