STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®: How can it help firefighters choose safe gear?
DuPont™ Nomex® and DuPont™ Kevlar® fibers are certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® for safe skin contact applications
For over 50 years, DuPont™ Nomex® and DuPont™ Kevlar® have been a leading choice in global fire service. Manufactured by DuPont, Nomex® and Kevlar® fibers are woven into layers of firefighting gear that has kept countless of firefighters safe from extreme conditions.
“Our core values reflect our commitment to protecting the safety and health of all people,” says Alfons Held, Global Marketing Manager for Emergency Response, DuPont. “We live those values everyday by thoroughly testing the safety and health of our products like Nomex® and Kevlar® within our own global facilities and through independent certifying bodies like UL and OEKO-TEX®.”
What is STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®?
OEKO-TEX® (pronounced OKO-TEX) is an independent, certifying body that consists of 17 accredited research and testing institutes in Europe.1 Their STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification helps ensure every element of a garment, from the fabric and threads to the buttons and zippers, is produced and manufactured safely by testing for toxic and harmful chemicals.2
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is one of the world's best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. During their testing process, OEKO-TEX® testing institutes consider numerous regulated and non-regulated substances which may be harmful to human health .2
According to the OEKO-TEX® website “The test is conducted by our independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes on the basis of our extensive OEKO-TEX® criteria catalog [setting the limit value for OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100] go beyond national and international requirements which are updated once a year based on new scientific knowledge and statutory requirements].”2
What DuPont products are certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®?
DuPont™ Nomex® fibers, DuPont™ Nomex® Nano nonwoven, DuPont™ Nomex® Nano Flex nonwoven, DuPont™ Kevlar® fibers and PBO fibers are all certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, Product Class 2 as components that would go into PPE. Product class 2 is inclusive of products that come into direct contact with the skin.
Recently in 2021, DuPont™ Nomex® fiber was re-certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® after chloro-benzenes was added to the OEKO-TEX testing criteria. DuPont™ Kevlar® and PBO were certified to the standard that same year.
“It’s important to us that the Nomex®, Nomex® Nano, Nomex® Nano Flex, Kevlar® and PBO products we provide are safe for use in the PPE that emergency responders need to wear,” says Nicole Blankenbeckler, Global Nomex ® Technology Manager. “That is why we go the extra mile to test and re-test our products to the highest standards.”
Why should STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® matter to me?
There are many national and international laws and regulations that are put in place to ensure products we use are produced and manufactured in a way that is safe to our health. Most of the time, it can be hard to keep track which products comply with which regulations.
When you see a STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® label on a garment, or a certificate from your manufacturer, you can be assured that it has been evaluated according to a multitude of requirements, including those of Annex XVII of REACH3 (legislation developed by the European Chemicals Agency [ECHA] in the European Union).4 The OEKO-TEX(R) 100 certificate is maintained annually through retesting to ensure continued compliance.
“DuPont™ Kevlar® and DuPont™ Nomex® fibers– including Nomex® Nano and Nomex® Nano Flex nonwovens – are certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, which means consumers can have high confidence in the level of product safety,” says Kelsey Bergan, Global Sustainability Leader, DuPont Water and Protection. “We are committed to making sure the protective fibers we provide to our partners who weave fabrics and make garments that go into firefighting gear help keep our emergency responders, essential workers, and the environment safe.”
For more information on Nomex® for Firefighting gear, visit https://www.dupont.ca/en/personal-protection/helping-protect-the-lifesavers.html
For more information on sustainability of DuPont™ PPE solutions, visit https://www.dupont.ca/en/personal-protection/dpp-sustainability.html
References
1 OEKO-TEX®: About Us. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/about-us
2 OEKO-TEX®: STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/standard-100-by-oeko-tex
3 European Chemicals Agency: Understanding REACH. https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/understanding-reach
4 DuPont: How DuPont Personal Protection products support sustainability. https://www.dupont.com/personal-protection/dpp-sustainability/dpp-support-sustainability.html
This information is based on information that DuPont believes to be reliable. It is subject to change as additional knowledge and experience are gained. It is not intended as a substitute for any testing you may conduct to determine for yourself the suitability of our products for your particular purpose. Since conditions for use are outside the DuPont’s control, DuPont makes no warranties, express or implied, and assumes no liability in connection with the use of this information. This information is not intended as a license to operate under or a recommendation to infringe any trademark, patent or technical information of DuPont or other persons covering any material or its use.
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