For many of us, winter is now arriving in earnest. That means digging out the thermals, brushing off the rain jackets, and preparing to face the elements. Traditional winter clothing was made of wool, down, and oiled canvas back in the day. But nowadays, we all wear modern materials that usually contain synthetic materials and PFAS. Here, we look at why this might be a concern for you, and what your alternatives are this winter.
What is PFAS and why is it used so widely?
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a family of manmade chemicals that have been widely used for at least the last 60 years. PFAS chemicals are used wherever you want something to be water repellant, greaseproof, or non-stick. Typically, they are used as coatings, but they can also be used in other ways.
Why are PFAS generating so much attention?
PFAS are increasingly linked with all kinds of different health conditions. The problem is that PFAS are very stable and can bioaccumulate in the body, or last for decades in the environment. Some of the more serious health issues linked to PFAS include:
- Cancers, including testicular cancer
- Ulcerative colitis
- Immune system problems
- Cardiovascular disease
- Reduced birth weight
At the moment, we are still only just learning about how bad PFAS may be for human health. Everything we see so far suggests that these chemicals are bad news for the body, so you really should be trying to avoid them.
Three reasons you find PFAS in winter clothing
PFAS is widely used in modern clothing. Moreover, even clothing that doesn’t purposely use PFAS is often contaminated due to supply chain issues. Here are three ways PFAS is used in winter clothing.
- Breathable waterproof membranes
Breathable waterproofs were a revolutionary idea when they were introduced some decades ago. Essentially, they offered you the best of both worlds–a fabric that stopped water getting in, while allowing sweat to evaporate. Nowadays, GoreTex, Pertex, and a host of manufacturer-specific alternatives have swept the board. Almost all of these materials are made of PFAS. More specifically, they are made by rapidly stretching PFAS fibers to expand them. The resulting material contains billions of microscopic pores. These are too small to allow liquid water to pass through, but still let water vapor escape.
- Durable water-resistant coatings
Breathable membranes by themselves are typically far too weak to make clothing. So, they are bonded to layers of fabric to give them strength and durability. If you go shopping for waterproof jackets you'll soon become familiar with terms like two-layer or three-layer materials. As any dedicated hiker knows all too well, breathable materials stop working so well once this outside protective fabric becomes saturated. Therefore, manufacturers use a different form of PFAS to provide a water repellent effect. This is either sprayed onto the fabric or washed in. You can see the effect if you splash water on a new jacket and watch it immediately bead up and flow away.
- Water-shedding insulation materials
Many winter jackets contain down or artificial alternatives for insulation. These materials rely on trapping air, thus providing an insulating layer that keeps the body warm. The problem is, as soon as they become wet, the water increases their thermal conductivity. The upshot is that suddenly your warm cosy down jacket is now a cold damp source of misery. The solution? More PFAS of course. Manufacturers coat the insulation materials with more water-shedding PFAS to help prevent it getting saturated.
PFAS free alternatives
Many clothing retailers and fabric manufacturers have responded to the concerns around PFAS. They are moving away from the traditional PFAS materials, like expanded PTFE. Instead, they are trying to use materials like GenX that break down more readily in the body or the environment. Some manufacturers even claim to have created PFAS-free breathable fabrics.
The reality is that most claims of being “PFAS-free” are dubious. Usually, it just means they are using a chemical that is almost identical to PFAS, but technically is defined differently. This is like claiming that synthetic narcotics aren’t really drugs because they have subtle differences in their chemistry. Some brands that are conscious about PFAS that you could check out include:
There are some truly PFAS-free alternatives for winter clothing.
Leather
Leather is probably the oldest known material to keep humans dry and warm. Assuming you don’t have ethical issues, a leather coat will keep you dry in even the heaviest downpour. But there are many downsides that might well put you off.
Oiled or rubberised canvas
For centuries, sailors and fishermen used oiled canvas clothing to protect themselves from the elements. These were then replaced with rubber impregnated cloth. This is still used by deep sea fishermen for their jackets as it is truly waterproof and isn’t affected by the salt water.
Directional membranes
One niche type of clothing uses special membranes that encourage water to flow through them. Nikwax is the leader in this field with their directional textiles. These textiles rely on a completely different way of thinking. Rather than trying to block liquid and allow vapor through, they force water to flow in one direction. This has the effect of blocking water from soaking into the outside of the jacket while encouraging sweat to flow away from the body. Check out Paramo if you are interested in trying this out.
What to do if you are worried about PFAS
If you are worried about PFAS exposure for you and your family, consider taking a home test for PFAS. Our convenient test kits only need a few drops of blood to identify 18 different PFAS compounds. Order for you or your loved one today using code XMASLOVE to get $15 off.
Note, Relentless Health PFAS tests are only suitable for over 18s and are not available to residents of NY. Coupon code valid until end of January, 2025.
