Choosing the right material to create new items is important. It’s not only about choosing the right fabric for specific project, but also how fabric was made in the first place. Usually we don’t pay too much attention to this aspect and we might be shocked that some of our everyday items contain harmful chemicals, such as pesticide residues or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), both associated with cancer.

Personally I think that this problem will only grow with fast fashion boom, as fast fashion manufacturers have to keep turnaround time and cost per item low.

Short ansanswer is: I read my labels. Fabrics and yarn I use to create items for my Etsy shop are tested for harmful substances. I mostly use materials oeko-tex® label. But what is it actually?

So how do I choose materials for my handmade products to ensure that they are safe?

In summary, Standard 100 from oeko-tex® is a worldwide certification system for textile products, especially when it comes into contact with the skin, taking into account the main regulations for harmful substances.

As you can see on labels above, the oeko-tex® orange label is pretty easy to spot, even if it is teeny tiny. This helps me make sure that items handmade by me are safe for end user. I not only create accessories that might have contact with your skin but also dog toys. Choosing the right material is especially tricky if the item will be chewed on. But simply reading the label can help me to ensure safe playtime 😉


I know that there are other certification systems, depending on your location, but today I focused on the most common in my country. I hope that you find this post helpful. Let me know if you ever even considered this to be a problem that can impact your everyday life.