The Oeko-Tex Association has approved testing in accordance with the ISO/IWA 32 protocol as proof of compliance with the genetically modified organism (GMO) testing requirement for its Standard 100 certification of untreated organic cotton.
This new method is an additional option to the existing Oeko-Tex GMO test developed with the Hohenstein Institute. Both approved methods are founded on high standards and meet the stringent quality requirements of Oeko-Tex, which issues a range of certifications for textiles.
The elimination of further GMO testing simplifies the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certification process for applicants that have already had their untreated cotton tested as compliant with ISO/IWA 32. The ISO/IWA 32 testing protocol was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) International Workshop Agreement (IWA).
The test includes analyses of GMO in materials obtained from cotton seeds, leaves and fibers. ISO/IWA 32 tested organic cotton is certified to be free from genetically modified organisms.
Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. All textile articles in every stage of processing are suitable for Standard 100 certification, starting from the threads to the finished fabrics and finished articles.
Last week, Oeko-Tex waived the license fee for Standard 100 certification of mouth and nose masks.
“We need to stay together in this extraordinary situation, now and for our future,” Oeko-Tex general secretary Georg Dieners said. “The crisis challenges many manufacturers who are confronted with a logistically difficult task.”
The adjustment offers an important service for producers of face masks while ensuring continued sustainability and public safety from harmful substances during the coronavirus crisis, Dieners said.
In 2019, the number of Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified facilities globally grew 35 percent to 7,765 in 70 countries, from 5,760 the previous year. This big increase was seen in production and consuming regions. Countries showing the largest growth in GOTS certification by percentage in 2019 were the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Spain and Turkey.