All 86 activewear products we scored fail our PFAS screen
All 86 activewear products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of October 2026.
Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.
Is activewear non-toxic?
None of the 86 activewear products we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on activewear products in this category are microplastics, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, undisclosed fragrance.
Why Cotton On All Day Crew Tee Women grades highest here, and why that is not a pass
Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 1 product it beats, so you can see exactly where the 45 points between the top and the bottom of this activewear ranking come from. Nothing in this category reaches our 70 point pass mark, so this is the shape of the field rather than a recommendation.
Top graded, and still below our pass mark
Made of cotton.
- +30Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
35risk points in total, which is a grade of 65
What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure, and our graders recorded 2 other hazards on it. See the full breakdown.
What it still grades above, and why
What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The top-graded product carries no such factor.
Made of Nylon blend with water-repellent coating water-resistant treatment.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
80risk points, a grade of 20
No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.
What to watch for in activewear
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 86 activewear products in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Found on 41 of these activewear products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 27 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Artificial dyes
Synthetic colours added to food, cosmetics and textiles, most of them petroleum derived.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 58 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
- Formaldehyde
A preservative and resin ingredient that is also released slowly by a group of chemicals used in its place.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 43 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NCI
- Heavy metals
Metals such as antimony, nickel and chromium migrating from a material into what touches it.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 20 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
- Undisclosed fragrance
A single word on a label that can stand for dozens of undeclared ingredients, protected as trade secret.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 14 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
The safest activewear we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
See PFAS-free activewear on AmazonThe activewear we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 20Bad
- 20Everlane Perform LeggingBad
Microplastics
- 20Bad
What we check on activewear
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. ATSDR
- Endocrine disruptors. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. NIEHS
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The activewear brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 15 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.
All in Motion, Alo Yoga, Athleta, Carbon38, Cotton On, Everlane, Gap Fit, Koral, Lorna Jane, Manduka, Outdoor Voices, Splits59.
The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.
Common questions about PFAS in activewear
Is activewear PFAS free?
All 86 activewear products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of October 2026. The lowest graded is Everlane Perform Flare Legging at 20 out of 100.
Is activewear non-toxic?
None of the 86 activewear products we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on activewear products in this category are microplastics, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, undisclosed fragrance.
Which activewear should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Everlane Perform Flare Legging at 20, Everlane Perform Legging at 20, Koral Drive High-Rise Energy Legging at 20. The problem with the first is that typical activewear with DWR; PFAS risk unclear without material disclosure.
How can you tell if activewear contains PFAS?
In this category we check for formaldehyde / VOCs, endocrine disruptors. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which activewear brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 15 of the brands we scored in this category, including All in Motion, Alo Yoga, Athleta, Carbon38, Cotton On, Everlane. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test activewear?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
More clothing and outdoor categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to activewear.
- Best non-toxic outdoor furniture cushion protectants357 graded
- Best non-toxic tents323 graded
- Best non-toxic ski jackets217 graded
- Best non-toxic ski wax210 graded
- Best non-toxic hiking pants15 graded
- Best non-toxic performance socks15 graded
- Best non-toxic hiking shoes15 graded
- Best non-toxic panty liners15 graded
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Does a particular brand of activewear have PFAS?
Brands we grade across the catalogue
Everything we have scored from these brands, not just activewear.
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