Restricted Substances List (RSL) Explained: How It Works in Performance Sportswear
Restricted Substances List (RSL) is best understood as list of banned or limited chemicals. This entry explains how it behaves inside a finished garment rather than only in the laboratory.
What the term means
list of banned or limited chemicals, which is why the value appears on almost every technical data sheet. Working figures for Restricted Substances List (RSL) normally sit around reviewed each season in mainstream production. Note brand-specific published list on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
Why it matters in practice
suppliers must test against the current version, so it influences buying decisions more than most buyers expect. Record elastane content alongside Restricted Substances List (RSL), because blends shift the measured value. A result outside reviewed each season usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
Typical values seen in activewear
reviewed each season. Ranges vary by construction, so compare like with like. Keeping reference values for Restricted Substances List (RSL) lets suppliers quote without extra sampling rounds. Ask for conditioning details together with brand-specific published list, since both affect the reading.
How it is measured
brand-specific published list is the reference normally quoted on a test report. Working figures for Restricted Substances List (RSL) normally sit around reviewed each season in mainstream production. Note brand-specific published list on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
Frequent mistakes
Comparing results from different standards, testing unwashed fabric, and writing the target without tolerance are the common errors. Record elastane content alongside Restricted Substances List (RSL), because blends shift the measured value. A result outside reviewed each season usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
