Difference between Oeko-Tex and SGS

As a manufacturer of garment accessory, we sometimes receive customers’ request that offering certificate by SGS. Actually, we send our TPU tape to OEKO-TEX to test and get the Standard 100 certificate every year. But some customers ask for SGS rather than OEKO-TEX. Then comes a question here: Is SGS more authoritative than OEKO-TEX? Let’s illustrate one by one.

SGS is the abbreviation of Societe Generale de Surveillance S.A., which is a certificate authority. As the largest certificate authority in the world, the test and certification of SGS range from management system certification to product certification. Some certification listed below:

1. Hazardous Substance Detection: RohS 2.0, REACH, POHS, PAHS, Phthalates, AZO, Asbetstors, Halogen

2. Textile Testing: Dimensional stability, Strength test, Color fastness test, Composition Analysis, Flame Retardant Test

3. Toy Testing: USA ASTMF963, USA CPSIA/HR4040, EU EN71, EU Electric Toys EN62115, ISO8124, German DIN, Canada CHPR, Australia AS/NZSISO 8124, China standard GB 6675

4. Food Grade Material Testing: German LFGB, USA FDA, EU 1935/2004/EC, France DGCCRF, ISO 4531&ISO6486

5. Environmental safety and energy consumption testing: EUP energy consumption, EUP light efficiency, clean room testing, atmospheric hazardous substance testing, living water quality testing, noise testing

6. Material analysis and testing: material identification and composition analysis of various metals, plastics, rubber, coatings, inks, additives, ceramics, electronic products, electroplating products, lubricants, etc.

7. Reliability test: pressure test, tensile test, tensile test, torsional bending test, impact test, dynamic strength test, high and low temperature test, salt spray test, crash test, drop test, UV aging test

8. Cosmetic testing: Cosmetic safety report, microbial testing, preservative testing, heavy metal testing, ingredient and packaging label evaluation, stability testing, formaldehyde testing, preservative content, 26 allergenic fragrances, phthalic acid content testing

9. Light industry grocery testing: sports fitness equipment, baby products, daily necessities testing, hand tool testing, furniture and accessories testing

10. Flame retardant test: software furniture burning, bedding burning test, fabric/clothing burning test, curtain/curtain burning test, outdoor product burning test, building material and component burning test, vehicle burning test, wire and cable and electronic product burning test

Different from the large and comprehensive certificate of SGS, OEKO-TEX focus on textile. OEKO-TEX is the Textile Ecolabel, which is the most authoritative and wide-ranging certification in textile industry. The independent testing institutes of the International Environmental Textile Association do hazardous substance detection for various types of textile according to Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX. The test content includes CAS 2058-94-8, CAS 307-55-1, CAS 72629-94-8, CAS 376-06-7, PFCs, APEOs, NP, OP, NP(EO), etc.. OEKO-TEX label give a standard and confidence to people to find harmless textile.

Therefore, both SGS and OEKO-TEX are authoritative. But they have different emphasis to focus on. SGS is a certificate authority which contains wide range of certificate. OEKO-TEX is a Textile Ecolabel that issued by the International Environmental Textile Association. For garment accessory such as TPU tape, OEKO-TEX is the most authoritative.