The EU directive Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition requires verified data for sustainability claims, public criteria, third-party monitoring, and mechanisms to suspend non-compliant users.

Standard 100 from Oeko-Tex tests raw materials through finished items for more than 1,000 harmful chemicals, with annual re-evaluations and unannounced inspections and factory audits; baby clothing carries the strictest thresholds.

Oeko-Tex launched its Trust in Every Thread consumer campaign on October 12, featuring a short film and education to help shoppers verify claims using garment tags and digital traceability tools.

Oeko-Tex restructured governance by separating standard-setting from conformity assessments, establishing an independent oversight council and a whistleblowing platform to ensure impartiality.

Made in Green links Standard 100 testing with the STeP program to assess chemical management, working conditions, and environmental performance at processing mills and cut-and-sew units, with each item carrying a product ID and QR code for traceability.

The Made in Green product ID and QR code allow shoppers to trace production stages through the manufacturing chain.

Oeko-Tex’s Made in Green demand rose by 13 percent in the 2025-26 fiscal year, aligning with the EU’s new consumer-protection rules for textile sustainability claims.

Independent verification is emphasized as essential to consumer trust under the new regulatory climate, with the digital Label Check portal enabling real-time certificate verification by retailers and shoppers.

Non-compliant brands and suppliers face potential fines and product suspensions at European ports, with national penalties enforced as member states transpose the directive.