The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels, as well as accessory materials used.

Examples of articles that can be certified: raw and dyed/finished yarns, woven and knitted fabrics, accessories, such as buttons, zip fasteners, sewing threads or labels, ready-made articles of various types (garments of all types, domestic and household textiles, bed linen, terry products and much more).

The OEKO-TEX® tests for harmful substances are fundamentally based on the respective purpose of the textiles and materials. The more intensive the skin contact of a product and the more sensitive the skin, the stricter the human-ecological requirements that need to be complied with.

The precondition for the certification of products in accordance with OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is that all parts of an article meet the required criteria - in addition to the outer fabric, for example, also the sewing threads, inserts, prints etc., as well as non-textile accessories, such as buttons, zip fasteners, rivets etc.

Additional preconditions are the existence and application of operational quality assurance measures, as well as the legally binding signing of undertakings and conformity declarations by the applicant.

With regard to the global structure and high division of labour in textile production the OEKO-TEX® criteria catalogue for the first time provides manufacturers in the textile and clothing industry with a uniform benchmark on a scientific basis for the evaluation of potentially harmful substances in textiles.

The OEKO-TEX® label indicates the additional benefits of tested safety for skin-friendly clothing and other textiles to interested end users. The test label therefore provides an important decision-making tool for purchasing textiles.