On Dec 30,2015, the OEKO-TEX® Association has updated the applicable test criteria and limit values for product certification in accordance with OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: 2016, After a three-month transition period, the following new regulations come into force on 01 April 2016 for all certifications:

Changes as below:

1. For product class I, II, III，new phthalate was added – DCHP: Di-cyclohexylphthalate  84-61-7

2. For product class IV, Requirements of phthalate are same as product class I, II, III excluding DINP

3. organic tin compounds were added: DMT, DPT, MBT, MOT, MT, TeBT, TCyHT, TMT, TOT, TPT

4. Perfluorinated compounds(PFC’s) were added: PFHpA, PFNA, PFDA

5. For product class IV, Requirements of UV stabilizers were added: UV 320, UV327, UV 328, UV350

6. Dyestuffs and piments classified as carcinogenic were added:

C.I. Basic Blue 26,

C.I. Basic green 4,

C.I. Basic violet 3

7. Forbidden flame retardant substances were added:

2,2-bis(bromomethyl)-1,3-propanediol  3296-90-0  BBMP

Bis-(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate  5412-25-9  BIS

Tetrabromobisphenol A  79-94-7 TBBPA

NOTE:

Product class I: Textiles and textile toys for babies and small children up to the age of three, e.g. underwear, romper suits, bed linen, bedding, soft toys etc.

Product class II: Textiles which, when used as intended, have a large part of their surface in direct contact with the skin, e.g. underwear, bed linen, terry cloth items, shirts, blouses etc.

Product class III: Textiles which, when used as intended, have no or only a little part of their surface in direct contact with the skin, e.g. jackets, coats, facing materials etc.

Product class IV: Furnishing materials for decorative purposes such as table linen and curtains, but also textile wall and floor coverings etc.

Introduction of OEKO

The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 was introduced at the beginning of the 1990s in response to the demand of the general public for textiles which are harmless to health. “Poison in textiles“ and other negative headlines were widespread at this time and indiscriminately branded all chemicals used in textile manufacturing as negative and dangerous to health.

The demands we make of modern textile products cannot be realised without the use of specific chemical substances, however. Modern colours, easy care properties, long useful life and many other functional properties of textiles are required today and can be indispensable for certain applications (e.g. for workwear).

Before introduction of the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 there was neither a reliable product label for the assessment of the human ecological quality of textiles for consumers nor a uniform safety standard for manufacturers in the textile and clothing industry allowing practical assessment of potential harmful substances in textile products.The Austrial Textile Research Institute (ÖTI) and the German Hobenstein Research Institute have therefore jointly developed the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 on the basis of their existing test standards.

Basic elements

To implement the objectives of a reliable product label for consumers and a uniform safety standard for the assessment of harmful substances for textile and clothing manufacturers, the OEKO-TEX® system provides the following components:

※ Globally uniform and scientifically-based (textile and human ecologically relevant) test criteria

※ Annual re-evaluation and development of the stipulated limit values and criteria

※ Testing and certification of the textile products through independent test institutes with the relevant expertise

※ Testing of textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of processing (modular system)

※ Use of OEKO-TEX® certified source materials leads to synergetic effects in testing, incl. reduced costs for testing

※ Product conformity through internal quality management within the companies

※ Company audits to ensure best possible certification process and targeted support for operational quality assurance

※ Product monitoring by means of regular control tests in the market and site inspections by independent auditors from OEKO-TEX® Association