Speedo Women's Endurance+ Medalist Swimsuit
No PFAS disclosure on water-repellent coating treatment; many rival brands now disclose.
Endurance+ fabrics commonly feature water-repellent coating coatings historically based on PFAS chemistry. Speedo refuses to say whether this swimsuit uses PFAS-free water-repellent coating or conventional fluorinated treatments, with no third-party testing or brand commitment to PFAS elimination.
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 with water-repellent coating finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Speedo Women's Endurance Swimsuit is made of, ingredients and materials
Speedo Endurance+ Medalist is polyester with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish applied to the fabric surface. Polyester itself is chemically stable and does not leach plasticizers like BPA or phthalates under normal wear. The water-repellent coating is the chemical unknown, many water-repellent coating finishes historically used long-chain PFOA or PFOS, though some manufacturers have switched to shorter-chain alternatives or materials not linked to PFAS. Speedo's treatment choice is not publicly disclosed.
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
Speedo does not disclose whether this product uses legacy long-chain PFAS, newer short-chain PFAS, or PFAS-free chemistry. Without transparency, consumer risk assessment is limited; skin contact with water-repellent coating coatings on wet fabric is theoretically possible, especially in chlorinated water.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastic shedding during use and laundering
Polyester fabrics shed microfibers with repeated washing and chlorine exposure; this is a known characteristic of the material class, not specific to Speedo. Consumer shedding risk is environmental rather than direct health toxicity, but frequent laundering accelerates fiber loss.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes in polyester coloring
No recalls or safety alerts specific to Speedo swimwear dyes. Polyester swimwear typically uses colorfast dyes, but restricted azo dyes (capable of releasing carcinogenic amines) are not independently verified as absent in this product. Speedo does not publish dye safety certification.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester swimwear may use formaldehyde-based resins for dimensional stability. Speedo does not disclose formaldehyde content. Residual formaldehyde levels are typically minimal in finished swimwear after rinsing, but initial off-gassing or skin contact with treated seams is theoretically possible.
Source, ATSDR ↗Antimony in polyester fiber (processing catalyst residue)
Antimony is used as a catalyst in polyester synthesis and may remain in trace amounts in finished fiber. No published testing or recalls address antimony levels in Speedo swimwear. Typical food-contact plastic limits do not apply to textiles, so regulatory oversight is absent.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Speedo has not published a commitment to PFAS-free water-repellent coating treatments or transparent ingredient disclosure for swimwear coatings, unlike some competitors (e.g., Patagonia, which details its water-repellent coating strategy). The brand maintains no published safety certifications specific to chemical restrictions in swimwear. No formal safety recalls or chemical contamination incidents for this product line are on public record. However, silence on PFAS use in a water-repellent coating product is notable given industry awareness of the issue since the 2010s.
How it compares in its category
Most performance swimwear brands (Speedo, Arena, TYR, Nike) use water-repellent coating finishes without transparent chemical disclosure; few guarantee PFAS-free treatment. Brands like Patagonia explicitly avoid PFAS in swimwear but at higher price points. Speedo's Endurance+ line is mid-market and standard for non-disclosure. This product is neither an outlier for opacity nor a leader in transparency within competitive swimming apparel.
If you buy it
Rinse after saltwater or chlorinated pool use to reduce skin contact with residual chlorine and water-repellent coating compounds. Wash in cool water with mild detergent; avoid fabric softeners and high heat, which can degrade polyester and alter water-repellent coating integrity. Replace when elasticity noticeably declines (typically 1-2 years of regular use) or water-repellent coating performance visibly worsens (water no longer beads on fabric). Do not tumble dry; air dry flat to preserve coating and fiber longevity.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Speedo has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Speedo Women's Endurance+ Medalist Swimsuit?
- 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
- Cotton/cotton-blend seersucker plaid
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes and colorfast stability
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon
- Polyester/nylon swimsuit fabric, likely uncoated or standard finish
- Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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.