The global organisation behind the Oeko-Tex standard has strengthened transparency and independence to be ready for stricter rules including a crackdown on “greenwashing”.
It has announced a reorganisation, with a clearer separation between the setting of the standard and assessment of conformity, to prepare itself for “future regulatory developments”.
A key trigger has been the new EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo, EU 2024/825) which comes into effect from 27 September this year.
The EmpCo directive strengthens the protection of consumers against greenwashing – misleading environmental claims. It also requires sustainability labels to be based on certification schemes with verification by independent third parties.
The directive’s requirements were addressed, and adjustments made, at an early stage by the Oeko-Tex standard which is used by the garment and textile industry to ensure transparent sustainability in manufacturing.
Key measures at Oeko-Tex, which go beyond just the EU, include an anonymous whistleblowing system and a new decision-making structure with a board of directors as the highest governing body.
For customers and partners, nothing will change in day-to-day testing, auditing and certification but it has strengthened the “demonstrable independence” of the system.
Dr Alfred J Beerli, CEO of Oeko-Tex, said: “Consumer protection begins with trust, and trust only arises when what is claimed is independently verified.
“With the new structure, we anchor this independence even more firmly and make it transparently verifiable for everyone.
“This gives our customers, and the people who see our labels in the shop, the certainty that they can rely on Oeko-Tex.”
