The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) released the thirteenth edition of its restricted substances list (RSL) covering apparel, footwear and home textiles, at the end of September. AAFA published the updated list in concurrence with the International Product Safety & Restricted Substances Conference in Jakarta.
The new edition reflects changes brought about by Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) plus new state and international regulations.
“Sourcing decisions are some of the most difficult to make, and AAFA remains committed to providing the U.S. apparel and footwear industry with a variety of tools to help make these decisions easier,” AAFA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke said in a statement.
The RSL has been widely used as an industry resource for “clear and concise information on the newest developments in global product safety and chemical management standards,” John Eapen, AAFA Environmental Committee chairman, and vice president of Environmental, Health & Safety/Sustainability at America & Efird, Inc said.
To keep garment industry professionals well informed and up to date, the newest RSL is available for download on AAFA’s website in four languages: English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish. Chemical management tools and other state-specific resources are also available.