OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is a label for textiles tested for harmful substances. It sets the benchmark for textile safety, from yarn to finished product. The Oeko-Tex Association offers a certification system for knitwear companies to review and improve their supply chains.
They are developed as a modular system to cover the textile and leather value chain in terms of input, process, and output control as well as supply chain management. The testing system is based on audits of production sites, testing in laboratories as well as evaluation of textile products.
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What Harmful Chemicals Are in Clothes?
Toxic chemicals, such as phthalates, formaldehyde, certain azo dyes, and pesticides, are often used in the finishing stages of textile production so companies can streamline production or create desirable properties for fabrics, such as wrinkle resistance. OEKO-TEX protects end users from all of these toxic chemicals.
Azo dyes are the most common kind of synthetic dyes used today, because they resist breakdown from being washed and exposed to light, and because they are cheap to produce. The production of azo dyes generates toxic wastewater that pollutes the environment in developing countries with high rates of textile production. A certification that solely tests end products cannot be controlled by products of the manufacturing process.
Formaldehyde is used to create wrinkle- and stain-resistant finishes on products. It is an even bigger risk for garment workers as it’s a known carcinogen when inhaled over long periods of time. Again, this is not a risk that OEKO-TEX Standard 100 monitors.
For each of its tested chemicals, OEKO-TEX determines the safe levels for these chemicals with four different classes: class one is for textiles used for babies, class two for textiles worn near the skin, class three for textiles not worn near the skin, and class four for decorative textiles.
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You can also read: Baby Alpaca vs Regular Alpaca wool
What OEKO-TEX® Labels Mean and Why They Matter
1. OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN. It gives you confidence that the labeled product has been tested for harmful substances and was made in certified and audited production facilities.
Social responsibilitySuppliers in a MADE IN GREEN supply chain are obliged to take actions to protect workers, ensure safe working conditions and strengthen healthy labor practices. Transparency & traceability Each labeled product can be traced using a QR code or unique product ID, providing insights into how and where it was made.
2. OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified products are tested for harmful substances to protect your health. Every thread, button and accessory are tested against a list of over 1,000 substances that are harmful to your health but also to the environment. Globally standardized test criteria A STANDARD 100 certified item, produced and sold in different parts of the world, always adheres to the same standards, limit values and testing methods.
3. OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON. Products bearing this label have been manufactured without the use of GMO and tested for pesticides and other harmful substances. Protects health and natureORGANIC COTTON certified garments are free from pesticides and tested rigorously for other harmful substances such as banned azo colorants, PFAS, cadmium or lead.
Hope you enjoyed this article! Here at Knit-Lab Peru we are committed to offer premium quality products that combine modern technology with ancestral tradition. Contact us if you want to learn more or work with us.
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