Reasons for Increased Demand
- Consumer Demand: Millions of consumers worldwide use OEKO-TEX labels as a guide for responsible purchasing decisions, demanding that companies fulfill social and ecological responsibilities. As of 2025, around 35,000 manufacturers, brands, and trading companies in over 100 countries are working with the OEKO-TEX system.
- Brand Requirements: Leading brands, from emerging startups to Fortune 500 companies, consider OEKO-TEX Standard 100 for chemical safety as one of the most requested certifications.
- Regulatory Alignment: OEKO-TEX standards are continuously updated to align with stricter regulations (e.g., banning certain biocides) and industry standards, which require compliance throughout the supply chain.
- Transparency: Certifications like OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN offer traceability, allowing consumers to use a QR code to see the specific production locations and processing steps, which is highly valued in today's market.
- Transparency and trust: Certification provides a transparent and trustworthy way for brands to communicate to consumers that their products are safe and sustainably made.
- Competitive advantage: It can differentiate a brand in a competitive market and demonstrate a commitment to safety and sustainability.
- Global standards: It helps companies meet international requirements and regulations regarding the presence of harmful substances in textiles.
- Verification: Certification prevents "greenwashing" by providing a credible, science-based system that verifies claims of safety and sustainability.
- Sustainable production: While the STANDARD 100 label focuses on chemical safety, other OEKO-TEX labels, like MADE IN GREEN, verify that the product was manufactured in a socially responsible and sustainable way, and STeP certification helps improve all aspects of a production facility.
Restricted Substances: The certification's restricted substance list is extensive and updated annually, often exceeding national and international legal requirements. Substances tested for include:
-
- Prohibited azo dyes and certain carcinogenic/allergenic dyes.
- Formaldehyde.
- Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium.
- Pesticides and herbicides.
- Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).
- Phthalates (chemical softeners).
The OEKO-TEX certification is voluntary, demonstrating a brand's proactive commitment to safety, quality, and responsible practices beyond what is legally required.
How to become OEKO-TEX Certified as a DTF print shop
To make your DTF printed garments OEKO-TEX certified, you must OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certification and ensure all components, including the garments themselves, inks, and adhesives, are tested and free from harmful substances. The process is modular, meaning every part must comply.
Prerequisites for Certification
- Certified Materials: The most effective approach is to source materials (blank garments, DTF inks, powders, and films) that are already OEKO-TEX certified by your suppliers. Look for the ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX label on your chemical suppliers' products, which verifies the safety of inks and dyes.
- Supplier Documentation: Obtain current OEKO-TEX certificates and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) from all suppliers and use the OEKO-TEX Label Check tool to verify their validity.
- Internal Quality Assurance: Establish and document standard operating procedures for purchasing, production, quality control, storage, and handling of materials to ensure traceability and non-contamination.
- Register and Apply Online: Register on the OEKO-TEX® website and fill out the application form for the STANDARD 100 certification. You will need to choose the appropriate product class based on the intended use of your garments (e.g., product class I for baby articles has the strictest criteria).
- Submit Documentation: Send the completed application, a signed Declaration of Conformity, copies of all supplier certificates, and supporting documents to an accredited OEKO-TEX testing institute (e.g., Hohenstein).
- Submit Samples for Testing: Provide representative samples of your final printed garments.Include samples of all materials used in maximum concentration and various colors (e.g., red, yellow, green, blue, black, white, orange, and purple prints). Ensure samples are properly packaged to avoid contamination during shipping.
- Laboratory Testing and Evaluation: The institute will conduct extensive laboratory tests on all components for hundreds of harmful substances, including heavy metals, pesticides, and allergenic dyes. They will also conduct an on-site evaluation of your production process.
Looking for DTF Supplies that are OEKO-TEX Certified?
-
DTF Powder: Imperial DTF has 2 adhesive powders that are OEKO-TEX Certified:
- STARBASE Fine-Grain DTF Powder - Formulated with fine particle sizing (70–200 microns), Starbase powder ensures sharper image edges, better powder pickup on intricate designs, and smoother finishes that feel natural to the touch. Whether you’re printing photo-quality artwork or running high-volume production, this adhesive powder delivers results that elevate your product quality.
- Galactic White Booster DTF Powder- The Softest feeling DTF adhesive in the industry! Not only will it provide an amazing hand-feel but it boost your white opacity. With some set-ups you are able to decrease your white ink by 70%.
-
DTF Ink: Imperial DTF is proud to have USA-made Oeko-Tex Certified DTF Inks our Master Series
- Master Series DTF Inks: The Master series is Imperial DTF's flagship ink line, proudly made in the USA. This ink line is specifically designed for the Epson i3200 print head.
Article written by DTF Tech Gurus, our official installer and service technicians of the X5 DTF Production Printer.
DTF Tech Gurus is an employee-owned company dedicated to delivering expert technical support for Direct-to-Film printing systems—without the high costs and slow service often associated with corporate distributors.
DTF Tech Gurus eliminates the frustration of slow or unhelpful support. Their Remote Service Support ticketing system ensures fast, efficient troubleshooting—handled by experts who genuinely understand the technology and urgency of keeping your production running.