Nearly 15,000 substances are thought to belong to the family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have been linked to a range of environmental and health problems. However, these compounds have become a vital, but largely unsung, part of modern life and are used in a vast array of ways. Plans are afoot in many countries to phase out many of these chemicals, but while it is relatively simple to replace them in some products, it is much harder in others. Clothing
PFAS are attractive for clothing, especially raincoats, children’s apparel and athleticwear, because they confer water- and stain- resistance and make garments more breathable. Recognition of the harmful effects of PFAS has meant that some manufacturers are already moving away from them.
Several big-name outdoor clothing manufacturers are pledging to go totally PFAS-free. For example, Patagonia – a major US retailer of outdoor recreation clothing – has promised to convert all of its durable water-repellent membranes and finishes to non-fluorinated alternatives by 2025 . In spring 2024, about 96% of its materials by weight were water-proofed without PFAS. There is no one-size-fits-all solution in clothing, however. One PFAS alternative might work on nylon but not on polyester, Patagonia explains .
A few years ago the clothing conglomerate VF, which owns various well-known American clothing brands like The North Face and Timberland, announced plans to phase out PFAS by 2025. The company says its chemical management system screens suppliers to ensure that substances of concern don’t enter VF’s supply chains. Some experts are concerned that there’s little transparency about what these alternatives are However, some manufacturers such as WL Gore & Associates – the US multinational that developed the waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex material containing PTFE – have found eliminating PFAS tricky. Gore & Associates’ original target for completely removing such compounds from its waterproof clothing was the end of 2023, but the company says it proved impossible to meet that. It now claims to be on track to transition the vast majority of its consumer portfolio by end of 2025.
While Gore & Associates states that PTFE is not a perfluorochemical […]
The scale of the problem of replacing ‘forever chemicals’ PFAS
