OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Tests textiles for harmful substances so every component is safe against human skin.
What it is
OEKO-TEX is an independent Swiss-German testing and certification system for textiles. Its best-known label, STANDARD 100, certifies that every component of an article — the fabric, the thread, the zip, the button, the print, the coating — has been laboratory-tested against a limit-value catalogue covering several hundred regulated and non-regulated substances, including azo dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, phthalates, chlorinated phenols and certain PFAS. Related labels cover different things: MADE IN GREEN adds traceability plus audited production facilities, OEKO-TEX ORGANIC COTTON verifies organic fibre content, and STeP certifies factories rather than products.
How it's verified
Brands submit representative samples of every component to an accredited OEKO-TEX institute. Testing is graded by product class — Class I (baby and toddler articles) applies the strictest limits, then Class II (skin contact), Class III (no skin contact) and Class IV (furnishings). Certificates are valid for 12 months, renewal requires retesting, and the institutes run unannounced control tests on at least 25% of issued certificates each year.
What to look for
The 'STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX' hangtag with a certificate number and the issuing institute named. Every number can be checked in the public certificate validity search at oeko-tex.com — a real certificate names the holder, the article and the expiry date.
Watch out for
'OEKO-TEX tested', 'OEKO-TEX compliant' and 'meets OEKO-TEX limits' are not certifications; only a labelled article with a valid certificate number is. Also check the scope: a certificate can cover the fabric alone rather than the finished product, and Class IV limits are far looser than the Class I limits used for babywear.
What it doesn't cover
STANDARD 100 is a chemical-safety label, not a sustainability or ethics label. On its own it says nothing about organic fibre content, water and energy use, carbon footprint, microplastic shedding, wages or factory conditions — those sit under MADE IN GREEN, STeP or a separate standard such as GOTS.
Frequently asked
What does OEKO-TEX certified actually mean?+
It means an accredited institute laboratory-tested every component of that textile against OEKO-TEX limit values for harmful substances, and the article passed for its intended skin-contact class. It is a chemical-safety guarantee for the finished item, not an environmental or labour claim.
Is OEKO-TEX the same as organic?+
No. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 tests the finished textile for harmful residues regardless of how the fibre was farmed, so a conventionally grown, heavily irrigated cotton can be certified. For organic fibre you need GOTS or OEKO-TEX ORGANIC COTTON.
Is OEKO-TEX safe for babies?+
Articles certified to Product Class I are tested against OEKO-TEX's strictest limits precisely because babies mouth and chew fabric. Check the hangtag or certificate for the class — a Class II or III certificate is a lower bar than babywear requires.
How do I check an OEKO-TEX certificate number?+
Enter the number from the label into the certificate validity check at oeko-tex.com. It returns the certificate holder, the certified articles and the expiry date; certificates lapse after 12 months unless renewed.