What does OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 cover, and how do we check that a supplier’s certificate is real?
A STANDARD 100 certificate lasts a year and the limit values are reviewed at least yearly. Check the number in Label Check, confirm what it covers, and note the date you checked.
A supplier emailed us a certificate for the fabric in our tees and says our garments are OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified. What does the label cover, how do we check the certificate is real, and does a fabric certificate cover the printed tee?
Main answer
OEKO-TEX describes STANDARD 100 as a label for textiles tested for harmful substances, from yarn to finished product. Every thread, button and accessory of a certified article is tested against a list of over 1,000 substances, and the stricter limits apply the more skin contact the article has. The first practical step is not to accept a PDF or a logo on its own. Anyone can enter a label or certificate number in the official OEKO-TEX Label Check. The numbers are case sensitive, and the site links to a list of withdrawn certificates and labels.
What the label covers
The tests are based on the intended use of the textile, with four product classes. Class 1 is for babies and children up to 3 years and has the strictest requirements. Class 2 covers products with direct skin contact, Class 3 products without direct skin contact, and Class 4 home textiles. A tee or underwear is skin-contact clothing, so ask which class the certificate states. OEKO-TEX says it reviews its limit values at least once a year.
Check the entry, not just that a number exists
A valid number only tells you a certificate exists. Compare the entry with what you are buying: the certificate holder, the articles or materials covered and the validity date. OEKO-TEX says a certificate is issued for one year, so an old PDF may be out of date. If the holder is a fabric mill and not the garment factory, ask how the two relate.
Fabric certificate versus finished garment
OEKO-TEX describes a modular system in which components can be certified separately and finished-product testing costs are waived if all components have already been tested. A certificate for your fabric covers that fabric. Your tee also has a print or embroidery, a neck label, thread and maybe a heat transfer. Ask whether each of those is covered, or whether the finished garment is certified.
What changed in 2026
OEKO-TEX published new limit values and criteria that became binding on 1 June 2026, after a three-month transition. For renewals, upstream certificates must come from the direct supplier, and all wet processes in the supply chain must be certified, with a transition until June 2027. The Restricted Substance List is now a separate file instead of part of the standard document. Ask whether the supplier’s certificate was issued or renewed under the current rules, and do not quote limit values from an old copy.
How to word and file it
If only the fabric is certified, say so, for example “made with OEKO-TEX certified fabric,” and do not imply the whole garment is certified. Ask for the certificate number, holder, covered articles and expiry date, re-check before each reorder, and note the date you checked. If the supplier cannot give a number, treat the claim as unproven.
Sources and further reading
- OEKO-TEX — STANDARD 100
- OEKO-TEX — Label Check (verify a certificate or label number)
- OEKO-TEX – STANDARD 100 new regulations 2026 (customer information)
- OEKO-TEX – Limit values, new regulations 2026 (customer information)
Standards and rules are summarised from their published scope or official guidance. Use the current edition and confirm requirements for your market.
Three perspectives on this question
Purchasing perspective
I'd enter every certificate number in the official Label Check before we place the order and file a screenshot with the date.
Merchandising perspective
We can say what the certificate really covers, such as certified fabric, and that is more credible than a vague label claim.
QC perspective
We'd ask whether prints, threads and labels on the finished tee are covered, and keep the certificate on file with the style.
Working on a similar program?Send your tech pack, fabric references and test requirements. We reply with a quote and the questions we need answered.
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