Minimum 70% Organic
- Pre-certifications:
- OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON
- Transaction certificates
- GMO tests - fibers:
GMO < 5% - Pesticide tests:
Negative - Issued certificate & label:
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON BLENDED
What is OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON?
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON is a globally standardized, independent testing and certification system for safer organic cotton. It certifies textile raw, intermediate and end products of all processing stages, as well as accessory materials, consisting of at least 70% organic cotton.
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON Parameters
Testing and certification according to OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON requires:
- Supply chain traceability to the field (cultivation)
- Testing for genetically modified cotton (qualitative and quantitative) and numerous pesticides to detect mixing with conventional cotton
- Testing for harmful substances:
- Legally prohibited and regulated substances
- Chemicals whose harmful effects are known but not legally regulated
- Substances for which a harmful effect is likely
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON Facts
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- OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certificates are valid for 1 year
- There are four product classes based on risk
- For a finished product to be labeled, the final product and each of its components must be tested
- Annual renewal and testing is required. Renewal applications can be started up to 3 months before expiration
- On-site audits are required every year
How can ORGANIC COTTON support you?
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certification facilitates operational quality assurance and communication with stakeholders and consumers:
- Detailed report and certificate as independent proof of safety from harmful substances and organic farming origins
- Transaction certificates to maintain supply chain traceability
- A B2B and B2C product label to communicate verified safety and organic materials
- Cost savings through the OEKO-TEX® modular system - certificates for input materials are recognized at subsequent production stages, limiting the need for re-testing
- Free listing of your certified products and company in the OEKO-TEX® Buying Guide
Organic Cotton Criteria / Requirements
The certificate type depends on the percentage of organic cotton in your products
100% Organic
70-99% Organic
< 70% Organic
100% Organic
- Pre-certifications:
- OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON
- Transaction certificates
- GMO tests - fibers:
GMO < 5% - Pesticide tests:
Negative - Issued certificate & label:
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON
< 70% Organic
- Pre-certifications:
Organic origin
(third-party or OEKO-TEX®) - GMO tests - fibers:
GMO negative - Pesticide tests:
Negative - Issued certificate & label:
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (no mention of “organic” in the certificate scope)
ORGANIC COTTON Certificate Ownership & Use
A certification is only applicable to a product if each component - and the product itself - is certified.
Ownership
Use
Pre-certification
Who can own an ORGANIC COTTON certificate?
- Producers of raw cotton
- Any manufacturer or reseller of organic cotton materials or finished goods - from any stage of processing - throughout the textile chain
Using a Supplier's Certificate/Label
As long as no changes have been made to the product covered under a supplier's certificate, a company may use their supplier's certificate/label.
Alternatively, many brands and retailers opt to re-certify the product(s) and maintain control with their own label number.
Using Pre-certified Inputs
It is common that some or all of the inputs/ingredients of a product have been pre-certified by the supplier(s). Although this is NOT required, using pre-certified components helps to catch any issues at the source, where the chemical decisions are made in the supply chain.
With ORGANIC COTTON, traceability must be maintained through official transaction certificates.
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON Certification Benefits:
- Independent reassurance, verification and documentation of organic cotton claims
- Tracking of material usage: from field to product
- Uncommon for organic cotton certifications, OEKO-TEX® verifies each transaction certificate for better fraud control
- Valuable contribution to environmentally friendly and socially responsible manufacturing of textiles
- Easily identified label backed by the trusted OEKO-TEX® brand
ORGANIC COTTON Certification Process
- Application
Send the completed application form and declaration of conformity to usa@hohenstein.com. - Sample Material & Documents
Provide required sample materials and documents. - Supply Chain
Ensure entire supply chain is certified and chain of custody is traced with OEKO-TEX® transaction certificates. - Analytical Testing & Document Checking
We test your samples in our labs and verify the documentation. - On-site Audit
During an on-site audit of your operation, our OEKO-TEX® experts will confirm all certification details. The audit must take place before the certificate is issued - potentially, while the lab tests are carried out. - Certificate & Label Issued
If your sample materials and documents meet the criteria, we issue a detailed report, OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certificate and label.
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