OEKO-TEX® 2026 regulations bring stricter traceability, wet processing certification and chemical compliance requirements
The OEKO-TEX® Association has released its regulatory updates for 2026, introducing new requirements across STANDARD 100, ORGANIC COTTON and ECO PASSPORT certifications. The changes will become binding from 1 June 2026 following a three-month transition period.
The latest updates reflect growing pressure on textile supply chains to improve transparency, strengthen chemical management and provide greater assurance around certified processes. For manufacturers, dyeing and finishing facilities, chemical suppliers and brands, the new requirements will demand closer coordination throughout the supply chain.
Here is a structured breakdown of what is changing and what it means in practice.
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100
Upstream certificate acceptance – tightened traceability
One of the more operationally significant changes concerns which supplier certificates are accepted as proof in the certification chain. Until now, certificates from second-tier suppliers could be used for both initial and renewal certifications. From June 2026 that changes for renewals.
For a first-time certification, a second-tier supplier certificate is still accepted. For renewals, the certificate must come from the direct (first-tier) supplier. A transition period runs from 2026 through June 2027, during which second-tier certificates will still be accepted for renewals giving companies time to restructure their documentation and supplier relationships accordingly.
“At renewal, the certificate must come from the direct supplier – second-tier documentation will no longer be accepted.”
Wet process certification – all processes must be certified at renewal
A parallel tightening applies to wet processes — dyeing, washing, printing, finishing. For initial certifications, uncertified wet processes in the supply chain remain acceptable. For renewals, every wet process across the entire supply chain must carry certification.
The same June 2027 transition window applies here, giving certificate holders time to bring their wet process suppliers into compliance before renewal becomes an issue. Companies renewing after June 2027 with uncertified wet processes will not pass.
RSL moves out of the standard document
From 2026, the Restricted Substances List will no longer sit inside the standard document. It will be published as a separate Excel file – a practical change aimed at making it easier to compare requirements, track updates and understand what is being tested. Operationally, the content does not change, only its location.
Risk parameter findings trigger a second test series
Risk parameters are substances that are legally restricted in the EU and carry particular weight within STANDARD 100. Previously, a finding during testing meant the customer had to supply an improved sample and a written improvement statement explaining what was changed and why.
As of June 2026, the testing institute will also run a second test series within the certificate validity year whenever a risk parameter is flagged. This adds a follow-up verification layer on top of the existing process.
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON
‘GMO not detectable’ – the phrase is being dropped
The certification will no longer carry the label ‘GMO not detectable’ for cotton items. The reason is straightforward: a GMO contamination level of up to 4.9% is accepted within the standard, which means the phrase was never technically precise. Removing it aligns the wording with what the certification actually guarantees.
Wet process certification rules – same as STANDARD 100
The same wet process changes described above apply equally here. Uncertified wet processes remain acceptable for first-time certifications. Renewals will require full certification of all wet processes in the supply chain, with the June 2027 transition window in place.
Digital traceability via TextileGenesis
OEKO-TEX® is working with TextileGenesis to replace paper-based transaction certificates with a digital chain of custody. The aim is to reduce the administrative burden on supply chain participants while making traceability more verifiable and less susceptible to errors or manipulation.
RSL and risk parameter testing – same as STANDARD 100
The RSL will also move to a standalone Excel file for ORGANIC COTTON, and the same second test series protocol for risk parameter findings applies here from June 2026.
OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT
Biodegradability proof is now mandatory
From June 2026, chemicals certified under ECO PASSPORT that function as surfactants, water softeners and/or complexing agents must provide proof of biodegradability. Accepted sources include testing by an OEKO-TEX® institute, a verified third party, or ECHA listings for the substances in the product.
Self-declarations are accepted, but with a clear distinction: if no third-party proof is provided, the word “biodegradability” will not appear on the certificate. Companies wanting that designation on their certificate need to go the third-party route.
| Third-party proof (OEKO-TEX® institute, verified lab, or ECHA listing): “biodegradability” appears on certificate. Self-declaration only: Certificate issued, but without the biodegradability mention. |
OEKO-TEX® Limit values – New regulations 2026
The limit value updates affect all four certifications – STANDARD 100, LEATHER STANDARD, ORGANIC COTTON and ECO PASSPORT – though the permitted levels often differ between them. The changes fall into three buckets: new additions, revised existing limits, and substances newly placed under observation.
Substances of Very High Concern added to the catalogue
Effective June 1, 2026. All values in mg/kg.
| Substance | CAS Number | STANDARD 100 | LEATHER STANDARD | ORGANIC COTTON | ECO PASSPORT |
| 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE) | 84852-53-9 | 1000 mg/kg | 1000 mg/kg | 1000 mg/kg | 1000 mg/kg |
| Reactive Brown 51 | 1330622-40-6 | No intentional use | No intentional use | No intentional use | No intentional use |
| n-Hexane | 110-54-3 | 100 mg/kg | 100 mg/kg | 100 mg/kg | 1000 mg/kg |
| Dechlorane Plus | 13560-89-9 / 135821-03-3 / 135821-74-8 | 1000 mg/kg | 1000 mg/kg | 1000 mg/kg | 1000 mg/kg |
Additional restricted substances entering the catalogue
PC = Product class. All values in mg/kg.
| Substance | CAS Number | STANDARD 100 | LEATHER STANDARD | ORGANIC COTTON | ECO PASSPORT |
| CS₂ | 75-15-0 | 10 mg/kg | 10 mg/kg | 10 mg/kg | 100 mg/kg |
| Dichlofluanid | 1085-98-9 | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.1 mg/kg | No intentional use |
| Pentachloranisol | 1825-21-4 | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.1 mg/kg | No intentional use |
| Triazophos | 24017-47-8 | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.1 mg/kg | No intentional use |
| Vinyl chloride (PVC Monomer) | 75-01-4 | 1 mg/kg | 1 mg/kg | 1 mg/kg | 10 mg/kg |
| Acetophenone Azine | 729-43-1 | 50 mg/kg | 50 mg/kg | 50 mg/kg | 500 mg/kg |
| Alphamethrin | 67375-30-8 | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.5 mg/kg (PCI) 1 mg/kg (PC II–IV) | 0.1 mg/kg | No intentional use |
Revised limits for substances already in the catalogue
All values in mg/kg unless noted.
| Substance | CAS Number | STANDARD 100 | LEATHER STANDARD | ORGANIC COTTON | ECO PASSPORT |
| Bisphenol B | 77-40-7 | 200 mg/kg | 800 mg/kg | 200 mg/kg | 1’000 mg/kg |
| Bisphenol F | 620-92-8 | 200 mg/kg | 800 mg/kg | 200 mg/kg | 1’000 mg/kg |
| Bisphenol S | 80-09-1 | 200 mg/kg | 800 mg/kg (1-year transition) | 200 mg/kg | 1’000 mg/kg |
| Bisphenol AF | 1478-61-1 | 200 mg/kg | 800 mg/kg | 200 mg/kg | 1’000 mg/kg |
| Synthetic glitter | n.a. | Fast | Fast | Fast | n.a. |
| p-Anisidine | 104-94-9 | 20 mg/kg | 20 mg/kg | 20 mg/kg | 100 mg/kg |
| TPP | 115-86-6 | 500 mg/kg | 500 mg/kg | 500 mg/kg | 1’000 mg/kg |
Newly placed under observation
OEKO-TEX® will monitor the following substances based on current scientific findings. No limit values are set yet this signals that formal restrictions may follow in future cycles.
- Acrylonitrile (CAS 107-13-1) — all standards
- Vinyl acetate (CAS 108-05-4) — all standards
- Butadiene (CAS 106-99-0) — ECO PASSPORT only
- 4-Phenylcyclohexene (CAS 4994-16-5) — ECO PASSPORT only
- 4-Vinylcyclohexene (CAS 100-40-3) — ECO PASSPORT only
Removed from observation: Drometrizole (2440-22-4), 2-Amino-5-nitrothiazole (121-66-4), Methylisothiazolinone (2682-20-4), and Reaction product of 2-phenylpropene and phenol.
Total fluorine – exception pathway now available
Products that exceed the total fluorine limit can now apply for an exception, provided the exceedance is demonstrably caused by a non-PFAS substance (defined as fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom).
| How to qualify: If targeted PFAS analyses detect nothing, the certificate holder may commission an additional verification test (at their own cost) to confirm the fluorine source. Relevant manufacturing documentation identifying the non-PFAS source must also be submitted. Certificate impact: Where the exception is granted, a clarifying statement is added to the certificate scope, or as a footnote for ECO PASSPORT. Effective: Immediately. |
Key dates at a glance
| Date | What happens |
| March 2026 | New regulations published; three-month transition period begins |
| June 1, 2026 | All new limit values and certification rules become binding |
| June 1, 2027 | Transition period ends for wet process and upstream certificate changes — full compliance required at renewal |
What this means for the textile industry
The 2026 updates show a clear direction of travel for textile certification systems. Traceability requirements are becoming more detailed, certification coverage is extending deeper into supply chains, and chemical compliance expectations continue to expand.
For manufacturers and suppliers, the transition period offers time to prepare. Yet the changes also signal that certification will increasingly depend not only on product testing, but on the ability to demonstrate transparent sourcing, verified processing and documented chemical management throughout the production chain.
As brands face growing scrutiny from regulators, retailers and consumers, these requirements are likely to influence sourcing decisions well beyond companies that currently hold OEKO-TEX® certifications.
