Organic may not mean what you think it does.
You hear it all the time. Buy organic clothes! Buy organic sheets! Buy organic towels! But shouldn’t we also be paying attention to what chemicals or substances are being put on our products during the production process? Oeko-Tex tests for harmful chemicals added while the fabric is processed to be sure they are safe for humans to use. What is the difference between organic and Oeko-Tex certified then? Our friends at Hello Natural Living explained it well:
“The simplest way to explain this is that organic certification is all about how the raw materials for your fabric are grown. Oeko-Tex certification is about how the fabric is processed, including things like dyes and finishes. Oeko-Tex textiles and fabrics are certified free of harmful chemicals and are safe for human use.”
Here at Sticky Toffee we value the safety and health of our customers and we are proud to announce that beginning in January 2019 we started sourcing 100% of our materials from Oeko-Tex suppliers! The Oeko-Tex certified product will be phased in over the next few months. Oeko-Tex is a globally standardized, independent testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products of all processing stages and accessory materials used. So what does this actually mean? Oeko-Tex tests for the following:
- Banned azo colorants, formaldehyde, cadmium, lead, pentachlorophenol
- Numerous harmful chemicals, even if they are not yet regulated legally
- Numerous substance classes that are relevant to the environment.
How do I know if something is Oeko-Tex certified?
Understand what you are buying and more importantly, who you are buying it from. An Oeko-Tex label will usually be on the packaging to help you know that this product has been tested for harmful chemicals and substances. If you’re more of a visual person, be on the lookout for this logo!
Organic and Oeko-Tex certifications are different, but are both great ways to understand how the product was sourced and produced. We hope you learned a little more about Oeko-Tex!
