#Sustainability

2025-04-24

GTB - Shaping a more transparent, data-driven future together

The Global Trace-Base (GTB) is more than just a centralised data system — it’s a powerful tool designed to deliver unmatched traceability, transparency, and integrity. Developed by Global Standard gGmbH, GTB will collect and manage data on certified entities and certified products, as well as carry “value added” data for the products being tracked through the supply chain.

At Global Standard gGmbH, a mission-driven non-profit organization, the goal isn’t profit — it’s impact. The Global Trace-Base (GTB) is being developed to provide greater traceability, transparency, and integrity, helping you drive meaningful change through smarter data capture, analysis, and reporting. By adding GTB as a powerful data system to GOTS and future Standards of Global Standard, they are jointly increasing their effort to create more transparent and impactful supply chains.

Global Standard gGmbH is fully committed to operating GTB solely on a cost-recovery principle. While it may be inevitable that fees adjust over time to reflect evolving operational needs, they are strictly aligned with the actual costs of running and maintaining the system — with no profit element involved. Fees shall be reviewed regularly to ensure that users continue to receive maximum value.

The GTB fees have been determined as follows:

Fee - Current - Effective

GTB Scope Certificate (SC) Fee - € 15 - 1st December 2024

GTB Transaction Certificate (TC) Fee - € 3 - 1st July 2025 [1]

The fees are applicable to certificates generated (or retrospectively backfilled) by Certification Bodies:

• Directly to the GTB Portal / Interface

• System-to-System via API

• Manually imported, i.e. csv, xml

The Certification Bodies are responsible to collect the GTB SC & TC Fees on behalf of Global Standard gGmbH. Global Standard gGmbH will not charge additional fees for any SC issued before December 1, 2024 and any TC issued before July 1, 2025.

The GTB SC Fee is applicable for every new or renewed SC issued by Certification Bodies.

The GTB TC Fee is applicable for each TC issued by Certification Bodies since it was run through the system, even if it is later cancelled or invalidated.

Fees are NOT applicable for revisions/modifications of existing, valid, current certificates.

[1] Estimated date dependent on volume reconciliation 1st release

Global Standard gGmbH launches second public consultation for GRTS Draft 2 for the textile industry (1–30 April 2026)

Global Standard gGmbH is pleased to announce the release of Draft 2 of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS) for its second public consultation. The consultation will be open from 1 April 2026 to 30 April 2026, inviting stakeholders across the textile and apparel value chain to provide input and contribute to the further development of this new Standard.

Textile Exchange reports growth in certifications and industry engagement

Textile Exchange has published its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting continued growth in certified sites, industry participation and the development of its standards and membership structure. According to the report, more than 100,000 sites worldwide are now certified to Textile Exchange standards, more than three times the number recorded in 2020. Preliminary figures also indicate 12% year-on-year growth across the organization's current standards, including the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and the Responsible Animal Fiber standards.

Updated supply chain taxonomy advances apparel alignment

The apparel alliance (Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, Textile Exchange, and ZDHC Foundation) today announced the launch of Version 2 of the Supply Chain Taxonomy, an updated harmonized framework designed to improve consistency, transparency, and collaboration across the textile, clothing, leather, and footwear (TCLF) sectors of the broader apparel industry.

PERFORMANCE DAYS announces new focus topic & forums for October 2026

With its upcoming October 13–14, 2026 edition, PERFORMANCE DAYS is placing the spotlight on one of the textile industry’s most important transformations: “Bio-Based Materials – From Fiber to Fabric”, a two-part Focus Topic exploring the future of bio-based innovation across the textile value chain. Part 1, presented in October 2026, will focus on fibers and next-generation material developments, while Part 2 at the March 2027 edition will shift the perspective toward dyeing, finishing, additives, and processing technologies.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues field trip brings international stakeholders closer to Brazil’s cotton production chain

How do you build trust across the global textile value chain? By opening the farm gates. This is the principle behind the Cotton Brazil Dialogues. At the end of July, the programme welcomed its first group of international participants for a five-day immersion into Brazilian cotton production, combining field visits with technical workshops to showcase the quality, sustainability, innovation and traceability behind one of the world’s leading cotton origins.