‘Prevalent fraud’ leads Oeko-Tex to remove ‘organic’ from Standard 100 cotton
The Oeko-Tex Association has updated the test criteria, limit values and requirements for its range of certifications and labels, and which will become binding on April 1.
The Standard 100 certificate will no longer include the mention of "organic" or "GMO not detectable" in articles made of cotton.
It said: “This change is implemented to enhance our oversight of certified organic cotton, an area where fraud is prevalent. Our aim is to certify only genuinely trustworthy organic cotton as such.”
There is a separate certification for organic cotton. Other organic materials such as hemp, linen, or wool remain unaffected.
Pre-consumer PET bottles will not be considered a source of recycled material for Standard 100 certificates.
It has also updated its criteria for leather and volatile organic compounds.
For the ECO Passport, certificate owners now have the chance to show if their chemical products are biodegradable, which will be shown on the certificate. ECO Passport certified chemicals that are used as surfactants, softeners and/or complexing agents must provide this proof of biodegradability, either by one of the Oeko-Tex institutes or by a verified third party. Already certified products from the named applications have a one-year transition-period to adapt.
