OEKO-TEX® Renews Commitment to a Sustainable Future on 30th Anniversary

In March of 1992, OEKO-TEX® was founded on a single mission: Enable consumers and companies to make responsible decisions to protect our planet for future generations. We committed to this goal so that shoppers can more easily make safe, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible purchases. To meet this goal, we monitored legal, scientific, and technical information, developed standards, and ran rigorous testing. Over the years, we have continuously improved our processes – advancing our deep knowledge of textiles, implementing new tools, and responding to consumer needs.

Fast forward 30 years and you’ll find the organization not only remains true to this goal, but OEKO-TEX® has also become a worldwide leader in consumer trust. We have:

• Expanded to include 17 independent research and test institutes and developed standards that cover the entire supply chain, including our best-known labels: OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 and OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN
• Partnered with more than 21,000 companies in 100 countries to issue over 235,000 certifications, covering countless products
• Developed test methods and limits that protect consumers, workers, and the environment from thousands of substances

This March, we celebrate the progress in safer textiles and leather and recommit to creating a healthier world through safety, transparency, and sustainability.

"We are more determined than ever to develop solutions that will allow our children and our children’s children to inherit a healthy world,” said OEKO-TEX® Secretary Georg Dieners. “Innovation is key, and at OEKO-TEX®, the next chapter of sustainability is just beginning.”

Today, OEKO-TEX® is monitoring and advancing the textile industry in line with technological, scientific, social, and legislative trends to better service the health and environmental demands of today’s consumers.

OEKO-TEX® partners closely with manufacturers and brands to recognize their sustainability achievements through labeling and supporting their goals.

• We recently launched the OEKO-TEX® Impact Calculator. The footprint tool equips the textile industry with the data needed to measure and quantify carbon emissions and water usage to take targeted action toward improving operations and meeting reduction goals.
• This year, OEKO-TEX® will launch a service to help companies transition to upcoming due diligence laws. OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS will launch in the second half of 2022.

OEKO-TEX® has been steadfast in its mission to protect consumers and future generations. (Consider that OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, our first label, was created 20 years before the United Nations made its Sustainable Development Goals!)

We know that there are big challenges ahead of us, but OEKO-TEX® is prepared to support the industry in protecting people and the planet.