In 2018, the OEKO-TEX Association will provide further targeted support on issues relating to consumer protection and sustainability throughout the textile value creation chain. The existing guidelines of the OEKO-TEX product portfolio were updated on January 2. The new regulations go into effect on April 1, 2018 for all certification systems and other services, following a three-month transition period.
The OEKO-TEX® Association will present the new product regulations in detail to interested companies during a webinar on Tuesday, January 30 2018 at 12 Noon (EST). Participation is free. You can register at www.oeko-tex.com/webinar-updates-2018. Other presentation times can be found on www.Oeko-Tex.com.
The updates of OEKO-TEX standards and guidelines are based on the continuous exchange of experience with industry stakeholders, cooperation with initiatives, and monitoring of legal regulations. The work of OEKO-TEX® expert groups takes into account current scientific innovations and knowledge as well as latest market developments.
You can find the most important changes regarding the individual OEKO-TEX® products below:
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
The newly recorded harmful substances in the STANDARD 100 criteria catalogue are phenol, bisphenol A, the aromatic amine aniline as well as the additional alkylphenols, pentyl- and heptylphenol. The OEKO-TEX® Association henceforth places the substance quinoline under observation. Amended limit values also apply for short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) and ortho-phenylphenol (OPP). As of 1 April 2018, OEKO-TEX® plans to integrate the testing of organic cotton products for genetically modified organisms (GMO) into STANDARD 100. Further information on the new regulations for STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is available at www.oeko-tex.com/std100-updates-2018.
MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX®
The minimum requirements and criteria for awarding the MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® product label have been updated. Advantages of the new definition are improved comprehensibility and less time for label attainment. Find further details on the updated minimum requirements at www.oeko-tex.com/madeingreen.
STeP by OEKO-TEX®
The scope of STeP assessments for the survey of required company data is significantly reduced by condensing the questionnaire. The integration of DETOX TO ZERO allows now to issue the STeP certificate and the status report additional with information on DETOX TO ZERO.
DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX®
Thanks to the comparability of the DETOX TO ZERO MRSL with the valid MRSL for the STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification, DETOX TO ZERO can be fully integrated into STeP. DETOX TO ZERO customers can convert to STeP at any time. The restructuring of the DETOX TO ZERO assessment tool and status report improves usability and clarity. The MRSL valid for DETOX TO ZERO can be viewed in the guidelines at www.oeko-tex.com/detoxtozero.
ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX®
The ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) initiative accepts the ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® as an indicator of conformity with their MRSL (harmful substance exclusion list for textile production). Upon approval, companies can have their products certified by ECO PASSPORT listed in the OEKO-TEX® Buying Guide and, if they wish from now on, also in the ZDHC Chemical Gateway. Bisphenol A is among the new substances to be recorded by ECO PASSPORT. Other new included substances are additional alkylphenols (pentyl- and heptylphenol) and the aromatic amine aniline. You can now list up to five products from different categories on an ECO PASSPORT certificate. Previously, an individual certificate had to be issued for every product category. Another new update: now not only manufacturers of chemicals receive an ECO PASSPORT certificate for their products, but also retailers and importers of chemicals distributed by them can certify their chemicals under certain conditions. Beginning in 2018, chemical manufacturers are no longer obligated to disclose secret formulas. In such cases, however, more extensive analytical testing is required to obtain an ECO PASSPORT certificate.
LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX®
Bisphenol A, the aromatic amine aniline and other alkylphenols (pentyl- and heptylphenol) are now recorded as part of the LEATHER STANDARD. More information on new admissions and other changes can be found atwww.oeko-tex.com/ls-updates-2018.
To read the full press release, click here.
