The so-called “forever chemicals” PFAS also ensure that jackets are water-repellent. They could be banned because of risks to the environment and people. How do clothing manufacturers deal with this?
Anyone who owns an outdoor jacket may have heard of PFAS: This is the abbreviation for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, a group of water, grease and dirt-repellent chemicals that, among other things, ensure that jackets are water-repellent.
But these alkyl compounds are not only convenient, they can also be extremely harmful. PFAS are extremely stable and are therefore also called “forever chemicals”. They hardly degrade or do not degrade at all and accumulate in the environment and in the bodies of humans and animals.
In addition, PFAS are suspected of causing cancer or promoting infertility. The European Union wants to decide on a ban at the end of the year, which Germany, among others, is campaigning for. Limit values or bans already exist for some of the substances in the group, which has more than 10,000 members.
Some companies have already switched
PFAS has been criticized for years. Some well-known manufacturers have already switched. At Jack Wolfskin, all clothing products, backpacks and bags have been PFAS-free since 2019, the company said on request tagesschau.de with.
Instead, they rely on membranes and coatings made of polyurethane. “This plastic is reasonably biodegradable and in any case better than PFAS,” according to the assessment of the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Center (VZNRW). Nevertheless, toxic gases would be released during production and incineration.
What alternatives to PFAS are there
The manufacturer Schöffel has also been doing without PFAS in clothing products since 2020. Alternatively, silicones and waxes are used, the company said tagesschau.de. These are actually more environmentally friendly, but not oil-repellent. “There are only exceptions for work and protective clothing, some of which still have to use PFAS in order to comply with official or legal requirements,” says a spokesman for Schöffel.
With the exception of four models, Vaude has been producing its entire clothing range PFAS-free since 2018 and, like Schöffel, relies on silicones and waxes. Houdini, a Swedish company, has also been completely PFAS-free since 2018.
Some manufacturers are sticking to PFAS for the time being
However, some manufacturers are sticking to the alkyl substances. Engelbert Strauss, for example, shares tagesschau.de announced that the company will continue to use PFAS for outdoor jackets for the time being. “At this point in time, we cannot completely do away with PFAS due to a lack of high-performance alternatives on the market,” said a company spokesman. However, they are “dedicated” to working on a changeover. “Good to very good results can already be achieved with the water and dirt-repellent properties. The oil-repellent properties continue to be a challenge.”
Gore-Tex also continues to use PFAS for apparel. The US company WL Gore also has a production site in Germany – in the Bavarian chemical park Gendorf near Burgkirchen an der Alz.
The manufacturer is critical of a far-reaching PFAS ban: “We do not think it is appropriate to regulate this large group of substances without taking into account the serious differences in chemical and physical properties,” said Gore at the request of tagesschau.de. Nevertheless, the manufacturer is registering an increasing demand for non-fluorinated materials and is actively working on the development of new fabrics.
What buyers can look out for
As a rule, it is not possible to tell directly whether a product contains PFAS, as there is no general labeling requirement. However, the VZNRW has put together some tipsto detect clothing with PFAS.
Labels and product descriptions should be read carefully. Wordings such as “free from PFAS”, “free from PFC” or “free from fluorine” give hints. According to the VZNRW, this involves the entire PFAS group with its more than 10,000 substances.
Trick with the label “PFOA/PFOS-free”
Some manufacturers advertise that their products are “PFOA/PFOS-free” or “GenX-free”. “However, this only means that two specific individual substances from more than 10,000 PFAS are not included, the use of which is now prohibited anyway,” explains the VBZNRW. Such advertising often indicates that the product contains PFAS.
Terms like “stain resistant”, “water repellent”, “oil repellent” could be indications that PFAS were used. Some PFAS are now on the list of pollutants of very high concern. If the product contains more than 0.1 percent by weight (0.1 g/100 g) of these harmful substances, the manufacturer is obliged to provide information about this. How the right to information can be used is on the website of the Federal Environment Agency.
Some PFAS are also found in pans, cosmetics, fast food packaging, carpets, heat pumps and other products. The EU has opened a public consultation on PFAS until September 2023. She then wants to decide on a possible PFAS ban.