An OEKO-TEX certified garment manufacturer plays an important role in building responsible apparel production systems. From chemical safety to material traceability, OEKO-TEX standards help brands reduce risks and meet growing sustainability requirements. This writing highlights the top 10 certified manufacturers leading the industry. They support brands in producing safer and more sustainable garments.
1. What is OEKO-TEX Certification?
OEKO-TEX® is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances, symbolizing both high product safety and customer confidence. By choosing OEKO-TEX® certified products, brands can ensure that their fabrics and garments meet strict chemical safety standards, providing peace of mind for consumers. There are two main types of OEKO-TEX® certifications widely used in the apparel industry:
- OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, which focuses on testing finished textile products including fabrics, trims, and accessories – for harmful substances. This certification is especially common for products that come into direct contact with the skin, such as kidswear, underwear, and loungewear, ensuring maximum safety for sensitive users.
- OEKO-TEX® STeP (Sustainable Textile Production), which evaluates the entire production process of manufacturers, including environmental performance, chemical management, energy and water use, and social responsibility. STeP helps brands ensure their suppliers operate sustainably, ethically, and transparently.
2. How OEKO-TEX Certificated Manufacturers Benefit Brands
Partnering with certified manufacturers is more than a safety measure; it is a strategic investment in brand integrity and global marketability.
- Global Consumer Trust & Credibility: OEKO-TEX is a world-recognized symbol of safety; using certified manufacturers allows brands to instantly signal to customers that their products from the softness of the fabric to the smallest thread are free from over 350 harmful substances.
- Enhanced Safety Across Product Lines (Especially Kidswear): For garments that come into direct contact with the skin, including kidswear, activewear, underwear, and loungewear, chemical safety is crucial. OEKO-TEX® certification ensures that fabrics remain non-toxic, gentle, and safe, even during sweat, friction, or extended wear. This is especially critical for children’s apparel, where sensitive skin requires the highest safety standards.
- Third-Party Sustainability Validation: It provides objective, third-party proof of your brand’s commitment to “clean” and responsible manufacturing, which is essential for marketing to the growing demographic of eco-conscious and health-oriented shoppers.
- Supply Chain Transparency: Working with certified manufacturers simplifies your supply chain audit process, as the certification confirms that every component of the garment has been rigorously tested and documented.
- Market Entry & Retail Readiness: Many premium global retailers and distributors require OEKO-TEX certification as a mandatory prerequisite, giving your brand an immediate “green light” for international expansion and high-end placement.
3. Top 10 OEKO-TEX Certified Garment Manufacturers
3.1. Thygesen Textile Vietnam
Thygesen is an ethical clothing manufacturer in Vietnam with over 90 years of experience in producing high-quality garments for global brands. We provide full-package OEM/ODM solutions, covering everything from fabric sourcing and R&D to pattern making, sampling, production, quality control, and shipping.
Our expertise spans a wide range of apparel including activewear, casualwear, underwear, kidswear, and workwear, serving international markets in the US, EU, UK, Australia, and Japan. Over the decades, we have partnered with leading brands to deliver reliable, consistent, and ethically produced garments.
At Thygesen, we are committed to quality, sustainability, and responsible manufacturing. Our facilities hold multiple international certifications, reflecting our dedication to ethical production and safe, sustainable garments. These include ISO 9001:2015, SA 8000:2014, WRAP, Better Work, as well as sustainability and textile standards such as GRS, GOTS, OCS, FSC®, OEKO‑TEX® STANDARD 100, and OEKO‑TEX® STeP. These certifications ensure our partners can trust that every garment we produce meets global quality, environmental, and social responsibility standards.
3.2. Hucai Sportswear
Founded in 1999 and based in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China, Hucai Sportswear is a seasoned sportswear manufacturer with over 25 years of industry experience. With a dedicated design team, advanced MES production systems, and a rigorous five‑step quality inspection process, Hucai produces a wide range of custom garments, including sports bras, yoga pants, T‑shirts, hoodies, joggers, gym shorts, jackets, and leggings.
Hucai places strong emphasis on quality, product safety, and responsible manufacturing, demonstrated by its suite of globally recognized certifications. The company’s fabrics are OEKO‑TEX® STANDARD 100 certified, verifying that they are rigorously tested and free from harmful chemicals, which ensures that the apparel is safe, skin‑friendly, and aligned with growing consumer demands for health‑focused and sustainable products.
In addition to OEKO‑TEX®, Hucai holds other key credentials such as Amfori BSCI (social compliance), Alibaba Verified Gold Plus Supplier, SGS fabric test reports, Disney FAMA authorization, and GRS (Global Recycled Standard), reflecting its commitment to ethical labor practices, environmental responsibility, and transparent supply chain management.
3.3. Crystal Group International
Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Hong Kong, Crystal International Group Limited (commonly known as Crystal Group) is one of the world’s leading OEM/ODM garment manufacturers, with a rich history spanning over five decades. The company operates a multi‑country manufacturing platform with more than 20 self‑operating facilities across Asia, including Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.=
Crystal Group places strong emphasis on product safety, environmental stewardship, and responsible sourcing, reflected through its participation in multiple internationally recognized standards and certifications. Many of its factories have achieved credentials such as OEKO‑TEX® STANDARD 100, which ensures textiles are tested for harmful substances and safe for direct skin contact, and broader sustainability certifications including Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Organic Content Standard (OCS) for recycled and organic materials.
3.4. Eclat Textile
Founded in 1977 and headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Eclat Textile Co., Ltd. is a globally recognized textile and garment company with over 45 years of experience in material innovation and apparel manufacturing.
The company specializes in the design, engineering, and production of functional knit fabrics and performance garments, serving major international brands across sports, activewear, fashion, and lifestyle markets.
Eclat places high priority on quality, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence across its global operations. The company holds a range of international certifications and credentials that reflect its commitment to compliance, safety, and sustainable practices. These include OEKO‑TEX®, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO 45001, GOTS, and bluesign® certifications, among others.
3.5. Alok Industries
Alok Industries Limited is a leading vertically integrated textile manufacturer founded in 1986, headquartered in Mumbai, India. Alok serves global brands and retailers across multiple markets while maintaining competitive quality, reliability, and delivery performance. Its comprehensive product portfolio includes apparel fabrics, home linen, towels, protective textiles, and fashion garments backed by both cotton and polyester value chains.
Alok Industries places strong emphasis on quality management, environmental performance, and responsible production practices, as evidenced by its suite of international certifications and standards. The company holds credentials such as OEKO‑TEX® STANDARD 100, Made in Green STeP, GOTS, OCS, Global Recycled Standard (GRS), and environmental and management system certifications like ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018.
3.6. Biloomi Fashion
Billoomi Fashion is a full‑service private label apparel manufacturer founded in 2005 and headquartered in the Delhi NCR (National Capital Region) of India. The company produces a wide range of clothing for men, women, and kids, including woven and knitted garments, dresses, tops, denim, embellished pieces, and bespoke fashion styles, while also accommodating small batch and low MOQ orders that are ideal for startups and emerging labels.
Billoomi Fashion places strong emphasis on quality management, sustainable practices, and ethical production throughout its operations. The company holds key credentials such as ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management and is SEDEX audited for responsible and transparent business practices. It is also a Government of India registered export company, fully compliant with international export regulations. Billoomi works with fabric mills that carry GOTS and OEKO‑TEX certifications, ensuring the materials used in its garments meet recognized safety and sustainability standards.
3.7. TAL Apparel
TAL Apparel, founded in 1947 and headquartered in Kowloon, Hong Kong, is a globally respected garment manufacturer with over 75 years of industry experience. With multiple production facilities across Asia, the company partners with leading international brands to produce a wide range of high‑quality ready‑to‑wear apparel, including men’s and women’s shirts, knitwear, trousers, jackets, and casual garments, along with tailored and specialty pieces
TAL Apparel places strong emphasis on quality, compliance, environmental performance, and responsible operations across its global supply chain. The company holds a variety of international certifications, standards, and recognitions related to product safety, sustainable materials, and facility performance. These include industry‑recognized credentials such as OEKO‑TEX® for textile safety; certifications and content claim standards such as GOTS, OCS, GRS, and RCS for sustainable fibres; partnerships and alignment with bluesign® for chemical management; and LEED Gold and Platinum certified buildings for environmental performance.
3.8. MAS Holdings
MAS Holdings is a global apparel and textile manufacturing leader founded in 1987 with headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The company serves major international brands by producing a wide range of apparel categories such as intimate wear, sportswear, athleisure, performance wear, swimwear, and adaptive apparel, as well as advanced wearable technology and lifestyle products.
MAS Holdings places strong emphasis on quality, sustainability, transparency, and compliance across its operations and supply chain. The company works with a broad set of international certifications and standards relevant to product safety, environmental management, traceability, and responsible sourcing. These include OEKO‑TEX® as well as additional credentials such as GRS, GOTS, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and SBTi‑validated science‑based climate targets, among others.
3.9. Esquel Group
Esquel Group is a globally recognized textile and apparel manufacturer founded in 1978, with its headquarters in Hong Kong and a vertically integrated supply chain that spans from raw materials to finished garments.
Esquel is particularly renowned for its expertise in premium cotton shirts, woven and knit apparel, producing over 100 million garments annually and integrating design, R&D, sustainable material sourcing, and full‑package manufacturing under one operational platform.
The company’s facilities hold certifications such as OEKO‑TEX® Standard 100, OEKO‑TEX® Sustainable Textile Production, GOTS, GRS, Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody, Organic Content Standard, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001, reflecting adherence to product safety, environmental management, and traceability standards.
3.10. Gildan Corp
Gildan is a leading vertically integrated apparel manufacturer founded in 1984 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with production facilities across Central America, the Caribbean Basin, North America, and Bangladesh.
The company employs tens of thousands of people and produces a wide range of high‑quality basic apparel and textile products for global markets, including activewear, T‑shirts, sport shirts, fleece, underwear, socks, and hosiery..
Gildan holds several internationally recognized certifications and standards that reflect its commitment to responsible production and compliance. These include OEKO‑TEX® Standard 100 certification for products free from harmful substances; OEKO‑TEX® STeP certifications for facility‑level sustainable textile production; ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety (with additional facilities certified in 2024); and WRAP certification for ethical manufacturing.
4. Other Certifications & Standards That Complement OEKO-TEX
While OEKO-TEX® certification is a widely recognized benchmark for chemical safety in textiles, it is often most effective when considered alongside other relevant certifications and management systems. Depending on your product type, target market, and compliance requirements, these standards can offer additional assurance and coverage.
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): This is the world’s leading standard for organic fibers. While OEKO-TEX focuses on chemical safety, GOTS ensures the entire supply chain from harvesting to labeling meets strict organic and social criteria.
- GRS (Global Recycled Standard): Ideal for activewear made from recycled polyester or nylon. It tracks and verifies the content of recycled materials in the final product and ensures responsible social and environmental practices during processing.
- bluesign®: This standard focuses on “input stream management.” Instead of just testing the finished fabric, it audits the entire manufacturing process to eliminate harmful substances from the very beginning, ensuring the highest level of environmental safety.
- RCS (Recycled Claim Standard): Similar to GRS but focused specifically on verifying the presence and amount of recycled material in a final product through chain of custody documentation.
- Fair Trade Certified: This certification focuses on the people behind the product. It ensures that the garment workers were paid fair wages, worked in safe conditions, and that additional funds were sent back to their communities for social projects.
- ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): A program specifically aimed at the footwear and textile industry to help brands and manufacturers eliminate hazardous chemicals from their production processes and wastewater.
5. FAQ
How can I verify if a factory’s OEKO-TEX certificate is authentic?
You can easily verify a certificate by using the OEKO-TEX Label Check on their official website. Simply enter the certificate number provided by the manufacturer; the system will confirm if the certificate is valid, its current status, and which product class it covers.
Does working with an OEKO-TEX clothing manufacturer cost more?
While the initial cost per unit might be slightly higher due to the use of high-quality, tested raw materials and rigorous production audits, it often results in lower long-term costs. You save money by avoiding product recalls, reducing fabric waste from poor quality, and gaining a premium market position that justifies a higher retail price for your customers.
Why is OEKO-TEX certification essential for brands looking to expand into the European market?
In the EU, consumer safety and chemical regulations like REACH are extremely strict. An OEKO-TEX certification acts as a “passport” for your products, as it proves that your garments meet these high European safety standards. Moreover, most European retailers and eco-conscious consumers prioritize the OEKO-TEX label, making it much easier for your brand to gain trust and secure shelf space in premium stores.
In conclusion, partnering with an OEKO-TEX certified garment manufacturer supports responsible apparel production by ensuring safe materials, transparent processes, and compliance with international standards. If you are looking for an OEKO‑TEX certified garment manufacturer in Vietnam for sustainable apparel production, Thygesen is ready to be your trusted partner. Visit us at thygesenapparel.com or contact us at sale@thygesen.com.vn to get started.
