Sustainable promo t-shirts: OEKO-TEX, GOTS and tenders

Procurement teams at large companies increasingly build sustainability criteria into their requests for promotional tees and uniforms. Sometimes it is a preference; sometimes it is a pass-or-fail condition in a tender. For suppliers these requirements can be an opportunity, but also a trap: a claim not backed by documents can lead to disqualification or accusations of greenwashing. Here is what you need to know to quote correctly.

OEKO-TEX and GOTS: what each certifies

The two standards are often confused, but they answer different questions:

• OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifies that a textile product has been tested for a list of harmful substances and falls within set limits. It says nothing about fibre origin or production conditions. It is often requested for products worn next to the skin;
• GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certifies products with a minimum share of organic fibre, with environmental and social requirements along the whole chain, from spinning to the finished product. Every link in the chain must be certified for the final product to carry the label.

Other labels you will meet in tenders cover recycled fibres, as well as the EU Ecolabel. Always check exactly which standard the client requires, and which version.

Which documents to ask suppliers for

A certificate does not transfer automatically from a supplier to your product. For a sound quote:

1. ask your fabric supplier for a valid certificate covering the exact article, not a general company certificate;
2. check the certificate in the issuing body's online database: number, validity and the products it covers;
3. for GOTS you need transaction documents that trace the lot through the chain, and the sewing workshop and printer must also be certified if the finished product is sold as GOTS;
4. for printing, ask for ink safety data sheets and evidence of compliance with REACH restrictions;
5. keep every document linked to the order for later checks.

How to write the quote without greenwashing

European law against misleading commercial practices also applies to environmental claims, and the rules are getting stricter. A few practical principles:

• avoid vague words such as eco or environmentally friendly without explanation;
• state exactly what is certified: the fabric, the finished product, or just one component;
• never use a standard's logo if the finished product is not entitled to carry it;
• if something is not certified, say so plainly and offer verifiable facts instead, such as composition or place of production.

For wording that will appear on the product or in the client's materials, get a legal check.

What makes a tee more responsible, beyond certificates

Even without a certificate, a few choices reduce impact and are easy to document:

• a tee that gets worn: quality fabric and a design people keep are worth more than a cheap tee thrown away after one day;
• single-fibre composition: a 100% cotton tee is simpler to recycle than a blend;
• the right quantities: a size split based on real data avoids hundreds of unused tees;
• a short, known supply chain: suppliers you can name and visit;
• less packaging: no individual bags where the client does not need them.

Answering a tender, step by step

1. Read the specification and separate mandatory requirements from scored ones.
2. For each requirement, check that you have documentary proof.
3. Use the clarification period to ask which documents are accepted as equivalent.
4. Attach certificates and declarations, clearly referenced to the product offered.
5. Do not promise anything you cannot prove at delivery.

The fabric we would start from

For promotional tees with an emphasis on responsibility, we would start from our 160 g lime green single jersey in 100% combed cotton: single-fibre composition simplifies labelling and recycling, combed cotton gives a tee that is pleasant to wear and therefore kept, and the light weight means less material per piece. If the tender calls for specific certifications, mention them in your quote request so we can tell you what documentation is available for that article and lot. You can read more about production and dyeing on our mill page.