TESTEX Opens Office in South Africa

The decision to open an office in the region reflects the growing importance of the African textile and apparel industry within global supply chains. Many international brands are increasing their sourcing from these countries, making it essential for TESTEX, as an OEKO-TEX® institute, to provide local partners with faster and more direct access to our services.

With this new presence, businesses in the region will benefit from:

• Closer cooperation – local representation for easier communication and support.
• Direct access to testing and certification – supporting compliance with OEKO-TEX® standards and sustainable supply chain requirements.
• Regional expertise with global reach – strengthening connections between African production and international brands.
• Individual support to meet EU compliance requirements and benefit from the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement, which provides duty-free access for regionally produced textiles to European markets.

By establishing this office, TESTEX reinforces its commitment to being present where our customers need us most, ensuring high-quality service, trust, and accessibility worldwide.

TESTEX’s new country manager for South Africa is Josef Wagenleitner. He has been working in the textile industry since 1990, including 13 years in South Africa, and was most recently employed by our partner institute, OETI in Vienna, which belongs to the TESTEX Group. He brings with him extensive experience in the areas of textile testing, certification and international market development. We look forward to working with him to further expand our commitment in the region and wish him every success in his new role.