Class I: babies
Items for babies and children up to 3 years.
What Is the OEKO‑TEX LEATHER STANDARD?
The OEKO-TEX LEATHER STANDARD is a lab test for leather. Every component of the item, including thread and buttons, is tested against limits for harmful substances like chromium VI, banned azo dyes, PFAS, cadmium and lead. It tests the finished material and says nothing about animal welfare or how the tannery runs.
What OEKO-TEX Leather Standard checks
- Every component of the article, from the leather to the thread and buttons
- Legally regulated substances, including chromium VI, banned azo dyes, PFAS, pentachlorophenol, cadmium and lead
- Harmful chemicals that aren't yet regulated by law
- Limits set by product class, strictest for babies
- An on-site visit by an OEKO-TEX institute before or shortly after certification
What OEKO-TEX Leather Standard doesn’t cover
- Animal welfare. OEKO-TEX only recommends hides from farms checked for welfare.
- The tannery's environmental and working conditions
- Faux or synthetic leather, which is certified under STANDARD 100 instead
- Quality or durability. OEKO-TEX says it isn't a quality label.
The four product classes
Every certificate names a class. The closer an item sits to the skin, the stricter the limits.
Class II: skin contact
Leather worn against the skin.
Class III: no skin contact
Materials that don't touch the skin.
Class IV: decoration
Home and decoration materials.
How to check a OEKO-TEX Leather Standard certificate
Every OEKO-TEX label has to show a certificate or label number with the testing institute, or a QR code.
- Find the number. Copy it exactly as printed, since label numbers are case sensitive, or scan the QR code.
- Enter it in Label Check. OEKO-TEX's free tool looks it up and shows whether the certificate is valid.
OEKO-TEX Leather Standard questions
Is OEKO-TEX LEATHER STANDARD the same as STANDARD 100?
They're sister labels. STANDARD 100 covers textiles and hands leather parts over to the LEATHER STANDARD. A leather item's fabric or metal parts can use STANDARD 100 certificates within a LEATHER STANDARD certification.
Does it mean chrome-free leather?
No. Chrome-tanned leather can be certified if it passes the chromium VI limit. A certificate can name the leather chrome-free only if total chromium is 0.1% or less of its dry weight.
Can exotic leather be certified?
No. Leather from animals like crocodiles and snakes, and fur, can't be certified. Cattle, sheep, goat, pig and horse leather can.