TEXTILES.ORG
The Zurich-based OEKO-TEX Association has launched ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX®, a certification for sustainable textile chemicals that offers textile chemical manufacturers a confidential and independent method to assure their customers that chemicals, colorants and auxiliaries are in line with the industry’s sustainability requirements and initiatives. The certification helps to protect consumers, textile industry workers and the environment from the potential dangers of harmful substances.
Textile chemicals, colorants and auxiliaries are analyzed in a two-step process: In the initial analysis, chemical compounds are checked against a comprehensive Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL) that incorporates the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 RSL and the STeP by OEKO-TEX MRSL, both of which are compliant with REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) and ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) guidelines. Next, the elements are analyzed within a laboratory testing framework to ensure they do not contain unsafe contaminants.
Compounds that pass the two phases are granted the ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX certification which indicates the certified textile chemical is safe to use in OEKO-TEX Standard 100-certified textile products and in STeP by OEKO-TEX-certified manufacturing facilities.