The Oeko-Tex Class 1 certification, which has been awarded to the DuPont Sorona biopolymer, is the most stringent fabric test from Oeko-Tex and is intended for fabrics and/or carpets that come into prolonged contact with infants and toddlers. It is a first for Sorona which is the first bio-based, renewably sourced polymer and contains 40% renewably sourced materials derived from corn.

It is and is made from Dupont’s Bio-PDO feedstock which is a replacement for the traditional petroleum-based feedstocks found in textile fibres such as polyester.

"Receiving Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Class 1 certification for Sorona now provides third party validation of the safety of Sorona for use in all fibre applications," said Walter L. Fields, III, global business director. "This will benefit our downstream customers, and we will work with them to get further Oeko-Tex certification throughout the supply chain. For carpet mills, apparel brands, and consumers, this certification provides the confidence they need to select high quality textiles and carpets."

Dupont says Sorona reduces the textile sectors dependency on oils and petrochemicals and claims reduced CO₂ emissions when compared to the production of an equal amount of nylon. It is also free of heavy metals.

“We are very pleased that DuPont chose Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification for Sorona,” stated Sam Moore PhD, representative for Oeko-Tex in North America. “Oeko-Tex certification verifies Sorona is free from dangerous levels of harmful substances and meets REACH and CPSIA requirements in the EU and USA.”

Sorona is currently being used for a range of textiles, but more specifically apparel and homeware, as well as for carpet. In addition, DuPont is engaged globally in several partnerships, in which Sorona is blended with both natural and synthetic fibres to create a wide array of textile products.

In addition to the Oeko-Tex Certification, DuPont Sorona has been certified by the USDA Biopreferred labelling programme and it was assigned a new sub-generic fibre classification from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in 2009.