Anyone can print "organic" on a hang tag. What's harder, and far more useful, is showing where that word comes from. This post is our paperwork, explained in plain English.

If you want the background on what GOTS is and why it exists, start with our earlier post, Why Organic Cotton Matters (GOTS Explained). Here we focus on something narrower: what our GOTS certified organic cotton kids clothing claim rests on, and how you can check it without taking our word for it.

What Our Documentation Says

These are the statements we publish, and the ones everything else in this article builds on:

• Our current collection is made from 100% GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton, certified by ICEA (license GOTS-10677), and made with GOTS-certified manufacturing partners. See Our Fabrics and Sustainability.
• The collection is supported by GOTS transaction certificates issued for production.
• Our products are designed in the United States and manufactured in India by GOTS-certified manufacturing partners.

That's the claim. The rest of this article explains what each piece means.

Step One: The Cotton Itself

Organic cotton starts at the farm. In the U.S., for example, USDA organic crop standards require that land has had no prohibited substances applied for at least three years before harvest. They also prohibit genetic engineering, ionizing radiation and sewage sludge. (This is a U.S. example, not a description of our own certification.) The Global Organic Textile Standard builds on this by requiring certified organic fibres.

But a certified field is only the beginning. Cotton still has to be spun, knitted, dyed, cut and sewn, and each of those steps happens at a different facility.

Step Two: Every Processing Stage After the Farm

This is where GOTS matters most. Under GOTS, each company involved in processing the product must be certified by an approved independent certification body. The standard also covers:

• Chemical inputs and environmental management, including wastewater treatment
• Human rights and social criteria
• Independent certification, annual on-site audits, transaction verification and chain-of-custody requirements

In other words, GOTS is designed to follow the fiber from the certified farm all the way to the finished garment, rather than only asking how the cotton was grown.

Who ICEA Is

ICEA (Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale) is an Italy-based certification body listed by GOTS as an approved certification body, accredited by IOAS. When our site says "certified by ICEA," it means ICEA is the independent body behind the GOTS certification referenced by license GOTS-10677. Learn more about how ICEA GOTS certification applies to our fabrics.

The Two Documents That Matter: Scope Certificates and Transaction Certificates

If you ever ask a brand to "prove it," these are the two documents worth knowing about.

GOTS Scope Certificate

A scope certificate proves a company's GOTS certification status. According to GOTS, it must be issued by a GOTS-approved certifier and shows the company's contact details and the scope of its certification. It stays valid until the expiry date printed on it.

GOTS Transaction Certificate

A GOTS transaction certificate (TC) is issued by a GOTS certifier for a specific shipment. It confirms the specific products and shipment details, including the buyer, and their GOTS certification status.

Think of the scope certificate as "this company is certified" and the TC as "this particular batch is certified."

What the Label Grade Tells You

GOTS has two label grades:

A proper GOTS label also includes the GOTS logo, the label grade, a reference to the certification body, and the certification number of the certified entity. That's why you'll see "Certified by ICEA · GOTS-10677" on our Our Fabrics page and on each product page.

How to Verify GOTS Certification Yourself

GOTS lists three ways to check whether a company is certified:

1. Search the GOTS public database of certified suppliers, which lists entities reported by GOTS-approved certifiers.
2. Ask the company for its scope certificate.
3. Contact the certification body using the certificate number if something looks off.

You're welcome to do all three with us. If you have a question about the organic cotton or testing behind a specific style, email hello@hqsaga.com with the product name and we'll point you to the relevant certification details. We'd much rather answer a direct question than ask you to trust a tag.

What GOTS Does, and Doesn't, Tell You

GOTS is a production standard. It covers organic fibre content, chemical inputs, environmental management and social criteria along the supply chain. It is not a medical or skin-health rating, so we don't use it to make claims about how a garment will affect your child's skin.

It also says nothing about UPF 50+ coverage. UPF is a separate property, and ours comes from separate testing: styles labeled UPF 50+ use fabric independently tested by TÜV SÜD. We explain how that fits into daily wear in Everyday UPF Clothing for Kids.

Why We Keep Our Sustainability Language Narrow

You won't see us call our clothes "GOTS-certified" or "planet-safe." Our sustainability page sticks to what we can document: the GOTS-certified organic cotton, the certified manufacturing partners, and designing pieces for repeated wear. If we can't point to a certificate or a test report, we don't put it in writing.

Taking care of the clothes helps them stay in rotation longer, too. Our care guide covers washing and drying, and you can shop the current organic cotton collection, including LOVED. and Sunny Snacker.

Frequently Asked Questions