Embracing our responsibility
Governance | Product safety
Safety
Safety is a top priority for Gap Inc. We strive to design and sell clothing
that does not pose any safety threat to our customers. Our corporate Product
Safety team and our global Product Integrity teams ensure that our branded
products are made to strict safety standards. We also test our products for a
variety of potential safety issues, including: flammability;
physical/mechanical hazards (ensuring garment construction or trims can
withstand certain levels of force and do not become hazards); durability; and
toxicity.
We take customer safety very seriously, and these testing procedures will remain a critical part of our business.
Regulatory/chemicals
From fabric dyeing to creating unique garment finishes, chemicals are used
throughout the entire production cycle of most garments. Knowing that certain
chemicals can prove harmful to consumers, we have developed a Restricted
Substance List (RSL) that dictates which chemicals must not be used when
producing our clothing. We have based this list both on existing and developing
legislation as well as toxicity risk assessments.
At the end of 2008, we initiated an RSL monitoring program that selectively samples products for chemical testing. Based on test results, products will not be offered in any market if they pose a chemical safety risk to consumers — or in markets where the chemical is legally restricted regardless of actual safety risk.