The questions I get asked most

Labels are confusing on purpose sometimes, and confusing by accident most of the time. These are plain English answers, and every one of them points back to the standard or the study it came from, so you can check me.

• What does GOTS certified actually mean?

  A brand can hold a GOTS certificate and still sell items that are not covered by it. Here is how to tell the difference.

• OEKO-TEX explained, and what it does not tell you

  OEKO-TEX tests for harmful substances in the finished fabric. It says nothing about whether the fibre is natural or organic.

• Are biodegradable synthetics microplastic free?

  Biodegradable elastane sheds fewer persistent fibres than the conventional kind, but it is not the same as a natural fibre.

• Can recycled wool be organic?

  Recycled natural fibre cannot count towards a GOTS organic label. That is a rule in the standard, not an opinion.

• Organic versus conventional, honestly

  Some of the evidence is strong, some of it is contested. Here is what holds up and what does not.