OETI has introduced new certification for eco-friendly and regionally produced natural fibre products – Inspected Quality – a label OETI has developed for products which are composed of 100 per cent natural fibres, produced regionally and produced in an environmentally friendly way. Products are certified as per clear quality and environmental criteria.
The Inspected Quality label products are certified against the clearly defined quality and environmental criteria of the Inspected Quality guidelines.
“If a product carries the Inspected Quality label, consumers know that this product meets the requirements of a uniform guideline. At the same time the certification is flexible enough to be used to certify any type of 100 per cent natural fibre product,” explains Helene Melnitzky, OETI‘s head of ecology department. “And this is the big advantage of this certification.”
Inspected Quality is targeted at small- and medium-sized enterprises who want to illustrate the regional, eco-friendly and high quality character of their products. Natural fibres include plant, animal and mineral fibres like cotton, flax, hemp, animal wool and hair and silk.
Enterprises must meet the clearly defined criteria set out in the Inspected Quality standard to be recognised as an environmentally friendly production site. The key to meeting the certification’s requirements is the implementation of an environmental and quality management system.
The requirements for certification include commitment to improving environmental performance and commitment to pollution prevention, investigation of the environmental aspects – both direct (that is waste water, emissions) and indirect (that is environmental performance of contractors and suppliers), definition of quality and environmental goals, risk management and quality control, and transparent supply-chain.
OETI relies on a dual-system to check compliance with the relevant criteria consisting of the submission of test reports and/or documents, plus an audit once every three years.
Moosburger KG has become the first customer to be awarded the Inspected Quality label. The company is now entitled to label its horse hair mattresses, mattress pads, and pillows.
Company owner Christian Moosburger explains the certification’s key advantage: “With this certificate from an independent, third party supplier, our customers can be assured that our products are 100 per cent eco-friendly starting with the washing process to the finished article. Inspected Quality only confirms to the public what our family has been living and breathing for decades anyway.”
