SAFE BY DESIGN: WHY 98% OF OUR WORKWEAR IS OEKO-TEX® CERTIFIED

When you put on a Fristads garment, you can be sure it has been tested down to the very last button and seam. We have been working with OEKO-TEX® certification since 1997 and today, 98% of our catalogue products are certified according to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. Products with this label are tested against a list of over 1,000 harmful substances that is reviewed and updated annually. The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification is a cornerstone of Fristads’ commitment to providing workwear that is both durable and safe to use.

THREE TYPES OF OEKO-TEX® CERTIFICATES

In 2024, the OEKO-TEX® classification system was updated to reflect a ban on the intentional use of PFAS in most product categories, while adding a criteria for recycled materials to ensure traceability and minimum content levels. As a result, the previous common OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certificate has been divided into three types:

Ö 97-055 for products that meet OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
SE 23-310 for products that meet OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and contain more than 20% recycled material
SE 23-311 for personal protective equipment (PPE) that meets OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Supplement PPE

All three certificates have strict limit values for both regulated and unregulated chemicals, setting more stringent requirements than current legislation. Intentionally added PFAS is not permitted under the first two certificates, and Supplement PPE only allows exceptions where PFAS is strictly necessary to meet safety standards.

CERTIFIED AT THE GARMENT LEVEL

At Fristads, we certify our products at garment level. This means every component of a certified garment has been tested for harmful substances in line with current legislation and scientific knowledge, ensuring they are safe for human health. Additionally, products under certificate SE 23-310 are guaranteed to contain at least 20% recycled material. Certificate SE 23-311 is used only for a small number of PPE products that have not yet been phased out of our assortment. As our phase-out of PFAS continues, we will gradually move products from certificate SE 23-311 to certificates Ö 97-055 and SE 23-310.

OEKO-TEX® Made in Green

After nearly 30 years of working with OEKO-TEX®, we’re taking our partnership to a new level. Part of our range is now certified to OEKO-TEX® Made in Green – a label that proves our products are both tested for harmful substances and made in factories that meet the highest standards for social and environmental sustainability. Each product comes with its own unique ID number, so you can trace its entire journey through the supply chain – all the way back to the raw material. By combining Made in Green with our Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) , Fristads sets a new standard for transparency and responsibility in the workwear industry.