The OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON standard covers all processing stages from the farm to the finished product, ensuring full traceability. The chain of custody is tracked using transaction certificates, which document the flow of organic cotton through each stage, including e.g. ginning, spinning, knitting, bleaching, dyeing and finishing. All companies involved in the value chain must be certified to the strict criteria of the OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON standard. The certification ensures product safety through testing for pesticides and other harmful substances, while verifying that the cotton remains organic throughout processing. The cotton used comes from farms certified where cotton is grown and verified in accordance with an organic standard approved in the IFOAM Family of Standards. Its organic status is further verified through laboratory testing, which includes checks for genetically modified (GMO) cotton, pesticides, and other harmful substances.

The implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has been postponed by 12 months to give Member States, economic operators and trading partners additional time to prepare. Traceability and transparency of supply chains ensure that leather products do not contribute to deforestation. In view of the upcoming legal guidelines, we believe it is important to implement the necessary measures and make a proactive contribution. From January 2025, OEKO-TEX® will maintain the proof of origin as part of the OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD certification. This proof of origin will be mandatory for all hides, skins and finished leather from cows or calves. To prove the origin of these items, it is sufficient to present invoices from slaughterhouses or import invoices, which contain, for example, information about the origin. For all leather products (e.g. bags or gloves) and for items made from other animals, specifying the origin is optional.