Billabong Women's Sol Searcher Sloane One-Piece Swimsuit
Avoid unless Billabong discloses water-repellent coating composition; water-repellent swimwear often uses PFAS.
This polyester/nylon one-piece gets water-repellent treatment standard for swim apparel. Billabong makes no statement on PFAS in water-repellent coating finishes or whether they use fluorine-free alternatives.
The better-graded swap
Patagonia
Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top
90/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Polyester/nylon blend with likely water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
You may also be interested in
Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
Aqua Pure
3M Aqua-Pure AP802B Whole House Filter Housing
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
What Billabong Women's Sol Searcher Sloane is made of, ingredients and materials
This swimsuit is a polyester and nylon blend, typical for performance swimwear. The 'water-repellent' or water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish is the key concern, manufacturers historically used PFAS-based chemistry to achieve water resistance in textiles, though some have begun switching to fluorine-free alternatives. Billabong has not publicly disclosed which water-repellent coating chemistry is used in this model, creating uncertainty about PFAS exposure during wear, washing, and eventual disposal.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Water-repellent swimwear commonly uses PFAS-based chemistry; Billabong has not disclosed which type is used in this model. Exposure occurs during wear (skin contact), washing, and environmental release over product lifetime.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastic shedding from polyester/nylon blend
Synthetic blend swimwear naturally sheds microfibers, especially during washing and with age. This is a known category-wide issue; shedding increases with mechanical stress (swimming, wringing, tumble drying).
Coating degradation and leaching during use
Water-repellent coating finishes degrade over time with sun exposure, chlorine, washing, and heat. As coating breaks down, any chemicals in the finish (including potential PFAS residuals) may leach into water or contact skin more readily.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes in colored fabric
No specific recalls or safety reports for Billabong swimwear dyes. Polyester dyeing typically uses reactive or disperse dyes; major brands generally comply with textile safety standards, though full dye chemistry is rarely disclosed to consumers.
Elastane (spandex) thermal sensitivity
Blended swimwear typically contains spandex for stretch; no hazard is documented at normal use temperatures, but prolonged heat exposure or high-temperature drying accelerates material degradation and can alter elastomer stability.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Billabong is part of Boardriders Inc. and maintains a general sustainability statement but has not published detailed chemical disclosures or PFAS commitments comparable to brands like Patagonia or Speedo. No major safety recalls or hazmat violations are on record for Billabong swimwear. The brand's silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is typical for mid-market athletic wear but represents a transparency gap relative to consumer-facing chemical policies.
How it compares in its category
Most polyester/nylon blend swimwear with water-repellent coating finishes carries the same PFAS uncertainty unless the brand explicitly certifies fluorine-free treatment. Higher-end brands (e.g., Patagonia) often disclose water-repellent coating type; budget and mid-market competitors (including Billabong) rarely do. Non-water-repellent coating polyester swimwear eliminates the water-repellent hazard but sacrifices durability; this product sits in the typical commercial performance category where water-repellent coating is standard but undisclosed.
If you buy it
Wash in cool water with mild detergent to minimize microfiber shedding and reduce potential leaching of finish chemicals; avoid chlorine if possible as it degrades both fabric and coatings. Hang dry rather than tumble drying, which accelerates coating breakdown and synthetic fiber degradation. Replace after 1 to 2 years of regular use or when elasticity noticeably declines. If PFAS exposure is a primary concern, contact Billabong directly requesting water-repellent coating chemistry disclosure before purchase.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Billabong has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Swimwear
Patagonia
Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top
- Nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear)
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Elastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine
Solid & Striped
Taylor One Piece Seersucker Plaid
- Cotton/cotton-blend seersucker plaid
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes and colorfast stability
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Find an alternative on Amazon
Adidas
Women's Mexicana Florals Tie-Back Swimsuit
- Polyester/nylon swimsuit fabric, likely uncoated or standard finish
- Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
4 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Find an alternative on AmazonMore swimwear grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.