3rd Party Verification
Third Party Verification
Our Real Fair Trade Pledge reflects our commitment to transparency and ethical practices, and it requires us to continually examine how we operate. Third-party certifications and member organizations help put that commitment into action through rigorous, independent review. With defined criteria and regular audits, these standards help verify our work and support transparency and integrity.
Look for the logo on each product to find out what certifications are applicable and find out where they are made.
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the leading international standard for organic textiles and the USDA-recognized post-processing standard for organic fibers in the United States. It sets clear requirements for both environmental practices and social responsibility across textile processing, from fiber to finished product. Maggie’s has been GOTS certified since 2014.
GOTS certification requires that:
- Textile products meet minimum certified organic fiber content thresholds
- Harmful chemicals are prohibited through strict processing guidelines
- Every stage of the supply chain is GOTS certified, including spinning, dyeing, and finishing
- Transaction certificates track each product through all steps of production
- Certified companies pass an annual third-party audit to maintain certification
GOTS is regularly updated to reflect evolving best practices, with revisions conducted every three years. The most recent update strengthened requirements around supply-chain due diligence, including risk assessment and remediation planning when violations of human or environmental rights are identified. This aligns with how Maggie’s has operated since our founding in 1992, staying closely connected to each stage of production and continually examining how our products are made. Learn more in our Responsible Business Conduct Policy.
Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™)
Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™) was established in 2017 by the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA), a group of farmers, business leaders, and experts in soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. The ROA promotes farming practices that restore soil health, protect animal welfare, and support fair working conditions, resulting in ethical and climate-resilient products.
ROC™ is a farm-level certification that requires that fibers be certified organic and traceable from farm to finished product. ROC™ farms are certified at one of three levels: Bronze, Silver, or Gold. The level is based on the percentage of land within an operation that is certified organic, with requirements to increase organic acreage over time.
ROC™ certification requires that:
- Farms operate under a Regenerative Organic System Plan, that can include regular soil testing, reduced tillage, and year-round cover cropping and crop rotation
- Natural ecosystems, including waterways and old growth forests, are protected and not cleared for agricultural use
-Animals are housed, fed, watered, and handled according to the Five Freedoms of animal welfare
- Farmers and laborers are paid fairly, work in safe conditions, have freedom of association, are not subject to forced labor, and long-term commitments are fostered.
Maggie’s obtained our ROC license in 2023 meaning we are licensed to sell products made with fibers produced by ROC certified farms. We undergo a yearly audit to ensure the traceability of all our ROC products.
Fair Trade Federation (FTF)
The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is a North American membership organization committed to creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. Through a collaborative approach to business that prioritizes dialogue, transparency, and mutual respect, it seeks to rebalance the global trading system.
FTF members are assessed against nine core fair trade principles that guide responsible business conduct across the supply chain. Member audits are based on financial records, supplier lists, and documented business practices. Each year, members are reviewed in relation to a subset of the principles, with all nine principles evaluated over a five-year cycle.
The nine fair trade principles recognized by FTF are:
Maggie’s has been a Fair Trade Federation member since 2014. Through ongoing review and verification, this membership helps ensure that our business practices align with the principles that guide Fair Trade.
World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO)
The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) is an international fair trade membership organization that offers Guaranteed Fair Trade membership through third-party verification of both businesses and their suppliers. Verification is based on ten internationally recognized Fair Trade principles and provides independent review of Fair Trade practices across the supply chain.
WFTO’s Ten Principles of Fair Trade closely align with those outlined by the Fair Trade Federation and include:
WFTO audits follows a three-year cycle with three types of review: a detailed self-assessment of business conduct and policies submitted to and reviewed by WFTO, an on-site audit conducted by an independent third-party auditor at Maggie’s and with applicable suppliers, and a peer review conducted by another fair trade enterprise.