Freitag steps down from Oeko-Tex

The Oeko-Tex Standard 1000 is the world’s most well-known certification for textiles that have been tested for harmful substances, and Raimar Freitag, the secretary general of the International Oeko-Tex Association, Zurich, Switzerland, has stepped down after 17 years of work to build the standard. More than 9,500 companies in 90 countries participate in the Oeko-Tex system, including many Asian global textile manufacturers that were not aware of the impacts of hazardous substances in textile production and consumer safety. Today, 55 percent of all Oeko-Tex Standard 1000 certifications are issued to Asian firms, in part because of Freitag’s commitment to making the standard known worldwide. Freitag’s successor is long-time colleague Dr. Jean-Pierre Haug.