Standards & Certifications

OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT is an independent certification system for chemicals, colourants and auxiliaries used in the textile and leather industry. During a multistep process, they analyse whether each individual ingredient in the chemical product meets the statutory requirements and that it is not harmful to human health. The label also gives transparent proof of which articles meet the criteria for ecologically responsible textile and leather manufacture. Once per year, OEKO-TEX® updates the banned substances and limit values and expands them to include new scientific findings or statutory requirements. ECO PASSPORT is recognized as a pre-certificate for STANDARD 100 and LEATHER STANDARD. It is a reliable solution for publishing the chemical ingredients for products.

OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD is an internationally standardised testing and certification system for leather and leather goods at all production levels, including accessory materials. The certification serves as legally binding verification of successful product certification in all business processes in accordance with LEATHER STANDARD. Leather and leather articles from all processing levels can be certified: from semi-finished leather products (wet-blue, wet-white, etc.) to finished articles. This includes leather fibre materials, leather clothing, leather accessories such as leather gloves, leather bags and leather shoes and also some skins (e.g. sheepskin, lambskin, cowskin). They do not certify the leather from exotic or protected animals such as crocodiles, snakes and armadillos.

The OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN label identifies textiles and leather goods tested for harmful substances and which have been manufactured under sustainable and socially responsible conditions. In order to receive this certification, the product must be certified in accordance with OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD and the production facilities must be certified in accordance with OEKO-TEX® STeP.

OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® LEATHER + OEKO-TEX® STeP = OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN

OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certification offers verification from farm to product. Products bearing this label have been manufactured without the use of GMOs and tested for pesticides and other harmful substances. There are 3 types of certification: ORGANIC COTTON (100% Organic Cotton), ORGANIC COTTON Blended (min 70% Organic Cotton), STANDARD 100 (<70% Organic Cotton)

OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS certifies the management system of a company and assesses to which extent due diligence obligations with regard to human rights and environmental criteria are implemented in the company and in their supply chains.

OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. The STANDARD 100 label guarantees that every component of a textile article, including threads, buttons, and accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and is safe for human health. The certification process is conducted by independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes using a comprehensive criteria catalog. All textile articles in every stage of processing are eligible for certification, and each component is tested before the final article is labeled. This includes testing of prints and coatings on outer materials.

The OEKO-TEX® standards are a series of globally recognized independent third-party certifications that verify the safety and sustainability of textile products. The OEKO-TEX® certification system tests for harmful substances and chemicals in every stage of textile production, from raw materials to finished products.
There are 7 OEKO-TEX® standards available: MADE IN GREEN, STANDARD 100, ORGANIC COTTON, LEATHER STANDARD, STeP, ECO PASSPORT, RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

OEKO-TEX® STeP stands for Sustainable Textile & Leather Production and is a modular certification system for the entire textile and leather production chain. It has 6 modules: chemical management, environmental performance, environmental management, social responsibility, quality management and health protection and safety at work. The goal of STeP is to implement environmentally friendly production processes in the long term, to improve health and safety and to promote socially responsible working conditions at production sites. OEKO-TEX® STeP recognises different standards and certifications from third-party providers, e.g. BSCI, FWF, SA8000, ISO 14001, ISO 9001.

The SA8000 Standard is the world’s leading social certification program that helps organizations demonstrate their commitment to fair workplace practices and basic human rights. The SA8000 Standard is based on internationally recognized standards of decent work, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ILO conventions, and national laws. It covers nine areas of social accountability, requires companies to establish policies and procedures to ensure compliance, and helps build trust and credibility with stakeholders.

The GOTS is the world’s leading processing standard for organic textiles and fibres.The GOTS quality assurance system certifies the entire textile supply chain through on-site annual inspections. All operators and wholesalers must hold a valid certification for their final products to be labeled as GOTS certified. An independent Certification Body must check and attest to a product’s compliance with GOTS standards before any claim of compliance is valid. There are two types of certification documents: Scope Certificates (SCs) and Transaction Certificates (TCs). SCs prove that a supplier meets all criteria to process GOTS goods, while TCs prove that the goods meet all GOTS product criteria. Ecocert is one for the certification bodies that can check and attest to the product’s compliance with GOTS standards.

The GOTS is the world’s leading processing standard for organic textiles and fibres.The GOTS quality assurance system certifies the entire textile supply chain through on-site annual inspections. All operators and wholesalers must hold a valid certification for their final products to be labeled as GOTS certified. An independent Certification Body must check and attest to a product’s compliance with GOTS standards before any claim of compliance is valid. There are two types of certification documents: Scope Certificates (SCs) and Transaction Certificates (TCs). SCs prove that a supplier meets all criteria to process GOTS goods, while TCs prove that the goods meet all GOTS product criteria. Ecocert is one for the certification bodies that can check and attest to the product’s compliance with GOTS standards.

The RDS developed by Textile Exchange is a certification standard that ensures the ethical treatment of ducks and geese during the production of down and feathers. The standard prohibits live-plucking and force-feeding of birds, and it requires that birds are raised in healthy, humane conditions with access to clean water and food. The RDS also requires that the down and feathers are fully traceable throughout the supply chain, from farm to finished product, in order to ensure that they come from responsibly managed farms.

The RWS developed by Textile Exchange is a certification program that ensures wool is produced sustainably and responsibly. It sets animal welfare, land management, and traceability requirements for farmers to follow. RWS aims to promote responsible farming practices, improve animal welfare, and reduce the industry’s environmental impact.