🏷️ The Certification Cheat Sheet

What GOTS, GREENGUARD, GOLS, and OEKO-TEX actually verify — and why we look for them instead of trusting a 'natural' label.

Words like “natural” and “non-toxic” aren’t regulated — any brand can print them on a package. Independent certifications are a more concrete thing to shop for, because each one verifies a specific, publicly documented standard. Here’s what the ones we reference most often actually mean.

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

Verifies that a textile — cotton, wool, etc. — was grown organically and processed without a restricted list of chemicals, from farm through finished product. This is the one to look for on swaddles, crib sheets, and other fabric goods.

GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard)

The equivalent standard for organic latex foam, most relevant to crib mattresses and some teething/toy products.

GREENGUARD Gold

An independent lab tests the finished product for chemical emissions and checks it against strict limits. This is a good one to check for furniture, mattresses, and anything that off-gasses indoors.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100

Tests finished textile products for a long list of substances that shouldn’t be present above certain limits — regardless of whether the raw fiber was organic. It’s common on baby clothing and bedding as a complement to (not a replacement for) GOTS.

How we use this

When an article says a product is “GOTS-certified” or “GREENGUARD Gold certified,” that’s a specific, checkable claim — not a vibe. We link to or reference the certifying body’s own listing when a product’s certification claim is on the product page itself, rather than taking a seller’s word for it.