OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is a globally recognized, independent certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production. It is one of the world's best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances.
Authority & Credibility:
International Recognition: It is a highly authoritative and trusted standard within the textile and apparel industry worldwide.
Independent Testing: Products are tested by independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes based on a comprehensive, scientifically-developed criteria catalogue that far exceeds national and international legal requirements.
Dynamic and Stringent: The test criteria and limit values are updated at least annually, incorporating new scientific findings and regulations. This "cradle-to-grave" approach ensures scrutiny of every component (threads, buttons, coatings, etc.).
Consumer Trust: The label provides transparent assurance to brands, retailers, and consumers that the certified product is harmless to human health from a scientific perspective.
Primary Functions & Benefits:
Consumer Safety: Ensures that certified textiles are free from over 350 regulated and unregulated harmful substances (e.g., carcinogenic dyes, pesticides, heavy metals, phthalates) at levels safe for human health.
Risk Mitigation for Companies: Helps manufacturers and brands minimize legal and commercial risks by ensuring product compliance with stringent safety standards, facilitating market access (especially in regions with strict regulations like the EU).
Supply Chain Management: Provides a verifiable, uniform testing framework for companies to manage and verify the safety of materials and components throughout their global supply chain.
Marketing & Differentiation: Serves as a powerful marketing tool and credible proof of a company's commitment to product safety, sustainability, and corporate responsibility, enhancing brand reputation.
Foundation for Sustainability: While primarily a human-ecological safety standard, it is often a foundational step and prerequisite for broader sustainability certifications (e.g., STeP by OEKO-TEX®).
