In our series of articles on certification standards for sustainability, today we present the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex®.

The Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex® is a globally applied system for testing and certifying textile products with regard to their harmlessness to health. It comprises uniform test methods, pollutant limit values and test criteria which are used by Oeko-Tex® test institutes to test preliminary products of all processing stages and accessories. Products that meet the requirements may be labelled ” Confidence in Textiles – Tested for harmful substances according to Oeko-Tex® Standard 100″, certifying their quality and safety for one year.

This standard was introduced to create a globally uniform quality assurance system for manufacturers and retailers that is specifically tailored to the low vertical range of manufacture in the textile and clothing industry. In doing so, regional differences in the assessment of the risk potential of harmful substances are balanced out. The aim of the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex® certificate is to document compliance with human ecological quality standards not only to the end consumer but also to downstream production levels. It thus represents an important orientation aid for responsible and sustainable action in the textile industry.

In order to receive the certificate according to the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex® for textile products, all components must meet the required criteria. The tests for harmful substances depend on the intended use of the product and are divided into four product classes accordingly. The first class includes products for babies and toddlers up to 36 months of age, which are subject to particularly strict limit values and are also tested for saliva resistance. Products with skin contact fall into the second class, while products with no or little skin contact are classified in class III. The fourth class includes textile furnishing materials such as curtains, tablecloths and carpets.

The Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex® is a globally binding method for testing textile products for harmful substances. Every year, the criteria and limit values are modified and expanded to ensure the highest level of safety. Several hundred individual substances from 17 pollutant classes are tested and legally banned or regulated substances such as azo dyes, formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol, cadmium or nickel are taken into account. The requirements of the European chemicals regulation REACh and the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act on lead are also taken into account. Even substances that are hazardous to health or the environment, which have not yet been explicitly recorded, are included in the test. In addition, all tested materials must have a skin-friendly pH value, good colour fastness and be tested for the emission of volatile chemicals and odour. The Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex® thus offers the highest level of safety for textile products and their use.