Decathlon · Waterproof Bags & Luggage
Forclaz Travel 100 Compact Waterproof
Waterproof jacket with unknown water-repellent coating; avoid without chemical disclosure.
Decathlon's Forclaz Travel 100 uses polyester with waterproof treatment but does not disclose the water-repellent coating chemistry. Modern water-repellent coating coatings often contain PFAS, making lack of transparency a concern.
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Material
polyester with unspecified waterproof water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent treatments have historically contained PFAS chemicals.
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
water-repellent coating degradation and re-application residue
If the applied water-repellent coating is PFAS-based or contains other persistent coatings, repeated washing and re-treatment can generate microfiber and coating shedding into wastewater. Non-fluorinated water-repellent coating refreshers are safer but less durable; frequent re-treatment amplifies exposure and environmental load.
PFAS
Undisclosed water-repellent coating chemistry is the defining risk. Long-chain PFAS (PFOA, PFOS) or short-chain alternatives (GenX, PFBS) may be present. Absorption through skin during wear is minimal, but environmental and biological persistence is high if PFAS is used; washing releases PFAS to water systems.
Source: ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Antimony in polyester
Antimony oxide is sometimes used as a catalyst in polyester production. Decathlon does not disclose use; most finished polyester apparel shows no migration under normal wear conditions, but contamination is not actively tested for or ruled out in budget product lines.
Azo dyes and color fastness
The Forclaz 100 comes in dark colors (navy, black). Standard polyester dyes used by Decathlon are not known to contain banned azo dyes, and the brand meets EU textile directives, but dye composition is not disclosed and sweat-induced leaching of unstable dyes is a theoretical minor risk in very cheap jackets.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester apparel may use formaldehyde-based resins in wrinkle-resistance or crease-setting treatments. Decathlon does not routinely disclose anti-wrinkle chemistry. Standard finishes meet EU limits (< 75 ppm), but off-gassing during initial wear and storage is not quantified for this model.
Source: ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This jacket is polyester with an applied water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating. Polyester itself is chemically stable and does not leach plasticizers or BPA under normal wear. The water-repellent coating layer is the chemical concern: many water-repellent coating treatments historically used long-chain PFAS (PFAS "forever chemicals") to achieve water and oil repellency, though newer non-fluorinated alternatives exist. Decathlon has not disclosed which water-repellent coating chemistry is used in this specific model, making independent hazard assessment incomplete.
The brand's record and disclosure
Decathlon is a major apparel retailer with a mixed transparency record. The brand has committed to phasing out PFAS in textiles by 2025 (announced 2020), but implementation across product lines remains uneven, and pre-announcement stock or legacy products may still carry PFAS-based water-repellent coating. For this model, Decathlon provides no chemical disclosure on product pages or tags. No major recalls or safety controversies specific to this jacket model are on record, but the silence on water-repellent coating composition is a red flag given the category's legacy risk.
How it compares in its category
Budget waterproof jackets at this price point (typically 30-60 EUR for Decathlon Forclaz) often use older water-repellent coating technologies; premium outdoor brands increasingly label PFAS-free or BLUESIGN certified alternatives. This jacket is competitively priced and reasonably packable for travel, but lacks third-party chemical certification. Similar entry-level jackets from major retailers show the same opacity on water-repellent coating chemistry, making this a category-wide issue rather than a Decathlon-specific failure.
If you buy it
Wash before first wear to remove any loose coating residue or finishes. Use cool water (under 30°C) and mild detergent; avoid high heat drying, as water-repellent coating coatings degrade faster with heat. Do not use fabric softeners or bleach. Re-apply a non-fluorinated water-repellent coating refresher (widely available, 15-30 EUR) every 2-3 seasons if water beading diminishes. If the jacket pills or the water-repellent coating flakes noticeably within one year, this signals poor coating durability rather than a safety failure, but replacement may be warranted for function.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 42% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Decathlon has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Waterproof Bags & Luggage
Watershed
Goforth Dry Duffel
Naturally textured cotton blend with proprietary waterproofing
Azo dyes and hazardous colorants
Limited concern
Coating degradation and microparticle shedding
Limited concern
Residual processing chemicals (waterproofing treatment)
Limited concern
Reputable brand with documented PFAS-free commitment.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
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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.