Billabong Women's Sweet Escape Sloane One-Piece Swimsuit
Typical swimwear with unknown water-repellent treatment; PFAS plausible but unconfirmed.
Billabong does not disclose PFAS for this swimsuit. Swimwear often receives water-repellent coating finishes historically using PFAS, though some brands have switched to 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 finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Billabong Women's Sweet Escape Sloane is made of, ingredients and materials
This swimsuit is a polyester/nylon blend, standard for modern one-pieces. The critical unknown is the water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish applied to the fabric surface. Historically, water-repellent coating treatments relied on PFAS (PFAS "forever chemicals") to achieve water shedding; newer alternatives exist but require explicit labeling. Without Billabong's public disclosure of their specific treatment chemistry, the composition of that finish cannot be confirmed from product documentation alone.
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
If the water-repellent coating finish uses legacy PFAS compounds (not stated by brand), long-term skin contact and laundering release is a concern. If newer fluorine-free alternatives are used, risks are lower but remain unconfirmed by public disclosure.
Source, ATSDR ↗Polyester microfiber shedding
All polyester swimwear sheds microfibers during wear and washing, especially in saltwater and with age. This is a material-class property, not brand-specific, but acceleration increases with chlorine exposure or abrasion.
Nylon fiber degradation under UV and saltwater
The nylon blend component is susceptible to UV and salt-induced degradation over repeated seasons, leading to material brittleness and potential microfiber release. This is expected wear, not a chemical hazard, but relevant to lifespan.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes in colored polyester
Billabong does not have a documented history of azo dye violations in swimwear. Modern polyester fabrics typically use restricted azo dyes, but no third-party testing data for this specific product is publicly available.
Elastic and adhesive materials (waistband, seams)
Standard swimwear elastics and adhesives are not typically a source of regulated chemical exposure in this product category, and no specific issues have been documented for Billabong swimwear.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Billabong has not published a transparent PFAS policy or chemical disclosure statement for its swimwear lines as of available public records. The brand does not prominently advertise PFAS-free or alternative water-repellent coating chemistry on product pages or tags for this style. This silence on treatment chemistry is typical of mainstream swimwear brands and does not necessarily indicate harmful content, but it limits informed purchasing. Billabong is owned by Boardriders, Inc. and has no known major chemical safety recalls tied to this product line.
How it compares in its category
Most conventional swimwear from major brands (Rip Curl, O'Neill, Speedo, Billabong) uses polyester with water-repellent coating finishes of unspecified chemistry. A smaller subset of brands (e.g., Patagonia, some niche eco-labels) explicitly market PFAS-free alternatives, though at higher price points. The Billabong Sweet Escape sits squarely in the mainstream category with no differentiation on chemical transparency, making it neither a standout nor an outlier for hazard exposure in this segment.
If you buy it
Rinse thoroughly with fresh water after each saltwater exposure to reduce salt crystallization and potential material stress over time. Avoid high-heat drying (machine dryers, direct sunlight for extended periods) as polyester can degrade and release fibers at elevated temperatures. Hand wash in cool water with mild detergent; skip fabric softeners and bleach. Replace the suit every 1 to 2 years of regular use, as elastic degradation and microfiber shedding increase with age.
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.
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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.