Columbia Review, Is Columbia Non-Toxic?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Across 22 graded products, Columbia averages Bad (24/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. None of its products grade Good or better yet. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Columbia
Women's All Seasons Pull-On Pants
Nylon/polyester blend knit, no stated water-repellent finish
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nylon and polyester textiles may contain residual formaldehyde from manufacturing…
Microplastics
Knit nylon and polyester garments shed microplastics during laundering, a documented…
Antimony in polyester
Antimony oxide is a catalyst used in some polyester production and may remain as a trace…
Low-medium risk due to basic textile construction without brand transparency.
⚠Risky category by default
Columbia
Men's Stealth Spring Chino Pants
cotton-blend chino twill (no water-repellent treatment noted)
Azo dyes (synthetic colorants)
Chino twill requires substantial dyeing for its characteristic tan or olive shade.…
Low-medium risk; basic chino without reported water or stain treatment and no PFAS disclosure.
⚠Risky category by default
Columbia
Waterproof Jacket
PFAS
Standard water-repellent coating finishes on Columbia jackets historically contain…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester fabric finishing may include formaldehyde-based resins for wrinkle resistance…
Azo dyes in colored polyester
Polyester dyes can include azo compounds, some of which are restricted in EU but not US…
Coating degradation and microfiber shedding
Polyurethane membrane laminates degrade with UV exposure and repeated washing, shedding…
Medium-high risk. Waterproof coating likely contains PFAS; no brand transparency.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Snow Glide II Interchange Jacket
polyester with water-repellent coating water-resistant finish
PFAS
Standard fluorinated water-repellent coating typical of this product category; Columbia…
water-repellent coating degradation and reapplication hazard
Over time, water-repellent coating finishes wear off and may require reapplication with…
Typical water-repellent coating jacket.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Alpine Action II Jacket
nylon/polyester with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish
Formaldehyde / VOCs
water-repellent coating coatings and dye-setting processes in nylon/polyester can involve…
Antimony in polyester
Polyester production can use antimony trioxide as a catalyst. While the Alpine Action II…
Microplastic shedding
Synthetic nylon and polyester jackets shed microfibers during washing; this is an…
water-repellent coating degradation and chemical leaching
As the water-repellent coating finish wears and breaks down (typically after 50-100…
Synthetic jacket with water-repellent coating, PFAS risk unclear, no disclosure available
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Whirlibird V Interchange Jacket
polyester/nylon with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish
PFAS
PFAS content is the primary hazard; no PFAS grade available from Columbia. Washing, wear…
Azo dyes in polyester/nylon coloring
Polyester garments may use azo dyes, some of which are restricted in EU but permitted in…
Antimony in polyester fiber
Antimony is used as a catalyst in polyester production and can remain as residue. Skin…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester/nylon blends may use formaldehyde-based finishing for wrinkle resistance or…
Typical interchange jacket; water-repellent coating likely contains PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Coreshot Shell Jacket
Nylon shell with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
Microplastics
Nylon water-repellent coating finishes degrade with washing and wear, potentially…
VOC off-gassing from synthetic finishes
New nylon jackets with water-repellent coating and any applied adhesives or linings may…
water-repellent coating treatment unknown; Columbia silent on PFAS disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Watertight II Jacket
Polyester with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Formaldehyde-based resins are sometimes used in polyester fabric finishing to improve…
water-repellent coating degradation and reapplication hazards
As water-repellent coating wears down over time, some users retreat jackets with…
VOC off-gassing from synthetic materials
Polyester and water-repellent coating coatings may off-gas volatile organic compounds…
Skip or contact Columbia directly, waterproof apparel commonly uses PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Glenbrook Bend Rain Jacket
Polyester shell with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish
water-repellent coating chemistry (fluorochemical unknown)
The water-repellent coating finish is likely PFAS-based but unconfirmed by Columbia. PFAS…
Degradation and microplastic shedding
Repeated washing and wear will gradually degrade the polyester shell and water-repellent…
Rain jackets typically use PFAS-based water-repellent coating, Columbia does not disclose chemistry.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Glennaker Lake II Rain Jacket
Nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent coating (composition unspecified)
PFAS
Columbia has not disclosed whether the water-repellent coating formulation contains…
water-repellent coating peeling or flaking
Rain jacket coatings can delaminate or flake over time, especially if machine dried or…
Avoid unless Columbia reveals its water-repellent coating chemistry.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Hikebound II Jacket
Nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
PFAS
Nylon rain jackets typically receive water-repellent coating finishes containing legacy…
Synthetic fiber degradation and microfiber shedding
Nylon fabric can shed microfibers during washing, particularly if abraded or poorly…
Silent on PFAS. Caution warranted until the brand clarifies.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Women's Hikebound II Long Jacket
Polyester shell with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
PFAS
water-repellent coating finishes on rain jackets commonly use fluorocarbon chemistry…
water-repellent coating degradation and re-application hazard
If the water-repellent coating wears off, users may apply aftermarket water-repellent…
Contact Columbia directly.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Women's Switchback IV Jacket
Nylon/polyester with water-repellent coating water-repellent coating finish
water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating chemistry - undisclosed
Standard rain jacket water-repellent coating finishes commonly contain PFAS (PFAS…
Thermal degradation of synthetic fibers and finish during wear or care
Nylon and polyester can shed microfibers during washing and wear; water-repellent coating…
Avoid unless Columbia discloses its water-repellent coating chemistry.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Glennaker Lake Rain Jacket
Nylon with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
PFAS
Nylon rain jackets typically use water-repellent coating treatments; Columbia has not…
Coating degradation and chemical volatilization
water-repellent coating coatings degrade over time and with washing. If PFAS-based…
Polyurethane lining off-gassing
If the jacket includes a polyurethane or polyester lining (common in rain jackets)…
Undisclosed water-repellent coating chemistry makes this a moderate risk.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Silver Ridge Convertible Pants
nylon/polyester blend with water-repellent coating treatment
PFAS
Nylon/polyester blended outdoor apparel typically relies on water-repellent coating…
Microplastic shedding during washing
Synthetic fibers shed microplastics into wastewater; nylon and polyester release these…
High risk; typical convertible pants use PFAS-containing water-repellent coating finishes without Columbia disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Silver Ridge Utility Pants
Nylon blend with water-repellent coating finish
PFAS
Columbia has not disclosed whether Silver Ridge water-repellent coating uses PFAS or…
Coating degradation over time
water-repellent coating finishes naturally degrade after 50-100 washes. As the coating…
High risk; skip until Columbia discloses water-repellent coating chemistry.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Silver Ridge Convertible Pant
nylon/polyester blend with water-repellent coating finish
water-repellent coating degradation and leaching
As the fluorocarbon or alternative water-repellent coating finish wears with washing and…
Microplastics
Nylon and polyester garments shed microfibers, especially during washing and abrasion…
High risk; outdoor pants with water-repellent coating, PFAS risk unclear without disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Silver Ridge Utility Pants - Size 44 - Green
nylon/polyester blend with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) treatment
PFAS
Undisclosed water-repellent treatment on nylon/polyester blends historically uses PFAS…
Antimony in polyester fiber
Polyester production may use antimony as a catalyst; small residual amounts can remain in…
Microplastic shedding during wear and wash
Nylon and polyester shed microfibers during washing and abrasion. While primarily an…
High risk; Columbia's silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is concerning, ask for treatment details before purchase.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Pitchstone Outdoor Pants
Nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
PFAS
water-repellent coating finishes on outdoor apparel are historically PFAS-based; Columbia…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Some water-repellent coating and wrinkle-resistant finishes use formaldehyde-based…
Microplastic shedding
Nylon apparel sheds microfibers during wash and wear. The Pitchstone pants will release…
High risk; outdoor pants with water-repellent coating treatment carry PFAS risk without Columbia chemistry details.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Bugaboo V Waterproof Men's Pants
Nylon/polyester with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Synthetic fabrics and water-repellent coating coatings sometimes incorporate…
Microplastic shedding during wash
Nylon and polyester rain pants shed microplastics during machine washing, especially as…
Teflon-type coating or Teflon-family coating integrity
If the water-repellent coating is Teflon-type coating-based, degradation from washing and…
High risk. Skip or contact Columbia directly, waterproof coating likely contains PFAS but unverified.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Rebel Roamer II Nylon Pants
Nylon with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) treatment
PFAS
Nylon rain apparel water-repellent coating treatments historically rely on PFAS-based…
Nylon fiber shedding and microfiber release
Nylon textiles release microfibers during washing and wear, particularly if the fabric…
Nylon degradation and leaching under UV or heat stress
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or storage in hot environments can cause nylon…
Avoid until Columbia discloses water-repellent coating chemistry; nylon typically uses PFAS water repellents.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Columbia
Men's Rebel Roamer II Pant
nylon/polyester blend with water-repellent coating
PFAS
water-repellent coating-treated outdoor apparel, especially from brands with no PFAS…
Antimony in polyester fiber
Polyester may contain antimony oxide as a catalyst residue from fiber production. Levels…
Microplastic shedding during laundry
All synthetic textiles shed microfibers when washed. The Rebel Roamer II's…
Elevated PFAS risk from water-repellent coating treatment; Columbia provides no coating disclosure or position.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →