The Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 is a globally uniform testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production.

The tests for harmful substances comprise substances which are prohibited or regulated by law, chemicals which are known to be harmful to health, and parameters which are included as a precautionary measure to safeguard health.

A tested textile product is allocated to one of the four Oeko-Tex® product classes based on its intended use. The more intensively a product comes into contact with the skin, the stricter the human ecological requirements it must fulfil.

Manufacturers are entitled to mark successfully tested products or article groups with the Oeko-Tex® label and to advertise in other forms as long as it has been proven within the extensive laboratory tests that all components, including accessories, comply with the specified test criteria without exception. A certificate which is issued applies for one year and can be renewed as often as required.

Certification according to Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 offers companies in the textile and clothing industry who wish to offer their customers products which are safe to their health a range of advantages:

This added transparency provides significantly improved product security and time savings, in particular for companies with extremely short production cycles and complex internal quality assurance systems.

More information at www.oeko-tex.com

Bluesign Technologies AG has access to the best available knowledge when it comes to technological developments in the textile production. It directs all business relationships and activities relating to the introduction and implementation of the bluesign® standard. bluesign technologies ag is responsible for cultivating the established interdisciplinary network and for acting as a system provider for leading international companies.

The declared objective of the independent bluesign® standard is to put a reliable and proactive tool at the disposal of the entire textile production chain – from raw material and component suppliers who manufacture e.g. yarns, dyes and additives, to textile manufacturers, to retailer and brand companies, to consumers.

Bluesign certification guarantees the highest possible exclusion of damaging substances as well as ensuring the highest quality and functionality. Bluesign sticks to the worldwide EHS criterias (consumer protection, water emissions, air emissions, industrial health and safety, resource efficiency).

More information at www.bluesign.com

GOTS certification guarantees the fullfilment of the ecological criterias of the International Association Natural Textiles Industry. Critical factor is a sustainable production, respecting social responsibility and excluding the use of harmful materials in the dye process.

More information at www.naturtextil.com

The Lenzing Group is a world leader in marketing and manufacturing man-made cellulose fibers. TENCEL®, Lenzing Modal® and Lenzing Viscose® fibers are primarily used in the textile industry, special fibers made by Lenzing are used for hygiene as well as technical applications.

Lenzing Fibers echo the botanic principles. With the use of TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal® in textiles, trees grow to become forests and thus contribute towards the reduction of the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The forest, the planet’s green lung. Two tons of wood contain one ton of carbon which corresponds to 3.7 tons of CO2. Thus the forest is a climate-neutral provider of energy since when burned the carbon dioxide that is released is not greater than was previously bound by the plant. The forest fulfils various functions which are vital for our eco-system as a whole.

Forests influence our climate, store water, protect the soil from erosion and filter fine dust from the air. The term sustainability comes from forestry and implies that a forest has to be managed so that it can fulfill its functions. This does not only include the function of supplying raw material, it also entails the entire ecological community of the forest, its function as a source of protection from natural dangers, a place for relaxation, an area for storing drinking water and a habitat for animals and plants.

More information at www.Lenzing.com

More information at www.lenzing.com/en/fibers/lenzing-modal.html

The production of TENCEL® is revolutionary. The production process is based on a solvent spinning process and represents the greatest accomplishment in cellulosic fiber technology. The unique closed loop production process makes TENCEL® the fiber of the future: eco-friendly and economical.

The closed loop production process of TENCEL® has received awards from the European Union (EU).

The revolutionary thing about the production process of TENCEL® is the almost complete recovery of the solvent. Close to 100% of the solvent is recovered and the remaining emissions are broken down in biological water treatment plants. This manufacturing process was presented with the “European Award for the Environment” by the European Union.

A non-toxic solvent which belongs to the amine oxide family and is also used in toiletries is used in the TENCEL® production process. The harmlessness of the solvent has been proven in dermatological and toxicological tests.

Another important environmental aspect is the consumption of water. To grow cotton 100 times more water is required as in the production of TENCEL® including pulp production. This gentle way of dealing with water will undoubtedly gain significance in the future.

TENCEL® absorbs excess liquid and quickly releases it again into the atmosphere. The true nature of TENCEL® can be found in this perfect interaction. If that does not constitute the dawning of a new age, then what does? The plant root system ensures that the plants absorb water as well as help the entire vegetation store water in the soil, which is vital for life. This is a principle mirrored by fibers from Lenzing. Thus the moisture management of TENCEL® functions according to the same system. TENCEL® uses nanofibrils to absorb excess moisture and distribute it evenly in the fiber.

Fibrils are tiny components (little "hairs") which make up the fiber. The unique structure of the fibrils allows the production of textiles which, until now, could only be dreamed of. This is the first cellulose fiber whose functionality is based on this innovative structure. The controlled and regular arrangement of these tiny fibrils leads to new functional properties. The fibrils are hydrophilic and optimize the absorption of moisture with excellent cooling properties.

More information at www.lenzing.com/en/fibers/tencel.html