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Model D — Certification & Compliance
Oeko-Tex Made in Green — Traceability, Sustainable Production, and What It Means for Scarf Buyers
How Made in Green combines STANDARD 100 substance testing with STeP facility audits, what its QR code traceability actually reveals, and when this certification is commercially necessary.
Oeko-Tex Made in Green is a product label managed by the Oeko-Tex Association that combines two independent certification components: the product must pass Oeko-Tex STANDARD 100 substance testing (confirming it is free of harmful chemicals) AND every processing facility in the supply chain must hold a STeP (Sustainable Textile & Leather Production) certificate covering environmental performance and social standards. The result is a label that addresses both what the product contains and how it was made — making it substantially more demanding than STANDARD 100 alone. A QR code on each labelled product allows consumers and buyers to view the specific supply chain entities that were certified for that product.
What Made in Green Covers
The two-pillar structure of the label and what each component audits
Made in Green is not a new standard — it is a label that requires simultaneous compliance with two existing Oeko-Tex standards. Understanding each pillar separately is essential before assessing whether a factory or supplier’s claim is valid:
Pillar 1: Oeko-Tex STANDARD 100
Tests the finished textile article (and its components: yarn, fabric, accessories) for harmful substances including pesticide residues, heavy metals, formaldehyde, azo dyes, pH, and color fastness. Each product class has defined limit values. The finished scarf itself must pass STANDARD 100 testing.
Pillar 2: STeP Certification
A facility-level certification covering six modules: chemical management, environmental performance, environmental management, social responsibility, quality management, and health & safety. Each processing facility in the supply chain must be STeP-certified to the relevant modules.
Pillar 3: QR Traceability
Every Made in Green product receives a unique alphanumeric ID. Scanning the QR code on the Oeko-Tex platform shows consumers and buyers which certified facilities were involved, in which countries, and their certification status. This is the “proof layer” visible to end consumers.
Made in Green vs Oeko-Tex STANDARD 100 — Feature Comparison
The specific differences that matter for buyers choosing between the two certifications
| Feature | Oeko-Tex STANDARD 100 | Oeko-Tex Made in Green |
|---|---|---|
| Tests the product for harmful substances | Yes | Yes (STANDARD 100 is a prerequisite) |
| Certifies the production facility | No | Yes — STeP certification required for all processing facilities |
| Consumer-facing QR traceability | No | Yes — unique product ID per item with supply chain display |
| Social standards (fair wages, worker safety) | No | Yes — STeP Module: Social Responsibility |
| Environmental performance requirements at facility | No | Yes — STeP covers wastewater, energy, emissions, waste |
| Chemical management system required | No (product result only) | Yes — STeP Module: Chemical Management |
| Scope | Product safety (what is IN the product) | Product safety + production sustainability (product + how it was made) |
| Supply chain depth requirement | Final product only (can certify individual article) | Every processing facility involved must hold STeP; full chain coverage required |
| Renewal frequency | Annual | Annual (both STANDARD 100 and STeP components) |
| Typical cost premium | Low — product testing cost only | Significantly higher — facility audits across multiple supply chain entities |
| Best suited for | Chemical safety claims; minimum compliance for EU/UK markets | EU/UK retailers with sustainability reporting obligations; CSR-verified supply chains; consumer-facing traceability |
Who Needs Made in Green and Why
Market segments where this label creates commercial value or compliance alignment
Made in Green is not universally required, and its higher cost relative to STANDARD 100 means it is appropriate in specific commercial contexts. The following buyer types derive the most value from requiring it:
- EU retailers with sustainability commitments under the Green Claims Directive: The EU Green Claims Directive (proposed, advancing through legislation) requires substantiated, independently verified sustainability claims. Made in Green’s third-party STeP facility audits and substance testing provide the documentation layer needed for substantiation.
- UK retailers following UKCA/fashion sustainability voluntary codes: Several major UK fashion retailers (M&S, Next, John Lewis) have internal supplier standards requiring facility-level environmental and social certification for sustainable product ranges. STeP meets these requirements.
- Corporate buyers with public ESG supply chain commitments: Companies disclosing Scope 3 emissions and social responsibility metrics in annual reports need certified data from their supply chains. STeP generates the audit data that supports these disclosures.
- Brands targeting transparency-conscious consumers: The Made in Green QR code provides consumer-facing traceability — a differentiating feature for brands that promote supply chain transparency as a marketing narrative.
- Retailers in Nordic markets: Scandinavian retailers (H&M, KappAhl, Filippa K) have been early adopters of stringent supply chain certification requirements and often specify Made in Green or equivalent for premium or sustainable product lines.
STeP Certification: What the Facility Audit Covers
The six audit modules that constitute STeP certification for textile production facilities
1
Chemical Management
Assessment of the facility’s chemical inventory, restricted substance compliance (aligned with Oeko-Tex MRSL), chemical storage safety, and systematic approach to eliminating restricted substances from the production process. Covers dyes, auxiliaries, finishing agents, and cleaning chemicals.
2
Environmental Performance
Measures wastewater treatment quality and discharge volumes, air emissions from dyeing and finishing operations, energy consumption per unit of production, water consumption, and solid waste management. Quantitative benchmarks are compared against STeP thresholds.
3
Environmental Management
Reviews whether the facility has a systematic environmental management system (not necessarily ISO 14001 formal certification but aligned with its principles): objectives, targets, monitoring, continuous improvement documentation, and management responsibility.
4
Social Responsibility
Audits working hours compliance, wage levels against legal minimums, freedom of association, non-discrimination, anti-harassment policies, grievance mechanisms, and prohibition of child and forced labor. Based on ILO core conventions and SA8000 principles.
5
Quality Management
Reviews the facility’s quality management documentation, incoming material inspection, in-process quality control, final product testing, and customer complaint handling systems. Not a substitute for product quality testing but confirms systematic quality processes exist.
6
Health and Safety
Covers workplace safety protocols, PPE provision and usage, emergency procedures, accident recording and investigation, fire safety, chemical hazard communication, and worker health monitoring for exposure to dyes and chemical auxiliaries.
STeP audits are conducted by trained Oeko-Tex auditors (not independent third parties, which distinguishes it from GRS auditing by accredited certifiers). Facilities receive a STeP certificate listing their performance level across all six modules. The certificate is publicly visible in the Oeko-Tex database.
Supply Chain Coverage Requirement
Which entities in the scarf supply chain must hold STeP certification for a valid Made in Green claim
Every facility that physically processes the textile article must hold a STeP certificate for the Made in Green label to be valid for the final product. “Processing” means any step that changes the material’s physical or chemical state:
| Supply Chain Entity | STeP Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber / yarn producer | Yes | Spinning, texturing, or yarn preparation stage must be STeP certified |
| Fabric manufacturer (knitting/weaving) | Yes | The fabric construction stage must be covered |
| Dyeing and printing | Yes | Often the most environmentally impactful step; STeP Module 2 (Environmental Performance) is most closely scrutinized here |
| Finishing (softening, water repellent, etc.) | Yes | If performed at a separate facility, that facility must also be STeP certified |
| Scarf assembly / cut-and-sew | Yes | The final manufacturing facility; must also have the product STANDARD 100 tested |
| Raw material / fiber trading intermediaries | No | Traders who do not physically process material are not required to be STeP certified |
| Brand / buyer | No | The brand licenses the Made in Green label from Oeko-Tex but is not itself subject to STeP audit |
QR Code Traceability: What It Actually Shows
Understanding the scope and limitations of Made in Green’s traceability system
The Made in Green QR code is one of the label’s most marketable features, but it has specific capabilities and limitations that buyers should understand:
What the QR Code Displays
The Oeko-Tex traceability platform shows: names and countries of STeP-certified facilities involved in production, their current certification status, and which Oeko-Tex certifications are held. Each product’s unique ID links to this specific supply chain record.
What It Does NOT Show
It does not show raw material origin (e.g., which farm the wool came from), sub-contracted processes not subject to STeP, numerical environmental performance data (only pass/fail certification status), or social audit findings (only that the facility is certified).
License Number Requirement
A brand must receive a Made in Green license number from Oeko-Tex before printing the label on any product. Products carrying the label before a license number is issued represent unauthorized use. The license number appears on the label alongside the product ID.
The QR code traceability system is most valuable for consumer-facing communication. For buyer-level due diligence, the STeP certificates for each facility should be reviewed directly — they contain more detail than the consumer-facing platform displays.
Common Compliance Risks
Gaps frequently identified during procurement verification and factory audits
Risk 1: Factory claims Made in Green but only holds STANDARD 100
STANDARD 100 is a prerequisite for Made in Green but not sufficient on its own. A factory with STANDARD 100 certification and no STeP certificate cannot legitimately claim or produce Made in Green labelled goods. Ask specifically for STeP certificate numbers alongside STANDARD 100 certificates.
Risk 2: Labelling product before receiving MiG license number
Printing hangtags with the Made in Green label and QR code before Oeko-Tex issues the license number is a trademark violation. The license number is separate from the STeP and STANDARD 100 certificates — it is issued by Oeko-Tex only after all certification components are confirmed. The sequence is: certify facilities → test product → apply for license → receive license number → print labels.
Risk 3: One facility in the chain lacks STeP; chain is broken
Similar to GRS chain-of-custody, a single uncertified processing facility in the supply chain breaks the Made in Green claim for the final product. Common gap: a factory uses a sub-contracted dyer or embroidery unit that is not STeP certified. Sub-contracting to uncertified facilities without disclosure is an audit finding.
Risk 4: STeP certificate covers wrong product category or process
STeP certificates specify which production processes and product categories are covered. A facility STeP-certified for weaving but not for dyeing cannot provide Made in Green coverage for a dyeing operation. Verify the scope of each STeP certificate matches the actual production steps.
Common Misinterpretations
Misconceptions about Made in Green encountered in commercial practice
MYTH
FACT
“Made in Green means the product is environmentally neutral or zero-impact.”
False. Made in Green certifies that production facilities meet defined environmental management and performance standards — not that the product has zero environmental impact. It is a “better than average practice” certification, not a zero-impact claim. Brands should not use language like “eco-neutral” or “carbon neutral” based on Made in Green certification alone.
MYTH
FACT
“If a factory has Made in Green, all products from that factory automatically qualify.”
False. Made in Green is a product label, not purely a facility label. Each specific product (defined by article type, construction, and supply chain) must be evaluated. The product must pass STANDARD 100 testing for its product class. If a factory makes both scarves and technical fabrics, the Made in Green claim must be established separately for each product type.
MYTH
FACT
“Made in Green replaces other sustainability certifications so we don’t need GOTS or GRS.”
False. Made in Green, GOTS, and GRS address different dimensions. GOTS certifies organic content and processing; GRS certifies recycled content chain-of-custody; Made in Green certifies substance safety and production facility sustainability. A recycled organic cotton scarf could plausibly need all three. The labels are complementary, not interchangeable.
When Buyers Should Request Made in Green Documentation
Decision points and appropriate verification steps for procurement teams
| Situation | Document to Request | Verification Method |
|---|---|---|
| EU/UK retailer sustainability collection launch | Factory STeP certificates for all processing entities + STANDARD 100 test report + MiG license number | Verify STeP certificates in Oeko-Tex database (oeko-tex.com); verify license number in Oeko-Tex system |
| CSR/ESG supply chain reporting | STeP audit summaries for each facility; facility name, country, certificate validity | Cross-reference with Oeko-Tex public certificate database; request STeP audit scope documents |
| Consumer-facing traceability claim | MiG license number and product ID assignment confirmation from Oeko-Tex | Scan QR code on sample product before production run to verify supply chain display is correct |
| New supplier qualification | Current STeP certificate (not expired); product category scope relevant to your scarf type | Oeko-Tex database lookup by facility name or certificate number |
| Annual supplier review | Renewed STeP certificates (all entities in chain) and STANDARD 100 re-tests for any formula changes | Check renewal dates; STeP certificates expire annually and require re-audit |
Authority References
Primary standards documents and verification resources
- Oeko-Tex Made in Green — Official Page: oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/oeko-tex-made-in-green — Standard documentation, application process, and license requirements
- Oeko-Tex STeP (Sustainable Textile & Leather Production): oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/oeko-tex-step — Full STeP standard documentation and audit module details
- Oeko-Tex STANDARD 100: oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/oeko-tex-standard-100 — Substance limits by product class; test methods; certificate database
- Oeko-Tex Certificate Database: oeko-tex.com/en/certificate-search — Public lookup for STANDARD 100 and STeP certificates
- EU Green Claims Directive (proposed): European Commission — Green Claims — Regulatory context for substantiated sustainability claims in the EU market
Related Technical Guides
Further reading in the WeaveEssence Tech Hub
See this standard applied in production: WeaveEssence factory technical records and production specifications demonstrate STeP-aligned environmental management practices including chemical inventory control, wastewater monitoring protocols, and worker safety documentation across dyeing and finishing operations. Buyers integrating Made in Green requirements into purchase order specifications typically achieve more consistent batch outcomes and supply chain documentation that supports EU sustainability reporting obligations. ← Tech Hub Index