Is There PFAS in Clothing?

It can be, especially in stain and water resistant clothing. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says PFAS are widely used in textiles as waterproof membranes and surface finishes that give water, oil and stain resistance, and have also been used as processing agents in dyeing and textile treatment. In testing by the advocacy group Toxic-Free Future, 34 of 47 items marketed as stain or water resistant, 72 percent, contained PFAS, including 15 of 20 outdoor apparel items.

California has banned regulated PFAS in new textile articles since January 1, 2025, with outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions exempt until January 1, 2028 but required to carry a Made with PFAS chemicals disclosure in the meantime. New York has barred selling new apparel with intentionally added PFAS since January 1, 2025.

Several other states restrict PFAS in clothing on their own timelines, and our PFAS laws page lists each one with its start date.

Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.

The sources behind this answer

  • Government sourceThe Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says PFAS are widely used in textiles and leather as waterproof membranes and surface finishes for water, oil and stain resistance, and as processing agents in textile treatment. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency ↗
  • Regulatory filingNew York’s environmental agency says state law bars selling new apparel containing intentionally added PFAS after January 1, 2025. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ↗
  • Regulatory filingCalifornia’s AB 1817 has barred manufacturing or selling new textile articles containing regulated PFAS since January 1, 2025. California Legislature ↗
  • Regulatory filingUnder AB 1817, outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions is exempt from the textile ban until January 1, 2028, but since January 1, 2025 must carry a Made with PFAS chemicals disclosure if it contains regulated PFAS. California Legislature ↗
  • Independent testToxic-Free Future, an advocacy group, reported detecting PFAS in 15 of 20 outdoor apparel items labeled stain or water resistant. Toxic-Free Future ↗
  • Independent testToxic-Free Future reported that 34 of the 47 items it tested that were marketed as stain or water resistant, 72 percent, contained PFAS. Toxic-Free Future ↗

Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.

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