Fairtrade
Fairtrade Textile Standard
Applies to hired labour in textile supply chains, covering wages, freedom of association, working conditions and the chemistry used in production, with a living wage obligation to be reached on a defined timetable rather than at once.
- Number
- Fairtrade Textile Standard
- Edition
- Fairtrade Textile Standard 25.03.2026_v1.0 (in force from 1 September 2026)
- Status
- active
What this standard is for
Where it is used
Cotton and garment supply chains where a brand has committed to a living wage rather than to legal minimum compliance.
Why it matters
The only standard in this register that attaches a number to the wage and a date by which it must be met. Others ask whether labour law is being followed; this asks whether the wage is enough to live on, which is a question a compliant factory can still fail.
What to watch for
Two versions were published side by side as this was written. Version 22.03.2016_v1.4 is valid until 31 August 2026; version 25.03.2026_v1.0, recorded here, takes effect 1 September 2026 and extends scope to Tier-1 and CMT factories with new grievance mechanism requirements. Note that the version numbers sort backwards: these are numbered date-first and the counter resets, so the newer document carries the LOWER v-number and anything comparing v1.0 against v1.4 picks the expiring one.
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