International association for harmful-substance and sustainability certification in the textile and leather industry

OEKO-TEX Association

Zurich · Vienna · BönnigheimNew on Amplifa

1992Founded

17Member institutes

About OEKO-TEX

Founded in 1992, the OEKO-TEX Association is an international association for research and testing in the field of textile and leather ecology. It awards product labels and company certificates that confirm the freedom from harmful substances of textiles and leather goods across all production stages and, in part, also attest to social and ecological production conditions. The certification system is modular in structure and covers the textile and leather-related value chain along input, process and output control as well as supply chain management. It is based on audits of production facilities, laboratory testing and the assessment of textile products. The Association works together with 17 accredited testing and research institutes in Europe and Asia, including OETI (Austria), the Hohenstein Institute (Germany) and Testex (Switzerland). The standards include STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, ORGANIC COTTON, LEATHER STANDARD, STeP, ECO PASSPORT and RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS; partner companies such as Pampers apply the certification to baby products.

Site: Zurich
Processes: Certification of textiles and leather articles for harmful substances, Certification of sustainable production conditions (STeP), Certification of chemicals, colorants and auxiliary agents (ECO PASSPORT), Label Check for the verification of certificates, Buying Guide (online directory of certified products and manufacturers), Traceability/supply chain transparency (among others through partnership with TextileGenesis)
Materials: STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, ORGANIC COTTON, LEATHER STANDARD, STeP, ECO PASSPORT, RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS
Certificates: STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, ORGANIC COTTON, LEATHER STANDARD, STeP (Sustainable Textile Production), ECO PASSPORT, RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS, Other (OEKO-TEX standards)
Founded: 1992
Industries: Textile industry, Leather industry, Chemicals industry (textile chemicals)

01
Certification application
02
Audit of the production facility
03
Laboratory testing
04
Product assessment
05
Certificate issuance
06
Label Check / Verification

Standards and Testing Methods

STD 100

STANDARD 100

Product label for all types of textiles from yarn to finished product, tested for harmful substances according to globally uniform criteria.

MIG

MADE IN GREEN

Identifies textiles and leather goods that have been tested for harmful substances and manufactured under sustainable, socially responsible conditions.

ORGANIC COTTON

Verification from farm to product, including GMO and harmful-substance testing.

LEATHER STANDARD

Leather articles tested for harmful substances, from semi-finished products to finished articles and accessories.

STeP

Certification of production facilities for sustainable textile and leather production.

ECO PASSPORT

Certification of chemicals, colorants and auxiliary agents that are safe for health and environmentally friendly.

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

Support in preventing and mitigating negative impacts in one's own activities, supply chains and business relationships.

Member institutes

Zurich

General Secretariat of the Association

Vienna

Member institute (OETI, founding member)

Bönnigheim

Member institute (Hohenstein Institute, founding member)

Switzerland (Testex)

Member institute (Testex, since 1993)

Certified Product Groups

**MADE IN GREEN hangtag for knitted goods**Product label · Textile industry

**Pampers baby products (STANDARD 100)**Product certification · Hygiene products

Inside the production

OEKO-TEX logo

Industries

Textile industryLeather industryChemicals industry (textile chemicals)

Additional services

Certification of textiles and leather articles for harmful substancesCertification of sustainable production conditions (STeP)Certification of chemicals, colorants and auxiliary agents (ECO PASSPORT)Label Check for the verification of certificatesBuying Guide (online directory of certified products and manufacturers)Traceability/supply chain transparency (among others through partnership with TextileGenesis)

Reference customers

Pampers

Quality and Accreditation

The testing systems are based on audits of production facilities, laboratory testing and product assessments carried out by 17 accredited member institutes. Certificates can be verified online for their validity via the Label Check.

Evidence	Zurich
Other (OEKO-TEX standards)

History

1992
Foundation of the OEKO-TEX Association by the Austrian Textile Research Institute (today OETI) and the German Hohenstein Institute; launch of STANDARD 100.
1993
The Swiss textile testing institute Testex joins the Association.
1995
Launch of STANDARD 1000 with sustainability aspects.
2000
Revision of STANDARD 1000: inclusion of social aspects and occupational safety.
2013
Introduction of the STeP certification system.
2015
Introduction of MADE IN GREEN; replaces STANDARD 100plus and Made in Green by AITEX.
2016
The Association reaches its current membership of 17 institutes.
2023
Launch of ORGANIC COTTON certification.
2026
Strengthening of the governance structure; the Annual Report 2025/2026 addresses traceability as a market requirement.