SOTEX GINETEX CZ, z. s.

SOTEX GINETEX CZ, z. s. is a Czech non-profit association based in Brno that has operated in the textile sector for more than 30 years. Its core mission is the correct and legal dissemination of textile care symbols in the Czech Republic. The name SOTEX is an acronym formed from the Czech words for association, labelling and textiles (sdružení, označování, textilu). The organisation was entered in the register on 26 August 1996 at the Brno City Hall under number Rg 1996/2, in response to a requirement from the international GINETEX association concerning the legal aspects of using care symbols for textile products. Until then, care symbols had been used in the Czech environment essentially without authorisation, because during the socialist period the Eastern bloc did not address trademark claims relating to care symbols. SOTEX GINETEX CZ is the Czech member of GINETEX, the international association originally from Paris, and also a member of CLUTEX. Through this membership, Czech labelled products become readable abroad. The association cooperates with the Textile Testing Institute (TZÚ) and the Association of the Textile, Clothing and Leather Industry. It provides manufacturers with information on the correct labelling of textile products and, through membership, grants licences for the legal use of care symbols, which are protected by an international trademark. Care symbols are the subject of the international standard ISO 3758 – Textiles – Care labelling code using symbols. SOTEX also spreads understanding of care symbols among consumers and service providers such as laundries and dry cleaners. Since 1999 the association has awarded the QZ – Zaručená kvalita quality mark (translated into English as Quality Zone). It is lent to textile products with verified quality and is registered as trademark No. 214683 at the Industrial Property Office. QZ – Zaručená kvalita was among the first marks to become part of the national Czech Quality programme, established by Czech government resolution No. 685 of 26 June 2002. Typical applicants are manufacturers of children's goods, bedding and similar products; in 2022 there were about 30 holders in the Czech Republic. On sustainability, SOTEX GINETEX CZ develops the clevercare.info initiative in the Czech Republic, teaching consumers to care for garments more gently, extend their lifespan and reduce water, energy and detergent consumption. The association sees sustainability as a natural part of textile care. Its goal is to cultivate the Czech textile market by connecting manufacturers, traders and consumers through understandable information, quality labelling and a responsible approach to textile products. In 2022 SOTEX was based in the premises of the Textile Testing Institute at Cejl 12 in Brno. The Czech Republic was included three times (2017, 2019 and 2021) in an international survey of care-symbol knowledge and consumer shopping and care habits conducted by the research agency IPSOS.

SOTEX was established on 26 August 1996 by registration at the Brno City Hall under number Rg 1996/2, as a response to a requirement from the international GINETEX association concerning the legal aspects of using care symbols for textile products. Until then, care symbols had been used in the Czech environment essentially without authorisation, because during the socialist period the Eastern bloc did not address any trademark claims relating to care symbols for any of the then socialist countries in Europe. The founding of SOTEX involved sectoral textile associations: the Association of the Textile, Clothing and Leather Industry of the Czech Republic, the Association of Laundries and Dry Cleaners of the Czech Republic, the Union of Trade of the Czech Republic, the Association for Consumer Protection, and Henkel – Ecolab s.r.o. In 2008, within closer cooperation with GINETEX, the association's name was changed to SOTEX GINETEX CZ. Since 2014 the legal form of SOTEX has been a registered association (zapsaný spolek). In 2022 SOTEX was based in the premises of the Textile Testing Institute at Cejl 12 in Brno. Since 1999 the association has awarded the QZ – Zaručená kvalita quality mark (Quality Zone in English). It is lent to textile products with verified quality and is registered as trademark No. 214683 at the Industrial Property Office. The QZ – Zaručená kvalita mark was among the first to become part of the national Czech Quality programme, established by Czech government resolution No. 685 of 26 June 2002. Typical applicants are manufacturers of children's goods, bedding and similar products; in 2022 there were about 30 holders in the Czech Republic. SOTEX GINETEX CZ is the Czech member of the international GINETEX association, originally from Paris, and also a member of CLUTEX. Through this membership, Czech labelled products become readable abroad. The association also cooperates with the Textile Testing Institute (TZÚ) and the Association of the Textile, Clothing and Leather Industry. It provides manufacturers with information on the correct labelling of textile products and, through membership, grants licences for the legal use of care symbols, which are protected by an international trademark. Care symbols are the subject of the international standard ISO 3758 – Textiles – Care labelling code using symbols. SOTEX also spreads the idea and meaning of care symbols among consumers and service providers such as laundries and dry cleaners. On sustainability, textile associations across Europe agreed on the need to supplement care symbols with a reference to the website clevercare.info. There, consumers can find information on ecological sustainability, especially simple and effective measures for ecological textile care: reduce the washing temperature, dry in the air, use ECO programmes, and so on. SOTEX develops this initiative in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic was included three times (2017, 2019 and 2021) in an international survey of care-symbol knowledge and consumer shopping and care habits conducted by the research agency IPSOS. SOTEX sees the problem of fast fashion and huge textile consumption as showing that preserving complex product information on the label enables further use of the product as a valuable raw material within a shift towards a circular economy. Through its stable activity on the Czech market, SOTEX helps sustainable consumption of textile and clothing products and is a significant source of information from international studies for the Czech environment.

• 2022

  SOTEX is based in the premises of the Textile Testing Institute at Cejl 12 in Brno; about 30 holders of the QZ mark in the Czech Republic.

• 2021

  The Czech Republic is included for the third time in the international IPSOS survey.

• 2019

  The Czech Republic is included for the second time in the international IPSOS survey.

• 2017

  The Czech Republic is included in the international IPSOS survey on care-symbol knowledge and consumer habits.

• 2014

  The legal form of SOTEX becomes a registered association (zapsaný spolek).

• 2008

  The association's name is changed to SOTEX GINETEX CZ within closer cooperation with GINETEX.

• 2002

  QZ – Zaručená kvalita becomes part of the national Czech Quality programme, established by government resolution No. 685 of 26 June 2002.

• 1999

  The QZ – Zaručená kvalita quality mark begins to be awarded within the association.

• 1996

  SOTEX founded on 26 August 1996 by registration at the Brno City Hall under number Rg 1996/2.

Czech national member of GINETEX and guardian of legal textile care labelling; promotes quality and sustainable textile care.

• Licensing of international textile care symbols

  Membership-based licences for the legal use of care symbols protected by an international trademark, in line with ISO 3758.

• QZ – Zaručená kvalita (Quality Zone)

  Quality mark awarded since 1999 to textile products with verified quality; registered trademark No. 214683; part of the Czech Quality programme.

• clevercare.info

  Consumer information initiative on ecological and sustainable textile care, developed in the Czech Republic by SOTEX.

• Advisory on textile labelling and legislation

  Advice to companies on meeting Czech and European legislation on product labelling.

1. 1SOTEX GINETEX CZ official websitesotex.cz
2. 2SOTEX GINETEX CZ, z. s. – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3SOTEX GINETEX CZ – Czech Wikipediacs.wikipedia.org