“Organic” is a strong word on underwear, and the elastic, thread and labels all sit against the skin. The claim you can make depends on which certificate covers the finished product, not only the cotton. A supplier who says the underwear is organic may mean organic cotton fibre, a GOTS-certified garment, or a USDA-certified product, and each one allows different wording.

What GOTS label grades say

The Global Organic Textile Standard, version 8.0, sets two label grades based on the certified fibre content, excluding accessories. A product with at least 95% certified fibre may be labelled “Organic”. A product with at least 70% may say “Made with (x%) organic materials”. The standard also says that, for retail goods, any claim, advertisement or reference to GOTS can only be made if the final product is certified and carries the complete and correct GOTS labelling.

Elastic, thread and labels

In GOTS, elastic bands and yarns, sewing threads and labels are listed as accessories, with their own criteria. They are excluded from the fibre percentage used to choose the label grade, but they still have to meet the accessory rules, which include prohibitions on some materials such as chlorinated plastics. Ask the supplier how the waistband elastic, leg elastic, thread and any heat-transfer label are approved, and ask for the documents.

Every company in the chain

GOTS says every company involved in producing a certified product must be certified, from spinning to manufacturing. On its programme page, GOTS also says traders who buy and sell GOTS goods without altering them and exceed a yearly turnover threshold must be certified or registered. If you own the goods and sell them under your own name, ask your certifier whether that makes you a trader.

What USDA adds for the US

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service explains that a textile may carry the USDA organic seal only if the finished product is certified to the USDA regulations. If a finished product is not, labels must not state or imply that it is USDA organic or use the seal, even when the textile meets GOTS. A statement about the fibre, such as organic cotton, is possible when all instances of that fibre in the product are certified organic.

Version and paperwork

GOTS version 8.0 was released in March 2026, and a corrected version 8.1 followed in June 2026. Its implementation date for certified entities is 1 March 2027, so ask which version your suppliers are audited against. For each lot, ask for the supplier’s scope certificates and the transaction certificate, and check them with the certifier. Keep the FTC fibre content label under 16 CFR Part 303 separate: the organic claim is extra information and does not replace it.