OEKO-TEX® Newsroom

OEKO-TEX®, a worldwide association of 18 independent research and test institutes that sets standards for safer textile and leather production and products, is participating with the MADE IN GREEN label in Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly, a new program to make it easier for customers to discover and shop for more sustainable products. The Climate Pledge Friendly label, which will be shown on more than 25,000 products, signifies to customers that the products have one or more of 19 different sustainability certifications that help preserve the natural world.

September is a great time to reflect on our precious planet. World Clean Up Day is September 19th and European Sustainable Development Week runs from September 20th -26th.

Sustainability has been at the core of OEKO-TEX®’s identity for almost three decades. We are pleased to see more people and businesses are thinking about how their actions effect the environment. Collectively and individually, we are all responsible for the health of this Earth. As we all strive toward creating a greener tomorrow, the OEKO-TEX® mission remains steadfast: making the textile and leather industry more sustainable, trustworthy and safe.

Here you can download the annual report 2019/2020.

Despite the challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Swiss-based organization OEKO-TEX® reported positive business results. The association was able to issue a total of 24,205 certificates and labels in the past financial year, an increase of 13%. The focus was largely on the MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® label, for which growth of 115% was recorded.

Now more than ever, it is important to be compassionate towards other people and the planet. International Day of Friendship, set for July 30, celebrates the idea that friendship between people, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.

World Oceans Day, set for June 8, encourages the global community to celebrate and honor our oceans and work together to protect and restore them. It is a time to focus on how the textile industry can be accountable for the what goes into the water.

Face masks have become instrumental in fighting the spread of COVID-19. As result, our faces will be in constant contact with textiles as a part of daily life. This is particularly true for essential workers. Certain chemicals used in textiles and during textile production can cause ailments to people who wear the clothing made with them. The elderly and allergy sufferers are especially sensitive. Since face masks directly cover our noses and mouths and we breathe through them, it is critical to test them for harmful substances. 

The OEKO-TEX® Association has approved testing in accordance with the ISO/IWA 32 protocol as proof of compliance with the GMO testing requirement for STANDARD 100 certification of untreated organic cotton. This new method is an additional option to the familiar OEKO-TEX® GMO test developed with Hohenstein.