Despite calls for bans and commitments from brands, outerwear products around the world are still laden with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), new research shows.
Jackets and other apparel purchased in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America were found to contain the “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to severe health conditions including cancers, according to a study from Arnika, the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), and 13 IPEN members including international public interest NGOs. The groups tested items from 13 countries, finding that many were marketed to children and came into direct contact with the skin.
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Typically found in outerwear products made to stand up against rain and harsh weather conditions, PFAS imbue fabrics with water- and stain-resistance. “PFAS are widely used in textiles and people can be exposed when they wear jackets and clothing,” IPEN global researcher and study author Jitka Straková said.
“It’s especially troubling to find PFAS in children’s products, since children may be more vulnerable to PFAS exposure,” she added, pointing to a 2022 review from the American Academy of Pediatrics that found a likely association between PFAS and medical concerns like “elevated blood cholesterol levels, dyslipidemias, slightly lowered birth weight, and reduced antibody response to certain vaccines/infections.”
“As long as industry continues making PFAS the health threats to our children and families will continue,” Straková said.
Apparel from Germany, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Serbia, Montenegro, Kenya, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the U.S. was tested for 58 types of PFAS and for extractable organic fluorine (EOF), a measurement that correlates with the use of any PFAS, the groups wrote. Out of 72 samples subjected to testing, 47 (65.3 percent) were found to contain PFAS or EOF levels that indicated their presence.
Fifty-six jackets were tested, and 35 (62.5 percent) tested positive for PFAS. PFOA, a specific chemical that has been banned in 180 countries, was the most common PFAS found in outdoor jackets, with a presence detected in 17 products. Sixteen jackets contained PFAS at levels that exceed proposed EU safety limits.
Other clothing items also contained the compounds, from T-shirts to swimwear, pants and other garments. Out of 16 pieces tested, 11 contained PFAS or contained the requisite EOF levels needed to indicate their presence. PFDA, another PFAS chemical that has faced restrictions in the EU and has been recommended for a global ban, was found in 17 garments, from jackets to raincoats and an apron.
Overall, 15 types of PFAS were analyzed across the test subjects, and fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) were found in the highest concentrations. The tests were unable to detect sidechain fluorotelomer-based polymers (SFPs), a type of polymeric PFAS commonly used to provide water and stain repellency. “However, we can infer that SFPs were used in certain textiles in the study because SFPs are known to degrade and form PFOA… and other toxic PFAS that were detected in several samples,” the study said.
The study author said a global ban on the chemicals is essential to halting both environmental releases and human exposure. Some PFAS chemicals have faced global or national bans, but there are thousands more that are currently in use. According to Straková, PFAS chemicals are often evaluated one by one or in small groups, and reviews can take several years. While some U.S. states like California, Maine, Washington and Colorado have banned PFAS chemicals as a class, “there are no comprehensive global regulations to protect the environment and human health from all PFAS,” she said.
The study also underscored that apparel brands can create effective outerwear without the use of PFAS. Twenty-one jackets advertised as water- and stain-proof, including options by The North Face and Black Diamond, were found to be PFAS-free, using other agents to achieve the desired protections. Both companies have committed publicly to axing PFAS from their lines, along with other apparel and outdoor brands and retailers like REI, Patagonia, Deuter, Jack Wolfskin, Mammut, Ortovox, Polartec, and Vaude.
