OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 Explained: What It Tests, What It Doesn't, and How to Check a Label
Short answer: OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is a label for textiles tested for harmful substances. Every component of a certified article — fabric, sewing thread, print, buttons — is tested by an independent OEKO-TEX institute against a list of more than 1,000 substances, with the strictest limits for articles for babies and the next strictest for clothes worn against the skin. It is not an organic or performance label: OEKO-TEX states that the mark "is not a quality label", and it covers only the article named on the certificate, in the state in which it was certified. The current edition is 01.2026.
What OEKO-TEX and STANDARD 100 are
OEKO-TEX is not a fibre, a fabric or a clothing brand. It is the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile and Leather Ecology: 17 independent testing institutes in Europe and Japan, founded in March 1992 by the Hohenstein and Austrian (OETI) textile research institutes. STANDARD 100, its first label, followed in April 1992.
A certificate is issued for one year. OEKO-TEX reviews its limit values at least once a year and states that the standard covers the requirements of REACH Annexes XVII and XIV, the US CPSIA and the ECHA candidate list.
Limits depend on the product class, which is set by how the article is used (Edition 01.2026):
| Class | Definition in the standard | Activewear examples |
|---|---|---|
| I | Articles, materials and accessories for babies and children up to the age of 36 months | Babywear, toddler leggings |
| II | Articles worn with a large part of their surface in direct contact with the skin | Leggings, sports bras, base layers, T-shirts |
| III | Articles worn with only a little of their surface in contact with the skin | Jackets, fillings |
| IV | Decoration material: table cloths, curtains, upholstery, floor coverings | None |
Leggings and sports bras worn against the skin generally fall under class II; a class I scope meets stricter limits. If certification is claimed, check whether the named fabric or the finished garment is actually covered at the applicable class. A fabric certificate alone does not certify the garment.
What the limits actually allow
Certified does not mean absent. Results must meet the applicable requirement for the product class: a maximum for some substances, a permitted range for pH, or a minimum grade for colour fastness. These examples come from the STANDARD 100 sheet of the OEKO-TEX limit value table, version 03.2026, in force from 1 September 2026 (Annex 4):
| Substance or parameter | STANDARD 100 rule |
|---|---|
| Formaldehyde, free and partially releasable | Not detectable in class I (below 16 mg/kg by the Japanese Law 112 method); 75 mg/kg in class II, 150 in class III, 300 in class IV |
| PFAS | No intentional use; each listed PFAS below 25 µg/kg, all listed PFAS together below 250 µg/kg |
| Total fluorine | 50 mg/kg, as a screen for PFAS. Fluorine shown to come from non-PFAS sources is exempt, and the exemption is written into the certificate scope |
| Flame retardant products | No intentional use, apart from treatments OEKO-TEX has assessed and accepted; each listed banned flame retardant 10 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg for the sum |
| Antimony, extractable | 30 mg/kg in classes I to III |
| pH | 4.0 to 7.5 in classes I and II; 4.0 to 9.0 in classes III and IV |
| Colour fastness (staining), class II | Grade 3 to water, 3–4 to acidic and alkaline perspiration, 4 to dry rubbing |
So the label does not mean "no formaldehyde" or "chemical-free": it means the tested article met the applicable requirements for its class. On PFAS specifically, see PFAS in yoga wear.
Polyester, nylon, cotton and yarn
Textiles can be certified at different stages: fibre, yarn, fabric, garment or accessory. "OEKO-TEX fabric" describes a named fabric within a valid certificate scope, not a fibre type. Check the named article, its material composition and processed state — raw, dyed, printed or finished — against the certificate. Nylon–spandex and polyester–spandex fabrics can be certified if the particular article passes the applicable tests and is within a valid scope; the same rule applies to cotton. On cotton, the label covers testing, including pesticide residues, not how the cotton was grown.
Certificates that input materials already hold count when the institute defines the test programme, which is why a spinner's or knitter's certificate matters to a garment maker. Recycled content is a separate case: at least 20% of the chief material has to be recycled, and a separate certificate is issued. A recycled-fibre claim does not by itself establish what a later finished garment's certificate covers.
What STANDARD 100 does not tell you
The standard says the mark "relates only to the as-produced state" of the textile. It says nothing about:
- General performance. Fit, durability, pilling or overall wash durability. The STANDARD 100 table does include specific colour-fastness minimum grades; those tests do not guarantee every wash or wear outcome.
- Organic or ethical production. Annex 4 limits are set from a human-ecological point of view; production conditions are covered by OEKO-TEX's STeP certification and by MADE IN GREEN, which adds environmentally friendly production and fair working conditions.
- Other legal duties, such as product safety rules and textile labelling, which the standard leaves with the applicant.
- Later processing. A certified product loses its certified status as soon as it is professionally altered or treated — washing and chemical cleaning included — so a fabric certificate does not cover later printing or garment washing.
- The finished garment, when only the fabric is certified. The labelling guide does not allow "ingredient labelling": promoting certified components when the whole product is not qualified. A hangtag reading "made with OEKO-TEX certified fabric" is outside the rules.
OEKO-TEX vs GOTS: which is better?
Neither. They answer different questions.
| OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 | GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it shows | The article was tested against harmful-substance limits | The textile is organic, processed under environmental and social rules |
| Fibres | Any, including polyester, nylon and elastane | At least 70% certified organic fibres |
| Grades | Product classes I to IV | "Organic" (at least 95% certified fibre) or "made with organic materials" (at least 70%) |
| What is certified | The article named on the certificate | Every processing stage, from fibre to finished product |
| Predominantly synthetic nylon- or polyester-spandex leggings | Can be certified if the named article passes and the valid scope covers it | Do not meet the minimum 70% certified organic fibre requirement |
GOTS version 8.1 was released on 22 June 2026; audits from 1 March 2027 use 8.1. Its product grades require at least 95% or 70% certified organic fibre, respectively, and additional fibres are subject to further conditions. An organic-cotton legging may qualify if its full composition and processing meet GOTS requirements; a predominantly nylon–elastane legging does not meet the organic-fibre minimum. Recycled content is addressed by a different standard, GRS: see GRS scope and transaction certificates. On fibre choice, see organic cotton or polyester for activewear.
How to check an OEKO-TEX label or certificate
- Find the number. A valid label carries the label number and the institute; neither may be missing. For a retail finished product advertised as certified, check the corresponding physical product label. Intermediate products and packaging can be subject to different labelling arrangements.
- Look it up. Scan the QR code, or type the number into OEKO-TEX Label Check exactly as printed — label numbers are case-sensitive. Label Check also lists withdrawn certificates and labels.
- Read the scope. Check the named certificate holder, article and processing state; then confirm the product class and validity. Identify whether the certificate covers a component, a fabric or the finished garment rather than assuming one level covers another.
- Ask what changed. Goods made differently from the certified process count as uncertified until the institute confirms them.
For the laboratory side, see how to read a fabric test report.
How a company gets certified
The company applies to an OEKO-TEX institute of its choice, chooses Annex 4 or the stricter Annex 6 and a product class, and sends representative samples. The institute sets the test programme from the product, its materials and the process; every individual component is tested. A first certification includes an on-site visit, repeated at least every three years unless the facility holds OEKO-TEX STeP. After a signed Declaration of Conformity the certificate runs for a year, and renewals need fresh testing. From June 2027 a renewal also requires every company in the supply chain doing wet or chemical processing, such as dyeing, to hold a STANDARD 100 certificate covering the product.
How we handle OEKO-TEX in production
YOUMEGA holds an OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certificate. That fact does not establish that every new style or finished garment is covered. Tell us which fabric, trims and print method the style uses; ask for the relevant PDF, and verify the holder, article, processing state, product class and validity against that exact style. If your retailer wants the OEKO-TEX label on the finished garment, raise it before development: certified components alone do not authorize an uncertified finished-product claim. Our in-house QC inspects finished goods to AQL 2.5 — workmanship and measurements, not chemistry. During supplier qualification, we can retrieve and forward applicable verified PDFs within 24 hours.
FAQ
What does OEKO-TEX stand for, and how is it pronounced? It is the short name of the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile and Leather Ecology. OEKO is the German word Öko, short for ecology, written without the umlaut; OEKO-TEX registers OEKOTEX and ÖKO-TEX as word marks too. The first syllable carries the German ö sound.
Is OEKO-TEX legitimate, and how good is it? It has run since 1992, independent institutes do the testing, certificates expire after a year and can be withdrawn, and any label number can be checked online. It is a thorough harmful-substance test programme covering every component of an article — but not a check on organic content, working conditions or performance.
Does OEKO-TEX mean non-toxic? Not in those words. It means the certified article met the applicable substance limits, pH ranges and minimum grades for its product class; class II formaldehyde has a 75 mg/kg maximum, and intentional PFAS use is prohibited. OEKO-TEX says the mark relates only to the as-produced state and does not settle other legal or product-safety duties.
Does OEKO-TEX mean organic? No. STANDARD 100 tests for harmful substances, not how a fibre was grown. Where organic cotton is named on a certificate, OEKO-TEX states that the test and process do not certify ecologically and socially responsible cotton production. For organic claims, look for GOTS or OEKO-TEX ORGANIC COTTON, launched April 2023, which verifies organic cotton from farm to product.
Can polyester be OEKO-TEX certified? Yes, a named polyester, nylon or elastane article can be certified if it passes the applicable tests and its processed state is within a valid certificate scope. The programme includes a 30 mg/kg extractable-antimony limit in classes I to III. Verify the actual article and class; the fibre name alone proves no certification.
Does OEKO-TEX test for PFAS? Yes, in two ways. Intentional use of PFAS is not permitted in certified articles: individual listed PFAS are limited to 25 µg/kg and the sum to 250 µg/kg, and total fluorine is limited to 50 mg/kg as a screen for PFAS generally. Fluorine proved to come from non-PFAS sources is exempted in the certificate scope.
How much does OEKO-TEX certification cost? There is no single fixed fee for every article. The institute sets a test programme based on the product, materials and process; first certification also includes an on-site visit. Ask an OEKO-TEX institute for a project-specific quotation.
Need to check OEKO-TEX documentation for a proposed style? Send us its fabric, trims, processing plan and market. We can identify and share verified applicable documents during supplier qualification; we will not claim finished-garment certification without confirming the certificate scope.
Sources
- OEKO-TEX®, STANDARD 100 standard document, Edition 01.2026 (dated 03.03.2026)
- OEKO-TEX®, limit value table (restricted substance list), version 03.2026, in force from 01.09.2026
- OEKO-TEX®, STANDARD 100 overview
- OEKO-TEX®, Labelling Guide, STANDARD 100 general information
- OEKO-TEX®, Label Check
- OEKO-TEX®, Our story
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) version 8.1, released 22 June 2026
- Global Standards, GOTS key features
