The first companies to receive the OEKO-TEX Made in Green label in the b2b sector are the family-run manufacturer of knitted goods Mattes & Ammann GmbH & Co. KG., which is located in the Swabian Alb region and the renowned textile importer C. Melchers GmbH & Co. KG in Bremen.

The items receiving the label are fabrics for the hygiene market, which Mattes & Ammann manufacture under sustainable conditions at their facility in Meßstetten-Tieringen, and polo shirts produced by Melchers in Bangladesh. 

With the new Made in Green label, OEKO-TEX now offers companies in the textile industry the chance to recognise supply chain services which demonstrate socially responsible working conditions and environmentally friendly production processes.

The basis of the label is certification in accordance with STeP by OEKO-TEX which, in the area of chemicals management, for example, defines specific requirements along the path to "greener chemistry" at the production facilities, combined with successful product testing for harmful substances per OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification.

High-tech knitted fabrics for all areas of life

Sustainable economic well-being combined with ecological production processes, exemplary working conditions and a family-like corporate environment are the foundation of the Mattes & Ammann philosophy. In addition to the focus on internal culture and health, which has been in practice for years, as well as third-party certifications for quality, environmental management, health and safety and socially responsible working conditions, Mattes & Ammann was the first textile company in the European Union to achieve certification in accordance with STeP by OEKO-TEX in summer 2013.

Fine knitted fabrics for well-known car manufacturers and the mattress industry are the trademarks of this traditional Swabian company. In addition, the company offers many technical applications ranging from seat covers in cars, aeroplanes, boats and German ICE trains, flags for international sporting events, lining materials for trade fair stands as well as filters and materials for protective clothing.

"Our products are used on land, on water and in the air, as well as in all areas of life," said Managing Director and owner Christoph Larsen-Mattes, highlighting the versatility of his company’s products. With 300 employees and a total production area of 36,000 m2, Mattes & Ammann manufactures more than 56 million square metres of fabrics in the circular knitting, round weaving and warp knitting plants.

”Healthy products in a healthy world. As a medium-sized company, this basic principle of sustainable trade has always been a matter of course. However, we welcome any opportunity to demonstrate this commitment to our customers," explains Larsen-Mattes.

"Therefore, in addition to the STeP by OEKO-TEX certificate which demonstrates to business partners the environmental and social performance that we have achieved in the form of a transparent score, we have also decided to identify our functional goods for hygiene products with the Made in Green by OEKO-TEX label. This enables us to make three statements to our customers in this sensitive area - the laboratory test for harmful substances shows that our knitted fabrics are not harmful to health; they cause as little damage to the environment as possible during production as per the current state of technology; and, the goods have been manufactured using fair working conditions," summarised Larsen-Mattes.

Trading, Innovation and Progress

As one of the world's leading textile importers, Melchers represents an important link between prominent customers in Germany and Europe and the traditional production countries of Asia. Based on customer requirements, Melchers manages and sources all necessary processes, from the selection of suitable suppliers, to manufacturing and quality assurance, to delivery and storage of the ordered products, ensuring efficiency for their customers through the optimal flow of goods.

As a global player, Melchers continually observed the tradition of the "honest merchant". This includes responsibility, openness, respect and trust but also 100% reliability and loyalty to customers around the world.

These values, which are put into practice each day by the 1,700 employees in the Melchers Group, are supplemented with 150 years of experience and participation in the Asian procurement market. The network of partner companies available to Melchers is global, competent and experienced.

In addition to the quality requirements expected from suppliers, Social Compliance within facilities and ecological considerations play an important role. This is evident, for example, by the company’s membership in the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) and confirmed through independent certifications from established institutions such as the OEKO-TEX Association.

The prerequisite for awarding the Made in Green label was certification of the two Melchers suppliers - Mondol Knit-Tex Ltd. and Danys Knitwear Ltd - in accordance with STeP by OEKO-TEX, which was completed in December 2014.

Interested companies can find more information on the Made in Green by OEKO-TEX label at www.oeko-tex.com/mig . Consumers can get information on the benefits of the label and track the production path of labelled goods on a website specifically designed for this purpose www.madeingreen.com .