Product Safety Guidance: Restricted Substances List (RSL)

This Restricted Substance List (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.

The RSL was developed by a special working group of the American Apparel & Footwear Association’s (AAFA’s) Environmental Task Force. It serves as a practical tool to help individuals in textile, apparel and footwear companies, and their suppliers - responsible for environmental compliance throughout the supply chain - to become more aware of various national and international regulations governing the amount of substances that are permitted in finished home textile, apparel, and footwear products.

The RSL will be updated on a regular basis and will be supplemented with additional resources to help officials in these companies undertake responsible chemical management practices in the aforementioned finished products.

English version:

Download RSL 23 [pdf]

Download RSL 23 [excel]

Spanish version:

Download RSL 23 [pdf]

AAFA also offers translated versions (of previous versions) in Vietnamese/Tieng Viet, and Mandarin. These will be updated to Version 23 later this year.

Acknowledgements

AAFA gratefully acknowledges the support and contribution of the past and present members of the RSL Task Force in developing this resource. The current members of the RSL Task Force are listed below.

RSL Task Force:

Jennifer Barbarisi, North America Regulatory and Compliance Manager, TÜV Rheinland
Antonio Barberi Ettaro, Senior Advisor International Trade, MODINT
Lori Bestervelt, Global Operational Lead, Scivera - An Enhesa Company
Anne Bonhoff, Principal Chemist, UL Solutions
Henry Boyter, Director of CESTAB, Center for Environmentally Sustainable Textile and Apparel Businesses
Sean Cady, Vice President, Global Sustainability, Responsibility and Trade, VF Corporation
Harsha Chenna, Senior Director, Global Product Stewardship, VF Corporation
Gamma Cheung, Ph.D, Manager, Product Stewardship Asia, Kontoor Brands
Lisa Clerici, Senior Manager Global Restricted Substances Compliance, Under Armour, Inc.
Warren Gerhardt, Senior Research Scientist, Standard Textile Co., Inc.
John Gerringer, Analytical Director, Eurofins MTS
Meg Hughes, Senior Global Consulting Specialist, Analytical Services, Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services
Pratik Ichhaporia, Ph. D., Technical Services Vice President North America, Eurofins Consumer Product Testing
Sandeep Khatua, Ph. D, Global Technical Director, TÜV SÜD America Inc.
Kathy Leung, Ph.D, Senior Technical Director, Global Softlines Technical Services, Intertek
Seemanta Mitra, Vice President - Business Development and Sales (North America), Geo Chem CPS
Jongsei Park, CEO, Eurofins MTS
Lillian Peregrina, Director of Softlines, TÜV Rheinland
Regina Quimby, Director of Global Product Integrity and Quality Compliance, Fanatics Inc.
Pankajkumar Sarda, Director, Global Softlines Technical Services, Intertek
Nathaniel Sponsler, Director, AFIRM
Steffen Tuemptner, Chemical Expert, TÜV Rheinland LGA Products
Min Zhu, Ph. D, US and Canada Softlines Technical Director, SGS Connectivity and Products

Learn more about the RSL methodology.

DISCLAIMER

NOTE: This Restricted Substance List (“RSL”) is provided by the American Apparel & Footwear Association (“AAFA”) for informational purposes only. This list represents the known and applicable standards at the time of publication; any inaccuracy or omission is not the responsibility of AAFA. Determination of whether and/or how to use all or any portion of this RSL is to be made in your sole and absolute discretion. Prior to using this RSL, you should review it with your own legal counsel. No part of this document constitutes legal advice. Use of this RSL is voluntary.

AAFA does not make any representations or warranties with respect to this RSL or its contents. The RSL is provided on an “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis. AAFA HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY NATURE, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, OR ARISING FROM TRADE OR CUSTOM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NONINFRINGEMENT, QUALITY, TITLE, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, COMPLETENESS OR ACCURACY.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAWS, AAFA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSSES, EXPENSES OR DAMAGES OF ANY NATURE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, DIRECT, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOST INCOME OR PROFITS, RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF A COMPANY’S OR INDIVIDUAL’S USE OF THE RSL, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT, STATUTE, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.