Darmax at a glance
| Minimum order | From 30 pieces per style |
| Sampling | 7 to 10 days |
| Bulk production | 20 to 30 days |
| Factory certification | SGS certified |
| Certified fabrics | GRS, GOTS, OEKO-TEX available |
A certificate only tells you what its scope covers, and nothing else. The most common expensive mistake is treating all certifications as equivalent. They are not: some cover a material, some cover a factory, and some cover only a test result.
Two different kinds of certification
| Type | Applies to | Examples | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material and product | A fibre, fabric or finished good | GOTS, GRS, OEKO-TEX, RWS | Content claims and chemical safety of the item |
| Factory and social | A site and its management systems | BSCI, Sedex, WRAP, ISO 9001 | Working conditions, management process, auditability |
These are independent. A factory can hold a strong social audit and still produce garments from conventional fibre with no material certificate. A certified organic fabric can be cut and sewn at a site with no social audit at all.
Material and product certifications
GOTS, Global Organic Textile Standard. Covers organic fibre content together with chemical, environmental and social criteria along the processing chain. Products must contain a defined minimum share of certified organic fibre. If you intend to describe a garment as organic, this is the standard that supports the claim.
GRS, Global Recycled Standard. The recycled-content equivalent. It verifies the percentage of recycled material and applies traceability requirements through the chain of custody. If you intend to claim recycled content, you need this rather than a general sustainability statement.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Tests a textile or finished article for harmful substances against published limit values. It is a safety test rather than a content claim, and it is one of the easiest certificates for a buyer to verify independently.
Traceability standards such as RWS or RDS. These cover animal welfare claims for wool and down. Relevant if your product story depends on the fibre origin.
BSCI. A social audit programme covering working hours, wages, safety and management systems, scored by audit grade. Widely recognised by European buyers.
Sedex with an SMETA audit. A shared audit platform rather than a standard itself. Buyers can view the uploaded audit report, which is why it is common in UK retail supply chains.
WRAP. A factory certification programme for lawful, humane and ethical manufacturing. Common among export oriented garment factories.
ISO 9001. A quality management system certification. It says the factory documents and controls its processes. It says nothing about working conditions or environmental performance.
One caution worth stating plainly: an ISO 9001 certificate is not a social compliance credential, and it is frequently presented as one.
How to verify a certificate is real
- Ask for the certificate number, the issuing body and the audit or issue date.
- Look the number up in the issuing body’s own database. Do not rely on a scanned PDF alone, since a scan proves nothing.
- Check the scope: does it name the material, the site, or the product you are actually buying? Certificates are routinely forwarded for sites they do not cover.
- Check the expiry date. Audits are valid for a defined period and lapse silently.
- For material certificates, check whether the certificate is a transaction certificate tied to your specific shipment, rather than a general scope certificate.
Which certificates does an importer actually need?
Work backwards from the claims you intend to make.
- You make no sustainability claim. You need a quality position and a social compliance position. Ask for the factory audit grade and the inspection standard used.
- You claim organic or recycled content. The corresponding material certificate plus traceability documentation for your shipment.
- You sell into the EU. Social audit recognition matters, and chemical compliance is under active regulatory attention.
- You sell into the US. Social audits are requested by larger retailers, and material claims must be substantiated on the same basis as any advertising claim.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a product certification and a factory certification?
A product certification such as GOTS, GRS or OEKO-TEX applies to a specific material or batch. A factory certification such as BSCI, Sedex or WRAP applies to the workplace and management systems. Holding one tells you nothing about the other.
Is OEKO-TEX the same as GOTS?
No. OEKO-TEX tests a textile for harmful substances. GOTS covers organic fibre content as well as chemical and social criteria across the whole supply chain. A fabric can be OEKO-TEX certified without being organic.
How can I check that a certificate is genuine?
Ask for the certificate number and the issuing body, then look the number up in that body’s own online database. Check the scope covers the material or site you are buying, and check the expiry date.
Which certifications does an importer actually need?
It depends on your market and your claims. If you make no sustainability claim, you need a quality and social compliance position rather than a material certificate. If you claim recycled or organic content, the corresponding material certificate is essential.
We work with GRS, GOTS and OEKO-TEX certified fabrics and hold SGS certification. Ask us for the certificates that apply to your order through the quote form.
Related reading: our sustainability position and how to vet a garment factory.
