ZURICH — September 3, 2024 — The international OEKO-TEX® association has continued to demonstrate positive business growth, highlighting the critical role of close collaboration and shared commitment in accelerating sustainable change. More than 35,000 textile and leather companies depend on the certificates and product labels issued by OEKO-TEX’s independent testing institutes. OEKO-TEX issued more than 50,000 certificates and labels between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024 — an increase of 22 percent over the previous financial year.
For the first time, there are over 40,000 chemical products certified with OEKO-TEX ECO PASSPORT. This reflects the industry’s increasing commitment to cleaner, safer textile and leather production. ECO PASSPORT certified chemicals comply with global regulations, including REACH Directive Annexes XVII and XIV, the ECHA Candidate List and the US CPSIA. The certification is also recognized by the ZDHC as proof of MRSL conformity for levels 1 to 3.
The OEKO-TEX ORGANIC COTTON certification, introduced in 2023 with strict supply chain traceability requirements, saw the first finished products on the market in January 2024. In addition, the limit value for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was reduced from 10 to 5 percent, a significant tightening of the requirements for purity and quality.
As regulatory challenges intensify, OEKO-TEX has continuously adapted its certifications to ensure they remain compliant with evolving requirements. To address the US CERCLA’s ban on per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS/PFC), OEKO-TEX took proactive measures to generally ban the intentional use of these substances. As a solution for the European Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and other supply chain requirements, OEKO-TEX introduced the OEKO-TEX RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS certification, which supports companies in fulfilling due diligence obligations throughout textile and leather supply chains.
Posted: September 3, 2024
Source: OEKO-TEX®
