All apparel, including REI brand goods, incorporates chemicals, some of them intentional such as the fibers that make up the textile or additives for waterproofing, colors and dyes, and others inadvertent such as trace chemicals left in fabrics from the manufacturing process. Our goal is to ensure that harmful substances do not end up in our products and to protect the health and safety of workers who produce REI brand gear and apparel.

For many years we have worked in collaboration with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and other companies in the apparel and textile industry to have a consistent approach and stay abreast of current scientific findings and developments. The result was a restricted substances list (RSL) which identifies hundreds of chemicals and other substances that companies may use as a guideline. These materials include substances that are known health hazards, as well as chemicals that have been identified to be potentially harmful to humans or the environment.

We are working hard to stay current and make sure our product decisions are based on the best available scientific work. We are collaborating with a new group of companies called the Apparel and Footwear International RSL Management Working Group (AFIRM) on the implementation of a next generation restricted substances list.

The Journey Ahead

Ultimately, we believe that the best way to achieve our product goals will be to work with others at the base materials level to develop a set of materials, fabrics, dyes and chemicals—natural and synthetic—which have the qualities necessary to make great outdoor gear and apparel as well as neutral or positive environmental impacts.