STeP standard and 'Made in Green' labels presented to Bangladeshi textile companies

  • BTT Staff Correspondent
  • Md. Arifur Rahman Siddique, Staff Correspondent, BTT

Heohenstein Institute has presented STeP the new certification system developed by OEKO-TEX® Association for sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially responsible textile and fashion companies in Dhaka on 10th May 2016. The seminar also explained how textile article manufacturers can use 'Made in Green' label on their products. The STeP certification reduces hazards and risks along the entire textile production chain - from the production of fibers to the making-up of end products. It aims to improve the sustainability, quality, and resource efficiency as well as the working conditions of textile production facilities, informed the seminar. The OEKO-TEX® Association introduced STeP globally by 2013 however it is was its first public presentation of STeP in Bangladesh.



The seminar was organized by Hohenstein institute Bangladesh who has informed that 4 STeP certificates already have been issued in Bangladesh. Certificates receiving companies are Mondol Knit Tex Ltd. Raiyan Knit Composite, Turag Garments & Hosiery Mills Ltd. and Danys Knitwear Ltd. These are the factories that are committed to progress in STeP key areas like chemical management, environmental protection, environmental management, health & safety, social responsibility and quality management.



Crest to BGMEA President
Picture: Profssor Dr.Stefan Mecheels, President Hohenstein Institute presents crest to Md. Siddiqur Rahman, President BGMEA


However key message of the seminar was that new process certification STeP along with product certification Oeko-tex 100 will facilitate companies to use 'Made in Green' label certified by OEKO-TEX® Association. Jorg Diekmann, Director of Hohenstein Institute presented whole product portfolio of Oeko-tex Association which are being implemented by Hohenstein Institute. He showed how anybody can use 'Made in Green' label for his product. For textile products that consumers buy at retail, the OEKO-TEX® guidelines for obtaining the Made in Green label are as follows:





  • Any single component that equals or exceeds 5% of the total weight of the textile product must be supplied by STeP by OEKO-TEX® certified production facilities. At least 85% of the weight of a single piece of textile must be supplied by STeP by OEKO-TEX® certified production facilities.


  • The general rule for the above mentioned criteria is that all the making up and wet / chemical processing facilities have to be STeP by OEKO-TEX® certified.


  • The product must be OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified.




Every 'Made in Green' label has a product ID and/or a QR code which shows where the product was manufactured, informed the seminar.



 The seminar further informed that Hoehnstein institute Bangladesh section have been working since 2014 and till that it has issued Oeko-tex Standard 100 certificates for more than 1000 factories. It shows a strong customer base for Hoehnstein in Bangladesh. The seminar was participated by around 300 professionals and owners from different factories. Many of the participants raised the issue of too many testing and certification requirements imposed on them. The explained their incremental cost against the testing and certification and while requested Hohenstein to reduce certification and renewal cost.

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