Green Labels: Product-Specific Labels

As well as the more general ecolabels, there are green labels which apply only to specific types of products, for example paint or textiles.

Volatile Organic Compounds Label
These labels indicate the relative content of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in paints and associated products. VOCs cause air pollution and may be harmful to human health.

The industry and retailers have agreed wording and standards for the use of this voluntary label. More information is available from the British Coatings Federation. There is no standard logo, but many retailers use the form of logo shown here, which was developed by B&Q.


Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Label
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is an international certification system for textiles and clothing, covering all stages of production. Labelled products are tested by independent institutes for an extensive range of harmful substances based on the latest scientific findings and legal regulations. All parts of labelled articles must meet the defined requirements.