California legislates on use of PFAS

The Governor of California has passed a bill to ban the use of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in some types of clothing by 2025. The ban will make it unlawful to manufacture outdoor clothing using PFAS. 

PFAS will also be banned for use in thousands of cosmetic products in California, but it will still be permitted to use in carpets and upholstery. The decision sets an important precedent for the fashion and beauty industries and sets ambitious goals for the chemical industry. 

PFASs are used to give garments water and stain resistant properties. They are known as ‘Forever Chemicals’ due to their strong chemical bonds which are extremely hard to break. They can leach into our food, drinking water, soil and waterways and persist for hundreds of year. PFASs are considered to pose a significant risk to our health because of their ability to mimic and disrupt the actions of the endocrine system. 

The last time a UK Chemicals Strategy was published was 1999; it has been delayed ever since. A small number of PFASs are restricted or banned for use across Europe, but alternatives can easily be substituted. 

Download our PFAS guide to learn more about this vast, long lasting chemical group which is of great concern to our health. 

Read more about the California bill Product safety: textile articles: perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).