At the start of the year, OEKO-TEX® updated their existing guidelines as well as the valid test criteria and limit values for their certifications and services – in line with consistent consumer protection and the sustainability of textiles and leather products. Following a transition period, all new regulations will come into effect on 01 April 2020. An overview of the most important changes is given below.

MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® now includes leather products
After the introduction of the MADE IN GREEN label for textiles in 2015, beginning January 2020 it will also be possible to award the sustainability label to leather products. In 2019, STeP certification was expanded  to  include  leather  production  facilities.  OEKO-TEX®  now  goes  one  step  further  with  the  integration of leather products with the MADE IN GREEN label. Leather articles labelled with MADE IN GREEN have been tested for harmful substances in accordance with the LEATHER STANDARD and have  been  produced  in  environmentally  friendly  facilities  in  socially  acceptable  workplaces  in  accordance  with  STeP.  This  ensures  that  consumers  can  also  track  leather  goods  such  as  clothing,  shoes or furniture using a unique product ID or the specific QR code on the label to learn which countries and production facilities the article was produced in. To monitor compliance of the required criteria on site in the production facilities, OEKO-TEX® also conducts checks of production facilities with trained auditors. MADE IN GREEN has already been classified by Greenpeace as one of the most stringent labels on the market.

New additions to the limit value catalogues
After  one  year  of  observation,  the  carcinogenic  N-nitrosamines  and  N-nitrosables  substances  have  been  included  in  the  STANDARD  100  and  the  LEATHER  STANDARD.  Following  one  year  of  observation, the herbicide glyphosate and its salts have also been included in the limit value catalogue for the STANDARD 100. Specific limit values for the total content of the toxic heavy metals arsenic and mercury  have  also  been  defined  in  the  STANDARD  100  and  LEATHER  STANDARD.  The  stringent  requirements for residues in textile materials will lead to an overall lower impact on the environment, workers and consumers.

New substances under observationIn
2020, OEKO-TEX® will observe various new substances based on the latest scientific findings and conformity  with  precise  specifications.  This  primarily  concerns  some  substances  newly  classified  as  SVHC,  which,  according  to  the  REACH  regulation  for  the  protection  of  human  health  and  the  environment,  have  been  identified  as  having  particularly  hazardous  characteristics,  as  well  as  substances from  the  group  of  arylamines.  However,  various  dyes,  pesticides  and  perfluorinated  compounds will also be examined carefully in the future.

Integration of DETOX TO ZERO in STeP by OEKO-TEX®
Safe  handling  of  chemicals  and  wastewater  testing  in  production  facilities  have  long  been  important  parts  of  STeP  certification.  To  manage  the  increasingly  complex  demands  in  textile  and  leather  production, beginning 01 April 2020, DETOX TO ZERO will be an obligatory element for STeP-certified facilities  using  large  quantities  of  water  and  chemicals  (wet  plants).  A  positive  aspect  of  the  new  regulation is the future conformity of STeP with the Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL), the  Zero  Discharge  of  Hazardous  Chemicals  (ZDHC)  (Initiative  and  the  criteria  for  the  Greenpeace  Detox campaign.