OEKO-TEX® is better for skin safety, it tests finished garments for over 1,000 chemicals. GOTS certifies organic sourcing and ethical labor, but doesn’t guarantee the final product is toxin-free.
When it comes to what touches your skin every day, labels matter, but not all certifications mean the same thing. GOTS and OEKO-TEX® often get lumped together, yet they serve very different purposes.
At Vibrant Body Company, our Certified Clean commitment is backed by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, one of the strictest and most globally recognized certifications for skin-contact textiles.
If you're done being confused by labels and want real answers, read on. We’re cutting through the noise with the facts that count.
Key Points:
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OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 tests every component of the finished product, including threads, straps, dyes, and elastics, for over 1,000 harmful substances. It’s the gold standard for verifying that what touches your skin is truly safe.
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GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) focuses on sourcing and sustainability, tracking the fabric from field to factory. But it doesn’t test the final garment for residual chemicals, making it less reliable when it comes to consumer health.
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These certifications are not interchangeable. GOTS follows the journey; OEKO-TEX® tests the destination, critical when it comes to bras, underwear, and other first-layer garments.
OEKO-TEX® Decoded: What That Safety Tag Really Means
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is a globally respected certification that screens finished garments for more than 1,000 harmful chemicals.
We’re talking about substances like formaldehyde, BPA, PFAS, azo dyes, phthalates, and heavy metals. Things that have no business being in the clothes you wear, let alone pressed against your lymph nodes or breast tissue.
Many of these chemicals are banned in Europe. But here in the U.S. they still end up on store shelves. That’s the problem OEKO-TEX is solving.
What The Tag Means
If you see an OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 tag on your garment, here’s what it actually means: every single component of that item, fabric, thread, elastic, labels, you name it, has been independently tested and cleared for skin safety.
Not just for marketing hype, but for real-world wear.
It’s the difference between thinking what you wear is clean and knowing it is.
Why You Should Trust It
Trust is earned. And OEKO-TEX earns it by doing what others don’t:
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Independent testing from 17 global laboratories
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Annual updates based on the latest scientific data
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Applicable to both natural and synthetic fibers
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Certifies everything from zippers to stitching, not just the fabric
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Trusted even in hospital-grade materials
So when people ask me, “Can I trust a brand with OEKO-TEX certification?” My answer is yes, if it’s done at the product level, not just the fabric roll.
That nuance matters.
5 Reasons OEKO-TEX® Is The Label Your Skin Needs
Photo Source -> OEKO-TEX
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Chemical-Safe Confidence: You’re protected from endocrine disruptors like BPA and phthalates: chemicals linked to long-term health risks and still allowed in U.S. apparel.
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Skin-Safe for Daily Wear: Reduces risk of irritation, rashes, or chemical absorption through your skin, especially pivotal for intimate wear.
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Trustworthy Labeling: No loopholes. Just verified safety, batch by batch.
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Synthetic Materials Included: OEKO-TEX even certifies synthetics like spandex or polyester when they pass toxicity standards. That’s huge for modern activewear.
GOTS 101: How Much Does This Label Really Guarantee?
Photo Source -> Global Organic Textile Standard GOTS
GOTS certification starts at the source.
The Global Organic Textile Standard is all about organic origins, cotton grown without pesticides, dyes processed in closed-loop systems, and workers treated like human beings, not machines.
From the cotton field to the spinning mill, from weaving to labeling, GOTS inspects the entire journey of a textile. It’s a gold standard for transparency and ethics.
But it stops short of testing the final garment for chemical safety.
What The Tag Means
When you see a GOTS tag, here’s what it guarantees: at least 70% of the fibers are certified organic (and if it says “organic,” it’s 95%+).
It also means the item was made under strict environmental and social compliance standards.
5 Ways GOTS Certification Actually Impacts Your Closet
Photo Source -> Global Organic Textile Standard GOTS
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Supports Organic Farming: Safer fields, cleaner air, and healthier soil. Less chemical exposure for farmers and ecosystems alike.
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Ethical Labor Standards: No child labor. No sweatshops. Just people paid fairly and treated with dignity.
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Transparent Supply Chain: Every step from farm to final fabric is documented, audited, and held to account.
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Eco-Friendly Dyes & Processing: Low-impact dyes and wastewater control reduce pollution from textile production.
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Better for Planet: Designed to reduce the overall environmental footprint of the fashion industry.
GOTS matters a lot. It sets the bar for organic integrity and ethical production.
But if you're asking whether something is safe to wear against your skin, GOTS alone won't give you the full picture. For that, you need a certification like OEKO-TEX® that tests the final product too.
GOTS Vs OEKO-TEX: Which Is Better?
“Should I choose GOTS or OEKO-TEX?”
It sounds simple, but it’s not. And here’s why: they’re not doing the same job.
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GOTS is about how a garment is made.
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OEKO-TEX is about what it does to you.
One’s a farm-to-factory watchdog. The other is a lab-coat-wearing toxicologist for your skin.
Here’s how it shakes out:
OEKO-TEX tests the end result while GOTS tests the process. Both matter. But they’re not interchangeable.
What Makes Vibrant Body’s OEKO-TEX Commitment Different?
I didn’t start Vibrant Body Company to make just another bra. I started it because I couldn’t unsee what I’d learned; how toxic, under-regulated, and misleading the intimate apparel industry really is.
We built our entire company around OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, one of the most rigorous certifications for skin-contact textiles. So when we say our products are Certified Clean, we mean every thread, strap, and seam.
From Confused to Clean, What Vibrant Wants You to Know
If you’ve ever picked up an “organic” bra and still felt unsure, this is for you. You read labels. You choose clean. But clothing? It’s still the Wild West.
Your skin is porous. Your breasts are lymph-rich. And U.S. laws still allow hundreds of toxic chemicals in fabrics worn daily, chemicals linked to hormone disruption and cancer.
I didn’t come from fashion. I came because I was done watching people suffer while the industry sold “sexy” at the cost of safety.
I built Vibrant to protect what’s closest to your body, starting with:
🏃🏻♀️Sweat Smart Collection: Activewear built to perform, tested to protect. OEKO-TEX® certified.
💗EveryWear Bra: Wire-free, patented, lymph-safe support that actually fits.
✨First Layer Essentials: Bras, undies, tanks tested for over 1,000 chemicals. Clean enough for a baby, designed for you.
You shouldn’t have to choose between looking good and feeling safe. With Vibrant, you get both, clean comfort, backed by science, built with love.
Meet Michael Drescher, founder of Vibrant Body Company.
An unlikely messenger in women’s health, he’s speaking truths the industry has long buried beneath sleek silhouettes at the expense of women’s health. After losing loved ones to cancer, he uncovered the toxic reality of intimate apparel and set out to create a truly health-first alternative. Michael’s work challenges assumptions about who gets to lead wellness conversations, blending radical transparency with science-backed design. He started Vibrant to rewrite the standard, because comfort shouldn’t come with a chemical cost, and health should never be an afterthought.
