Product Safety
Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certification
In April 2004, Gildan became the first manufacturer catering to the wholesale imprinted activewear market in North America to obtain the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certification.
This internationally-recognized standard allows producers and consumers to objectively assess the presence of harmful substances in textiles and apparel products. The test criteria currently include around 100 human-ecological and performance-related test parameters. The testing also includes simulation tests, which take into account ways by which harmful substances could be absorbed into the human body.
Textile and apparel products may be certified according to the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 only if all components meet the required criteria. Thus, testing covers raw materials, intermediate materials, and end products, including not only apparel fabric, but also sewing thread, buttons, zippers, and other components and accessories.
The reliability of the eco-label is supported by annual re-evaluation. Gildan annually renews its certification for all Gildan products manufactured at our facilities in Central America, the Caribbean Basin, and Bangladesh.
The Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 is consistent with Gildan’s own rigorous Environmental Code of Practice, and Gildan’s certification is further evidence that Gildan is committed to protecting the health of its consumers and to utilizing environmentally responsible manufacturing processes.
For more information about the certification and the test program, please visit the organization’s website.
