PFAS in Clothing, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst

Based on available materials and data Levi's 501 Jeans earn the strongest score in our clothing database, an Excellent grade at 80 out of 100, while most water-resistant outerwear and technical activewear brands we reviewed, including Patagonia, Nike, Columbia, REI Co-op, The North Face, and Gore-Tex, land in the Poor to Bad range because of durable water repellent (DWR) finishes commonly associated with PFAS chemistry. This guide compares nine actual graded products, explains what drives each score, and points you toward lower-concern choices for everyday denim versus the tradeoffs still built into most rain gear and performance fabrics on the market today.

None of this is a lab certification of any single item you own. These grades are our model-based estimates built from disclosed materials, brand statements, and public data, not chemical testing of every batch. If you want to compare more options beyond the nine below, our clothing finder lets you filter by grade across the full database.

Comparison table, PFAS grades at a glance

Product	PFAS Grade	Safety Score	Verdict
Levi's 501 Jeans	Excellent	80/100	Lower concern based on reviewed data
Patagonia Rain Jacket	Poor	45/100	Better than most rain shells here, still a concern
Nike Dri-FIT Apparel	Poor	35/100	Higher concern, common in performance wear
Lululemon Leggings	Poor	30/100	Higher concern
Adidas Sportswear	Poor	30/100	Higher concern
Columbia Waterproof Jacket	Poor	25/100	Higher concern, typical of DWR-treated shells
REI Co-op Rain Jacket	Poor	25/100	Higher concern
The North Face Rain Jacket	Poor	25/100	Higher concern
Gore-Tex Rain Jacket	Bad	20/100	Lowest score in this comparison

Why denim and rain gear grade so differently

The gap between an Excellent grade and a Bad grade in this list mostly comes down to fabric function. Basic cotton denim like the Levi's 501 Jeans has no inherent need for a water-repellent or stain-resistant finish, so there is less reason for PFAS-based chemistry to appear in the supply chain. Waterproof and water-resistant jackets, by contrast, have historically relied on fluoropolymer membranes and DWR sprays to repel water, which is precisely the chemistry class that includes PFAS compounds. Activewear brands like Nike, Lululemon, and Adidas often add moisture-wicking, odor-resistant, or stretch-retention treatments that can also involve PFAS or PFAS-adjacent chemistry, even without a visible waterproof layer.

Product by product breakdown

Levi's 501 Jeans, Excellent grade

Materials, Primarily cotton denim construction, a category that generally does not require a durable water repellent or stain-guard finish to function as intended.

Brand claims vs verified data, Levi's has not marketed this product around a PFAS-free promise in the materials we reviewed. The Excellent grade here reflects our model-based estimate from publicly available materials and disclosure patterns, not a lab test or a formal brand certification.

Pros, Highest score in our clothing dataset. No functional need for water-repellent treatment. Simple, well-documented material composition.

Cons, A high score is not a guarantee of zero PFAS content across every dye, thread, or finish used in production. Denim finishing processes can vary by factory and season, and our score reflects available data at time of review, not an ongoing testing program.

Patagonia Rain Jacket, Poor grade

Materials, Technical waterproof-breathable shell fabric, typically paired with a DWR finish common to the rain jacket category.

Brand claims vs verified data, Patagonia has publicly discussed moving away from certain long-chain PFAS chemistries in parts of its supply chain. That is a brand-stated commitment, not a third-party verified lab result confirmed for this specific jacket in our data. Based on available materials, this product still scores in the Poor range.

Pros, Scores meaningfully higher than the other rain jackets in this comparison, suggesting relative progress compared to peers.

Cons, Still graded Poor overall. A 45 out of 100 is not a lower-concern outcome, it is simply less concerning than a 20 or 25. If you need a genuinely lower-concern waterproof option, this alone does not qualify based on the data reviewed here.

Nike Dri-FIT Apparel, Poor grade

Materials, Synthetic moisture-wicking performance fabric, commonly polyester-based with finishing treatments for sweat management.

Brand claims vs verified data, Nike's Dri-FIT marketing focuses on moisture management performance rather than an explicit PFAS-free claim in the materials we reviewed. No independent lab confirmation of PFAS-free status appears in available public data for this product line.

Pros, Widely available, functional performance fabric with established moisture-wicking properties.

Cons, Scores 35 out of 100, placing it firmly in the higher-concern range for this category. Anyone prioritizing lower PFAS exposure should treat this as a caution flag rather than a default choice.

Lululemon Leggings, Poor grade

Materials, Blended synthetic stretch fabric designed for compression and durability during exercise.

Brand claims vs verified data, We found no PFAS-free claim tied to this specific product in the materials reviewed. The Poor grade reflects our model-based estimate from available disclosure and fabric type, not a confirmed lab detection event.

Pros, Popular, well-constructed activewear staple with broad sizing and consistent fit reputation.

Cons, A 30 out of 100 score places it among the lower-scoring products in this entire guide. Consumers focused on minimizing PFAS exposure in activewear should weigh this score carefully against alternatives.

Adidas Sportswear, Poor grade

Materials, Synthetic athletic fabrics similar in category to other major sportswear brands, often finished for moisture control and shape retention.

Brand claims vs verified data, No specific PFAS-free assurance was identified in the materials we reviewed for this line. The score is based on available materials and data, not an independent lab audit of this exact product.

Pros, Comparable performance profile to other major activewear competitors.

Cons, Ties Lululemon at 30 out of 100, one of the lower scores among all nine products compared here.

Columbia Waterproof Jacket, Poor grade

Materials, Waterproof-breathable shell construction, a category historically dependent on fluoropolymer-based membranes and DWR sprays.

Brand claims vs verified data, Columbia markets proprietary waterproofing technology under its own branding. We found no third-party verified PFAS-free confirmation for this specific jacket in the data reviewed.

Pros, Functional, budget-accessible entry point into the waterproof jacket category.

Cons, Scores 25 out of 100. If you're shopping the broader rain jackets category for a lower-concern option, this score suggests looking further before deciding.

REI Co-op Rain Jacket, Poor grade

Materials, Standard waterproof-breathable outer shell, consistent with typical rain jacket construction across the category.

Brand claims vs verified data, REI Co-op has discussed broader sustainability initiatives across its private label, but our review found no product-specific, third-party verified PFAS-free confirmation for this jacket.

Pros, House brand pricing and REI's return policy make it an accessible trial option.

Cons, Scores 25 out of 100, tied with Columbia and The North Face for one of the lowest scores among rain jackets in this comparison.

The North Face Rain Jacket, Poor grade

Materials, Waterproof-breathable shell fabric, a construction type strongly associated with PFAS-based DWR treatments industry-wide.

Brand claims vs verified data, The North Face has made public statements about phasing out certain PFAS chemistries across parts of its product range over time. Based on available materials and data reviewed for this specific jacket, the score remains 25 out of 100, so any phase-out claims should be treated as brand-stated intentions rather than confirmed outcomes for this item.

Pros, Established brand reputation in outdoor gear, wide availability.

Cons, Score places it firmly in the higher-concern tier alongside most other rain shells reviewed here.

Gore-Tex Rain Jacket, Bad grade

Materials, Membrane-based waterproof-breathable technology, historically built on fluoropolymer chemistry that defines the entire Gore-Tex product category.

Brand claims vs verified data, Gore has announced a shift toward what it describes as a new membrane technology intended to move away from certain PFAS chemistries in future products. That is a forward-looking brand statement. Based on available materials and data at the time of this review, this specific product scores 20 out of 100, the lowest in our comparison.

Pros, Long track record for waterproof performance and durability in demanding outdoor conditions.

Cons, Lowest score of all nine products in this guide. Anyone prioritizing lower PFAS concern should treat this as the clearest example of a higher-concern purchase in the current lineup.

What to avoid

• Anything marketed as "waterproof" or "stain-resistant" without a specific PFAS-free claim. Based on the products reviewed here, waterproof rain jackets from Columbia, REI Co-op, The North Face, and Gore-Tex all scored 25 or below, suggesting this category carries elevated concern as a whole, not just for a single brand.
• Performance activewear labeled "moisture-wicking" or "odor-resistant" with no ingredient transparency. Nike, Lululemon, and Adidas all scored 35 or below in our data, indicating this is a pattern across the activewear category rather than an isolated brand issue.
• Vague sustainability language that doesn't specify PFAS status. Terms like "eco-friendly," "green," or "recycled" describe a different attribute entirely and should not be read as a PFAS-free claim unless the brand states it explicitly and it's backed by independent verification.
• Assuming a brand-wide announcement covers every product. Several brands in this list, including Patagonia, The North Face, and Gore-Tex, have made public statements about reducing PFAS use across parts of their lines. Our scores show that statement alone doesn't guarantee a lower-concern result for every individual product, since the graded items here still fall in the Poor to Bad range.

Our pick

Based on available materials and data, the Levi's 501 Jeans stand out as the clearest lower-concern option among the nine products graded here, scoring 80 out of 100 in our model-based assessment. That score reflects the simplicity of cotton denim construction rather than a certified PFAS-free guarantee, so treat it as a comparative signal rather than a lab-confirmed absolute. For waterproof and technical apparel, no product in this comparison reaches a lower-concern grade. The Patagonia Rain Jacket scores highest among the rain shells at 45 out of 100, making it the relatively better choice within that specific subcategory, while still falling short of a lower-concern designation overall. If waterproof performance is non-negotiable for your use case, that tradeoff is worth weighing consciously rather than assuming any current rain jacket on the market is free of the chemistry class. You can compare additional options across the category using our clothing finder or browse rain jackets and activewear specifically if you're shopping those subcategories.

Frequently asked questions

Is any clothing brand actually PFAS-free?

Based on the data reviewed for this guide, no product in our comparison earned a status we would describe as PFAS-free. Several brands, including Patagonia, The North Face, and Gore-Tex, have publicly stated intentions to reduce or phase out certain PFAS chemistries in parts of their lines, but these are brand-stated commitments rather than independently verified, product-specific lab confirmations in the sources we reviewed. The highest score in our dataset, the Levi's 501 Jeans at 80 out of 100, reflects lower concern based on material type and disclosure, not a certified absence of PFAS.

Why do rain jackets score so much worse than jeans?

Waterproof and water-resistant apparel has historically relied on fluoropolymer membranes and DWR finishes to repel water, and that chemistry family overlaps significantly with PFAS compounds. Basic cotton denim has no functional need for that kind of finish, which is a major reason the Levi's 501 Jeans scored so much higher than every rain jacket in our comparison, including the Gore-Tex Rain Jacket at 20 out of 100.

Does wearing PFAS-treated clothing cause health problems?

Research has linked certain PFAS compounds to various health concerns in population-level studies, but association is not the same as causation, and exposure through clothing specifically has not been established with the same evidence base as exposure through drinking water or food packaging. If you're concerned about cumulative exposure, it may help to also review other everyday categories such as food packaging cosmetics, and water filters, since total exposure comes from many sources, not clothing alone.