OEKO-TEX Sustainable Textile And Leather Production (STeP) Certification Market Global Report 2026

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, TÜV Rheinland AG, QIMA Limited, TESTEX AG, Centexbel, FITI Testing and Research Institute, Shirley Technologies Limited, Bönningheimer Textilforschung Hohenstein e.V., Centro Tessile Cotoniero e Abbigliamento S.p.A., IDFL Laboratory and Institute Inc., CITEVE - Centro Tecnológico das Indústrias Têxtil e do Vestuário, MIRTEC S.A., OEKO-TEX Service GmbH, Prüf- und Forschungsinstitut Pirmasens e.V., INNOVATEXT Textilipari Műszaki Kutató és Vizsgáló Kft., VÚTCH-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.

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