Modern fashion increasingly sells performance. Waterproof jackets, stain-resistant shirts, odour-control activewear, wrinkle-free cotton, and easy-care childrenswear have become familiar selling points. Consumers have grown used to expecting clothing to do more than simply provide comfort or style. Yet many of these performance features do not come naturally from the fibre itself. They are often achieved through chemical treatments that most consumers rarely think about.
Recent public scrutiny around PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” in apparel, including attention involving brands such as Lululemon, has brought this issue into mainstream discussion. However, this is important to understand: this is not a one-brand issue. The textile industry has used specialised chemistry for decades to create various performance characteristics.
The more useful question is not whether one specific brand used these treatments, but whether consumers understand how their clothing achieves the properties being marketed.
What Are PFAS?
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a large family of synthetic chemicals. They are commonly called “forever chemicals” because their carbon-fluorine bonds are extremely stable, making them highly resistant to environmental breakdown.
This stability makes PFAS commercially attractive. In textiles, they have historically been used to provide:
- Water repellence
- Oil resistance
- Grease resistance
- Stain protection
- Weather resistance
These properties made PFAS particularly useful in products such as:
- Outdoor jackets
- Rainwear
- Uniforms
- Upholstery
- Technical sportswear
- Fashion garments marketed as weatherproof or stain resistant
PFAS became widely used because they are effective at delivering these functions. That same effectiveness is what has also made them increasingly controversial.
Why Consumers Are Concerned
The main concern around PFAS is persistence. Because these chemicals degrade extremely slowly, they can remain in the environment for long periods and accumulate over time.
Areas of concern include:
- Soil contamination
- Water system contamination
- Wildlife exposure
- Human bioaccumulation
Scientific and regulatory scrutiny around certain PFAS compounds has increased due to potential associations with:
- Endocrine disruption
- Immune system effects
- Developmental concerns
- Reproductive toxicity
- Certain cancers
It is important to remain objective. PFAS is a broad family of chemicals, and not every compound has the same risk profile. However, the overall regulatory direction is clear: PFAS are facing increasing scrutiny globally.
It’s Not Just About PFAS
PFAS are only one part of a much broader textile chemistry conversation. The fashion industry has long used chemical treatments to improve performance, durability, and convenience.
Common examples include treatments for:
- Wrinkle resistance
- Flame retardancy
- Antimicrobial claims
- Water repellence
- Stain resistance
- Anti-odour performance
- Easy-care finishing
This does not mean these technologies are automatically harmful. Many exist because consumers genuinely value the benefits they provide. But it does mean that some product features marketed as innovation are achieved through chemical intervention rather than the fibre’s natural characteristics.
Flame Retardants: Another Example of Performance Chemistry
Flame retardant chemistry provides another useful example of how textile treatments can later come under closer scrutiny.
One example is TCEP (Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate), an organophosphate flame retardant historically used to improve fire resistance in certain materials. Concerns associated with TCEP include suspected carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, and developmental toxicity.
As scientific understanding evolves, regulations also change. In the European Union, restrictions on substances such as TCEP in products intended for children reflect a broader pattern in consumer product safety.
This highlights an important reality: chemicals once considered commercially acceptable may later face tighter restrictions as more evidence emerges.
This does not mean all flame-retardant-treated products are dangerous. It does reinforce the importance of understanding how marketed performance is achieved.
Do Performance Features Always Mean Chemical Treatments?
Not necessarily.
Some performance claims come from chemical finishes. Others come from fibre engineering or fabric construction.
For example, moisture-wicking performance may be achieved through:
- Fibre cross-sectional shape
- Yarn engineering
- Knit or weave construction
- Material selection
Polyester sportswear often manages moisture through capillary action rather than chemical coatings. Breathability is also frequently achieved through construction rather than finishing chemistry.
Consumers should avoid assuming that every technical feature means harmful chemistry, but they should also avoid assuming that every performance claim is naturally achieved.
Natural Fibres: Performance Designed by Nature
One practical way to reduce reliance on performance chemistry is to understand what fibres naturally do well.
Cotton naturally offers:
- Breathability
- Softness
- Moisture absorbency
- Comfort against skin
However, cotton is not naturally:
- Waterproof
- Oil resistant
- Highly stain resistant
If a cotton garment is marketed with these extreme performance features, chemical treatment may be involved.
Wool is one of nature’s most technically impressive fibres and naturally offers:
- Moisture management
- Temperature regulation
- Odour resistance
- Natural flame resistance
- Some water repellence due to fibre structure and lanolin
This explains why wool is widely used in:
- Performance base layers
- Outdoor apparel
- Hiking garments
- Technical socks
In many cases, wool achieves highly desirable performance properties without requiring aggressive chemical enhancement.
Natural Does Not Automatically Mean Chemical-Free
It is equally important not to assume that natural fibres are automatically untreated.
Cotton may receive treatments for:
- Wrinkle resistance
- Easy-care performance
- Water repellence
- Flame retardancy
- Stain resistance
- Antimicrobial properties
Wool may be treated for:
- Shrink resistance (such as superwash treatment)
- Mothproofing
- Water repellence
- Surface softening
- Anti-itch finishing
Natural fibre does not automatically mean chemical-free.
The more useful question is whether the marketed performance aligns with the fibre’s natural behaviour or whether significant enhancement was required.
A More Thoughtful Way to Buy Clothing
Consumers who want to minimise exposure to unknown textile chemistry may benefit from understanding fibre behaviour rather than relying solely on marketing claims.
Natural performance examples include:
- Wool for temperature regulation
- Wool for moisture management
- Wool for odour resistance
- Cotton for breathability
- Linen for cooling comfort
Performance claims that may deserve closer attention include:
- Stain-proof cotton shirts
- Oil-resistant casual trousers
- Extremely waterproof cotton outerwear
- Heavily “performance enhanced” childrenswear
This does not automatically mean such products are unsafe.
It simply means consumers should understand how these properties are being achieved.
The Bigger Fashion Question
Fashion increasingly markets innovation, convenience, and technical performance. But consumers may not always realise how much invisible chemistry can sit behind those promises.
PFAS may be today’s headline concern. Tomorrow, public attention may shift to another chemical class entirely.
The broader lesson is not necessarily to reject innovation. It is to make more informed choices.
If your goal is reducing exposure to unknown textile chemicals, a sensible starting point is understanding the natural properties of fibres and being cautious of garments marketed with features far beyond those natural behaviours.
Sometimes innovation brings genuine benefits.
Sometimes it introduces complexity that consumers do not fully see.
And sometimes the simplest solution is choosing fibres that already perform naturally, rather than relying on chemistry to force fabrics to behave in ways they were never naturally designed to.