Increasingly, companies are making apparel, home textiles, and fiber-based products such
as mattresses that include organic cotton, organic wool, or other organic fiber. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (USDA’s NOP) on May 20, 2011,
issued a Policy Memorandum
1 that clarifies how such organic fiber-containing products
may be labeled. Below is an overview of the definitions and permissible claims companies
using organic fibers may use.The bottom line is that finished or processed textile
products that imply or lead the consumer to believe that the final product is
certified organic must meet either the USDA organic regulations or the Global
Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
