What Does MADE SAFE Certified Mean?
MADE SAFE certified means a product's ingredients and materials were screened against a list of over 15,000 banned or restricted substances, then reviewed further for hazards to people and ecosystems. It's a hazard-based review of what goes into a product. Apparel, bedding and baby products are among its categories.
What MADE SAFE checks
- Full disclosure of every substance and process used to make the product
- A screen against the MADE Banned List of over 15,000 substances, including PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde releasers and toxic flame retardants
- A further review for endocrine disruptors and chemicals that persist, build up in the body or harm reproduction
- Harm to air, water, soil and aquatic or land life
- New or unstudied ingredients, which aren't allowed until they've had a safety review
What MADE SAFE doesn’t cover
- Every trace. Some substances have category-specific allowances or limits for technically unavoidable content.
- Working conditions or pay
- How the fiber was farmed
How to check a MADE SAFE certificate
Certification applies to individual products, and certified products are listed in a public index on the MADEWORKS site, where madesafe.org now points.
- Search the company. Look up the brand in the certified companies list, or browse the Apparel or Bedding categories.
- Match the product. Make sure the exact item you're buying is listed, since one certified product doesn't cover a brand's whole range.
MADE SAFE questions
Does MADE SAFE mean non-toxic?
It means a product was made without the substances on the MADE Banned List and passed a further hazard review. That's a high bar for ingredients. Some substances still have limits for unavoidable traces, so it isn't a promise about every chemical in the finished item.
Does MADE SAFE certify clothing?
Yes. Apparel is one of its product categories, alongside bedding, baby and child, furniture and personal care.
What's on the MADE Banned List?
Over 15,000 substances in categories like PFAS, phthalates, bisphenols, heavy metals, formaldehyde releasers, toxic flame retardants, high-risk pesticides and harmful VOCs.