Overview
ZDHC stands for Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals, a programme for the textile and footwear industry. It publishes two substance lists that work at different points in the supply chain. One governs what goes into the factory, the other what ends up in the product.
The two lists
The difference between them is where they apply. The MRSL controls the inputs used during manufacturing, while the RSL controls what remains in the article a customer buys.
Bans listed chemicals from the production process itself, so they never enter the factory in the first place.
Sets limits for substances in the finished article, checking what remains in the product after manufacturing.
How it relates
The MRSL and RSL are the textile and footwear members of the wider family of substance lists. They serve the role that GADSL serves in automotive and that the RISL serves in its own sector, each tailored to the materials and processes that matter there.
Note: general educational information, not legal advice. Verify the current lists against the official ZDHC source before relying on them.