AFTER years of struggling to survive and regain its footing in the international market, the Philippine garment industry may now be able to penetrate hard-to-reach markets and increase its competitive advantage.
Through its local arm in the Philippines, Oti-Institute for Ecology Technology and Innovation Ltd. is offering garment companies and manufacturers the Oeko-Tex certification that will allow these companies to penetrate markets in Europe and, soon, make it easier for their products to enter the United States.
OTI Philippines general manager Albert Hidalgo said products that pass through the Oeko-Tex testing and are later certified have a unique advantage in international markets. He said that in Europe, an Oeko-Tex certification is required to be able to sell goods in that part of the world.
“It’s never too late to still improve our products coming out of the Philippines. We can still make it eco-friendly [and] healthier for the end-users. We may be able to, later on, make this an edge. If we don’t do this, a lot of other countries are doing this already, so when do we start doing this? Don’t we have to improve whatever we have?” Hidalgo said.
“If you notice a lot of the products sold in the market, if you go to Speedo, for example, you already see this label, confidence in textiles. It has to have a registered number to make it valid,” he added.
To obtain Oeko-Tex certification, a company needs to apply and send samples of its products to OTI. The articles will then be sent to the nearest testing institute. Currently, there is no testing institute in the Philippines but there are 43 accredited Oeko-Tex testing institutes in the world.
The samples will be tested for odor, pH value, formaldehyde, presence of heavy metals, lead and cadmium content, pesticides, chlorinated phenols and color fastness.
Hidalgo said each certification application costs a minimum of €1,000, or around P65,000, for a single year of certification. This does not yet cover the testing to be made and that can range from €10 to €150, depending on the quality and make of the product. –Cai Ordinario / Reporter, Businessmirror
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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