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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
USDA Organic logo
USDA Organic
United States · Tier 1 Gold
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 US Department of Agriculture's national organic standard. The green-and-white seal is the legal mark for any food sold as 'organic' in the United States.
ScopeTextilesSeveral categoriesFood
Established199219922002
InspectionAnnual on-site + lab testing of finished productsAnnual audit by national Ecolabel competent bodyAnnual on-site by USDA-accredited certifier
Residue testingRequired (this is the entire point)Per-category limitsRequired on ≥5% of operations annually
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.
  • At least 95% of ingredients are certified organic (the '100% Organic' variant requires every ingredient).
  • No synthetic pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, no GMOs, no sewage sludge, no irradiation.
  • Annual on-site inspection by a USDA-accredited certifier.
  • Residue testing on at least 5% of certified operations each year.
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 certify nutrition, taste, or animal welfare specifically (separate marks like AWA cover welfare).
  • Doesn't guarantee local production — a 'USDA Organic' product can be grown anywhere with an accredited inspector.

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