Humans absorb chemicals from textiles through breathing, skin contact and saliva. Children, the elderly, allergy sufferers and textile workers are especially sensitive.
Some chemicals used in textiles can harm the health of consumers and textile workers. Their use is only partly regulated by laws that vary by region/country. Some are also the focus of NGOs and consumer protection groups.
Hohenstein textile chemists and microbiologists neutrally assess product safety for quality assurance and optimization.
To help you comply with standards, laws and requirements, we constantly monitor global laws, scientific health data, restricted substance lists and new technologies.
Technological and chemical tests can be conducted on raw, intermediate and end products at all processing stages of the textile and leather production chains.
Since 1992, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 has meant chemical safety along the textile chain and effective consumer protection. This independent certification system is based on annually updated criteria, which includes over 1,000 parameters.
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON and OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD also test for toxics on organic cotton products and leather goods.
OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT screens, tests and certifies chemicals, colorants and auxiliaries to ensure ~1500 harmful chemicals are kept out of workplaces, environments and products. It helps companies source better inputs from the start.
OEKO-TEX® STeP certifies that facilities are protecting workers and the planet. Manufacturers benchmark and improve their environmental and chemical measures and communicate to consumers with the OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN product label.