Company regulations
Registration Evaluation Authorization and restriction of chemical substances (REACH)
REACH is a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. TenCate Protective Fabrics is compliant with regulation 1907/2006/EC (REACH) as well as the candidate list for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) or Annex XIV. This regulation is also covered by STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® product certifications.
Environment and Planning Act
A Dutch law to facilitate the start-up of projects by considering the environment. Specifically, it applies to TenCate Protective Fabrics’ discharge of wastewater as well as emissions. TenCate Protective Fabrics acknowledges this law and follows its requirements.
Conservation law
A Dutch law that entails rules regarding the protection of animals and plants in the Netherlands. TenCate Protective Fabrics acknowledges this law and follows its requirements.
Regulation (EU) on personal protective equipment
An European law that states the correct handling of personal protective equipment that is safe to use. All our product performance standards that are NEN/EN/ISO certified are renewed every 3 to 5 years, which is in line with the regulation.
Company certifications
STeP by OEKO-TEX® - level 3
A certification scheme that aims at transparent, credible, and clear communication of sustainable production achievements. STeP covers six modules: chemical management, environmental performance, environmental management, social responsibility, quality management and health protection and safety at work. Level 3 represents an ideal implementation in the sense of Best Practice examples.
DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX®
A verification system that aims to implement the criteria of the Greenpeace DETOX Campaign within production facilities, whereby the goal of the campaign is to exclude hazardous chemicals from textile production. Instead of certification, there is an analysis tool for the optimisation and monitoring of chemical management and wastewater quality. We have committed to the Detox to Zero program as part of the STeP by OEKO-TEX® program.
ISO 9001
International standard which allows an organisation to demonstrate its ability to consistently deliver products and services that meet customer requirements and relevant laws and regulations. We fully comply with ISO 9001.
ISO 14001
International standard with requirements for an environmental management system, which is used by an organisation to develop an environmental policy and ensure its implementation. The basis for the environmental management system is the ‘plan-do-check-act’ cycle (PDCA). We fully comply with ISO 14001.
CSR performance ladder - level 3
A certification standard for CSR. It provides guidance on how to implement and apply a CSR management system, which consists of five levels through which your company can continually improve itself. 31 CSR related themes have been formulated that are linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As of 2021 we have replaced the CSR performance ladder with STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification.
Product certifications
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is one of the world's best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. It stands for customer confidence and high product safety. All our fabrics carry the STANDARD 100 label. With this certification, you can be certain that every component of this article, i.e. every thread, button and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless for human health.
MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX®
One prerequisite for MADE IN GREEN is that the product is tested for harmful substances and certified in accordance with the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®. To ensure that the textile product has been manufactured using environmentally friendly processes and under socially responsible working conditions, the production facilities must be certified in accordance with STeP by OEKO-TEX®.
EPD® - Environmental Product Declaration
An EPD® provides transparent and comparable LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) based information about the environmental impact of a product throughout its manufacturing chain, including: water, energy, chemical substances, emissions & waste. All fabrics within our Ecogreen portfolio are EPD® registered. With this, the environmental footprint is independently verified by official third parties.
ETSA Requirements
Professional laundries require quality fabrics to last the full contractual lifetime of the garments. Together, they have agreed upon a non-binding list of workwear product requirements, that when fulfilled offer a guarantee of reliability. We comply with the ETSA requirements when designing workwear fabrics suitable for industrial laundering processes.
