All 85 sports performance undergarments we scored fail our PFAS screen
All 85 sports performance undergarments 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.
Are sports performance undergarments non-toxic?
None of the 85 sports performance undergarments 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 sports performance undergarments in this category are microplastics, VOCs and off-gassing, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals.
Why PUMA Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs) 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 2 products it beats, so you can see exactly where the 45 points between the top and the bottom of this sports performance undergarments 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/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing.
- +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 3 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 moisture-wicking treatment.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
80risk points, a grade of 20
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 Polyester/nylon blend with moisture-wicking treatment.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +30Category baseline
- +15Vague safety claims only. Uses vague language ("eco-friendly", "clean") without a specific PFAS statement.
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 sports performance undergarments
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 85 sports performance undergarments 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 29 of these sports performance undergarments. Plausible but unconfirmed on 40 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- VOCs and off-gassing
Volatile compounds that evaporate out of a material at room temperature, which is what a new product smell is.
Found on 1 of these sports performance undergarments. Plausible but unconfirmed on 1 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 55 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 36 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 27 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
The safest sports performance undergarments 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 sports performance undergarments on AmazonThe sports performance undergarments we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 20Bad
- 20Bad
- 20Bad
What we check on sports performance undergarments
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The sports performance undergarments brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 10 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.
Brooks, Champion, Feetures, Fruit of the Loom, Gap, Jockey, New Balance, Old Navy, Smartwool, Under Armour.
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 sports performance undergarments
Are sports performance undergarments PFAS free?
All 85 sports performance undergarments PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of October 2026. The lowest graded is Feetures High Performance Ultra Light No-Show Tab at 20 out of 100.
Are sports performance undergarments non-toxic?
None of the 85 sports performance undergarments 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 sports performance undergarments in this category are microplastics, VOCs and off-gassing, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals.
Which sports performance undergarments should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Feetures High Performance Ultra Light No-Show Tab at 20, Fruit of the Loom Men's Quick Dry & Moisture Wicking 360 Stretch Performance Boxer Briefs at 20, Brooks Women's Drive Interlace Run Bra at 20. The problem with the first is that moisture-wicking socks likely treated; brand silent on PFAS.
Which sports performance undergarments brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 10 of the brands we scored in this category, including Brooks, Champion, Feetures, Fruit of the Loom, Gap, Jockey. 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 sports performance undergarments?
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 everyday goods categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to sports performance undergarments.
- Best non-toxic fabric protector spray468 graded
- Best non-toxic golf balls352 graded
- Best non-toxic butcher paper202 graded
- Best non-toxic pizza stones152 graded
- Best non-toxic insoles122 graded
- Best non-toxic tablecloths106 graded
- Best non-toxic stain-resistant professional workwear78 graded
- Best non-toxic silicone cutting boards76 graded
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The products we score each week, and the best-graded alternative in every category.
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Does a particular brand of sports performance undergarments have PFAS?
Brands we grade across the catalogue
Everything we have scored from these brands, not just sports performance undergarments.
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Sports Performance Undergarments, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 85 sports performance undergarments.