However, deciding what sort of accreditation you want can be almost as complex as the ethical and environmental issues they promote. For example, it is possible to be carbon efficient and yet use toxic chemicals. Similarly, it is also possible for a product to be toxic free and yet made by underpaid workers in a sweat shop. There are also many different organisations out there representing a variety of issues including social justice and concerns about the environment.

Understanding which organisations represent which issues and how these issues sit with each other will ultimately help you decide which organisation(s) you want accreditation from and/or which logos you want to have on your products. You may believe passionately in one issue more than others or you may just want to be as ethical and environmentally conscious as it is possible to be. Or perhaps you are simply reacting to market demand. In all of these cases, it's important to know your Soil Association from your Fairtrade Foundation.

Organic

According to the Soil Association, the organic market is now worth over £2.1 billion in the UK. Organic cotton now accounts for 4.2 per cent of New Look's womenswear, compared to three per cent in 2007. Marks and Spencer sold 1.1 million organic cotton items in 2008 - more than five times the volume sold in the previous year.

The label ‘organic' is a trusted one among consumers, mainly because organic agriculture is regulated by the European Union. As Pesticide Action Network explains in its publication My Sustainable T shirt: ‘There is no need for a logo, the word "organic" (or "biologique", "bio", depending on the language) is sufficient: it is the law!'

However, there is a difference between a T shirt made with organic cotton and an organic T shirt. The former will only apply to the raw material, ie the harvested cotton - it does not necessarily apply to the processes which made the cotton into yarn, the yarn into fabric and the fabric into a T shirt. These processes will all use labour and - potentially - chemicals such as dye or bleach. So if you want your T shirt to have a fully organic status, you will have to look for certain logos - read on.

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

Who?

The International Working Group (IWG) on Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) was formed in 2002 in order to unify the various existing standards in organic textiles and provide a means of accrediting a finished product, rather than just its agricultural source. IWG members include the Soil Association.

Criteria

GOTS criteria is stringent and bans many substances used during processing such as genetically modified products, formaldehyde, fluorocarbons and heavy metals. It also sets high standards in waste management and working conditions. GOTS demands that each stage of the manufacturing process must be accounted for to ensure that the organic fibres are separate from conventional fibres and prohibited substances. So buyers of GOTS goods cannot present or resell further processed products with the GOTS logo if they are not GOTS certified themselves.

Labelling

There is now a logo and labelling system that shows a garment's adherence to the GOTS standard. Two label-grades recognise 95 and 70 per cent, respectively, of the fibres as either organic or organic - in conversion.

How to get certified

Visit www.global-standard.org for details.

Soil Association

Who?

Formed in 1946 by a group of individuals concerned about sustainability long before the term became trendy, the Soil Association has promoted the principles of organic farming for decades. More than 80 per cent of organic products in Britain carry the Soil Association symbol. It is one of the six leading global textile certifiers of organic products (the others are CUC, IMO, Ecocert, ICEA and OTCO). It formed part of the International Working Group on Global Organic Textile Standards and awards organic certification to farms and businesses that meet its organic standards.

Criteria

Soil Association criteria for accreditation are the same as the GOTS. Inspections are carried out at least once a year. Its standards for textiles are available on the SA website.

Labelling

The Soil Association's logo is widely recognised and trusted by consumers in the UK. The symbol application is strictly controlled thought specific guidelines

How to get certified

The Soil Association's website www.soilassociation.org has advice on steps to take towards certification and all of the relevant forms can be downloaded from here.

The Carbon Trust

Who?

The Carbon Trust is a UK government organisation set up to tackle the thorny issue of CO2 emissions. One of its many initiatives includes launching the Carbon Trust Standard in 2008 to take over from the Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme. It has just piloted a project to label products with its calculated carbon footprint (see below).

Criteria

The Carbon Trust Standard certifies that an organisation has genuinely reduced its carbon footprint and is committed to making further reductions year on year. Applicant organisations need to measure their key greenhouse gas emissions, show ‘good carbon management performance' (such as investment in new equipment, maintenance, staff training etc) and show emissions reduction over the last year - either on a total emissions basis, or on a relative basis (e.g. emissions/£m turnover).

The Carbon Label Company is another affiliation of the Carbon Trust which measures the total greenhouse gas emissions from every stage of a product's lifecycle, resulting in a total figure showing its CO2 equivalent which is displayed on the product. It is still a very new development, but earlier this year the first Carbon Reduction Label for textile products was launched by Continental Clothing.

Labelling

Organisations that gain the certificate are able to use the Carbon Trust Standard badge to prove its climate change credentials. They must, however, reapply every two years.

The Carbon Reduction Label shows the carbon footprint of a garment's entire life cycle, from manufacturing to consumer use and disposal. It informs the consumer of how they can reduce the garment's carbon footprint further through not tumble drying, washing at 30 degrees or lower, and only ironing when necessary.

How to get certified

The Carbon Trust Standard's website www.carbontruststandard.com has details on getting certified. The Carbon Label Company website www.carbon-label.com has details on how to get your product's CO2 footprint labelled.

Fair Trade and socially conscious organisations

As the Fairtrade Foundation explains on its website, fair trade is about ‘decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.' The fair trade market in the UK is growing fast. According to the Fairtrade Foundation it reached an estimated retail value of £493 million in 2007.

The Fairtrade Foundation

Who?

The Fairtrade Foundation is the UK member of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). It helps improve the position of producers in the developing world and help them get a fair price for their goods. It does this in a number of ways: by certifying producer groups that meet its minimum social, economic and environmental requirements; setting a minimum price for particular products; then allowing registered licensees to apply the mark to products that meet its criteria.

Criteria

For a product to display the Fairtrade mark it must meet international Fairtrade standards which are set by the international certification body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). Cotton is one of the non-food products that can be certified by the FLO. Bear in mind, though, that Fairtrade prices are only defined for specific countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Pacific.

Labelling

A Fairtrade registered licensee will be able to apply the Fairtrade mark to specific agreed products. The mark is well-recognised in supermarkets on products such as coffee and bananas, and in each case makes up around 20 per cent of the total sold in the UK.

How to get certified

The first step is to determine if there are Fairtrade standards that apply to your product and to check that your country is covered by the standards. You can do a ‘scope check' on the FLO-CERT website www.flo-cert.net - loads of information is also available on the Fairtrade Foundation website www.fairtrade.org.uk

The Fair Wear Foundation

Who?

If you'd like proof of your support for social justice and corporate responsibility, then becoming a member of the Netherlands-based Fair Wear Foundation would go some way towards achieving this. Set up by trade unions, NGOs and business associations from the fashion industry, FWF supports good labour conditions in garment production.

Criteria

Any European fashion, industrial clothing or promotional garment company can become an FWF affiliate and work towards compliance with the FWF Code of Labour Practices. FWF also provides support to members in sharing information on local legislation, labour standards and culture.

Labelling

The logo shows that the FWF has approved the social policy of a garment company. Garments only carry the FWF logo when sufficient results have been achieved.

How to get certified

Visit www.fairwear.org for details.

Other certifying organisations

The trusted and recognised Oeko-Tex Standard 100 (www.oeko-tex.com) limits the use of certain chemicals, while organisations such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO www.ilo.org), and the US-based Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP www.wrapapparel.org) set out standards on conditions for workers.

Other useful sites:

Pesticide Action Network www.pan-uk.org

NGO focused on global pesticide issues and publisher of My Sustainable T Shirt (downloadable from the website).

Tshirt and Sons www.tshirtandsons.co.uk

Certified organic T shirt printer. Its website has an ‘ethical directory' and information on fair trade and organic clothing.

Continental Clothing www.continentalclothing.com

Suppliers of organic and carbon neutral apparel

The author would like to thank Mariusz Stochaj at Continental Clothing and Lee Holdstock of the Soil Association for explaining the issues surrounding ethical and environmental labelling.

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