OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: Harmful Substances

Description
The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is a normative document, published by the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile Ecology (OEKO-TEX®), which defines the general and special conditions regarding the authorization to use the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 label, the world’s leading eco-label for textiles tested for harmful substances (Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, 2015).
The International OEKO-TEX® Association is made up of more than 16 renowned textile research and testing institutes throughout Europe and Japan, with representations and contact points in more than 60 countries worldwide, and it is the entity responsible for independent harmful substance testing according to the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 (Oeko-Tex®, 2015).
In Portugal, CITEVE – Technological Centre for the Textile and Clothing Industries of Portugal – is the entity responsible for carrying out all mandatory procedures.

Requirements:
The fundamental basis of this certification is the OEKO-TEX® modular system: certifications are possible at all stages of the textile chain, and intermediate certificates are recognized, meaning that all components of a certified product must have been tested.
The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification provides for four product classes in which not only finished products but also their components, in any stage of transformation (fibres, yarns, fabrics), and accessories can be certified.
However, it is a requirement for the certification of textile articles, according to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, that all components of an item comply with the criteria required for the same product class. This means that, in addition to the outer fabric, fillings, linings, and other elements are also included, as well as accessories such as buttons, zippers, rivets, among others.
The existence of four product classes is based on the intended use of the textile product: the greater the area of contact with the skin, the stricter the requirements demanded by the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 in terms of human ecology that the product must meet.

Criteria List:
This list of criteria includes testing for:

• Legally prohibited substances, such as carcinogenic dyes;
   
• Legally regulated substances, such as formaldehyde, softeners, and heavy metals;
   
• Chemical substances harmful to health but not legally regulated or prohibited, such as pesticides or allergenic dyes;
   
• Other essential parameters for the prevention of risks to human health, such as color fastness or pH value without risk to the skin, aimed at consumer health protection.
   

Every year, this list of criteria is reviewed according to the latest legislation and scientific research, which means that overall, it goes far beyond the existing national legal regulations.

Validity:
An OEKO-TEX® certificate is valid for a period of one year and may be extended for another year at the company’s request. In this case, the number of tests required is usually lower than that of the initial certification. Audits are conducted in companies every three years.
Currently, in Portugal, there are around 400 companies certified with OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 (Oeko-Tex® Standard 100_List of Companies, 2015).