Consumer demand is growing for home textile products that do not contain harmful levels of dangerous chemicals and that are also made in socially and environmentally responsible ways, the OEKO-TEX Association reports.

Third party, independent certifications are important tools manufacturers can use to reassure consumers and retailers that their products meet these rising expectations, it says. Correspondingly, Dina Dunn from OEKO- TEX will join the Texworld USA panel discussion entitled The Era of Transparency to examine this emerging trend and talk about how manufacturers can respond to it most effectively.

Moderated by Jennifer Marks of Home & Textiles Today, the panel seminar will be held at 1:00 PM tomorrow July 14. The complimentary Seminar Series is open to all Texworld USA attendees. Texworld USA runs from July 12-14 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. Online registration is available at https://reg.conexsys.com/twS16  .

“Consumers are calling for more sustainability in all the textile products they buy for their families,” says Dunn. “While apparel was the initial category for that increased scrutiny, interest has expanded quickly to the home textile market. Verifiable, transparent, traceable certifications reassure consumers who want to know that they are purchasing responsibly made products.”

OEKO-TEX provides a full portfolio of testing and certification systems for sustainable textile manufacturers. The OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is a global certification that ensures textile products are tested for more than 300 potentially harmful substances such as lead and other heavy metals, residual pesticides, carcinogenic dyestuffs, and formaldehyde.

The STeP by OEKO-TEX certification is available for textile manufacturing facilities that follow sustainable production guidelines. The new MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX consumer-facing label is available for OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified products that are manufactured sustainably in accordance with OEKO-TEX criteria.

In addition to testing and certification programs, OEKO-TEX also offers comprehensive online certification management systems for manufacturers and sourcers who operate in the complex, global supply chain.

The International OEKO-TEX Association, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, was founded in 1992 by the OETI, formerly Austrian Textile Research Institute, and the German Hohenstein Research Institute. Currently, its membership includes 16 independent textile research and testing institutes with their representative offices in 60 countries worldwide.

To date, more than 160,000 OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certificates have been issued—with more than 14,000 issued per year—and 10,000 manufacturers, brands, and retailers in 98 countries are working with OEKO-TEX to ensure that their products are tested for potentially harmful substances.

Now available are the STeP by OEKO-TEX certification for sustainable textile product manufacturing facilities, the MySTeP by OEKO-TEX database management tool, the ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX certification for textile chemical compounds, and the Made in Green by OEKO-TEX label for OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified products produced in accordance with OEKO-TEX guidelines.

www.oeko-tex.com