What is OEKO-TEX Standard 100?
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is a label showing a textile was tested for harmful substances. Class II covers items worn on the skin, like socks.
What it covers
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is run by the OEKO-TEX Association. Independent institutes test textiles, and every component such as yarn, elastic, and labels, against a list of regulated and unregulated harmful substances. Products that pass may carry the label with a certificate number.
Limits depend on the product class:
- Class I: articles for babies and toddlers.
- Class II: articles with large skin contact, which includes socks.
- Class III: articles with little or no skin contact.
- Class IV: decoration materials.
What it does not cover
Standard 100 is about substances in the finished article. It is not an organic-fiber claim, which is what OCS covers, and it is not a social-compliance audit like amfori BSCI.
How to verify it
Certificates are issued for defined products and expire, so ask a supplier for the certificate number, holder name, product scope, and validity date, then check the number with the OEKO-TEX label check tool. Request a current copy before you rely on it for organic cotton or diabetic lines.