The adjustment of the new Oeko-Tex Standard 100 standard

The new Oeko-Tex Standard 100 standard and limit value will take effect in all certification process from April 1, 2013 after the transition period of three months. Compared with the 2012 edition, the main adjustments and changes are as follows:

1) in the future, 8 new polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) components in candidate textiles will be inspected. In addition, the limit value of the existing benzo (a) pyrene is adjusted to 0.5 mg/kg at product level I, and the cumulative limit of all other PAH is adjusted to 5 mg/kg.

2) two methyl formamide (DMF), a highly concerned substance (substance SVHC), is listed under the regulatory solvent list according to REACh regulations. The limit value is 0.1%.

In addition, three kinds of harmful healthy phthalates added to the test sample will be tested because some of these substances are also divided into substance SVHC or included in the REACH list of "intention registration". The cumulative limit of product level I and II to IV is still 0.1%.

3) based on the explicit stipulation of the limited value in the appendix XVII of the REACh regulation, the two methyl fumarate (DMFu), as an added substance, will be included in the list of the monitored residual chemical substances of the OEKO-TEX's, and the related components are checked with a limited value of 0.1 mg/kg.

4) according to the modification of the nickel emission released by the European standard, the limit value of nickel extraction can be adjusted for all four OEKO-TEX product level. The new limit of product level I will be 0.5 mg/kg, and product level II to IV is 1 mg/kg.

5) since the beginning of 2012, the content of nonylphenol, octyl phenol and alkyl phenol polyoxyethylene (APEO) compounds (APEO) has been regulated in product certification in accordance with the provisions of OEKO-TEX Standard 100, and this will be mandatory since April 1, 2013.

The following limit values are applied:

Octyl phenol (OP) and nonylphenol (NP) accumulated at 50 mg/kg (equivalent to 0.005% of textile weight).

Octyl phenol, nonylphenol, octyl phenol - (1-2) - hydroxyethyl and nonylphenol - (1-9) - hydroxyethyl compounds accumulated 500 mg/kg (equivalent to 0.05% of textile weight).