Summary
The Inditex Green to Wear (GTW) standard sets environmental performance requirements for suppliers: wastewater treatment, energy and carbon, waste management, water use and chemical management in production. Inditex released updated environmental requirements for suppliers in 2025, and revised GTW requirements, covering climate action, water stewardship, responsible chemical management and circular manufacturing, are reported to apply from July 2026 audits. One reported requirement is a chemical inventory that is largely ZDHC Level 3 compliant, but check Inditex’s current documentation for exact thresholds. The copy on this post dates from 2019.
The Inditex Green to Wear (GTW) Standard sets environmental requirements for manufacturers and suppliers in the Inditex Group’s supply chain. The Clear to Wear (CTW) Standard covers chemical limits in finished products, while GTW addresses the environmental footprint of production, including wastewater treatment, energy use, waste management and chemical handling.
GTW supports the group’s supply chain management and links to frameworks such as the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero and the Higg Index, which is run by Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition). Suppliers demonstrate compliance as part of qualification to supply Inditex brands.
What has changed in the GTW requirements?
The 2019 version has been superseded in parts. Inditex released new environmental criteria for suppliers in 2025 that tighten chemical management and water use criteria and give more clarity on supply chain decarbonisation. Industry reports say that revised GTW requirements will apply from July 2026 audits, with a focus on climate action, water stewardship, responsible chemical management and circular manufacturing. Chemical management links to the ZDHC MRSL, whose Version 3.1 is the current list. Always work from Inditex’s current documents.
Which environmental rules apply in Germany, the EU, the UK, the US and Canada?
- EU and Germany: industrial emissions and wastewater rules under the Industrial Emissions Directive and Germany’s Abwasserverordnung, REACH and CLP for chemicals, and for apparel brands the revised Waste Framework Directive, which introduces extended producer responsibility for textiles, and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The CSDDD now covers companies with over 5,000 employees and EUR 1.5 billion turnover from July 26, 2029, and Germany’s LkSG applies to larger companies.
- UK: the Environmental Permitting Regulations and UK REACH.
- US: Clean Water Act permits, TSCA, and state textile rules such as extended producer responsibility proposals and PFAS bans.
- Canada: the Fisheries Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
The following file is a copy of the GTW document that was available when this post was written, and it may be outdated. Get the current version from Inditex or your brand contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between GTW and CTW?
GTW covers environmental performance in production, and CTW covers chemical limits in finished products.
How is GTW compliance checked?
Through audits of suppliers’ facilities, as set out in Inditex’s current procedures. Revised requirements are reported to apply from July 2026 audits.
Related standards: Inditex Clear to Wear (CTW) Standard | Inditex RTM Standard | Safe to Wear Standard
Related reading: Effluent Treatment Plant Processes | What is Compliance? | UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion
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