OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 means an independent testing institute has checked a textile for a defined list of harmful substances, down to the yarn, sewing thread, buttons and prints. In the Snøluv selection it applies to Lithuanian linen from Linen Tales, cotton sewn in Poland by Zezuzulla and merino baby sets, and only where the maker documents it.
What does OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 test?
STANDARD 100 tests the finished textile and each of its components for substances that can harm health, measured against limit values that OEKO-TEX reviews every year. The list covers substances banned by law, such as certain azo dyes that can release carcinogenic amines, and substances that are not yet regulated but are known to be a concern. It includes: formaldehyde, used in some finishes to reduce creasing; heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and nickel, which can come from dyes and metal parts; pesticide residues and chlorinated phenols from fibre growing and storage; phthalates and other plasticisers in prints and coatings; the pH of the fabric, and colour fastness to water, sweat and saliva.
Many of the limits are stricter than EU law requires. A certificate is valid for twelve months and must be renewed, with new samples tested, to stay in force.
What are the four product classes?
OEKO-TEX sorts every certified item into one of four product classes, and the closer the textile sits to the skin, the stricter the limits. A cotton baby romper is tested harder than a curtain, which is why the class printed on a certificate is worth reading.
Class I: Articles for babies and toddlers up to 3 years, the strictest limits. Examples: Bodysuits, baby blankets, bonnets.
Class II: Articles worn directly against the skin. Examples: Underwear, t-shirts, pyjamas, bed linen.
Class III: Articles with little or no skin contact. Examples: Jackets, coats, outer shells.
Class IV: Decoration and furnishing materials. Examples: Curtains, upholstery fabric.
What does OEKO-TEX not certify?
STANDARD 100 is a product safety test, not an organic or environmental certification. It says nothing about whether the cotton was grown organically, how much water or energy the mill used, or how the workers who sewed the garment were paid. A certified t-shirt can be made from conventional cotton.
The organic standard is GOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard. GOTS certifies organic fibre content, at least 70% for a "made with organic" label and 95% for "organic", and sets rules for processing chemicals, wastewater and working conditions along the supply chain. The two labels answer different questions, and a garment can carry both, one or neither. OEKO-TEX also runs separate labels for production sites and for leather; STANDARD 100 is not one of them.
A certificate is also not a promise that nobody will react to a fabric. It limits harmful residues. It cannot change the fibre itself, and sensitive skin can still notice wool or a rough weave.
Certified fabric or certified product: why does the wording matter?
The wording tells you which part of the chain holds the certificate. Many small makers buy fabric or yarn that is already certified to STANDARD 100 and then cut and sew it themselves. In that case the fabric is certified, and the finished piece, with its own thread, labels and buttons, is not covered by that certificate. A certificate for the finished article covers every component. Both are useful facts; they are simply not the same fact. Snøluv product pages repeat the maker's own wording, so "OEKO-TEX certified yarn" or "certified fabric" means exactly that and no more.
Which Snøluv products carry OEKO-TEX certification?
OEKO-TEX appears on a product page only where the maker states it. At present that includes:
Linen Tales pyjamas, loungewear sets and waffle towels, made in Lithuania from OEKO-TEX certified linen fabric; the towels are also European Flax certified.
Zezuzulla kids cotton, sewn in Poland: the kids leggings and shorts are in STANDARD 100 certified cotton, such as the heart print leggings, and the shell of the winter jumpsuits is certified to STANDARD 100.
Wool In Love merino baby gift sets, knitted from OEKO-TEX certified yarn.
HILP cotton t-shirts and sweatshirts, in fabric certified to STANDARD 100.
Cotton waffle sauna wraps and hair towels by Nuss and RÄTT, in OEKO-TEX certified fabric.
Other makers in the selection, including Woolish merino blankets, Alpaka baby alpaca, Omaking wool felt slippers, Nordhale recycled felt bags and Trendbag leather, do not state an OEKO-TEX certificate for the products listed, so Snøluv does not claim one. That is not a finding that they fail the test; it means the certificate has not been documented.
How can you check an OEKO-TEX label yourself?
Every genuine STANDARD 100 label carries a certificate number and the name of the testing institute, and both can be checked in the Label Check tool on the OEKO-TEX website. The result shows whether the certificate is valid today, which product class it was tested to and what it covers, from a single yarn to a whole garment range. A label with the OEKO-TEX name but no number should be treated with care. For the rest of what a garment label tells you, from fibre percentages to washing symbols, see how to read a clothing label, and for the materials behind the certificates, the field guide to Baltic and Nordic craft materials.
