Organic cotton

GOTS-certified

The reason to start BiNKi was because I wanted to make a bigger contribution to a better world. There is so much more we can do, but we thought lets start with making cute baby clothes that are made in a fair and sustainable way and that can be bought with a good conscience. Below we will explain about the organic cotton our clothes are made from and why they are good for your baby.

Where are BiNKi clothes made?

Our BiNKi clothes are made by a local manufacturer in Tirupur, in the Tamil Nadu region in the south of India. The manufacturer has been GOTS-certified for many years and is constantly improving the factory technically but also environmentally. You can read more about our visit to the factory in our news item by following the link below.

Read about our visit to the factory
BiNKi production in India
BiNKi cutting pants in India

Organic cotton

All the cotton we use for our baby clothes are 100% organic cotton. They are produced by our manufacturers. Organic crops are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides. With organic agriculture natural fertilizers and fertilizing techniques are used instead, including compost, manure, naturally derived mineral and plant fertilizers, and crop rotation. Compared to conventional cotton, organic cotton has a lower carbon footprint, because organic cotton farming requires less energy and healthy organic soil can store more carbon. The production process also requires less water. Furthermore, it enormously reduces the grey water footprint (polluted water).

GOTS logo

Global Organic Textile Standard

All the organic cotton used in our clothes is GOTS certified. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is recognized as the world’s leading processing standard for textiles (clothing, home textiles, and personal care products) made from certified organically produced raw materials. It includes strict environmental and social criteria for operations along the entire textile supply chain.

The aim of the standard is to define globally recognized requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing all the way to labeling in order to provide credible assurance to the end consumer. Textile processors and manufacturers should be able to export their organic fabrics and garments with one certification accepted in all major markets.

Read more about the GOTS-standards

  • At all processing stages organic fibre products must be separated from conventional fibre products and must be clearly identified
  • All chemical inputs (e.g. dyes, auxiliaries and process chemicals) must be evaluated and meet basic requirements on toxicity and biodegradability/limitability
  • Ban on critical inputs such as toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents, functional nano particles, genetically modified organisms (GMO) and their enzymes
  • The use of synthetic sizing agents is restricted; knitting and weaving oils must not contain heavy metals
  • Bleaches must be based on oxygen (no chlorine bleaching)
  • Azo dyes that release carcinogenic amine compounds are prohibited
  • Discharge printing methods using aromatic solvents and plastisol printing methods using phthalates and PVC are prohibited
  • Restrictions for accessories (e.g. no PVC, nickel or chrome permitted, all polyester must be post-consumer recycled from 2014 onwards)
  • All operators must have an environmental policy including target goals and procedures to minimize waste and discharges
  • Wet-processing units must keep full records of the use of chemicals, energy, water consumption and waste water treatment, including the disposal of sludge. The waste water from all wet-processing units must be treated in a functional waste water treatment plant
  • Packaging material must not contain PVC. From 1 January 2014 onwards, any paper or cardboard used in packaging material, hang tags, swing tags etc. must be post-consumer recycled or certified in accordance with FSC or PEFC

All processors and manufacturers must meet minimum social criteria based on the key norms of the International Labour Organization (ILO). They must implement social compliance management with defined elements to ensure that the social criteria can be met. The applicable key conventions of theInternational Labour Organization (ILO) listed must be used as the relevant basis for interpretation for adequate implementation and assessment of the following social criteria topics.

  • Employment is freely chosen
  • C29 – Forced Labour Convention
  • C105 – Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
  • Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
  • C87 – Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention
  • C98 – Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention
  • C135 – Workers’ Representatives Convention
  • C154 – Collective Bargaining Convention
  • Working conditions are safe and hygienic
  • C155 – Occupational Safety and Health Convention
  • Child labor must not be used
  • C138 – Minimum Age Convention
  • C182 – Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
  • Living wages
  • C95 – Protection of Wages Convention
  • C131 – Minimum Wage Fixing Convention
  • Working hours are not excessive
  • C1 – Hours of Work (Industry) Convention
  • C14 – Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention
  • C30 – Hours of Work (Commerce and Offices) Convention
  • C106 – Weekly Rest (Commerce and Offices) Convention
  • No discrimination is practiced
  • C100 – Equal Remuneration Convention
  • C111 – Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
  • Regular employment is provided
  • C158: Termination of Employment Convention
  • C175: Part-time Work Convention
  • C177: Homework Convention
  • C181 Private Employment Agencies Convention
  • Harsh or inhumane treatment is prohibited
  • C29 – Forced Labour Convention
  • C105 – Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
  • Fibre producers (farmers) must be certified according to a recognized international or national organic farming standard that is accepted in the country where the final product will be sold
  • Certifiers of fibre producers must be internationally recognized according to ISO 65 and/or IFOAM accreditation. They also must be accredited to certify according to the applicable fibre standard
  • Operators from post-harvest handling up to garment making and traders have to undergo an annual on-site inspection cycle and must hold a valid GOTS operational certificate applicable for the production / trade of the textiles to be certified
  • Certifiers of processors, manufacturers and traders must be internationally accredited according to ISO 65 and must hold a ‘GOTS accreditation’ in accordance with the rules as defined in the ‘Approval Procedure and Requirements for Certification Bodies’

If you want to know more about the GOTS-certification you can read the fact sheet or visit their website by clicking on the link below.

Read factsheet visit GOTS website