#Sustainability

2024-09-05

OEKO-TEX® Annual Report 2023/2024 mentions 50,000+ valid certifications

The international OEKO-TEX® association has continued to demonstrate positive business growth, highlighting the critical role of close collaboration and shared commitment in accelerating sustainable change. More than 35,000 textile and leather companies depend on the certificates and product labels issued by OEKO-TEX®’s independent testing institutes. OEKO-TEX® issued more than 50,000 certificates and labels between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024 – an increase of 22% over the previous financial year.

in 2023/2024 +48,000 tests and checks were performed on the samples © 2024 OEKO-TEX®

For the first time, there are over 40,000 chemical products certified with OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT. This reflects the industry's increasing commitment to cleaner, safer textile and leather production. ECO PASSPORT certified chemicals comply with global regulations, including REACH Directive Annexes XVII and XIV, the ECHA Candidate List and the US CPSIA. The certification is also recognized by the ZDHC as proof of MRSL conformity for levels 1 to 3.

The OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certification, introduced in 2023 with strict supply chain traceability requirements, saw the first finished products on the market in January 2024. In addition, the limit value for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was reduced from 10% to 5%, a significant tightening of the requirements for purity and quality.

As regulatory challenges intensify, OEKO-TEX® has continuously adapted its certifications to ensure they remain compliant with evolving requirements. To address the US CERCLA's ban on per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS/PFC), OEKO-TEX® took proactive measures to generally ban the intentional use of these substances. As a solution for the European Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and other supply chain requirements, OEKO-TEX® introduced the OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS certification, which supports companies in fulfilling due diligence obligations throughout textile and leather supply chains.

The report:

https://www.oeko-tex.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Annual_Report/OEKO-TEX-Annual-Report-2023-24.pdf

OEKO-TEX® chooses TextileGenesis to advance digital traceability for organic cotton

OEKO-TEX® today announced a full collaboration with TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to digitally trace and authenticate organic cotton, strengthening fraud prevention across the supply chain. This announcement follows a successful pilot and brings together OEKO-TEX®’s certification expertise and closed testing system with TextileGenesis’ digital traceability platform to deliver a secure, end-to-end solution for managing certified organic cotton flows.

OEKO-TEX® - New regulations 2025

Fostering trust within the textile and leather industry remains the mission of OEKO-TEX®. Since trust relies on consistently high standards, the OEKO-TEX® Association has released the updated testing criteria, limit values and guidelines for its certifications, based on the latest scientific research and legal developments.

OEKO-TEX® New regulations 2024

Creating trust within the textile and leather industry and for its customers is the mission of OEKO-TEX®. Since trust is based on consistently high quality, the OEKO-TEX® Association is again publishing updates to the applicable test criteria, limit values and guidelines for its certifications. Based on new scientific findings and legal developments, the OEKO-TEX® Association has published the annual updates to its test criteria, limit values and guidelines.

Hohenstein publishes 2025 Sustainability Report

The testing and research service provider Hohenstein has published its latest sustainability report, outlining key progress and strategic initiatives. The report focuses on ambitious CO₂ reduction targets, the company’s new mission statement and the systematic expansion of sustainable services for customers worldwide.

Global Standard gGmbH launches second public consultation for GRTS Draft 2 for the textile industry (1–30 April 2026)

Global Standard gGmbH is pleased to announce the release of Draft 2 of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS) for its second public consultation. The consultation will be open from 1 April 2026 to 30 April 2026, inviting stakeholders across the textile and apparel value chain to provide input and contribute to the further development of this new Standard.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.