Chemical testing is used to clarify what a material or product is made of, what residues are left on the product and in what concentrations. The different test methods check products for compliance with quality, regulatory, sustainability and safety requirements. Independent chemical testing laboratories help companies protect their customers, the environment and their reputations by ensuring relevant standards, requirements or regulations are met.
There is no testing approach that fits all products. Different product types require different test methods, standards and intensity. Hohenstein helps protect your brand with testing strategies and consultancy tailored to your end users, supply chain and risk tolerance.
We offer a range of chemical testing and analyses to benchmark against industry standard RSL’s like AAFA, industry initiatives such as ZDHC and AFIRM and/or customer's own RSL.
Hohenstein is a well-respected partner with over 80 years of experience in testing. Our global chemical testing laboratories uphold the highest standards for quality and integrity. If you want to protect people and planet, experts are here to help.
A Restricted Substance List (RSL) is designed to help protect people and the environment from harmful substances. It bans or limits certain chemical residues on products or from intentional use during production. The restrictions can be based on health data, industry initiatives and laws. Our experts create efficient testing plans to ensure regulatory, industry and customer compliance. Our strategically located laboratories guarantee Hohenstein's high quality standards.
Compared to a product-related RSL (Restricted Substance List), a Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL) limits or bans chemicals that are used during production of textiles and leather. The aim of MRSL is to protect the environment and the workers.
SVHCs are substances defined by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that have serious effects on human health and the environment. The list is not a general ban, but places restrictions and requirements over a certain concentration. Hohenstein has the expertise for testing all kinds of products to meet the EU regulations.
With no standardized set of analytics, PFAS testing depends on the market and regulations (e.g. target analysis vs. extractable organic fluorine vs. total organic fluorine). Choosing the right testing approach and performance analysis must always be in line with the latest scientific knowledge. Hohenstein tracks the legal and technical landscape to efficiently and effectively screen products for PFAS.
Complying with all the international standards and legal regulations is not easy. Our chemical testing labs and experts can help. We test products in all different stages and processes. Our chemical tests serve chemical companies, brands, retailers, producers, importers and converters.
Most chemical management still runs on scattered emails, missing safety data sheets and one-off supplier agreements. The Playbook replaces that with one repeatable system.
The Playbook:
Paired with a factory pilot, the Playbook shows where your supply chain has gaps and how to close them.
Factory Pilot:
Audit fatigue and repeat testing come from the same root: chemical data scattered across separate lists, labs, certifications and tools, often owned by different departments.
An end-to-end approach cuts the cost two ways:
Where appropriate, we accept other recognized certifications to avoid duplication, with control testing to keep the data reliable. The more OEKO-TEX® pre-certified inputs you integrate, the more you can reduce testing costs.
In most cases, yes. Every OEKO-TEX® certificate is backed by a test report that records the result for each tested substance, which is the kind of data the Digital Product Passport is expected to require. Most substances in the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) preparatory study for textiles already fall within the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 testing scope. If a new substance or threshold is confirmed, we can add it to the existing test scheme and report on it.
Hohenstein's regulatory experts help brands and suppliers understand global obligations, generate the primary data these rules call for and prepare for the Digital Product Passport.
Yes. The dashboard draws only on verified data, either chemical test reports or OEKO-TEX® certifications issued by Hohenstein.
You configure your dashboard to match your company's reporting needs. A brand tracking REACH might monitor restricted substances across its supply chain, while another might show the share of uncertified versus certified chemicals for a sustainability or ESG summary.
