Oeko-Tex fabric

There are so many labels in the textile world that you might be lost. Each label has its own quality criteria for materials and manufacturing methods. Today, we're focusing on the Oeko-Tex label, which you'll find on our fabric aprons.

What is an Oeko-Tex fabric?

Oeko-Tex is an international label designed in Germany in 1992.
But why was this label created? This standard applies to all textile items to guarantee the quality of fabrics.
The goal of this label is to ensure the absence of substances in fabrics that are harmful to consumer health. Heavy metals, pesticides, phthalates, benzene... you may be unpleasantly surprised to find these toxic substances in an uncertified fabric. An Oeko-Tex certified fabric therefore guarantees you a textile free of substances that are harmful to you and the environment.

Why choose an Oeko-Tex fabric?

The Oeko-Tex label is a guarantee of quality for the supplier, providing greater transparency to its customers regarding fabric traceability and compliance. Indeed, for 44% of French people, one of the most important criteria is durable, health-friendly clothing that does not contain any toxic products*.
While we are increasingly informed about food traceability, clothing tracing is still very vague with a generally entirely globalized production chain.

The Oeko-Tex label works internationally for the health of the planet by moving toward more responsible trade. The advantage for suppliers of this certification is also to guarantee a certain safety of their raw materials, since they can prove the authenticity of the fabrics. Furthermore, the label is very demanding, with 18 research institutes in Europe and Japan. The goal is to analyze and control products that undergo numerous tests to verify the non-toxicity of the materials.

What does the law say about Oeko-Tex?

For textile professionals, Europe has required manufacturers to comply with the REACH directive. The European Union's REACH regulation is also associated with the Oeko-Tex label.
Don't panic, the REACH regulation is not very complicated to understand.
In 2007, a regulation was adopted to safeguard the manufacture and use of chemical substances in European industry. REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals. This regulation has repercussions for many companies as it affects several sectors such as textiles, cleaning products, and electrical appliances.
Compliance with REACH requires companies to register the substances they market in the European Union. Companies are required to be transparent by demonstrating that substances are used safely and pose no risk to consumer health.

What are the different types of certifications?

The Oeko-Tex institute differentiates itself through several certifications: Eco Passport, Detox to zero, Standard 100, Leather Standard, Made in Green & My Step.
Each of its certifications has its own characteristics, for example Leather Standard to certify that leather products are not harmful or My Step to qualify companies that respect environmental processes and working conditions.

The most reputable label is Standard 100, which analyzes and controls each component to ensure the products are free of harmful substances. This is the label we use on our range of made-in-France aprons.

An Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified fabric has been checked at every stage of production, from raw materials to product dyeing, to ensure the total absence of harmful chemicals.

The Standard 100 is divided into 4 different product classes:

Class 1: the most demanding: concerns articles for babies under three years old

Class 2: items in contact with the skin (underwear, sheets, t-shirts or socks)

Class 3: items that are not in direct contact with the skin (jackets, coats, etc.)

Class 4: household items (tablecloths, curtains, table linen, etc.)

The Standard 100 label provides a mark of quality and trust. It applies to textile products with stringent controls to reduce the risk of substances harmful to human health.

*source: Ipsos study on a sample of 1,086 French people questioned online from September 3 to 9, 2019