Oeko-Tex launched its Trust in Every Thread consumer campaign on Oct. 12 after the European Union introduced regulations restricting unverified sustainability claims across apparel and textiles.

Demand for the group’s Made in Green standard rose 13 percent during its 2025-26 fiscal year.

At the centre of the campaign is a 35-second film and consumer education drive. It directs shoppers to inspect garment tags and verify claims through digital traceability tools. The European Union’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive took effect on Sept. 27. It outlaws sustainability labels lacking backing from public authorities or accredited third-party certification bodies. Private schemes must now maintain publicly accessible criteria, enforce third-party monitoring, and provide mechanisms to suspend non-compliant users.

Generic environmental buzzwords face outright bans under the new European framework unless backed by verified data. Brands can no longer present a single product characteristic as proof of whole-garment sustainability. Verification systems must also operate independently from scheme owners and commercial clients.

Standard 100, the core certification from Oeko-Tex, tests raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished items for more than 1,000 harmful chemicals. Criteria cover every component of a finished product, including sewing threads, zippers, and buttons. Limit values undergo mandatory annual reviews. The tightest thresholds apply to baby and toddler clothing up to three years of age.

Quality control procedures require retesting for 25 percent of all issued certificates each year. The group enforces compliance through unannounced site inspections and factory audits across its global network.

The broader Made in Green certification links Standard 100 product testing with facility-level audits under the STeP program.

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