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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apparel
and Footwear International RSL Management (AFIRM) Group
Releases “RSL Guidance” for Suppliers
Leading brands in the
apparel and footwear industry that participate in the Apparel & Footwear
International RSL Management Group (AFIRM) are pleased to announce the
publication of AFIRM’s RSL Guidance for suppliers. In the past,
suppliers in the apparel and footwear industry have requested that AFIRM
develop a harmonised restricted substance list (RSL) that could be
widely used within the supply chain. AFIRM’s RSL Guidance provides both
the lowest limit as internally set by any AFIRM member brand and the
corresponding test methods for commonly restricted substances in the
apparel and footwear production process. For
suppliers, some potential uses of the RSL Guidance include: providing a
tool for vendors to establish chemical management knowledge and
processes, building base compliance with AFIRM member chemical
restrictions, and providing a common base for testing products, which
may be accepted by multiple AFIRM brands. AFIRM member companies
determine and communicate to their vendors their testing requirements
and acceptance of test reports.
In 2004, a group of companies began working to
bring together several product chemistry, safety, and regulatory experts
within the apparel and footwear industry. These companies formed the
Apparel and Footwear International RSL Management (AFIRM) Working Group.
Current membership includes adidas-Group, Carhartt, Collective Brands,
Esprit, Gap Inc., Gymboree, H&M, Hugo Boss, Levi Strauss & Co., New
Balance, Nike, Pentland, PUMA, s.Oliver, VF Corporation, and Warnaco.
The mission of the AFIRM Group is to reduce the use and impact of
harmful substances in the apparel and footwear supply chain.
The RSL Guidance document is available to the
public for download at the AFIRM website:
http://www.afirm-group.com. Suppliers at all levels of the apparel
and footwear supply chain are encouraged to use the RSL Guidance as a
reference for limits and testing methods of restricted substances found
in apparel and footwear production processes. Translated versions of
the document in multiple languages will be forthcoming, and AFIRM plans
to update annually. For a list of all legislated substances, please go
to:
https://www.wewear.org/industry-resources/restricted-substances-list/.
Contact: Elizabeth Treanor, Director, AFIRM-
etreanor@phylmar.com; +1.916.486.4415
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