In this article, we present five universal labels and certifications that are among the best known and most reliable in the textile industry. They tell you the conditions under which the dress you fell in love with was made, what materials you will be wearing, and ensure that no chemicals harmful to your health will come into contact with your skin.
Get ready to memorize them!
Photo by @kseniachernaya
What is a label?
A label is a special mark that sets out a number of requirements, which may relate to origin, manufacturing conditions, or quality. A product must therefore meet each of these requirements to be labelled, and is regularly checked to ensure compliance. The label organisation regularly carries out checks to verify that labelled brands continue to meet their commitments.
A certification, on the other hand, is a procedure to ensure that a product meets quality and compliance standards according to an international standard.
In the textile category, you will find:
1/ Oeko-Tex certification
Origin of the certification: Austria, Germany
Focus: working conditions, health, facilities, transparency
The Oeko-Tex label ensures:
- that textiles do not contain chemicals harmful to health or to the environment
- that the brand's facilities are environmentally friendly
- that the working conditions are socially responsible
- that the brand is transparent about its supply chain. An item's label must allow the product to be traced
Every stage of processing, from raw materials to dyeing, is checked and must meet around a hundred criteria. These criteria are even stricter if the textile is likely to come into direct contact with the skin.
Oeko-Tex certified brands on Meanwhile Boutique: sneakers by Beflamboyant, sportswear by Az/ar, lingerie and swimwear by Mood Paris and committed lingerie pieces by Olly.
If you are looking for more information, you can visit their official website: https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/
2/ GOTS label
GOTS = Global Organic Textile Standard
Origin of the label: created by organisations from the United States, England, Germany, and Japan.
Focus: Materials, composition
This label ensures that the fibres in a product are organic at different levels:
1st level:
- 95% organic fibres
- Less than 5% synthetic fibres
2nd level:
- At least 70% organic fibres
- Maximum 10% synthetic fibres if the raw materials are not sustainable
The certification level is shown on the product label. The labelling is carried out by an entity certified and/or approved by the label.
3/ PETA Approved Vegan label
Origin of the label: United States
Focus: vegan composition, not tested on animals, animal welfare
This label ensures that clothing, shoes or accessories do not contain ingredients of animal origin and that the products have not been tested on animals. By purchasing a PETA Approved Vegan item, you can be sure that no animal has been mistreated.
This label is monitored by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), a non-profit organisation that campaigns for animal welfare. This label is obtained through the manufacturer's self-declaration, but PETA carries out a subsequent check.
4/ Fair Wear Foundation
Origin of the label: Netherlands
Focus: working conditions, safety, discrimination
This certification concerns companies in the garment industry and distribution.
This foundation is an independent, non-profit organisation, made up of trade unions, NGOs and business federations, which carries out an annual audit of its members.
The audit involves checking health and safety standards, inspecting documents, and conducting interviews with workers.
This label certifies that working conditions are decent. A company with this label
- does not employ children
- does not resort to any discrimination, whether based on race, sex, nationality, social background or disability. The list is very detailed.
- pays its employees fairly
- ensures safety on its premises
- ensures decent working hours
- allows every worker to form or join a trade union, and to negotiate collectively
Fair Wear Foundation website link: https://www.fairwear.org/about-us
5/ La Belle Empreinte
Origin of the label: France
Focus: raw materials, working conditions, energy consumption, employment, the circular economy and many more that you can find on the website.
This label guarantees that the manufacture of a garment has a positive impact on both environmental and social challenges.
The checks are strict to avoid confusing an eco-responsible company with one that resorts to greenwashing.
This label applies to product ranges, not brands, because it assesses the production chain, which may differ from one range to another for the same brand.
It highlights products made with raw materials that are environmentally friendly.For example, the label checks that the materials used require little fossil fuel and water, do not release microfibres when washed, and are not chemically treated during manufacturing.
The label also checks brands on a human level, by monitoring working conditions at every stage of manufacturing, from raw materials to sale, and by promoting local economies.
There are three different levels for this label:
- the committed level, which indicates that the production chain is implementing concrete methods to address environmental and social challenges.
- the exemplary level, which indicates that the challenges of the assessed sector are being met, which is quite rare!
- the visionary level, which indicates that the production chain is innovative in terms of environmental protection.
On the label of a La Belle Empreinte product, you will find the criteria that enabled it to be labelled, as well as information about its manufacture.
Focus on the Yakan brand (Trendethics)
Trendethics (now Yakan) is a La Belle Empreinte labelled association, available on Meanwhile Boutique.
This brand highlights the skills of women from Southeast Asia, from 8 different ethnic groups, who weave cushions and pouches, like the one below. The profits provide supplementary income for the weavers and also fund activities promoting empowerment.
Article written by Célia, a student at ECE Paris, a volunteer contributor for Meanwhile Boutique in digital communications.
