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OEKO-TEX certification for textiles
What it is
A voluntary testing and certification system for textiles and their inputs, verifying that an article contains no harmful substances above defined limits. Global apparel brands specify it in their sourcing standards
Certification applies at article level and must be renewed, with the whole chain from dye and auxiliary to finished fabric expected to comply
Impact on industries
- Brand sourcing standards make it effectively mandatory, so certification is the price of access to organised export buyers
- Chain-wide requirements pull dye and chemical suppliers into the certification, favouring those already compliant
- Testing and renewal cost recurs and scales with the number of articles, which is heavy for a broad product range
- It is a private standard rather than law, so requirements shift with brand policy rather than through legislation