Why Are Some States Banning PFAS in Clothes?

What do rain jackets, makeup, cookware, dental floss, and food wrappers have in common? They often contain PFAS — also known as "forever chemicals." These chemicals excel at repelling water and oil and give that wrinkle-free finish to your clothes.

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But as their name suggests, PFAS stick around for thousands of years and eventually end up polluting the planet and our health.

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Also read: What are PFAS and Why Should You Care

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What's Wrong With PFAs?

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Since PFAS linger in our environment for centuries, they end up in our soil and water bodies before entering the human body through food and water consumption. These chemicals have been linked to serious health risks including cancer, pregnancy complications, and weakened immune function. Unfortunately, PFAS contamination is now universal — the CDC reports that most Americans have these chemicals in their bloodstream.

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Children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers face higher risks from PFAS exposure. Also, certain occupations face increased exposure, including firefighters, chemical manufacturers, farmworkers, and ski wax technicians.

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Various states in the U.S. are starting to take action. New York and California are leading the charge by introducing a PFAS ban in clothing starting January 2025.

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Understanding the PFAS Ban

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New York and California are leading the charge on PFAS regulation in apparel. Since January 2025, New York has banned the sale of most new clothes with added PFAS, while California has banned both manufacturing and selling textiles with PFAS.

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These bans go beyond just clothes. They affect towels, bedding, and other textiles too. California's ban already covers these items, while New York plans to address them separately. Companies can't sell PFAS-containing clothes in these states, whether online or in stores. 

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Even though these bans only affect two states, they represent huge markets. Companies will likely develop PFAS alternatives for all their products rather than maintain separate production lines for these 2 states.

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PFAS-free clothing will reduce both skin exposure and environmental impact from landfills and incinerators.

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So, should you throw away your PFAS-containing clothes? Not yet!

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How to Avoid PFAS in Clothing

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While PFAS can enter your body through skin absorption, there’s a higher chance of them entering through food and water. If you are worried about skin absorption, you can try to wear a barrier piece of clothing between your skin and the PFA apparel.

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Also, when you dispose of PFAS-containing apparel, it ends up in a landfill or incinerator, releasing more PFAS into the environment. If you must get rid of the clothing, check if the brand offers a buyback or takeback program.

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When shopping for new items, consider brands like Patagonia, REI, and Arc'teryx that use PFAS alternatives. Look for third-party certifications like Bluesign, which evaluates textile chemicals for safety to wearers, workers, and the environment, and Oeko-Tex, which bans PFAS in certified textiles.

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