The OEKO-TEX label®: security, transparency and limitations
Last updated: 10 November 2025
Introduction
Created in 1992, the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 label is one of the world’s best-known testing and certification systems for textile products. Managed by an international association of 18 independent research and testing institutes, it ensures that certified items are safe for human health and limited in harmful substances, from the threads to the buttons. This label emerged from consumers’ growing need to combine comfort, durability and safety, in a context where the chemical impacts of the textile industry are raising increasing concern.
What does the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 label actually guarantee?
Every component of a certified product is tested for hundreds of potentially harmful substances:
- carcinogenic azo dyes,
- pesticide residues,
- toxic heavy metals,
- formaldehyde, solvents, plasticizers, etc.
The tests are updated every year to align with regulatory changes (such as REACH1 in Europe) and scientific advances. The label applies to four product classes:
- Class I – baby articles (most stringent requirements)
- Class II – products with direct skin contact
- Class III – indirect contact (furniture, accessories)
- Class IV – furnishing and decorative materials
Other OEKO-TEX® certifications
The Standard 100 is part of a family of complementary labels:
- LEATHER STANDARD: for leather articles, with the same chemical safety criteria.
- ECO PASSPORT: certifies the chemicals used in textile production.
- STeP (Sustainable Textile & Leather Production): assesses the environmental, social, and chemical management of production sites.
- MADE IN GREEN: combines a tested product (Standard 100) with verifiable traceability via a QR code, ensuring responsible manufacturing.
Why choose OEKO-TEX® certified products?
1. Safety and health
Products are rigorously tested to ensure the absence of harmful substances, offering peace of mind for the whole family.
2. Environmental protection
The criteria limit the use of hazardous chemicals and encourage more eco-friendly production practices.
3. Transparency and traceability
Thanks to the MADE IN GREEN system and the online Label Check, consumers can verify a product’s validity and origin by simply scanning a QR code.
4. Quality and durability
Certified products stand out for their quality and longevity, thus reducing overconsumption and supporting a more sustainable lifestyle.
Requirements for certification
Companies must meet several conditions:
- Absence of harmful substances according to the OEKO-TEX® list (pesticides, heavy metals, solvents, etc.)
- Laboratory testing on every product component
- Production audits assessing environmental and social compliance
- Responsible water and waste management
- Annual renewal of certification to ensure ongoing compliance
Strengths of the label
- International recognition: standard used in more than 100 countries.
- Scientific credibility: managed by independent institutes.
- Regular updates: criteria adapted to the latest toxicological knowledge.
- Complete chain of trust: from chemicals (ECO PASSPORT) to the finished product (Standard 100) and the production site (STeP).
Limitations to keep in mind
- Focus on chemical safety: OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 does not measure carbon footprint, water consumption, or biodiversity.
- No guarantee of organic fibers: a product may be certified without being made from organic or recycled cotton.
- Variable traceability: only the MADE IN GREEN + STeP combination ensures full supply chain transparency.
- Indirect control: as with any certification, effectiveness depends on the rigor of audits and supplier follow-up.
In summary
The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 label remains an essential reference to ensure that a textile contains no substances harmful to health. It provides trust value and promotes more responsible practices in the industry. However, it should not be mistaken for an overall environmental label: it guarantees a safe product, but not necessarily a sustainable product in the full environmental sense.
Notes
- ↑ REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
→ The European Union’s REACH regulation, which came into force in 2007, is a legal framework aimed at ensuring a high level of protection for human health and the environment against risks related to chemical substances.