AAFA Releases 18th Edition of Restricted Substances List

March 16, 2017  |  WASHINGTON, DC

The American Apparel & Footwear Association today released the 18th edition of the Restricted Substances List (RSL), the industry's chemical management resource for banned or restricted chemicals and substances in finished home textile, apparel, and footwear products around the world. The list is available for all industry professionals.

"Maintaining a responsible and compliant supply chain is both essential to running a good business and to being a good world citizen," said Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. "The RSL is the go-to resource for apparel and footwear professionals tasked with tracking restricted and banned substances. As national and international regulations are continuously evolving, it can be difficult to keep track of the latest regulations. That is why AAFA does the heavy lifting for the entire industry with this report, to ensure that the products being sold in stores are safe for consumers."

The 18th edition of the RSL covers 12 categories with more than 250 chemicals and is updated to reflect additions or changes to regulations and laws that restrict or ban certain chemicals in apparel, footwear, and finished home textile products. AAFA's RSL Taskforce reviews and updates the RSL every six months to reflect the latest global regulatory changes.

With its commitment to supporting responsible production throughout the supply chain, AAFA offers access to the RSL to the entire apparel and footwear industry. It can be downloaded here.

About the RSL
The Restricted Substance List (RSL) was created in 2007 by a special working group of the American Apparel & Footwear Association's (AAFA) Environmental Task Force. The RSL is intended to provide apparel and footwear companies with information related to regulations and laws that restrict or ban certain chemicals and substances in finished home textile, apparel, and footwear products around the world. RSL serves as a practical tool for the entire supply chain to become more aware of various national regulations governing the amount of substances that are permitted in finished home textile, apparel, and footwear products. The list is updated every six months.