[pageLogInLogOut]

#Sustainability

Change in the OEKO-TEX® Management Board

OEKO-TEX® announces the departure of Georg Dieners. The Association’s Secretary General is leaving the organisation after 8 years in office. OEKO-TEX® expresses appreciation to Georg Dieners for his work and wishes him all the best for his future.

Until further notice, Hohenstein CEO Dr. Stefan Droste and TESTEX CEO Rainer Roten will co-manage the global provider of sustainability solutions for the textile and leather industry. The operations handled by the 17 OEKO-TEX® testing institutes are not affected by the change. OEKO-TEX® is working diligently to find a successor and will soon appoint a new Secretary General.




Because of their involvement in various OEKO-TEX® Association executive bodies, both interim Secretaries General are familiar with the issues and processes. As CEO of Hohenstein Textile Testing Institute, Stefan Droste has been entrusted with leadership since 2013. Rainer Roten has been the CEO, responsible for the entire TESTEX Group, since 2021, and has previously held management positions at several companies.




More News from Oeko-Tex® Association

#Sustainability

OEKO-TEX® chooses TextileGenesis to advance digital traceability for organic cotton

OEKO-TEX® today announced a full collaboration with TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to digitally trace and authenticate organic cotton, strengthening fraud prevention across the supply chain. This announcement follows a successful pilot and brings together OEKO-TEX®’s certification expertise and closed testing system with TextileGenesis’ digital traceability platform to deliver a secure, end-to-end solution for managing certified organic cotton flows.

#Sustainability

OEKO-TEX® - New regulations 2025

Fostering trust within the textile and leather industry remains the mission of OEKO-TEX®. Since trust relies on consistently high standards, the OEKO-TEX® Association has released the updated testing criteria, limit values and guidelines for its certifications, based on the latest scientific research and legal developments.

#Sustainability

OEKO-TEX® Annual Report 2023/2024 mentions 50,000+ valid certifications

The international OEKO-TEX® association has continued to demonstrate positive business growth, highlighting the critical role of close collaboration and shared commitment in accelerating sustainable change. More than 35,000 textile and leather companies depend on the certificates and product labels issued by OEKO-TEX®’s independent testing institutes. OEKO-TEX® issued more than 50,000 certificates and labels between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024 – an increase of 22% over the previous financial year.

#Sustainability

OEKO-TEX® New regulations 2024

Creating trust within the textile and leather industry and for its customers is the mission of OEKO-TEX®. Since trust is based on consistently high quality, the OEKO-TEX® Association is again publishing updates to the applicable test criteria, limit values and guidelines for its certifications. Based on new scientific findings and legal developments, the OEKO-TEX® Association has published the annual updates to its test criteria, limit values and guidelines.

More News on Sustainability

#Sustainability

Experts publish APAC policy priorities

Cascale today announced the publication of its APAC Policy Priorities Paper, developed by the Asia-Pacific (APAC) Policy Member Expert Team (MET) to identify key regional sustainability challenges and provide practical, aligned recommendations for policymakers and industry stakeholders across Asia-Pacific.

#Sustainability

GOTS version 8.0 released: advanced supply chain accountability, from fibre to finished product

Global Standard is pleased to announce the release of GOTS Version 8.0, the latest update to the world's leading processing standard for organic textiles. The updated Standard strengthens requirements for air emissions and waste management, as well as criteria for product safety. It introduces new provisions on circularity, microfibre management and updates in residue testing. Version 8.0 also elevates due diligence obligations and formalises governance requirements, including ESG disclosure, anti-corruption policies and conflict-of-interest safeguards, to support credible, responsible business conduct.

#Sustainability

The nova-Institute establishes new Renewable Feedstock Department to lay the groundwork for industrial defossilisation

The transition from fossil-based to renewable carbon – sourced from biomass, CO₂ utilisation and recycling – is the cornerstone of a climate-neutral chemical industry. The nova-Institute’s new department is dedicated to providing the essential data, analyses and strategic roadmaps required to secure a reliable future feedstock supply and make this transition a commercial and ecological reality.

#Sustainability

Textile Exchange unveils commitment-based pathway for members to accelerate responsible raw material production

Textile Exchange has unveiled further details about its new membership structure, designed to guide the fashion, textile, and apparel industry in a collective course of action toward preferred production systems for raw materials and fibers.

Latest News

#Techtextil 2026

Performance Apparels: Functional textiles drive innovation at Techtextil 2026

From high-performance fibres and advanced membranes to smart textiles and sustainable material concepts – functional apparel is becoming one of the most dynamic innovation fields in technical textiles. At Techtextil 2026, exhibitors demonstrate how new materials, finishing technologies and digital functions are shaping the next generation of protective, workwear and outdoor systems.

#Textile chemistry

A flagship for chemical production: BASF inaugurates world-scale Verbund site in China

BASF today (March 26, 2026) celebrated the official inauguration of its newly built, world-scale Verbund site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province in southern China. Covering an area of around four square kilometers, it is more than a major BASF project in the chemical growth market of China. “Zhanjiang shows what the future of chemistry looks like: efficient, digital and sustainable by design. The site showcases a smart integrated Verbund structure on an industrial scale,” said Dr. Markus Kamieth, CEO of BASF, at the ceremony attended by representatives from government, customers, business partners and employees.

#Nonwovens

VEOCEL™ Lyocell production expands to Asia – Launching a new chapter for nonwovens in the region

VEOCEL™, Lenzing's flagship specialty nonwovens brand, expands production at its Thai plant in Prachinburi. This is the first-ever production of its nonwoven-grade lyocell fibers in Asia. Built in 2022 with a 100,000-ton annual production capacity, the facility - previously focused on fibers for textile applications - now can directly meet the demand for VEOCEL™’s biodegradable¹, wood-based lyocell fibers for nonwovens products. These fibers are an essential ingredient for high-quality nonwovens products, ranging from baby wipes to facial sheet masks and everyday personal hygiene items.

#Research & Development

Hof University develops sustainable textile coating for the fashion of tomorrow from mushrooms

Clothing is often treated as disposable: T-shirts for events, general merchandise, or short-term campaigns frequently end up in the trash after only a few uses. This is particularly problematic given that their production still largely relies on fossil-based materials. This is precisely where a new research project at Hof University of Applied Sciences comes in.

TOP