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The Tamilnadu Spinning Mills Association (TASMA) has urged IOAS (International Organic Accreditation Service), GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and Textile Exchange to permit organic cotton or textile products of its members certified by Control Union (CU) India before its suspension from certification operations on March 3.
TASMA’s plea comes on the heels of IOAS suspending the accreditation of CU India from testing and sampling of Indian organic textile products on charges of irregularities committed in its certification process. On March 5, businessline reported that CU India’s accreditation was suspended on charges of irregularities in the certification process.
TASMA, an association of mills spinning yarn from cotton, said some its member mills had sourced organic cotton, based on certificates issued by CU India. They had already begun processing the cotton at their mills and despatching organic cotton yarn to various members.
The yarns have been further value-added into readymade garments, home textiles, made-ups, fabrics and hosiery items.
Concern over pre-March 3 situation
“While the transaction certificates (TCs) are issued, they contain details of the certificates granted by CU India, which functions as a certifying body, under the Authority provided to it, by GOTS,” it said.
While the conversion of organic cotton sourced thus to yarn and further into other value-added products was being done at various levels without any hindrance, the member mills got information on the suspension of CU India accreditation.
The members were concerned over textile products that were sourced and produced before CU India’s suspension would now be affected since the development covers certification before March 3 too.
Due to its suspension, CU India has now begun to seek documents from its member mills on transactions that have taken place, based on the TCs issued by it.
TASMA member mills had paid for every TCs from CU India, besides inspection charges. Thus, the suspension of its accreditation will affect the entire operations of mills, the association said.
It said its members will now try to find a new certification organisation to source organic cotton and get organic textile certification.
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