PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 2165574
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 2165574
OEKO-TEX sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification is a comprehensive, modular assessment and certification system that evaluates textile and leather manufacturing facilities according to environmental performance, chemical management, social responsibility, and quality management. It is designed to help companies demonstrate and enhance sustainable production practices throughout their supply chains in accordance with internationally recognized sustainability standards.
The primary certification types of OEKO-TEX sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification include production facilities certification, brands and retailers certification, chemical management certification, environmental performance certification, social responsibility certification, workplace health and safety certification, and quality management certification. Production facilities certification refers to the assessment and certification of textile and leather production facilities based on sustainable manufacturing practices, resource efficiency, environmental protection, and responsible working conditions. These certifications are applied across raw material processing, wet processing, cut-make-trim or garment assembly, and finished product branding and retail stages. The key applications include textiles, apparel, footwear, home furnishings, chemicals, and others, while the end users include manufacturers, brands and retailers, suppliers, and others.
Tariffs are influencing the OEKO-TEX sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market by increasing costs associated with certified textile production, imported sustainable materials, testing services, and compliance-related processes across global supply chains. This is affecting textile manufacturers, apparel brands, and suppliers, particularly in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America, where international textile trade and sustainability certifications are widely adopted. Certification-related services and sustainable production inputs may experience cost pressures due to cross-border trade restrictions. However, tariffs are also encouraging localized textile production, regional sourcing strategies, and greater investment in sustainable manufacturing capabilities.
The oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market statistics, including oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market share, detailed oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification industry. This oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (step) certification market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.61 billion in 2025 to $1.78 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1%. The growth during the historic period can be attributed to increasing awareness of sustainable textile production, rising demand for environmentally responsible fashion products, growing adoption of international textile standards, increasing regulatory focus on chemical safety management, and expanding sustainability initiatives among textile manufacturers.
The oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (step) certification market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.68 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6%. The growth during the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for supply chain transparency, rising adoption of sustainable certification frameworks, growing preference for ethically produced textiles, increasing implementation of environmental compliance practices, and expanding sustainability requirements from global brands and retailers. Major trends during the forecast period include increasing adoption of sustainable textile certification programs, growing demand for transparent textile supply chains, rising focus on ethical and responsible manufacturing practices, increasing preference for certified eco-friendly textile products, and expansion of sustainability compliance requirements in the fashion industry.
The increasing demand for sustainable textiles is expected to drive the growth of the Oeko-Tex sustainable textile and leather production (STEP) certification market going forward. Sustainable textiles refer to fabrics and textile products that are produced, used, and disposed of in ways that reduce environmental impact, conserve natural resources, and promote social responsibility throughout the supply chain. Increasing demand for sustainable textiles is primarily driven by growing environmental concerns related to pollution and textile waste, along with rising consumer awareness and increasing pressure on brands to implement environmentally friendly and resource-efficient production practices. OEKO-TEX sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) Certification supports the advancement of sustainable textiles by providing a rigorous facility-level framework that encourages environmentally responsible practices, social compliance, and resource-efficient production throughout the textile and leather value chain. For instance, in March 2025, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a Kenya-based environmental authority, approximately 8% of textile fibres were produced from recycled materials in 2023. Therefore, the increasing demand for sustainable textiles is driving the growth of the Oeko-Tex sustainable textile and leather production certification market.
Major companies operating in the OEKO-TEX sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market are focusing on developing innovative solutions, such as expanding sustainability criteria to include biodiversity protection, circular production practices, and stricter environmental and social compliance across textile and leather supply chains. Sustainability criteria expansion refers to the process of broadening environmental, social, and governance requirements within standards or certifications to address additional impacts such as biodiversity protection, carbon emissions, resource efficiency, and circular economy practices. For instance, in September 2025, OEKO-TEX, a Switzerland-based association, partnered with the Global Nature Fund (GNF), a Germany-based private nonprofit environmental foundation, and updated its STeP standard to incorporate explicit biodiversity requirements for certified production sites. The revised standard requires textile and leather manufacturers to implement structured biodiversity management systems, including measurable conservation targets and monitoring frameworks. This update is intended to reduce ecosystem degradation by integrating biodiversity protection directly into industrial sustainability certification requirements.
In May 2023, ZDHC Foundation, a Netherlands-based organization that promotes sustainable chemical management and environmental performance across the textile, apparel, and footwear industries, strengthened its partnership with OEKO-TEX to provide independent testing, certification, and sustainability solutions for the textile and leather industries. Through this partnership, ZDHC Foundation and OEKO-TEX aim to align the ZDHC Supplier to Zero programme with OEKO-TEX STeP certification, enabling manufacturers to streamline sustainability assessments, enhance chemical management practices, and minimize duplication in compliance verification activities. OEKO-TEX is a Switzerland-based international certification organization that develops standardized testing and certification systems for sustainable textile and leather production, product safety, and responsible supply chain management.
Major companies operating in the oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market are SGS SA, Bureau Veritas SA, TUV Rheinland AG, QIMA Limited, TESTEX AG, Centexbel, FITI Testing and Research Institute, Shirley Technologies Limited, Bonningheimer Textilforschung Hohenstein e.V., Centro Tessile Cotoniero e Abbigliamento S.p.A., IDFL Laboratory and Institute Inc., CITEVE - Centro Tecnologico das Industrias Textil e do Vestuario, MIRTEC S.A., OEKO-TEX Service GmbH, Pruf- und Forschungsinstitut Pirmasens e.V., INNOVATEXT Textilipari Muszaki Kutato es Vizsgalo Kft., VUTCH-CHEMITEX spol. s r.o., FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH, Intertek Group plc, Eurofins Product Testing, Cotecna Inspection SA, Kiwa NV, UL LLC
Europe was the dominant region in the oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the rapidly growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The OEKO-TEX sustainable textile and leather production (STeP) certification market includes revenues earned by entities through audit services, certification services, compliance assessment services, sustainability consulting services, environmental monitoring services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
OEKO-TEX Sustainable Textile And Leather Production (STeP) Certification Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (step) certification market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (step) certification ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The oeko-tex sustainable textile and leather production (step) certification market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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