OEKO-TEX STeP Certification 2026: Sustainable Production

OEKO-TEX® STeP (Sustainable Textile and Leather Production) is an independent certification system for manufacturers, retailers, and producers across the textile and leather supply chain. It helps facilities communicate their sustainable production achievements to the public in a transparent, credible, and clear way. The objective of STeP certification is the permanent implementation of environmentally friendly production processes, optimal health and safety protection, and socially responsible working conditions.

The standard is published by OEKO-TEX® Service Ltd. (Edition 02.2025) and forms part of the testing, certification, and licensing products offered by OEKO-TEX®.

Who Can Apply for OEKO-TEX STeP Certification?

STeP applies to production facilities throughout the entire textile and leather production chain:

• Textiles: every processing stage from non-agricultural fibre production through spinning, weaving, and knitting mills to finishing facilities, as well as manufacturers of ready-made clothes, textile logistics centres, accessories, foams, and mattresses.
• Leather: facilities from the beamhouse to tanning, retanning, dyeing, fatliquoring, and finishing, plus the making-up of leather, leather logistics centres, and accessory manufacturers.

A key rule: the whole facility within the scope of STeP shall be certified. Certifying only parts or single production lines within a production site is not permitted. Producers of hides or leather materials excluded under the OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD are not eligible to apply.

The Six STeP Modules

To qualify for certification, a production facility must meet the necessary criteria in all specified modules. The modular analysis system evaluates:

1. Chemical Management
2. Environmental Performance
3. Environmental and Energy Management
4. Social Responsibility
5. Quality Management
6. Health and Safety

Criteria are expressed as “shall” (an obligation that must be fulfilled to achieve certification) or “should” (a recommendation for continuous improvement).

The OEKO-TEX STeP Certification Process (Step by Step)

Step 1: Application

Applications are made exclusively through the online form on the OEKO-TEX® website. The contacted OEKO-TEX® Institute provides guidance and the login data for the web-based assessment tool. Submitting the application form together with the signed Terms of Use (ToU) means the applicant accepts responsibility for the costs incurred by the Institute during the audit.

Step 2: Web-Based Assessment (Data Collection)

The basis of evaluation is the information provided in the application and the online assessment tool. Companies complete an extensive online questionnaire and provide evidence through relevant documents. The assessment starts with general questions about the company and processes, then asks basic and advanced questions across all six modules.

There are two ways to use the tool:

• STeP certification: the evaluation forms the basis for all tests and certifications within the process and leads to a certificate.
• Self-Assessment: some facilities complete the tool for internal evaluation, reviewed by OEKO-TEX® STeP experts without subsequent audits. This yields an OEKO-TEX® evaluation and quality report but cannot result in certification on its own.

Step 3: On-Site Audit

The OEKO-TEX® Institute analyses and evaluates the submitted data, then verifies the information and validates documents during an on-site audit. A site inspection is mandatory for the final assessment. The audit scope depends on the facility’s size, production, and the quality of prepared documents. Specially trained auditors carry out the audit.

If technical details cannot be proven with documents (for example, wastewater or air emission limit values), the audit team may order or perform tests at laboratories accredited according to ISO 17025.

Step 4: Scoring and Rating

The six modules are evaluated using a scoring system. Each module is weighted equally and makes up 1/6 of the total 100%. Facilities receive a performance rating:

Rating	Requirement
Not passed	Any exclusion criterion is not fulfilled, or less than 70% of basic question points are achieved.
Level 1 (Entry level)	70% of basic question points achieved, including the exclusion criteria for each module.
Level 2 (Good implementation)	34% of advanced question points (including any remaining basic points) attained.
Level 3 (Exemplary implementation)	67% of advanced question points (including any remaining basic points) attained.

Certification is not possible if the minimum percentage score is not achieved and/or the exclusion criteria in Annex 10 are not fulfilled.

Step 5: Certificate Issuance

If the standard’s conditions are met, the customer receives a two-page certificate issued by OEKO-TEX®, together with a detailed audit report. The audit report contains summaries of the six STeP modules, obligations and recommendations, and a photo log.

Audit Requirements After Certification

Compliance audit: The responsible Institute carries out a compliance audit every 18 months. It is mandatory for all STeP certified facilities and shall be completed not later than 22 months after initial certification. Before the audit, the customer updates assessment data in the online tool and replaces invalid documents.

Unannounced audit: OEKO-TEX® and its auditors may conduct an unannounced audit at any time. The facility must allow entry and bear the cost. Up to six management representatives must be named so that at least one is always available to host the audit. Refusing entry results in withdrawal of the certificate.

Certificate Validity and Renewal

The OEKO-TEX® STeP certificate is valid for three years (36 months) from the date of issue. To extend it, renewal must be initiated before the validity expires. The renewed certificate expires exactly three years after the previous certificate’s expiry date and cannot be adjusted.

Benefits of OEKO-TEX STeP Certification

• Transparent, comparable results: the same STeP criteria apply worldwide, ensuring comparability across facilities and markets.
• Industry benchmarks: OEKO-TEX® provides regional and global benchmarks so facilities can compare their own performance against published figures.
• MADE IN GREEN: STeP certified facilities can apply for the OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN label. Details on the label’s requirements are set out in the OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN Standard.
• Trademark licence: the STeP trademark licence is issued together with the certificate, allowing certified facilities to use the protected mark in line with the Terms of Use.

FAQ: OEKO-TEX STeP Certification Frequently Asked Questions

The following are frequently asked questions about OEKO-TEX STeP certification, structured to capture “People Also Ask” queries in search.

Conclusion

OEKO-TEX® STeP gives textile and leather manufacturers a structured, globally consistent pathway to verify and communicate sustainable production. By addressing all six modules and maintaining compliance through periodic audits, certified facilities demonstrate a credible, long-term commitment to environmental, social, and safety performance.

References

1. OEKO-TEX® STeP Standard, Edition 02.2025, OEKO-TEX® Service Ltd., Zurich.
2. OEKO-TEX® website: www.oeko-tex.com