OEKO-TEX® CERTIFIED FABRICS
What does the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® Certification mean?
Standard 100 is the label for textile articles which have been tested for any harmful substances.
To avoid any confusion, the following texts has been taken straight from the OEKO-TEX® website to allow a full explanation of their label:
Toxins on some textiles can harm your health through breathing, skin contact and saliva. STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified products have been tested for harmful substances to protect your health.
Tested for Toxic Chemicals
This label certifies that every component of the product, from the fabric to the thread and accessories, has been rigorously tested against a list of up to 350 toxic chemicals.
Trusted Worldwide
Since 1992, STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® has been the world's best-known label for textile safety
Consistently Updated
To stay ahead of changes in materials, technologies and scientific data, OEKO-TEX® regularly updates its strict standards and methods.
https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/news/blog/what-oeko-tex-labels-mean-and-why-they-matter
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In principle, all textile articles in every stage of processing are suitable for a STANDARD 100 certification, starting from the threads to the finished fabrics and finished articles. The test is conducted by our independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes on the basis of our extensive OEKO-TEX® criteria catalog. In the test they take into account numerous regulated and non-regulated substances, which may be harmful to human health. In many cases the limit values for the STANDARD 100 go beyond national and international requirements. The criteria catalog is updated at least once a year and expanded with new scientific knowledge or statutory requirements.
According to a modular system we test every single component and ingredient before the final article is allowed to carry the STANDARD 100 label. This includes threads, buttons, zippers and linings. The prints and coatings applied to the outer material are also tested for harmful substances according to the criteria applicable to them. Whether baby textiles, clothing, home textiles or decorative materials: Products carrying the STANDARD 100 label signal trust.
https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/standard-100-by-oeko-tex
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Are OEKO-TEX® certified products also sustainable products?
Not necessarily so. The test may certify that the fabric is safe from any toxic chemicals but this is not to say that the fabric was made without the use of any toxic chemicals that could harm the workers that produced the fabric, or hurt wildlife from its wastewater.
OEKO-TEX® now have another certification called "Made In Green". This certification is not only in accordance with the Standard 100, but also guarantees that the textile or leather product has been manufactured using sustainable processes under socially responsible working conditions. [1.]
Hopefully, we'll be seeing a lot more of these certifications for a number of articles in our everyday lives.
OEKO-TEX® consists of 18 independent research and test institutes in the field of textile and leather ecology in Europe and Japan.
The independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes are entitled to conduct appropriate laboratory tests or company audits in accordance with worldwide standardised guidelines. These comprehensive product and process tests guarantee risk management, consumer and environmental protection, as well as legal conformity.[2.]
References in addition to the mentioned above:
1: https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/made-in-green-by-oeko-tex
2: https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/