There are several important reasons in favour of testing textiles for harmful substances:
- The safety of textiles cannot be assessed simply by looking at them - not even by experts. Laboratory tests based on scientific findings and carried out by institutions with the necessary expertise (such as the OEKO-TEX® institutes) are the only way to clarify beyond doubt whether textile articles are free from undesirable harmful substances.
- In addition, the production of textiles is organised according to a strong division of labour. The individual processing stages are usually located in several countries, in which there are different legal requirements with regard to possible harmful substances. This is why transparent, globally standardised test criteria such as those used for STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® are essential for testing for harmful substances.
- Many product properties that we want from textiles today (e.g. function, colour, non-iron finish, dimensional stability, etc.) can only be achieved through the targeted use of chemicals. It is therefore all the more important that no undesirable substances are used in textile production that could remain as residues on the end product and cause health problems for the wearer.