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OEKO-TEX Standard 100 logo
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Global · Tier 3 Specialty
EU Ecolabel (Flower) logo
EU Ecolabel (Flower)
European Union · Tier 3 Specialty
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'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
What it meansTests finished textiles for harmful substances. Important: OEKO-TEX 100 is NOT an organic certification — it certifies that the finished item is free of certain chemicals, regardless of how the fibre was grown.The European Commission's voluntary environmental label. Covers cleaning products, paper, textiles, electronics, accommodation services. NOT an organic mark.The word 'natural' on packaging is a marketing term, not a certification. In most jurisdictions there's no legal definition, no standard, and no inspection. A product labelled 'natural' can contain synthetic ingredients, pesticides, GMOs, and artificial flavours.
ScopeTextilesSeveral categoriesSeveral categories
Established19921992—
InspectionAnnual on-site + lab testing of finished productsAnnual audit by national Ecolabel competent bodyNone
Residue testingRequired (this is the entire point)Per-category limitsNone
Guarantees
  • Finished textile tested against the OEKO-TEX harmful-substance limit list.
  • Limits on heavy metals, formaldehyde, pesticide residue, banned amines, allergenic dyes.
  • Lifecycle-based environmental criteria per product category.
  • Restrictions on hazardous chemicals.
  • Annual licence renewal with audit.
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
Does NOT
  • Does NOT mean organic. Does NOT cover farming, dyeing chemistry beyond the limit list, or social/labour standards. A 100% conventional cotton t-shirt can be OEKO-TEX 100 certified.
  • Doesn't apply to food. Doesn't mean organic.
  • Doesn't mean organic. Doesn't mean pesticide-free. Doesn't mean GMO-free. Doesn't mean ethically produced.
  • Some markets (e.g. the US FDA on food, EU on cosmetics) place very limited restrictions on the word, but enforcement is weak.

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