AAFA Publishes 20th Edition of the Industry’s Restricted Substance List

On February 26, 2019, the American Apparel & Footwear Association published the 20th edition of the Restricted Substance List (RSL). As the “go-to” resource for industry professionals tasked with chemical management, the RSL lists banned and restricted chemicals and substances for finished apparel, footwear, and home textile products, identifying the most restrictive regulations worldwide. The RSL is an open-industry resource available to both AAFA members and the broader community.

"Keeping up with continuously evolving regulations at the global, national, and state level results in major complexities for our members," said Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. "For more than a decade, AAFA has provided the Restricted Substance List as a solution to the complex dilemma of evolving global regulations. It is with great pride that we release this landmark edition to the broader community, as a resource to ensure product safety around the world."

The 20th 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 finished apparel, footwear, and home textile products. The RSL is produced by AAFA’s RSL Task Force, which reviews and updates the list regularly to reflect the latest global regulatory changes.

The RSL can be accessed here.