Textile Exchange Releases Organic Content Standard 3.0 For Organic Agriculture Production

Image Courtesy of PXhere

Lubbock, Texas | April 7, 2020– Textile Exchange announces the release of the Organic Content Standard (OCS) 3.0 after the conclusion of a regular revision process involving an International Working Group and following Textile Exchange’s Standard Setting Procedures.

Originally released in 2013, the goal of the Organic Content Standard (OCS) is to increase organic agriculture production.

The OCS aims to deliver this goal through three key objectives:

•Provide the industry with a tool to verify the organically grown content of the products they purchase.

•Provide companies with a trusted tool to communicate organically grown content claims to the industry.

•Provide organic farmers with broad access to the global organic market for their products.

"The Organic Content Standard was our first standard and the basis of establishing our Chain of Custody, which is the backbone for all of our standards. I am proud of the evolution of the OCS through the revision process. It remains a key tool for supporting and stabilizing organic fibers," said La Rhea Pepper, Managing Director at Textile Exchange.

The updates to the standard include:

•The former OCSImplementation Manual is now divided into two documents. The OCSUser Manual provides interpretation and guidance for users of the standard while the OCS Certification Procedures details requirements certification bodies must follow.

•More robust traceability between the farm and first processor.

•GMO testing for organic cotton must occur in accordance with Textile Exchange’s OCS-103 GMO Screening of Organic Cotton.

•Organic wool inputs must be non-mulesed (according to the non-mulesed definition of the Responsible Wool Standard) or from a farm with ceased-mulesing status.

•Certified organizations must now maintain technical specifications for all OCS materials.

The OCS requires certification of the entire supply chain starting at the first processor of organically grown material through to the final business to business seller.

It also requires transaction certificates between each buyer and seller of OCS certified product.

The ending result is a consumer-facing logo and claim about the organically grown content.

The OCS also allows labeling of verified in-conversion or transitional organically grown material in order to provide those farmers that are required to wait two to three years when switching from conventionally grown crops with an incentive to do so.

About Textile Exchange

Textile Exchange is a global nonprofit that creates leaders in the sustainable fiber and materials industry.

The organization manages and promotes a suite of leading industry standards, as well as, collects and publishes critical industry data and insights that enable brands and retailers to measure, manage and track their use of preferred fiber and materials.

With more than 400 members who represent leading brands, retailers and suppliers, Textile Exchange meaningfully accelerates the use of preferred fibers and increases the adoption of standards and certifications across the global textile industry.