Saucony Review, Is Saucony Non-Toxic?
Across 9 graded products, Saucony averages Poor (35/100). 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.
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.
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Saucony
Men's Fortify Tight
polyester/nylon blend athletic tight
Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
Polyester/nylon athletic tights typically use acid dyes or reactive dyes; no specific…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Synthetic tights often employ formaldehyde-based resins for shape-setting, wrinkle…
Spandex/polyurethane elastane degradation
Nylon-spandex blends rely on polyurethane elastane for stretch. Degradation under heat…
Standard athletic tight, no known PFAS risk signals identified.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
Saucony
Men's Stopwatch Singlet
polyester mesh singlet
Azo dyes and residual colorants
Polyester mesh singlets are dyed with synthetic dyes, potentially including azo compounds…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester athletic wear is often treated with formaldehyde-based resins for wrinkle…
Antimony in polyester fiber
Antimony trioxide is used as a catalyst in polyester production and can remain as trace…
Microfiber shedding during wear and washing
Polyester mesh sheds microfibers during wash and wear, contributing to environmental…
Standard athletic singlet, lower PFAS concern unless treated.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
Saucony
Men's Boston Woven Pants
woven polyester/nylon blend athletic fabric
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Woven synthetic athletic wear often receives formaldehyde-based finishing for shape…
Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
The pants are dyed polyester/nylon; azo dyes are standard in cost-effective athletic wear…
Antimony in polyester
Antimony trioxide is a common polyester polymerization catalyst; residual traces may…
Microplastic shedding during washing
All synthetic textiles shed fibers; polyester/nylon blends contribute measurably to…
Lower concern, bare woven textile without disclosed water treatment.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
Saucony
Men's Outpace 5" Shorts
Polyester with water-repellent coating treatment
Antimony in polyester fiber
Polyester production may involve antimony as a catalyst in fiber synthesis. Residual…
water-repellent coating degradation and leaching
Fluorinated water-repellent coating finishes can degrade and shed microparticles or…
Fragrance or dye allergens from water-repellent coating or finishes
water-repellent coating coatings and dyes can contain contact allergens; sensitive skin…
Skip or verify water-repellent coating treatment source with Saucony directly.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Saucony
Men's Runshield Tight
Polyester blend with water-repellent coating treatment
PFAS
Saucony has not disclosed whether the Runshield water-repellent coating treatment uses…
Microplastic shedding
All polyester apparel sheds microfibers during washing; this product's water-repellent…
High uncertainty due to water-repellent coating, skip until brand discloses.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Saucony
Men's Saucony Peregrine 16 GTX
textile upper with GTX (Teflon-type coating-based) waterproof membrane
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Textile uppers typically receive formaldehyde-releasing finishes for color fastness and…
Azo dyes
Polyester or nylon textiles may be dyed with azo colorants; some azo dyes can cleave to…
Antimony in polyester
If the upper is polyester (likely), the fiber may contain antimony oxide as a catalyst.…
Teflon-type coating fume risk from membrane degradation
Gore-Tex membranes are stable under normal wear and do not off-gas Teflon-type coating at…
GTX membrane likely contains PFOA/PFOS; consider non-waterproof alternative.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Saucony
Women's Running Shoes Saucony Triumph 23 GTX
textile upper with Gore-Tex GTX waterproof membrane
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Synthetic textile uppers commonly receive formaldehyde-releasing finishes for wrinkle…
Azo dyes in colored textiles
Nylon and polyester uppers are often dyed with azo compounds, which can release aromatic…
Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing
Adhesives, dyes, and synthetic material volatiles are typical in new shoes. Odor and VOC…
Gore-Tex membrane durability and delamination
Gore-Tex membranes can delaminate from the textile substrate over time, especially with…
GTX membrane raises PFAS concern; Saucony silent on treatment.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Saucony
Women's Saucony Ride TR2 GTX
Textile with GTX waterproof membrane
PFAS
Gore-Tex fabric is not confirmed PFAS-free by Saucony or Gore for this product. PFAS use…
Azo dyes in textile
Synthetic dyes used in polyester or nylon uppers may include azo compounds, some of which…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Synthetic textile finishes (water resistance, wrinkle resistance, antimicrobial…
Membrane delamination and microplastic shedding
As the GTX laminate ages and separates, microscopic synthetic particles may shed. This is…
GTX waterproofing often uses PFAS; Saucony silent on this.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Saucony
Women's Excursion TR17
Synthetic mesh, foam, rubber sole with water-repellent coating
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Synthetic mesh uppers in trail shoes typically receive formaldehyde-based resins for…
water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating chemistry
The water-repellent coating treatment on this shoe is not chemically identified by…
Foam degradation and micro-particle shedding
Polyurethane or EVA foam midsoles degrade with age and use, especially above 300-500…
Trail running shoe likely treated; water-repellent coating unknown, brand silent.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Saucony and PFAS, common questions
- Does Saucony have PFAS?
- We graded 9 Saucony products, averaging Poor (35/100). None grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates built from published materials, ingredients and disclosures, not lab tests.
- Is Saucony non-toxic?
- No Saucony product we graded reaches Good. The best of them is Saucony Men's Fortify Tight at 65/100.
- Which Saucony products should I avoid?
- The lowest-graded Saucony products we have scored are Saucony Women's Excursion TR17, Women's Saucony Ride TR2 GTX, Women's Running Shoes Saucony Triumph 23 GTX. Each one links to the evidence behind its grade.
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →