With regard to product certification according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100, the Oeko-Tex Association has updated the applicable test criteria and limit values at the beginning of year. The new regulations will come into force for all certification procedures on April 1.

The updated test criteria require the textiles submitted for certification will be tested for eight additional polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In product category I, the existing limit value for benzo(a)pyrene will furthermore be lowered to 0.5 mg/kg and the previously valid sum limit value for all other PAHs will be lowered to 5 mg/kg.

Besides, in view of the classification as a "substance of very high concern" (SVHC) in the sense of the REACh legislation, dimethylformamide (DMF) will be added to the list of regulated solvents. A limit value of 0.1 % applies.

In addition to this, all test samples will be tested for three additional phthalates which are potentially harmful to health as they have also been classified as SVHCs or are partly listed in the REACh 'Registry of Intentions'. The sum limit values of 0.1 % for product category I and product categories II to IV remain.

Due to the limitation stipulated in annex XVII of the REACh regulation, dimethyl fumarate (DMFu) will be listed with a limit value of 0.1 mg/kg as an additional substance in the list of residual chemicals regulated by OEKO-TEX and will be tested for in relevant items.

Moreover, due to the change of the European standard for determining nickel release, the limit values for extractable nickel will be adapted in all four Oeko-Tex product categories. The new limit values will be 0.5 mg/kg for product category I and 1.0 mg/ kg for product categories II to IV.

The limit values apply to: (1) sum of octylphenol (OP) and nonylphenol (NP) = 50 mg/kg (equal to 0.005 weight by weight); (2) sum of octylphenol, nonylphenol, octylphenol-(1-2)-ethoxylate and nonylphenol; (3) (1-9)-ethoxylate = 500 mg/kg (equal to 0.05 weight by weight).