The latest regulations for Oeko-Tex Standard 100, published early this year, took effect Friday following a three-month transition period.
Textile products that pass the Swiss certification company’s Standard 100 tests for harmful substances are proven to remain below the set limit values for certain harmful substances.
In addressing the new regulations, Oeko-Tex said, “With many of these measures, the Oeko-Tex Association significantly supports both the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) initiative and the [Greenpeace] Detox campaign. Oeko-Tex has also made the textile production chain more aware of the need for responsible handling of potentially harmful substances in textile products.”
Here’s a look at some of the major changes in effect as of Apr. 1:
- Three new substances and their salts are incorporated into the test parameter for all Oeko-Tex product classes: Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) = C7-PFCA = F3C-(CF2)5-COOH, Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) = C9-PFCA = F3C-(CF2)7-COOH, Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) = C10-PFCA = F3C-(CF2)8-COOH.
- Ten additional tin-organic compounds have been regulated with limit values for all product classes: Monobutyltin (MBT), monomethyltin (MMT), monooctyltin (MOT), dimethyltin (DMT), diphenyltin (DPhT), tricyclohexyltin (TCyHT), trimethyltin (TMT), trioctyltin (TOT), tripropyltin (TPT) and tetrabutyltin (TeBT).
- Due to new findings, seven neonicotinoid substances have been added to the pesticides parameter: Acetamiprid, Clothianidin, Dinotefuran, Imidacloprid, Nitenpyram, Thiacloprid and Thiamethoxam.
- The substance di-cyclohexylphthalate (CAS no. 84-61-7) has been added to the list of softeners that are already regulated for all product classes.
“The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in the U.S. is currently making its final decision on whether di-cyclohexylphthalate will be integrated into the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA),” Oeko-Tex noted in a statement. “Furthermore, the substance presently is under discussion for the inclusion in the REACh-ECHA SVHC candidate list (substances of very high concern).”
For the full list of new regulations now in effect, click here.