The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that children's textiles and textile-based products that are certified to the Switzerland-based Oeko-Tex Association's Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 meet the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act's (CPSIA's) lead testing requirements. Oeko-Tex added lead testing in April 2009 as a component of Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, and currently is in full compliance with CPSIA's third and last phase, which will become effective in August 2011.

"Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification provides retailers and manufacturers with the objective, third-party verification they need to be confident that their products do not contain lead levels that can be harmful for children," said Dr. Manfred Wentz, senior policy advisor for Oeko-Tex, United States. "Not only does Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification test for lead but also for more than 100 other concerning substances that are believed to be harmful to human health including phthalates, formaldehyde, cadmium and other heavy metals, and carcinogenic compounds."

September 22, 2009