Lands' End · Water-Resistant Swimwear
Lands' End Women's DD-Cup Tummy Control Chlorine Resistant Soft Cup Tugless One Piece Swimsuit
High PFAS risk. Chlorine-resistant swimwear typically uses PFAS-based water-repellent coating finishes.
This chlorine-resistant swimsuit likely relies on a water-repellent coating to keep working in pools. Lands' End won't say if that treatment contains PFAS.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Nylon/polyester blend with chlorine-resistant treatment (water-repellent coating likely)
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.
PFAS
Chlorine-resistant swimwear typically employs PFAS-based water-repellent coating finishes. Lands' End does not disclose the specific chemistry, making it reasonable to assume standard industry practice. Skin contact and potential migration of treatment compounds into pool water are the primary exposure routes.
Source: ATSDR ↗Synthetic fiber microfiber shedding
Nylon and polyester fabrics shed microscopic fibers during washing and wear, particularly if the water-repellent coating degrades over time. While the health risk from swimwear microfiber shedding is not well-established, accumulation in aquatic environments is documented. Frequent washing accelerates shedding.
Elastic degradation and material leaching
Spandex elastane in the waistband and leg bands can degrade with repeated chlorine and hot-water exposure, potentially releasing oligomers. Degraded elastics are a sign to replace the garment. This is not specific to Lands' End but reflects the limits of elasticized swimwear durability.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes in polyester
No specific safety alerts or banned azo dyes are on record for Lands' End swimwear. Standard polyester textiles may use azo dyes, which can release aromatic amines under certain conditions, but this is not a recognized hazard for swimwear under normal use.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No formaldehyde-releasing resins are known to be used in Lands' End swimwear production. Swimwear finishes typically use fluorinated or water-based systems, not formaldehyde resin. Direct contact dermatitis is not a documented concern for this product.
Source: ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This swimsuit is a nylon-polyester blend treated with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish to resist chlorine degradation and maintain color. Chlorine-resistant treatments in swimwear commonly use PFAS-based chemistry (perfluorinated compounds) to create the water and chlorine barrier, though Lands' End does not publicly specify which chemistry they employ. The base fabrics themselves (nylon and polyester) are stable synthetic fibers unlikely to leach monomers under normal wear, but the treatment layer is the source of potential concern.
The brand's record and disclosure
Lands' End does not disclose the chemical composition of its swimwear treatments on product labels or in publicly available safety documentation. The company has no known certifications (such as GOTS or Bluesign) that would restrict PFAS use. No product recalls or chemical safety controversies specific to this swimsuit model are on record, but the lack of transparency on water-repellent coating finish chemistry reflects an industry-wide pattern among legacy apparel brands.
How it compares in its category
Most chlorine-resistant swimwear relies on PFAS or PFAS-like fluorinated treatments; this Lands' End style is typical in that regard. Brands such as Patagonia and some sportswear lines are beginning to use non-PFAS water-repellent coating alternatives (e.g., wax-based or silicone coatings), but these remain less common and often less effective against chlorine. For a mainstream retailer product at this price point, chlorine resistance without disclosed safer chemistry is the standard.
If you buy it
Wash in cool or warm water with mild detergent; avoid hot water, which can accelerate coating breakdown and potential leaching. Air dry rather than machine drying to preserve the water-repellent coating finish. Replace when the suit begins to lose shape, elastic fails, or color fades significantly, typically after 50-80 wears or 1-2 seasons. Limit exposure to strong sunlight when not in use, as UV can degrade the treatment layer.
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
- Lands' End has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Water-Resistant Swimwear
J.Crew
Women's Gail One-piece
Polyamide/nylon blend (swimwear)
Lower PFAS concern for basic nylon.
⚠Risky category by default
J.Crew
Lana Classic Sculpt One-piece
Nylon/spandex blend (swimsuit)
Lower concern. Standard swimwear with no known PFAS treatment triggers.
⚠Risky category by default
J.Crew
Women's Squareneck One-piece
Nylon/spandex blend swimwear
Lower concern. Untreated swimwear fabric, but J.Crew makes no PFAS promises.
⚠Risky category by default
More water-resistant 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.