product
chemicals management
At Carter’s, prioritizing product safety through effective chemicals management is essential for customer trust and protecting the children who wear our clothes. Our comprehensive approach combines rigorous standards, third-party certifications, and proactive testing protocols to uphold our commitment to safe, quality products.
Product Safety
Our commitment to third-party certification through the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (OEKO-TEX) demonstrates our leadership in product safety. As one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for over 1,000 harmful substances, this certification assures consumers that our products meet strict safety standards. Most apparel products from Carter’s and OshKosh are considered in scope for OEKO-TEX certification.
Looking ahead, we expect to maintain certification for approximately 99% of eligible products and recognize that certain product categories and low-volume specialty items may remain outside certification scope. Starting in Fall 2025, we will expand our certification program to include Little Planet products, building on their existing use of GOTS-certified organic cotton and further strengthening our chemical safety commitment across our brand portfolio.
Restricted Substances List (RSL)
In 2024, we enhanced our RSL testing approach in response to our high OEKO-TEX® certification rates. With over 99% of in-scope vendor styles now certified, we have transitioned away from standalone RSL testing, demonstrating the effectiveness of our chemicals management program.
99%
99% of our product within scope13 is OEKO-TEX® Certified and at the end of 2024, 100% of the manufacturing facilities are OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 Certified.
13
Carter’s defines in scope items as those that include apparel and exclude outside vendors and GOTS-certified products.
Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL)
We continue progressing toward our goal of 80% adoption of the ZDHC MRSL (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Manufacturing Restricted Substances List) by the end of 2025 across our supply chain. While supplier location changes have caused minor fluctuations in adoption rates, our commitment remains firm.
80%
fabric yards
produced came from Tier 2 suppliers engaged with the ZDHC MRSL
73%
wash & laundry
facilities used engaged with the ZDHC MRSL
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
We maintained our proactive stance on PFAS management in 2024, implementing stricter standards ahead of regulatory requirements. Per our RSL, we do not intentionally add PFAS to our apparel or accessory products, and we expanded the scope of product categories we test, outside of products we claim to be water or stain resistant.
Our risk-based testing strategy encompasses products that are subject to heightened scrutiny, including outerwear and bath-related items. This comprehensive approach, combined with our zero intentional PFAS addition standards, provides multiple layers of protection against PFAS presence in our products. We have also enhanced our testing protocols by:
- Conducting total fluorine testing for Carter’s in-scope sourced apparel and Skip Hop products
- Expanding the scope of testing beyond water- or stain-resistant claims
- Enhancing documentation requirements for E.U. market compliance
- Strengthening supplier engagement to increase PFAS awareness
Digital Product Passport
As we advance our chemicals management program, we are taking a holistic approach to future challenges and opportunities. The E.U.’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) includes a key requirement for Digital Product Passports (DPP) which store relevant product sustainability information. The upcoming implementation of the DPP presents an opportunity to streamline our documentation process and enhance transparency.
In the near term, we are focused on several key initiatives:
- Providing suppliers with technical guidance and clear communication during manufacturing transitions
- Strengthening our documentation systems, including improved access to test reports and chemical management verification, to meet evolving European market requirements
- Maintaining our leadership position in third-party safety certifications while optimizing program efficiency
