What is the Organic Content Standard (OCS)?

Developed by Textile Exchange, the Organic Content Standard (OCS) is an international, voluntary standard designed to verify the presence and amount of organic material in a non-food product and track the flow of the raw material from its source to the final product. The primary goal of the OCS is to provide companies with a trusted, independent tool to back up their organic content claims. Unlike GOTS, the OCS does not cover environmental management, chemical restrictions, or social compliance criteria in the manufacturing processes; it focuses entirely on material verification and traceability.

Key Technical Criteria of OCS Certification

The OCS relies on the principles of the Content Claim Standard (CCS) to establish a transparent supply chain. The technical structure can be summarized as follows:

• Scope and Traceability: It verifies that the raw materials originate from certified organic farms. This material is then tracked through every stage of production—from yarn to fabric to the final product—using Transaction Certificates (TCs).

• OCS 100 Logo: Applied when a product contains a minimum of 95% to 100% certified organic material. The remaining 5% can consist of non-organic fibers permitted by the standard.

• OCS Blended Logo: Applied when a product contains between 5% and 94% certified organic material. This certification grade is used when organic fibers are mixed with conventional cotton, synthetic fibers, or recycled materials.

• Out of Scope Areas: To obtain an OCS certificate, facilities do not need to undergo environmental or social audits (e.g., chemical usage, wastewater management, labor rights). The sole focus is the "chain of custody of the organic material."

Why Choose OCS Certification with ETKO?

At ETKO, we independently and rigorously audit the flow of organic materials in your supply chain in accordance with international standards. If your brand's primary goal is to definitively prove that the materials used are genuinely organic, rather than focusing on the broader environmental or social processing criteria, an OCS certificate obtained through ETKO's expertise will serve as your most transparent declaration of trust to consumers.