About OEKO-TEX
OEKO-TEX is a network of 17 independent textile and leather research institutes headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. The association was founded in 1992 and today operates several certification standards for the textile industry — best known is STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX, a product-level harmful-substance test. Other standards include STeP (Sustainable Textile & Leather Production, facility certification), Made in Green (consumer label combining harmful-substance testing and sustainable production) and LEATHER STANDARD.
Facts:
- Founded: 1992 by the Austrian Textile Research Institute (ÖTI) and the Hohenstein Institute (Germany)
- Headquarters: International OEKO-TEX Association, Zurich, Switzerland
- Test scope STANDARD 100: >100 harmful-substance parameters incl. azo dyes, pesticides, heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates
- Product classes: Class I (babies/toddlers), II (skin contact), III (no skin contact), IV (home textiles)
- Validity: certification per product for 12 months; annual re-test required
- Wikipedia: Oeko-Tex (en.wikipedia.org)
- Official site: OEKO-TEX International
- Certificate verification: OEKO-TEX label check
What is OEKO-TEX Standard 100?
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the world's leading certification for harmful substances in textiles. Developed in 1992 by the OEKO-TEX Association (Zurich, Switzerland), today represented through 70+ member labs worldwide. The certification tests finished textiles (fabrics, threads, accessories) for:
- Banned dyes (e.g. carcinogenic azo dyes)
- Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, nickel, mercury)
- Formaldehyde, pesticides, chlorinated phenols, phthalates
- PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)
- Allergenic and sensitising dyes
- More than 100 additional parameters
Important: OEKO-TEX only tests for the absence of harmful substances — NOT organic origin or fair-wear supply chains. For GOTS organic see Organic Cotton, for fair supply chains Fair Trade Textiles.
The Four Product Classes — What's the Difference?
OEKO-TEX distinguishes four product classes with progressively stricter limits:
| Class | Application | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Class I | Babies + small children (up to 3 years) | Baby bodysuits, kids' blankets, baby clothing |
| Class II | Direct skin contact | T-shirts, shirts, trousers, underwear |
| Class III | No direct skin contact | Jackets, coats, vests, upholstery fabrics |
| Class IV | Furnishing materials | Curtains, tablecloths, upholstery |
Relevant for ShirtStore orders: Class I (kids' sizes, baby bodysuit sets) and Class II (standard T-shirts, hoodies, polos). Class I fabrics have the strictest limits — for example tenfold stricter on formaldehyde than Class II.
OEKO-TEX-Certified Brands at ShirtStore
Most premium and mid-range brands in our portfolio are OEKO-TEX-certified:
Stanley/Stella — Class II + Class I for Kids
GOTS organic cotton + additionally OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. Creator T-shirts, Cruiser Hoodies, Rocker kids' sizes — all Class II or Class I for kids' models.
Mantis World — Class II
Superstar T (M68), Essential Hoodie (M03), Heavy Hoodie, Women's Loose Fit Tee — all main models OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. Plus Fair Wear Foundation membership.
Tee Jays — Class II
Sof Tee (1100), Power Tee (1400), Luxury Stretch Tee (1500), Luxury Polo (1405) — Class II. Scandinavian premium standard.
Hakro — Class II
Performance polos, Coolmax functional fabrics, workwear range — Class II. Made in Germany with extended in-house harmful-substance control.
B&C Collection — Class II
Inspire organic line, B&C Pro workwear — Class II certified.
Russell Europe & Fruit of the Loom — Class II
Classic Cotton Polo 539M, Heavy Duty Polo 599M, Authentic Sweat 762M plus Valueweight T, Premium T, Iconic organic line — all Class II certified.
For kids' orders: we recommend Stanley/Stella Rocker or B&C Inspire Kids — both Class I for direct skin contact with small children.
When Does OEKO-TEX Certification Matter?
OEKO-TEX is important for any application involving skin contact — which covers almost all textile printing orders. Particularly relevant:
- Employee polos in hospitality — sweat contact, long wear time, frequent industrial laundering
- Kids' orders — class shirts, school hoodies, sports club shirts for U10 teams
- Hotel crew wear — worn directly on skin, frequent industrial laundering
- Allergy sufferers — OEKO-TEX excludes sensitising dyes, significantly lower allergy risk
- B2B sustainability reporting — many corporate buyers require OEKO-TEX as a minimum
- EU REACH compliance — OEKO-TEX certification meets typical REACH requirements
OEKO-TEX vs. GOTS vs. Standard 100 — Differences
| Standard | What's certified | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| OEKO-TEX Standard 100 | absence of harmful substances in finished product | consumer safety |
| GOTS | complete organic supply chain + fair working conditions | sustainability + social |
| Made in Green by OEKO-TEX | harmful substances + fair production | combination |
Practical recommendation:
- Pure harmful-substance safety: OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is enough.
- Organic + harmful-substance + fair wear: GOTS (e.g. Stanley/Stella, Continental).
- Both verifiable: Made in Green by OEKO-TEX (Stanley/Stella partially uses it).
More background on Organic Cotton and Fair Trade Textiles.
Related Material Topics
- Organic Cotton (GOTS) — complete organic supply chain
- Fair Trade Textiles — fair working conditions
- Recycled Textiles — recycled polyester, recycled cotton
- Material Hub — all material topics
Ready for your order in OEKO-TEX-certified quality?
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ShirtStore supplies OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified textiles for all skin-contact applications — from baby bodysuits (Class I) to hotel employee polos (Class II). Practically all main brands in our portfolio are OEKO-TEX-certified: Stanley/Stella (organic + OEKO-TEX combined, Class II + I for kids), Mantis (Class II, Superstar T M68 and Essential Hoodie M03), Tee Jays (Class II, Sof Tee 1100 and Luxury Polo 1405), Hakro (Class II, Performance polos Made in Germany), B&C Collection (Class II incl. Inspire organic line and B&C Pro workwear), Russell Europe (Class II, Classic Cotton Polo 539M and Heavy Duty Polo 599M), Fruit of the Loom (Class II, Valueweight T and Premium T incl. Iconic organic line). OEKO-TEX certifies absence of harmful substances in the finished product on 100+ parameters incl. heavy metals, formaldehyde, carcinogenic azo dyes, sensitising allergens and PAH. Important to distinguish from GOTS (complete organic supply chain) and Fair Wear Foundation (fair working conditions) — with Stanley/Stella and Continental all three standards are present. For B2B orders with sustainability reporting we provide original certificates as PDF. Our printing inks and embroidery threads are themselves OEKO-TEX-certified (Class II Plastisol inks, Class II Madeira embroidery thread, Class II water-based inks), so the end product remains free of harmful substances. For kids' orders we switch to Class I-compliant inks without surcharge.
Further Reading
- Oeko-Tex — Wikipedia — association, standards and test scope
- OEKO-TEX International — official site with all standard definitions and limit values
- OEKO-TEX Label-Check — certificate verification via test number
