The Oeko-Tex Association, Switzerland, now offers Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certification for vehicle
interiors. Individual materials — such as textile products, leather articles, foam, polymer
components, and fibers and non-textile items used in the automotive industry — as well as complete
vehicle interiors can receive the certification.
To be certified, a product must comply with Oeko-Tex Standard 100 requirements regarding the
presence of harmful substances, as well as other conditions specific to a material’s use in vehicle
interiors. According to the organization, the main difference between vehicle interior
certification and certification for apparel relates to volatile organic substance and odor
emissions, which are dependent upon the amount of materials used, the air exchange rate and the
vehicle’s interior temperature.
Child seats must meet Oeko-Tex product class I specifications for baby articles, and vehicle
seat materials must meet product class II specifications for articles that come into direct contact
with skin. All other materials used in vehicle roofs, hat racks or floor coverings must meet
product class IV specifications for decoration materials. For certification of complete vehicle
interiors, all materials and products used in the interior must not exceed certain emission values.
March 30, 2010
