Hallmark: OEKO-TEX Standard 100

What is OEKO-TEX Standard 100? OEKO-TEX has a number of labels, of which OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the most widely used. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is a health label for textiles and is tested for substances that can be harmful to health and cause allergic reactions, for example. This certification is always used for the final product and thus indicates that the final product is free of hazardous materials. In this way, OEKO-TEX indirectly sets requirements for the use of environmentally harmful substances, such as heavy metals, harmful dyes and pesticides.

The OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification looks at every part of the garment. Yarns, zippers, buttons and linings are all tested for harmful substances, but prints and coatings must also meet the right criteria. OEKO-TEX also has other labels that all certify to a more sustainable end product, including the LEATHER STANDARD and ECO PASSPORT. The latter focuses entirely on certifying chemicals and dyes.

Sustainable end product

It is often not easy for clothing factories to have an overview of all legally harmful substances. OEKO-TEX helps clothing factories and clothing brands with this. OEKO-TEX certification is done on the basis of a number of criteria. Products are extensively tested for harmful substances in which the current legal provisions play an important role. In many cases the limits for these tests go beyond national or international requirements. The tests are carried out by third-party independent parties who test against the OEKO-TEX criteria so that the results are as reliable as possible. The main criteria in the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification are:

The test catalog will include regulations regarding prohibited azo dyes, formaldehyde, nickel, etc.
Chemicals harmful to health are tested even if they are not yet legally regulated.
Annexes XVII and XIV of the REACH Directives (REACH is a European Union system dealing with the production and trade of chemicals) and the ECHA-SVHC candidate list are covered by the requirements of the test method.
OEKO-TEX takes into account the intended use of textiles. The more intensive the skin contract of a textile product, the stricter the limit values per product class.

The last point mentions that different product classes are considered within the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification. The closer a product is worn to the skin, the stricter the rules.

Product class 1: these products are for babies and has the most stringent requirements
Product class 2: These products have direct contact with the skin. This includes items such as underwear and tops.
Product class 3: These products have no direct skin contact. This includes items such as jackets, vests and accessories.
Product class 4: These products fall into the category of household textiles and decorative materials.

Check

Op elk kledingstuk dat OEKO-TEX Standard 100 gecertificeerd is, zit een label met een certificeringsnummer. Dit nummer kan ingevoerd worden op de website van OEKO-TEX om te kijken of deze certificering nog steeds geldig is. Wanneer er blijkt dat er nog verbeterpunten zijn bij een kledingmerk, wordt er bij deze certificering helaas niet aangezet tot verbetering.

OEKO-TEX voert een periodieke controle uit om te controleren of kledingmerken nog steeds aan de eisen voldoen. Deze controles worden uitgevoerd door een derde onafhankelijke partij. Door deze controle kan OEKO-TEX garanderen dat merken die hun logo dragen ook echt aan de eisen voldoen. Dit helpt ons als consumenten met het maken van een bewustere keuze voor duurzame mode. Bij Sophie Stone zijn de merken Girlfriend Collective en Jan ’n June gecertificeerd met een OEKO-TEX Standard 100 label.