Certification according to OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT

OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT is an independent certification for chemicals, colourants and accessories used in the manufacturing of textiles and leather articles. We check that each individual substance in the chemical products meets the statutory requirements and that it is not harmful to human health. ECO PASSPORT can certify all chemical products such as textile and leather chemicals, colourants and auxiliaries as well as corresponding formulations which are used in the textile, leather and clothing industries and which meet the strict guidelines.

• During the certification process, you receive support in selecting chemicals that are not harmful from a human-ecological perspective and which are environmentally friendly. The cost-effective testing programme includes the comparison with the REACH list of Substances of Very High Concern and with the OEKO-TEX® RSL and MRSL.
• You can use the ECO PASSPORT as transparent proof that the certified products can be used in sustainable textile production. You can thus expand your potential customer base of brands and retailers.
• You are demonstrating to your customers that you have a sustainable production procedure. The ECO PASSPORT gives you a trust-building label which indicates independent certification by a third party.
• With the ECO PASSPORT, you benefit from a comprehensive approach to handling chemicals and thus increase the safety of your production chain.
• Certification incl. on-site visit is recognised by the ZDHC organisation as up to “MRSL 3.1 Conformance Indicator Level 3”, currently the highest conformity level. Completion of the CAS number screening, the analytical verification and the self-assesment achieves ZDHC Conformity Level 1. 
• You save on the laboratory tests for “OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100” and “OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD” articles: we recognise the ECO PASSPORT as a pre-certificate.
• You have the option to list your certified products in detail and free of charge in the OEKO-TEX® Buying Guide.
• The ZDHC Gateway and BHive App from GoBlu are available for the publication of certified products, including all associated certificates.

The ECO PASSPORT can only be issued to the manufacturer of a product. In certain circumstances, wholesalers, brands or retailers can also apply for the certificate.

We assess chemical products based on the threshold values for the standards. In doing so, we make sure that the certified chemicals meet the requirements of the STANDARD 100 or LEATHER STANDARD when used correctly on textiles and/or leather.

The ECO PASSPORT identifies 3 cases relating to the handling of the threshold values:

1. Certification without restriction:
   The ECO PASSPORT certificate is issued without any restrictions if the results of all product tests are below the threshold values.
2. Certification with restriction:
   The ECO PASSPORT certificate with restriction is issued to products with test results in which a maximum of two parameters exceed the threshold value by less than a factor of 5.
3. Certification rejected:
   The ECO PASSPORT is not issued to products if the test results exceed one threshold value with a factor of 5 and above.

During a multistep process, the ECO PASSPORT tests that each individual substance in a chemical product is not harmful to human health and that it meets the statutory requirements. The verification process consists of 3 levels, whereby the first two levels are mandatory for receipt of the certificate.

• CAS Number Screening: During the CAS number screening, we first compare the product components declared by the applicant against the list of harmful chemicals for the ECO PASSPORT (RSL/MRSL) or SVHC Candidate List from REACH.
• Analytical Testing: An analytical laboratory test should ensure that the certified chemicals can be used in the sustainable production of human-ecological optimised textiles and leather articles in accordance with STANDARD 100 and LEATHER STANDARD. Completion of the CAS-Number Screening and the Analytical Verification leads to ZDHC Conformity Level 1.
• Self-Assessment and On-Site Visit: A Self-Assessment and an on-site visit check working conditions, safety and environmental management. Application for the on-site visit is voluntary. Completion of the CAS-Number Screening, the Analytical Verification and Self-Assessment lead to ZDHC Conformity Level 1. Completion of the On-Site Visit leads to ZDHC Conformity Level 3 if it passes the criteria for Chemical Hazard Assessment and Level 2 if it does not. 

1. Complete the application form and contact your supervising OEKO-TEX® institute.
2. Send in a sample of the chemicals and/or auxiliaries or colourant to your OEKO-TEX® institute. (approx. 50g of each, packaged with the production date and batch number)
3. Complete the Self-Assessment and provide all necessary documents.
4. An OEKO-TEX® auditor will visit your production facility to check the specified production conditions (voluntary).
5. Upon completion of the certification, we will send you the following documents:
   1. RSL screening report
   2. Laboratory report
   3. On-site visit report (valid for 3 years)
   4. ECO PASSPORT certificate
   5. ECO PASSPORT label.