1,000 Facilities Get Oeko-Tex STeP Certification
04 May 2023: Over 1,000 facilities have achieved Oeko-Tex STeP certification, demonstrating its commitment to safe and sustainable manufacturing practices. Among the largest industrial sectors in the world, the textile and leather supply chains are diverse and complex. They span design, raw material harvesting, spinning, yarn production, dyeing, weaving, cutting, stitching and final garment construction.
The production and consumption of textiles have enormous environmental, economic and social impacts. The complexity makes it challenging for brands and manufactures to implement responsible production processes. STeP supports the industry in facilitating safe and eco-friendly decisions and enforces responsible work conditions. It also enables facilities to communicate their efforts in a credible way. The certification proves stewardship toward employees and the environment.
Over 1,000 facilities have achieved Oeko-Tex® STeP certification and over 1,030,000 people work in these facilities under safe and socially responsible working conditions according to the UN human rights conventions, receiving fair wages with security measures such as risk analysis, workplace and building safety, training and safe chemical handling and storage.
The facilities are located in 56 countries, including Bangladesh, India and Turkey. Each facility is committed to measuring its environmental performance regarding air, water and sludge. In addition, STeP certified facilities can freely use the Impact Calculator to measure their carbon footprint and water usage.
The Oeko-Tex® STeP certification analysis sets the highest standards for social and environmental aspects of textiles and textile industry.
“For sustainable production, STeP certification is an imperative standard,” adds Adrian Meili, TESTEX AG Group Product Manager and Lead Auditor. “With its comprehensive and holistic approach, worldwide recognition and independent verification, it provides a credible and trustworthy system. Recognised by ZDHC and an integral part of the Oeko-Tex® MADE IN GREEN supply chain, the 6-module certification ensures ethical practices and eliminates greenwashing throughout the supply chain.”
