What is OEKO-TEX?

OEKO-TEX is the name of a family of certificates for the textile and leather industry, offering separate documents such as harmful-substance testing, production-site assessment and chemical approval. The certificates are issued by independent test and research institutes that belong to the OEKO-TEX association. In everyday use, “OEKO-TEX” usually means the product certificate STANDARD 100, which tests a textile product, from yarn to finished article, for harmful substances.

History

The OEKO-TEX association was founded in March 1992 by the Hohenstein Research Institute and the Austrian Textile Research Institute (OETI); STANDARD 100 started the same year. Its predecessor was the “tested for harmful substances according to ÖTN 100” program that OETI developed in 1989 (OEKO-TEX, 2022). Applications are made to one of the association’s approved institutes.

The OEKO-TEX family

What does STANDARD 100 test?

The scope covers textile products at all production stages, from yarn to finished article, as well as non-textile components and recycled materials; all components are tested. A harmful substance is one that can be present in the product under normal and foreseeable use and that could harm human health above a certain amount (section 4.1). On its own website OEKO-TEX states that testing is done against a list of more than 1,000 substances and that limit values are reviewed at least once a year.

Products are divided into four classes, which differ in requirements and test methods (section 4.4):

• I: Baby and children’s articles up to 36 months of age.
• II: Articles in direct contact with the skin (blouses, shirts, underwear, mattresses).
• III: Articles with little direct skin contact (e.g. filling).
• IV: Furnishing materials (tablecloths, curtains, upholstery, wall and floor coverings).

The applicant chooses whether testing follows the general requirements (Annex 4) or the extended requirements (Annex 6), which often contain stricter additional criteria.

Scope, validity and renewal

A certificate is defined by product category, material composition, processing status (dyed, printed, finished) and accessories. Yarn and fabric, curtain and T-shirt, own production and contract work, organic and conventional cotton cannot be combined in the same scope (section 4.3).

Initial certification requires an on-site visit to the facility (not required if the facility is STeP-certified); every company is checked in this way at least once every three years. A STANDARD 100 certificate is valid for one year, a STeP certificate for three. STANDARD 100 renewal must be made before expiry; a late renewal does not extend validity (section 5.9). Fee and time vary by product, scope and institute; ask the institute for a written quotation.

Under the edition of 3 March 2026 (Edition 01.2026), which is in force as of the date of this entry (October 2026), at renewal every manufacturer or ordering party in the product’s supply chain that carries out wet (chemical) processing must hold a valid STANDARD 100 certificate covering that product. A certificate held by a second-tier supplier is accepted only at initial certification; at renewal the upstream certificate must belong directly to the supplier. For both, the transition period runs until June 2027 (sections 5.7, 5.8). Confirm with your institute how this applies to your own chain; for more, see the textile certifications guide.

What it does not certify

STANDARD 100 is not a quality label. The mark covers only the state in which the product was made; it gives no information on properties such as fitness for use or reaction to cleaning. Legal matters such as product safety, any EU-type examination that may be required and textile labeling remain the applicant’s responsibility (section 3.1). If a certified product is subjected to professional physical or chemical treatment (including washing and dry cleaning), it automatically loses the right to be described as certified (section 5.10). If you plan a treatment such as washing after certification, ask the institute whether the certificate covers it.

In the product description on a certificate, the claim “organic cotton” may be used only for cotton certified to OEKO-TEX ORGANIC COTTON; the standard states that this process does not certify “ecologically and socially responsible cotton textile production” (section 5.5). For the claim “recycled”, at least 20% of the main material must be recycled and a separate certificate must be issued (section 5.6).

How it differs from similar terms

Verification

Scan the QR code on the label, or enter the label or certificate number into OEKO-TEX Label Check; label numbers are case-sensitive. Before relying on a certificate, also check its holder, product scope and validity date. For companies that offer testing services, see the textile testing laboratories and compliance consultants and certification bodies categories; if you need an ECO PASSPORT certificate from a chemical or dye supplier, see textile chemicals and dyes.

Frequently asked questions

Does OEKO-TEX mean organic?

No. STANDARD 100 is a harmful-substance test; the claim “organic” is subject to separate rules. The system that audits organic content and the processing chain is GOTS.

Does the OEKO-TEX label prove legal compliance?

No. The label is a licensed trademark whose right of use arises when a certificate is issued (section 3.2); legal matters such as product safety remain the applicant’s responsibility (section 3.1). Buyers can require the certificate in the contract.