New product label for safe and sustainably produced textiles

With the product label "Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®", the OEKO-TEX® Association presents a new certification for textiles proven to be safe in terms of human ecology and that are additionally produced in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. The label replaces the previous certification system OEKO-TEX® Standard 100plus and the Spanish mark "Made in Green by Aitex". After taking over the name rights, OEKO-TEX® and its 16 member institutes (including Centexbel) are, from now on, the exclusive issuers of the new "Made in Green" label. "As a logical enhancement of our product portfolio", says OEKO-TEX® General Secretary Dr. Jean-Pierre Haug, "the 'Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®' label offers companies in the textile industry the perfect tool for communicating to the consumer their commitment to sustainability directly on the product." With the STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification, brand suppliers, manufacturers and retailers have, since last year, been able to have their production plants assessed, analysed and audited by the OEKO-TEX® institutes with regard to sustainable production conditions. As a logical enhancement to this, OEKO-TEX® recently also developed MySTeP database which enables the central administration of existing OEKO-TEX® certificates and optimum management of the complete supply chain with regard to sustainable key performance indicators (KPIs). With the established OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and the latest range of OEKO-TEX® services, the textile and clothing industry now has at its disposal a complete up-to-date package which can specifically support companies on their path to improved product safety and sustainability. "The basic difference and added value when compared with its predecessors", explained Haug "is in the transparency of the new 'Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®' label for the consumers." Using the given test number and a QR code, the textiles and the manufacturing process can be uniquely tracked. Other prerequisites apply for the allocation of the "Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®" label than for the "OEKO-TEX® Standard 100plus" and "Made in Green by Aitex". "We understand that not all companies can meet the requirements for the new product certification 'Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®' straight away. In spite of this, the OEKO-TEX® Association cannot relax the defined requirements under any circumstances. However, we offer all companies the best possible support in the implementation of the necessary prerequisites", states Haug. Factsheet MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX®