Trust is built where facts can be verified. Transparency and traceability have been part of the OEKO-TEX® strategy for years, and that course is confirmed once again: new regulatory requirements in key markets such as the USA, Canada and the EU increasingly demand that companies fully document where their products come from and how they were made. Traceability is thus shifting from competitive advantage to a prerequisite for market access. Those who can prove the origin of their articles from fibre to finished product are better positioned to navigate customs controls, regulatory investigations and potential trade restrictions. The new OEKO-TEX® Annual Report shows how this commitment translated into concrete figures over the 2025/2026 financial year.
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON: Supply chain presence in more than 20 countries
Traceable organic cotton now spans global production networks: supply chain partners holding OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certified cotton are available in more than 20 countries. What stands out is not only this geographic reach, but also the growing volume of OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON, which already exceeds 33 million kilograms at ginning level.
This is also reflected in the number of certificates issued, which rose by more than 200 per cent compared to the last year. A clear signal of growing demand for traceability and digitalisation in the organic cotton segment.
The partnership with TextileGenesis has played a part in this: it is driving the digitalisation of transactions for OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON, making processes more secure, data-driven and scalable. The token-based technology reduces the administrative burden of customers across the supply chain and strengthens confidence in their sustainability claims.
OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN: verified traceability with double-digit growth
The trend towards traceability is equally evident for OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN. Demand for the product label, which provides consumers with verified supply chain data, grew by more than 13 per cent.
This increase comes at a time when transparency and traceability are increasingly required by regulation: from 27 September 2026, the EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo, EU 2024/825) will require sustainability labels to be based on certification schemes, whereas the schemes’ requirements are verified by independent third parties. OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN and all other OEKO-TEX® certificates and product labels will remain legally compliant beyond that date.
OEKO-TEX® CEO: "Trust is our hardest currency."
"Developments in our industry confirm that trust is becoming our hardest currency," says Dr Alfred J. Beerli, CEO of OEKO-TEX®. "A market full of complex regulation can feel daunting, but for us, it represents a real opportunity. At OEKO-TEX®, we have always believed that genuine progress happens when transparency goes beyond mere compliance."
On the EmpCo Directive, Dr Beerli adds: "What becomes law in September 2026, we have been demanding for more than three decades. We are exceptionally well placed to support companies and brands in meeting these strict new requirements."
Alongside expanding traceability, OEKO-TEX® also intensified its investment in product and quality controls over the past financial year. Further details are available in the 2025/2026 Annual Report.
