OEKO-TEX® Exhibition events 2015 – visit us:
Heimtextil 2015:
Hall 8.0 | D 96 • Green Village | GAL.1 N01B
ISPO 2015:
Hall C2 315
MunichFabricStart:
Eco-Village
Further events at www.oeko-tex.com
News
OEKO-TEX® supports
the German government‘s
Textiles Alliance
Our
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
products
STeP by OEKO-TEX®
MySteP by OEKO-TEX®
Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®
Customer
Additional advertising for
Editiorial
News
OEKO-TEX® supports the German
government‘s Textiles Alliance
GERMANY:
Each and every alliance partner agrees on one central issue: more engagement is required to combat the “no-go” areas in worldwide textile production. Exploit-ative relationships, inadequate safety conditions and a lack of environmen-tal protection are unacceptable situations more effectively fought against as a collective.
The development of the alliance may have been complicated and the set tar-gets and time window may be ambitious, but the core idea remains a wor-thy one. With this in mind, the OEKO-TEX® Association, together with its 16 member institutes and more than 50 contact centres worldwide, is support-ing the Textiles Alliance launched by the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Müller. Even at this early stage, some com-panies with OEKO-TEX® certification including Trigema from Germany and Niagara Textiles and Saiham Knit Composites from Bangladesh have already joined the Textiles Alliance.
The methods to be employed to ensure a strong collaborative partnership not only within the alliance but also along the textile chain and establish a proper standard of sustainability must be discussed on a on eye level, and a range of business models must be taken into account when setting out the specific steps to be taken. Non-governmental organisations and industry groups have different ideas and opinions about what is to be done and what means/instru-ments are required to do so. These differences can only be resolved through dialogue. Thus, from the perspective of the OEKO-TEX® Association, the Textile Alliance is set to make a valuable contribution – especially in confronting the undeniable realities in textile production.
Dear Sir or Madame,
We are delighted to share our latest OEKO-TEX® News with you. In time for the spring 2015 trade fairs, we have put together the latest from our portfolio for more sustainability along the textile chain. To begin with, page 3 provides an overview of the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 including the specific criteria for the testing for harmful subs-tances and the advantages for industry and retail associated with the label.
Have you heard of STeP by OEKO-TEX®, yet? Com-mitted to the overarching goal „Sustainable Tex-tile Production“ STeP is the consistent progression of the OEKO-TEX® Standard 1000. How STeP Cer-tification eases a credible and coherent commu-nication of sustainable production processes is further elaborated on page 4.
Our new label: Made in Green by OEKO-TEX® – find all details on page 7. Made in Green is a label tendering sustainably manufactured consumer goods and semi-finished products from all levels of the textile chain. The development of an IT-da-tabase and editing software for more transpa-rency within the own supply chain was a pre-re-quisite for that. Page 6 presents what the MyStep database offers so far.
Our self-service-portal – including the Buying Guide – is available at all times on our homepage: www.oeko-tex.com.
We hope you enjoy reading our OEKO-TEX® News and wish you inspiring encounters on the 2015 trade fairs.
Yours faithfully, Jutta Knels,
160.000 140.000 120.000 100.000 80.000 60.000 40.000 20.000 0 Concept
The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is an independent certification system and prod-uct label for textiles of all kinds that have been tested for harmful substances. Certification is available for raw, semi-finished and finished textile products in every processing stage. Its modular principle (which recognises existing certifi-cation for source materials at subsequent stages) avoids duplicate checks and saves costs. OEKO-TEX® harmful substance testing provides you with effective protection against undesired chemicals, thus providing a reliable product label for consumers for whom textiles that pose no risks to health are of particular importance.
Criteria | OEKO-TEX® harmful substance testing cover:
• Legally prohibited and regulated substances
• Chemicals known to be harmful to health (but not yet legally regulated) • Parameters for the provision of health care
The test criteria are updated on a yearly basis. Overall, the requirements go far beyond existing national laws. Even today they are used as a standard for new legal regulations and other industry initiatives.
Benefits for industry and retail
• OEKO-TEX® certification is the perfect addition to your operational quality assurance regarding human-ecological product safety.
• The OEKO-TEX® criteria catalogue forms a standardised worldwide require-ments profile for purchasing and supply conditions which simplifies and accelerates the information flow through increased transparency.
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
General presence
• More than 10,000 companies worldwide actively involved in the OEKO-TEX® system
• A total of over 145,000 certificates issued since 1992 for millions of labelled products on the market (as of December 2014)
• More than 13,000 certificates issued in the past year alone (December 2014)
• Comprehensive presence
throughout all stages of the textile value-added chain (including accessories)
• Providing a model and guidance for a wide range of other organisa-tions, associations companies and even legal provisions
• Forms the basis for the terms of supply of a huge number of manu-facturers and retailers and for their labels
• Product identification with the OEKO-TEX® label in all areas of trade • A high profile in major consumer
markets such as Europe and Japan
Our product portfolio |
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
Certificates issued since 1992
(as of 31/12/2014)
Certificates issued by world region
(as of 31/12/2014)
1.6 %
34.9%
62.3%
0.1%
1.1%
Our certification system
for sustainable textile
production.
MATTES & AMMANN®
Times New Roman PS gesperrt 50
Concept
Launched in July 2013 as the natural development of the earlier OEKO-TEX® Stand-ard 1000, STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification allows brands, retailers and manufac-turers in the textile chain to communicate their achievements regarding sus-tainable production conditions in a transparent, credible and understandable way. Certification can be obtained for production facilities in all of the process-ing stages, from fibre production, spinnprocess-ing mills, weavprocess-ing mills, and knittprocess-ing mills to finishing facilities and manufacturers of ready-made clothes. The aim of STeP certification is to continuously improve environmental performance, provide the maximum level of health and safety and ensure socially responsible work-ing conditions.
Criteria
Taking a holistic approach, STeP by OEKO-TEX® analyses and evaluates the current production conditions in terms of:
• The use of environmentally friendly technology and products and the impact of production operations on the environment
• Standards for fair working conditions (social responsibility) • Compliance with strict standards for safe and healthy workplaces
• The implementation and application of a suitable chemical, environmental and quality management system
Benefits for brands, industry and retail
• Economic added value thanks to efficient use of resources and production processes
• Transparent performance analysis, thus improving your ability to compare suppliers (benchmarking) in relation to key sustainability factors
• Image boost and the development of new business relationships thanks to neutral and easily understandable proof of social and ecological engagement
Examples of companies with STeP certification – worldwide
STeP by OEKO-TEX®
Latest status of the certification
27
certified production facilities from 13 countries worldwide and at every processing stage
9
companies being audited at present
22
companies currently carrying out the required online assessment42
interested companies that have registered for certificationAll STeP by OEKO-TEX® certified facilities can be found in the OEKO-TEX® Buying Guide at www.oeko-tex.com/products.
Companies
certified by
STeP by OEKO-TEX®
(as of 21/12/2014)42
27
9
22
Concept
Launched in summer 2014, the MySTeP by OEKO-TEX® database allows registered users to analyse and manage the sustainability of their entire supply chain using the relevant key performance indicators (KPIs). The new database can be used by all companies in the textile sector, regardless whether they have OEKO-TEX® certification.
Functions
• Easy and clear management of existing supplier relationships, including a range of options for communicating with participating businesses • Visual display of your existing supply chains plus the ability to compare
supplier operations with each other in a clear way using statistical data and key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Option for defining sustainability targets and tracking their implementation in the production operations involved in your supply chain for increased transparency
• Efficient management of existing certificates, including automatic notifications when existing OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certificates expire and need to be renewed by certificate holder
Benefits for brands, industry and retail
• Determine and assess the efficiency levels of the production operations in your value-added chain based on key sustainability factors
• Transparent and centralised management of existing supplier relationships • Improved communication for the implementation of company-specific
sustainability strategies
• Potential risks can be identified in a timely manner and be managed successfully thanks to the clear display, evaluation and comparison of key performance indicators (KPIs)
MySTeP by OEKO-TEX®
st oc ks na pp er / ph ot oc as e. com st oc ks na pp er / ph ot oc as e. com
Made with materials tested for harmful substances.
Made in safe and socially responsible workplaces. Made in environmentally friendly facilities. Concept
Made in Green by OEKO-TEX® is a fully traceable product label for highlighting sustainably manufactured consumer goods and semi-finished products from all levels of the textile chain. Textiles certified with the label are produced from materials that have been tested for harmful substances and manufactured using environmentally friendly processes under socially responsible working conditions.
Added value provided by the label
Each Made in Green label is assigned a unique product ID and/or QR code that allow the production of the item to be traced. The product ID provides informa-tion about the various stages of producinforma-tion and the countries in which the tex-tiles were manufactured.
Benefits for brands, industry and retail
• Companies can place the label directly on their products and use it to document and highlight the close partnerships they have with their suppliers to the outside world.
• Reliable supplier relationships are often a key factor in the successful implementation of sustainable aspects such as product quality, regular education and training of employees and improving working conditions. The Made in Green label makes all of this visible to the consumer.
• Companies who wish to make their entire supply chain transparent can use the Made in Green label as a trustworthy sign that their suppliers in countries such as China, India and Bangladesh also adhere to agreed quality standards and work ethics.
• The Made in Green label provides information regarding the current sustainability of their entire supply chain. Companies can also use the product label to demonstrate continuous improvement as they work to achieve greater sustainability at their individual production sites.
Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®
More to come soon!
OEKO-TEX® Company of the Month
OEKO-TEX® Self-Service Portal/Buying Guide
In 2011 OEKO-TEX® started the campaign “Company of the Month” to focus on com-panies in the textile chain who have shown an above-average commitment to product safety and sustainable production. The appli-cation to be “Company of the Month” is open to all businesses with a valid OEKO-TEX® certification.
Each month, an OEKO-TEX® jury will select one company from all applica-tions received. This company will then be showcased on the campaign web site at
www.oeko-tex.com/company-of-the-month as well as in OEKO-TEX® publications such as the newsletter and press releases. All Compa-nies of the Month will also be highlighted with the campaign logo in the OEKO-TEX® Buying Guide at www.oeko-tex.com/products and will receive a corresponding certificate and free web banners for use in their own publi-cations and sales channels. Any company that applies but is not selected remains in the pool of applicants permanently and may then still be selected in the future.
Our interactive online directory at www.oeko-tex.com/products allows you to provide interested customers with detailed information about your OEKO-TEX® cer-tified products and company philosophy. Transparency on the internet is becoming more and more important for communi-cating your company principles (“Code of Conduct”) to your B2B partners and the consumer. With around 5,000 page visits daily and visitors from around 200 coun-tries worldwide, the OEKO-TEX® website is the ideal high-visibility platform for doing so, and your free placement is sure to pay off.
What content can I add?
• Detailed company profile and company logo in as many languages as you require – this allows you to present your goods and ser-vices to your customers in a range of sales markets
• Upload any number of brand names and brand logos together with a corresponding web address
• Additional addresses, web links and contacts (sales points, online shops, etc.) • Product specifications to your Buying Guide
data
• Specify whether your company entries should also be visible on the OEKO-TEX® web pages for consumers
(B2C communication)
Imprint, contact & information:
Foundation OEKO-TEX® GmbH Resp.: Jutta Knels, Director
Kaiserstraße 39 · 60329 Frankfurt am Main Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 69 400 34 08 0 Fax: +49 (0) 69 400 3408 299 [email protected]
Layout & production:
VON·WEGEN
Kommunikationsagentur www.vonwegen.de 60385 Frankfurt am Main Germany
Printing: Druckerei Brett, Besigheim Germany
Apply to be our Company of the Month!
Just click the relevant button and enter the required information when editing your company profile at:
www.oeko-tex.com/company-profile
How can I add my company information to the Buying Guide?
Simple: just go to our self-service portal at www.oeko-tex.com/company-profile. You can get your individual access data from your respective OEKO-TEX® insti-tute. One call is enough!
