Certification
slowmo products are 100% certified organic.
To assure organic there has to be clear standards and independent, unannounced controls.
At the moment there is a variety of certifications which guarantee these qualities.
This diversity becomes a problem if there is more than one fabric used in a slowmo-product. The final product can not have a certification if the used materials are controlled by different organisations. We order our fabrics from companies operating in a sustainable and integrated way and are working to find a way to offer more lucency and clearness to our customers. We will inform you as soon as we find a possibility for certification.
The colors for dying follow strong criteria as well because they hide toxic substances which get into the body directly through the skin. These requirements seem so self-evident, but are far from being so. All colors used by slowmo are free of heavy metal and toxicologically harmless. There is no use of formaldehyde and colors which can demerge cancer-producing amines. There is an interdiction of any colors causing cancer or allergenic affects in the finished garments. All coloring aids have to be heavy-metal-free.
Here is a short discription of the certifications used for our materials.
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
A standard for organic and socially acceptable textiles has been developed by an international team. The first version of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has been available since 2005. Beside the main job norm of the International Labor Organisation (ILO) it contains rules how to treat organic fibers and an ecologically compatible production of textiles. This certification has two models: for products made with at least 70% organic fibers and with more than 95% organic fibers. The four member organisations control and hand out the certification: IVN (Germany), Soil Association (Great Britain), Organic Trade Association (USA) and Japan Organic Cotton Association (Joca). GOTS shall be understood as a minimum standard. The certifiers can develop their own certifications in addition.
www.global-standard.org - Naturtextil - International Association of Natural Textile Economy (IVN)
NATURTEXTIL is a quality mark by the International Association of Natural Textile Economy (IVN). Beside the abidance of the main job norm of the International Labor Organisation (ILO) the criteria of this certification is the use of ecologically harmless fibers and the abdication of chlorination and other polluting chemicals. The abidance of these criteria is controlled on-site in each step of the production by an independant certification authority. There are two levels of this certification: IVN certified (orange) and IVN Best (blue). The IVN Best certificate (the one slowmo uses) includes more severe social standards.
www.naturtextil.com - Skal: EKO-Seal
Skal is a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) from the Netherlands which certifies organic products with the EKO-Seal. It was founded in 1985. The control covers all steps of production and trade of organic and non-genetically modified products in the Netherlands and imports from non-European countries. One of the controlled products is cotton. The abidance of the EKO-criteria is controlled by independent inspectors.
www.skal.com
