PFAS (Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) are a large group (more than 12,000 in number) of man-made chemicals characterised by their strong bonds.
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These chemicals are exceptionally stable, which means they don't break down easily, even when exposed to high temperatures, and they persist in the environment - hence the name ‘forever chemicals.’
They also have the unique ability to repel both grease and water. To be destroyed, they have to be incinerated at temperatures above 1,100°C which requires specialised processing facilities.
The first PFAS were developed in the 1930s – PTFE, trademarked as Teflon, was discovered in 1938 – and have since been used in countless consumer goods, from non-stick pans to lipstick, upholstered furniture, food packaging, clothing and cleaning products.
What outdoor brands are PFAS-free?
British outdoor clothing company Páramo have always used PFAS-free fabrics and some of the other companies that have transitioned fully to PFAS-free products are Finisterre in the UK, Fjällräven from Switzerland, Vaude from Germany, and US-based brands Patagonia and Keen.
Being relatively small meant Alpkit could react quickly. “As soon as the fabric technologies were available, we could get them into our products,” explains Smith. “It’s more challenging for a company working with agents, distributors and retailers, dealing with very long lead times. Having a direct relationship with our customers has also been really important. We can explain to them why we’ve done what we’ve done, and educate them on how to get the best performance from their PFAS-free gear.
Páramo is in the enviable position of having always used PFAS-free fabrics. “Our waterproofs have never added any type of PFAS to provide or improve water repellency,” says Richard Pyne, the company’s CEO. “Páramo’s sister company, Nikwax, provides the chemistry that gives our technical fabrics their performance.”
Páramo’s technology relies on a concept called ‘directionality’ to move sweat, condensation and rain away from the body. “I always describe it like a funnel,” says Ross. “Wide open at one end, narrow at the other, taking in sweat vapour and pushing it through the fabric to the outside where it dissipates, with the outer being so tightly woven that rain cannot force its way in.”
How many brands are still using PFAS?
Despite this long-standing advantage, realising that PFAS are omnipresent in the textile industry, Páramo made the decision in 2012 to ensure that its entire supply chain – not just fabrics and components, but also the factories and production processes they used – was uncontaminated by such chemicals.
“By 2014, we were in a position to guarantee that anything new produced by Páramo was PFAS-free,” says Pyne.
These success stories are heartening, but unfortunately not all brands have been as proactive. An Ethical Consumer report published in April 2024 found that 82% of the outdoor brands they assessed were still using PFAS, and nearly half had not specified a date by which they planned to phase out use of these chemicals.
“There was also a lack of transparency regarding some brands’ use of PFAS,” adds Jane Turner, the researcher who led on the report. “For example, companies boasted of a ‘PFAS-free DWR’ while the waterproof membrane still used PFAS, or made one specific garment or line of products PFAS-free while the rest were not.”
Pressure from scientists, environmental groups and consumers – as well as motivation within the industry itself – is undoubtedly having a positive impact. But Fidra believes that legislation is still needed.
“Voluntary action must be supported by regulation to ensure effective protection for both public health and the environment,” says Evans.
Legislation is, though, tightening in countries around the globe. In January 2025, a ban on the sale of clothing with intentionally added PFAS came into force in New York, while at the same time California banned the manufacture, distribution or sale of new textile articles containing ‘regulated PFAS’. France has passed into law a ban on all PFAS in consumer clothing, cosmetics and ski waxes from 2026, and for use in almost all textiles by 2030.
Denmark is banning the sale and import of consumer clothing, footwear and waterproofing products containing PFAS from July 2026. (Limited exemptions and derogations apply in some cases.)
The EU is progressing towards a proposed universal ban on the intentional use or manufacture of PFAS ‘not deemed essential to society’,which is regarded as a big step forward. “Traditionally, chemical regulation has taken a substance-by- substance approach,” explains Evans.
“This has often led to the substitution of one harmful chemical for another from the same group, referred to as ‘regrettable substitution’.”
Patagonia has been admirably open about its experience of this. Between 2013 and 2016, it replaced long-chain fluorocarbon-based treatments (PFAS chemicals known as C8s) in its DWR finishes with a shorter-chain fluorocarbon, C6. “After our switch, new research emerged showing that C6 is just as detrimental to us and the environment,” says Leonard Basse, sports communications lead, Europe.
“That’s when we decided to start working toward water-repellent finishes and membranes made without any intentionally added PFAS.” From spring this year, Patagonia’s entire product range is PFAS-free.
The Labour government has said that it’s currently assessing PFAS risks and is working with regulators, whileindicating a desire to align with or exceed EU standards. Yet successive UK governments have been accused of dragging their feet. A recent analysis by the UK charity CHEM Trust shows that the regulatory gap between EU and UK protections on PFAS (and other ‘chemicals of concern’) is significant and growing. “We’re calling on the UK government to align with EU chemical regulation to ensure high standards of protection for UK citizens and our environment, as well as offering clarity to UK businesses,” says Evans.
How can you find out if your brand are starting use PFAS-free products?
Regardless of when – or whether – that happens, what can you as a consumer and an outdoor lover do? It is not as easy as it should be to find out whether your favourite brands have switched to PFAS-free fabrics and processes.
“Very few companies were completely clear about their use of PFAS,” says Turner of her research for Ethical Consumer. Yorkshire brand Rab is one that bucks the trend.
Admitting on its website that it missed its autumn-2024 goal of becoming PFAS-free (though 91% of its products in the autumn/winter 2024 range made the grade), its ‘material facts’ tables identify any PFAS used in each product. The brands that have successfully transitioned to being fully PFAS-free are usually happy to shout about it.
Reward them with your business to show your appreciation and commitment to halting the flow of these toxic chemicals into our environment. Read the 2024 EthicalConsumer report to see how a range of outdoor brands rate (bearing in mind that it’s a fast-changing landscape).
3 of the best buys that don’t contain ‘forever chemicals’
Páramo Velez
£310
Lightweight waterproof jacket available in men’s and women’s fits. paramo-clothing.com
Alpkit Aeronaut 2
£199.99
Inflatable air-pole tent for two people. alpkit.com
Keen Targhee IV
£145
Hiking shoe available in men’s and women’s fits. keenfootwear.co.uk
How to look after your PFAS-free outdoor gear
You need to wash PFAS-free kit regularly to keep it in good working order, says textiles expert Charles Ross. “A running waterproof, in which there’s more sweating, needs to be washed every few wears.”
• Make sure your washing machine is clean before you start. Most machines require a cleaning cycle every 50 washes, says Ross.
• Use a soap solution, gentle laundry detergent or tech-wash product rather than a standard detergent for washing waterproof gear. Rinse twice and drip dry, then tumble dry for 5–10 minutes or iron on a low heat.
• If your kit still looks grubby, wash with a standard detergent then wash again as above to remove the detergent coating.
• Run the cleaned garment under a tap. If water does not bead off, it’s time to reproof. Always wash before reproofing with PFAS-free products