ZURICH – Leading global textile standard, Oeko-Tex, has announced a significant increase in certifications to its sustainable textile label, Made In Green – offering hope that manufacturers are still investing in sustainability despite the global coronavirus pandemic. The Swiss-based organisation says its Made in Green label witnessed a growth of 115 per cent over the past 12-months. Made in Green is a traceable product label for textile and leather products made of materials tested for harmful substances that, in addition, have been manufactured in environmentally friendly facilities and under socially responsible working conditions.
The association issued a total of 24,205 certificates and labels in the past financial year, an increase of 13 per cent overall.
Established in 1992, the latest annual report of the international association shows 16,000 manufacturers, brands and retailers now work with Oeko-Tex in almost 100 countries. The number of labels and certificates issued rose from 21,454 to 24,205 between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.
The Made In Green label has recorded above-average growth. The label, which has also included leather articles since 1 January 2020, increased by 115 per cent from 1,304 to the current 2,808 valid labels in the financial year 2019/2020. The numbers of other labels such as Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex and Leather Standard also continue to grow from a solid base year over year. STeP by Oeko-Tex, the certification system for production facilities with environmentally friendly processes and safe and socially responsible working conditions, increased by 55 per cent to 475 valid certificates worldwide. Over 470,000 people are currently employed in STeP-certified production facilities.
Said a statement from Oeko-Tex: “During the single biggest challenge, we have faced in recent decades, Oeko-Tex has made every effort to continue with certification and avoid supply chain interruptions. Existing certificate renewals were temporarily processed without samples to give certificate owners three additional months to gather samples for testing. To provide people all over the world with mouth and nose masks that are safe from harmful substances, the Oeko-Tex Association waived the license fee for certification of masks. Between April and June 2020, more than 50 manufacturers of face masks obtained certification according to Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex.”
