#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 Standards announce launch of a new textile processing standard

The 14th September 2026 marks the public launch of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS), a new standard for the processing of textiles made from fibres certified to third-party standards recognised by GRTS and covering a broad range of plant, animal, synthetic, man-made cellulosic and recycled fibres.

ITMF names three winners of the Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026

Three projects from the UK, Korea and China have been selected as winners of the ITMF Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026. The projects address textile-to-textile recycling, chemical recycling for automotive textiles and a regenerative approach combining silk production with ecological restoration.

180 years of TESTEX: From Zurich silk testing to global certification

For 180 years, TESTEX has developed alongside the textile industry while maintaining the same underlying purpose: creating trust through independent and reliable measurement. Founded in Zurich in 1846 as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute, TESTEX has grown from a local institution serving the silk trade into an international Swiss testing and certification institute for textiles and leather.

Cascale launches member-led process to shape 2030 strategy

Cascale has launched a member-led process to define the industry alliance’s strategic direction for the next decade. At the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026 in Athens, CEO Ying McGuire announced that members will contribute to an industry system map that will inform Cascale’s 10-year vision, its 2030 strategy and priorities for 2027. The new strategy is scheduled to be finalized in December.

New Cotton Review examines competitiveness, market risk, and opportunities

From moving record volumes of Brazilian cotton to market, to managing price volatility, unlocking Ethiopia’s production potential, and strengthening African textile trade, the latest edition of Cotton: Review of the World Situation examines some of the most consequential opportunities and challenges facing the global cotton industry.

Long John puts KARL MAYER's RDJ 7/3 into operation and strengthens its position as a market leader

KARL MAYER has just unveiled its new RDJ 7/3 Jacquard Double Needle Bar Raschel Machine in the international trade press, and the innovation is already causing a stir in the market: The Long John Group, a leading manufacturer of performance footwear fabrics and a long-standing partner of renowned brands, was the first customer to invest in the new machine and celebrated its official launch at its Indonesian plant on August 20.

An eco-friendly alternative to fluorocarbon treatments

Protective and outdoor clothing derives its durable water-, dirt- and oil- repellent properties from the application of fluorinated polymers or per- and polyfluorinated low-molecular- weight chemicals (PFCs). The beneficial properties thus achieved on textiles are offset by environmental and human health risks. For manufacturers of sports, medical, protective and automotive textiles, researchers at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. and the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research have developed liquid-applied dispersions and solutions to functionalise textiles without the use of fluorine.