State-level legislative bans are driving down the presence of toxic “forever chemicals” (PFAS) in clothing and consumer textiles. A new report released in June titled “No PFAS, No Problem: Product Testing Reveals Success of CA and NY PFAS Textile Laws,” published by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), found that 80 percent of tested consumer products are now in compliance with newly enacted restriction.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) evaluated 115 textile items purchased from brick-and-mortar and internet retailers in California and New York, where major restrictions on intentionally added PFAS took effect on January 1, 2025.
“Companies complained that they couldn’t get PFAS out of our raincoats, kids’ products, and household textiles, but when states forced their hands, most companies made the change—it shows the laggards can too,” Dr. Anna Reade, director of PFAS Advocacy at NRDC, said. “Thanks to these two states, we are getting safer clothes and housewares.”
While levels of PFAS in textile products decreased dramatically from thousands of parts per million (ppm) as reported in previous testing to less than 10 ppm in a matter of years, more than 60 percent of the items fell below 5 ppm, indicating a total drop in forever-chemical concentrations of 97 to 99.99 percent. Seventy-nine percent of the products tested registered below California’s current threshold of 100 parts per million (ppm), according to NRDC.
According to the study, athletics pants, swimwear, and even the more demanding technical functions required for shoes, rainwear and outdoor gear showed the most progress when tested.
“Overall, the results from this study are promising–they show that regulations work to protect people and public health,” Shannon Goff, research associate with NRDC and report co-author, said. “But more action is needed to ensure people and the environment are protected from the harms of PFAS”.
With this progress, the report also highlighted major gaps where certain industries are lagging or ignoring the bans. Some areas where there are persistent violations and laggards included every single tablecloth tested exceeded California’s maximum allowable limit, reusable diapers, pet accessories, and outdoor furniture consistently demonstrated elevated and non-compliant PFAS levels, and supply chain contamination.
The state bans that prompted this marketplace shift include:
- California (AB 1817): Prohibits the manufacture and sale of textile articles with regulated PFAS at or above 100 ppm as of 2025, dropping to 50 ppm on January 1, 2027. Severe wet-weather gear is exempt until 2028, but must feature a warning label.
- New York (S.1322/A.994): Outlaws apparel containing intentionally added PFAS as of 2025, with an absolute threshold limit applying by 2027 regardless of intentionality.
Public health advocates state these findings provide definitive proof that state-level policy can accelerate nationwide industrial reform, bypassing stalled federal actions to protect consumers from the risks of cancer, hormone disruption, and environmental contamination.
“Industry lobbyists continue to spend millions of dollars opposing legislation to protect public health from toxic chemicals, predicting disaster if product makers are required to manufacture safer products on any timeline,” said Reade. “Our analysis debunks industry claims, as we found most categories of textiles made the transition in less than five years. Now we need to take action to stop the unnecessary use of PFAS in other product categories, like cookware.”
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