Patagonia Women's Cross Shore One-Piece Swimsuit
Avoid until Patagonia discloses or certifies water-repellent coating chemistry.
Patagonia's Cross Shore swimsuit uses nylon with water-repellent coating treatment, a category historically tied to PFAS for quick-dry performance. Patagonia keeps water-repellent coating chemistry and PFAS status undisclosed without third-party verification or brand transparency.
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Material
Nylon/polyamide blend with water-repellent coating treatment
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
Nylon swimwear water-repellent coating treatments commonly use fluorinated PFAS in legacy formulations. Patagonia has not disclosed which chemistry this product uses; skin contact during wear and rinse-water shedding could deliver low but non-zero PFAS exposure if fluorinated compounds are present.
Source: ATSDR ↗Spandex degradation and microfiber shedding
Spandex degrades under UV exposure, chlorine, and heat; breakdown can release microfibers into water. This is not unique to Patagonia but is inherent to all nylon-spandex blends. Risk is reduced by rinsing promptly after pool/ocean use and air-drying away from direct sun.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes in synthetic textile
Patagonia products are generally manufactured to restricted-substance lists that exclude banned azo dyes. No recalls or reports of azo-dye violations in this brand's nylon swimwear are on record; color fastness is typically assured.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No evidence of formaldehyde-releasing resins in Patagonia nylon swimwear; the brand has committed to restricted-substance frameworks that typically exclude formaldehyde donors. Pre-wash is still prudent for any new textile.
Source: ATSDR ↗Heavy metals
Patagonia swimwear is not known to contain lead, cadmium, or antimony in dyes or pigments based on available third-party testing and brand certifications. No public recalls link this product to heavy-metal contamination.
Source: FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This swimsuit is nylon (polyamide) blended with spandex for stretch, treated with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish to shed water without soaking fabric. water-repellent coating formulations are the critical unknown: they may contain fluorinated PFAS compounds (the legacy standard) or newer non-fluorinated alternatives, which Patagonia has not publicly specified for this product line. Nylon itself is stable and does not leach monomers or plasticizers during normal wear or typical water exposure.
The brand's record and disclosure
Patagonia has a strong reputation for environmental commitment and has phased PFAS from some product lines, but has not made a comprehensive public commitment or disclosure for all swimwear water-repellent coating treatments. The company has signed industry pledges on PFAS reduction but does not routinely label individual products with water-repellent coating chemistry. This silence on a high-contact, skin-contacting product is a material transparency gap relative to competitors like Speedo and Rip Curl, some of whom have explicitly adopted PFAS-free or certified-safe alternatives.
How it compares in its category
Premium swimwear brands increasingly specify PFAS-free water-repellent coating or use wax-based water repellents; Patagonia's refusal to disclose puts this product in a middle ground of assumed-legacy risk. Budget and mid-range brands often remain silent on water-repellent coating chemistry, making Patagonia's lack of clarity a relative weakness given its premium positioning and brand values. Certified PFAS-free alternatives exist in this category and carry lower reputational and chemical uncertainty.
If you buy it
Wash before first wear to reduce any residual manufacturing chemicals or finishes. Rinse after saltwater or chlorine exposure to prevent degradation of spandex and water-repellent coating finish. Air dry away from direct heat and sunlight to extend fabric life and coating durability; heat above 40 C (104 F) can degrade nylon and spandex elasticity. Replace when elastic fails or fabric pilling becomes visible, typically after 50-100 wears. Do not machine wash hot or dry-clean with fluorinated solvents.
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
- Patagonia has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Swimwear
Speedo
Women's Eco Solid Adult Super Pro Swimsuit
Polyester/nylon blend (standard swimsuit fabric)
Lower concern, typical swimwear without known water-repellent treatment, though Speedo has not disclosed PFAS avoidance.
⚠Risky category by default
Patagonia
Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top
Nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear)
Lower concern, basic swimwear without water-repellent coating, though Patagonia's broader PFAS practices warrant review.
⚠Risky category by default
Aerie
String Triangle Bikini Top
nylon/polyester blend (standard swimwear)
Lower PFAS concern, untreated swimwear unlikely to require water-repellent coating chemicals.
⚠Risky category by default
More 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.