Shakespeare Review, Is Shakespeare Non-Toxic?
Across 14 graded products, Shakespeare averages Excellent (85/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. 14 of its products grade Good or better. 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.
Does Shakespeare have PFAS, by category
Worth buying from Shakespeare Good or better, best-graded first
Shakespeare
Sportfisher Fishing Mono filament Line
Monofilament nylon fishing line
UV degradation and polymer breakdown
Extended sunlight exposure degrades nylon monofilament's tensile strength over months…
Environmental persistence (post-consumer)
Discarded monofilament is known to persist in aquatic environments for years and entangle…
Nylon monofilament carries minimal PFAS concern.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
825 Yards of Shakespeare Sigma Premium Monofilament 12 LB Test Clear Blue Fluorescent Fishing Line / 12 Pound Shakespear
Nylon monofilament fishing line
Degradation byproducts
Extended UV exposure and water immersion cause nylon to release small quantities of…
Microplastic generation
Monofilament fishing line is a documented source of microplastic pollution when lost or…
Nylon monofilament carries minimal PFAS concern.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Sealed Shakespeare Monofilament Nylon Fishing Line 700 Yds K-mart
Nylon monofilament fishing line
UV degradation and brittleness
Nylon monofilament is inherently susceptible to UV-induced chain scission. Outdoor…
Nylon monomer residuals and leaching
Incompletely polymerized nylon may contain trace caprolactam (nylon 6 precursor). At room…
Plastic fragmentation and microplastic shedding
Monofilament line naturally degrades outdoors and can break into microplastic pieces…
Bare nylon monofilament carries minimal PFAS concern.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Universal Geared Trimmer Line
Nylon monofilament trimmer line
Nylon polymer degradation and fragmentation
Extended UV exposure causes surface cracking and shedding of microfibers into soil and…
No documented PFAS use; manufacturer provides no chemical disclosure.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
825 Yards of Shakespeare Sigma Premium Monofilament 20 LB Test Clear Blue Fluorescent Fishing Line / 20 Pound Shakespear
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Azo dyes in colorant
Fluorescent blue coloring likely uses azo dyes, which are chemically bound in the…
Nylon polymer degradation and microplastic shedding
Monofilament nylon degrades over time through UV exposure and mechanical abrasion…
Nylon monofilament carries minimal PFAS concern.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Omniflex Monofilament Fishing Line- 250 Yards, 20 Lb
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Nylon polymer degradation and UV instability
Monofilament nylon can become brittle and weak over time when exposed to sunlight and…
Microplastic shedding in aquatic environments
All monofilament fishing line eventually fragments in water and contributes to…
Lower concern product, but brand transparency on PFAS absent.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Vintage Shakespeare Sportfisher Monofilament Fishing Line 300 Yds 10
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Nylon polymer degradation under UV exposure
Monofilament nylon yellows and becomes brittle with prolonged sun exposure, reducing…
Microplastic release from line fragmentation
When monofilament line breaks or is cut, it may fragment into small particles that…
Entanglement and wildlife injury (non-chemical)
Discarded monofilament fishing line is a documented hazard to aquatic birds, turtles, and…
Minimal PFAS concern; standard monofilament lacks typical PFAS markers.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Reverb Spinning Combo
Metal reel, plastic handle, monofilament line
Metal corrosion and oxidation (reel spool)
Aluminum or zinc alloy reels exposed to saltwater without rinsing can oxidize, but this…
Microplastic shedding from line
Fishing line can fragment into microplastics over time, particularly if line is old or…
Fishing reel with lower PFAS concern, no known chemicals.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Catch More Fish Spinning Light Kit
plastic lure, metal hook, monofilament line
Plastic degradation and microplastic release
Polycarbonate or polyester resin lures exposed to prolonged UV sunlight, saltwater, or…
Monofilament brittleness and entanglement
Nylon monofilament degrades over time and can become brittle and frayed, posing minor…
Hook sharpness and injury risk
Stainless or carbon steel hooks are intended to be sharp and pose standard…
Lower concern, standard fishing lure with no PFAS-prone materials.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Catch More Fish Lake Pond Spincast
Metal reel with thermoplastic housing, nylon line
Thermoplastic housing degradation
Repeated UV exposure and temperature cycling can cause polycarbonate or acetal plastic to…
Nylon line microplastic shedding
Nylon monofilament can shed microfibers during use and breakage, particularly in abrasive…
Spincast reel, no known PFAS risk, no disclosure needed.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Tiger Spinning Combo
Fiberglass rod, aluminum reel, plastic/metal components
Aluminum reel corrosion and leaching
Aluminum can corrode in salt water or if left wet, potentially releasing trace metals…
Microplastics
Plastic handle, knobs, and grip sections can crack or shed fragments under UV exposure…
Fiberglass dust from rod damage
If the rod is cracked or broken, fiberglass splinters and dust can irritate skin and…
Bacterial or mold growth in reel housing
Moisture trapped in the reel mechanism if not dried promptly can support fungal or…
No identified PFAS risk factors.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
ATS Trolling Reel
Aluminum spool, graphite composite body, stainless steel components
Graphite particulate shedding
Graphite composite materials can shed fine particles if surfaces are worn or damaged. In…
Bearing or lubrication contamination (non-chemical)
Over time, salt spray and sediment can enter bearing housings if seals wear, leading to…
Lower concern with no PFAS-prone materials identified.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Alpha Spinning Reel
Metal alloy (aluminum spool, stainless steel bearings, bail)
No identified PFAS risk factors present.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare
Assorted Fishing Lines, Shakespeare 7000 Mono 6lb Zebco OmniFlex 6lb 700yds Devils River Casting Line 20lb 50yds Nylon W
Nylon monofilament fishing line
UV and heat degradation / polymer leaching
Nylon monofilament degrades when exposed to intense UV or temperatures above 80 degrees…
Microplastic shedding
Fishing line fragments are well-documented contributors to environmental microplastic and…
Water absorption and hydrolysis over time
Nylon absorbs up to 2-3 percent of its weight in water, which causes slight brittleness…
Lower concern. Nylon monofilament is not a material linked to PFAS.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Shakespeare and PFAS, common questions
- Does Shakespeare have PFAS?
- We graded 14 Shakespeare products, averaging Excellent (85/100). 14 grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates built from published materials, ingredients and disclosures, not lab tests.
- Is Shakespeare non-toxic?
- Shakespeare Sportfisher Fishing Mono filament Line is the highest-graded Shakespeare product we have scored, at 85/100. It depends on the product line rather than the brand, so check the grade of the exact item you are buying.
- Which Shakespeare products are lower concern for PFAS?
- The highest-graded Shakespeare products we have scored are Shakespeare Sportfisher Fishing Mono filament Line, 825 Yards of Shakespeare Sigma Premium Monofilament 12 LB Test Clear Blue Fluorescent Fishing Line / 12 Pound Shakespear, Sealed Shakespeare Monofilament Nylon Fishing Line 700 Yds K-mart. That is our model-based estimate from materials and public disclosure, not a lab test.
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →