Current Edition Checked October 24, 2026
Contractual rather than statutory, and in practice often audited harder than either.
What It Covers
Limits on harmful substances in finished textile products (STANDARD 100), and on chemicals used in manufacturing, with wastewater requirements (ZDHC).
Who It Applies To
Brands and suppliers whose buyers require certification or ZDHC conformance in their restricted substances list.
Key Requirements
- Product testing against limit values set by product class (STANDARD 100).
- Chemical inventories screened against the MRSL, with conformance levels for each chemical (ZDHC).
- Wastewater testing to the ZDHC guidelines.
- Supplier declarations and certificates kept current with each annual update.
What an Auditor Asks to See
- Certificates matched to the products and components actually shipped.
- The chemical inventory and its MRSL screening.
Where Systems Fall Short
- A certificate for the fabric, but not for the trims and threads.
How QES Helps
Restricted substance programs that tie each certificate to the material on the bill of materials.
Related Standards
Sources. OEKO-TEX — STANDARD 100 (opens in a new tab); ZDHC — Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (opens in a new tab). Status checked October 24, 2026. This page summarizes OEKO-TEX · ZDHC; it does not reproduce or replace it. Buy the standard from its publisher, or read the regulation in its official text, before relying on a detail. Not legal advice.