Testex, an independent Swiss textile testing Institute based in Zurich, is expanding its range of services. The company has been accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS) as the only Swiss certification body for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to date. The accreditation as a product certification body is also valid in the EU.

Following two years of preparation, Testex is now able to verify professionally, reliably and efficiently whether PPE – in particular high-visibility and weatherproof clothing – fulfils legal requirements and can be brought on to the market by manufacturers.

The accreditation comes in the same year that Testex will celebrate its 160th anniversary.

Testex tests the physical and chemical properties - as required - of all customary textile raw materials, intermediates and end products throughout the world. The company has also been a member of the Öko-Tex community for more than 10 years and performs human ecology tests, i.e. residue and contaminant analyses, on textiles. It is one of the few institutions in the world which is still able to verify the quality of raw silk.