Furthermore, in the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex an expanded criteria catalogue was developed which establishes companies’ assistance, who are particularly focused on the Detox campaign. This expanded criteria catalogue, however, is only used within the context of a Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certification process if expressly requested by the applicant, the organisation explains.

New regulations

The new regulations include changes such as regarding the parameter “per- and polyfluorinated compounds”. Here, many substances have been added or listed explicitly by name in product class I (items for babies and toddler), for example, and provided with limit values. Thus, since 1 April the use of per- and polyfluorinated compounds in product class I is severely restricted and nearly eliminated.

A large number of substances were also included in the list of regulated softeners in all of the product classes. The three organic tin compounds dipropyltin (DPT), monophenyltin (MPhT) and tetraethyltin (TeET) are now regulated with limit values in all product classes.

The UV stabilisers UV 320, UV 327, UV 328 and UV 350 have now also been provided with limit values in product classes I to III. In addition, the use of the blue colourant Navy Blue is also now explicitly prohibited for product certification per Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex.

Increasing awareness

With many of these new requirements the Oeko-Tex Association aims to significantly support both the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) initiative and the Detox campaign.

With these new changes, Oeko-Tex hopes to further increase awareness in the textile manufacturing chain regarding the responsible handling of potentially hazardous substances in textile products and sustainable production in 2017. “By working with the Oeko-Tex system, companies play their part in ensuring effective consumer protection and environmentally friendly and socially responsible production,” the organisation reports.

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