Test criteria and limit values are globally binding and are updated and expanded each year. The current version of the Standard 100 is available at the official website.[5] Test parameters include substances banned or regulated by law as well as yet unregulated substances that are known to be problematic.
Textile products are tested for their content of several hundred individual substances from 17 groups of chemicals. The standard takes into account:
- Important legal regulations (e.g. banned Azo dyes, formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol, cadmium, nickel)
- Requirements of Annexes XVII and XIV of the European Chemicals Regulation REACh and of the ECHA SVHC Candidate List that are assessed to be relevant for fabrics, textiles, garments or accessories by expert groups of the Oeko-Tex Association
- US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) requirements regarding lead
- Numerous other environmentally relevant substance classes
- Numerous substances known to be harmful to health or environmentally relevant but not yet subject to any regulation
Furthermore, all tested items must have a skin-friendly pH value and good color fastness. They are tested for emissions of volatile chemicals and are subjected to an olfactory test.
Once issued, the Oeko-Tex certificate is valid for one year.