PFAS in school uniforms and textiles
Forever chemicals in stain resistant school uniforms
PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’, are often used in clothing and textiles to add a protective stain resistant quality or waterproof layer. In fact, it is estimated that use in textiles accounts for around 35% of global PFAS demand [1]. Washing and disposal of PFAS-treated clothing ultimately leads to PFAS pollution in the environment and exposes people to harmful PFAS as well [2]. Given their continual need for replacement, frequent use and washing, school uniforms were identified as a particular risk for environmental PFAS pollution.
The great news is that PFAS-free options for school uniforms are now widely accessible. By 2022, nearly all UK retailers Fidra engaged with had shifted to offering uniforms without PFAS treatments. To ensure the same levels of protection from other clothing and wider product ranges, and to establish a level playing field amongst businesses and retailers, the UK must introduce a group-wide PFAS restriction.
This is a previous project from Fidra and not one we are actively working on at present.




Environmental risks of PFAS in textiles
The use of PFAS in clothing is a concern because it provides a pathway for these chemicals to enter the environment. Abrasion during use, disposal to landfill, incineration and even washing, all result in environmental exposure to PFAS [1]. In fact, research has shown that a significant amount of these chemicals are washed out into the water supply after only 10 washing cycles [3]. Once in our environment, PFAS are highly mobile and persistent, enabling them to spread rapidly throughout water sources and persist in the land for centuries. PFAS pose a range of hidden environmental threats, including risks to soil biota [4], pollinators [5] or aquatic organisms [6]. Currently, no effective or financially viable method exists to remediate PFAS contamination on a large scale, meaning every wash or disposal contributes to the growing environmental burden of these forever chemicals.
Health risks of PFAS in textiles
PFAS in textiles contribute to the cocktail of forever chemicals posing risks to human health. Human exposure to PFAS can be experienced throughout a product’s lifecycle, from emissions lost during production, disposal, and recycling, as well as throughout the products use [2]. Consumers of PFAS containing textiles can be exposed to these forever chemicals via inhalation of small particles generated by abrasion of clothing materials or through absorption of PFAS through the skin[7], [8]. Oral exposure is also particularly prevalent in children, who have more frequent object-to-mouth or hand-to-mouth absorption routes [1], [2]. 6:2 FTOH, one of the main PFAS used for stain resistance in school uniforms [9], has been found to be highly toxic to rodents and therefore may also pose risks to human health [10].
Exposure from textiles is just one of the routes from which PFAS can impact our health, which is why Fidra is calling for a group-based PFAS restriction that better safeguards the health of people and the environment.
Our work on PFAS in school uniforms
Fidra investigated whether the supposed benefits of stain-resistant coatings in school uniforms are translated into practical benefits to households. We conducted a nationwide survey, including over 600 parents and guardians of primary school age children across the UK, to ask them about their school uniform washing and purchasing habits.
Contrary to expectations, we found little to no tangible consumer benefit of a PFAS stain-resistant finish to school uniforms. For example, there was no decrease in how often people washed school uniforms relating to the ‘stain resistant’ finish, and no decrease in how often people replaced the school uniforms. School uniforms were still bought as frequently, regardless of whether they had been treated with stain resistance or not. By looking into the specifics of the branded finishes offered to customers, we also learnt that most finishes only last 10 or 20 washes. We calculated that this represented less than a third of the average ‘first-use’ life (i.e. takes no account of use by subsequent children). Overall, these findings suggest that there is little to no tangible consumer benefit of a PFAS stain-resistant finish to school uniforms.
Progress from UK retailers
Our survey helped Fidra to work with retailers on eliminating PFAS-containing clothing from their lines of school uniforms. As of 2022, almost all UK retailers Fidra engaged with were selling PFAS-free school uniforms. This has been helped by increasing general awareness about the harms of PFAS and the number of PFAS alternatives that are now available.
We have created the table below showing progress from UK retailers. This data is accurate as of 2022.
Resources
PFAS in School Uniforms
This report surveyed 600 parents and guardians across the UK and revealed that PFAS stain-resistant finishes on school uniforms provide little tangible benefit, as these finishes neither reduce washing frequency nor delay uniform replacement.
Published: June 2018
Author: Fidra
An assessment on PFAS in textiles in Europe’s circular economy
This report from the European Environment Agency gives an indepth summary of the uses of PFAS within the textile industry, the risks to human health and the environment, current regulation and the implications for a circular economy. Although it is focussed on the EU, the contents of the report can be applied more widely.
Published: Feb 2024
Author: European Environment Agency
Toxics in our clothing
This wide reaching studytested jackets and other clothing sold as water- or stain-resistant for PFAS from 13 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America.
Published: Nov 2023
Author: Straková, J., Brosché, S., Brabcová, K
References
[1] European Environment Agency, “PFAS in textiles in Europe’s circular economy.” Accessed: Jan. 09, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/pfas-in-textiles-in-europes-circular-economy
[2] European Environment Agency, “An assessment on PFAS in textiles in Europe’s circular economy,” Feb. 2024. Accessed: Jan. 10, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/pfas-in-textiles-in-europes-circular-economy/an-assessment-on-pfas-in-textiles-in-europes-circular-economy/@@download/file
[3] I. Van Der Veen et al., “Fate of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from Durable Water-Repellent Clothing during Use,” Environ Sci Technol, vol. 56, no. 9, pp. 5886–5897, May 2022, doi: 10.1021/ACS.EST.1C07876/ASSET/IMAGES/LARGE/ES1C07876_0004.JPEG.
[4] The James Hutton Institute, “Using new contaminants information to re-assess environmental risks from sewage sludge,” Dec. 2024. Accessed: Jan. 09, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.hutton.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Fidra-SS-Risk-Assessment-Final-Report_December-2024_FINAL_Cover-2.pdf
[5] C. A. Sonter, R. Rader, G. Stevenson, J. R. Stavert, and S. C. Wilson, “Biological and behavioral responses of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies to perfluorooctane sulfonate exposure,” Integr Environ Assess Manag, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 673–683, Jul. 2021, doi: 10.1002/IEAM.4421.
[6] A. J. Lewis, X. Yun, D. E. Spooner, M. J. Kurz, E. R. McKenzie, and C. M. Sales, “Exposure pathways and bioaccumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in freshwater aquatic ecosystems: Key considerations,” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 822, p. 153561, May 2022, doi: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2022.153561.
[7] A. P. Periyasamy, “Microfiber Emissions from Functionalized Textiles: Potential Threat for Human Health and Environmental Risks,” Toxics 2023, Vol. 11, Page 406, vol. 11, no. 5, p. 406, Apr. 2023, doi: 10.3390/TOXICS11050406.
[8] O. Ragnarsdóttir, M. A. E. Abdallah, and S. Harrad, “Dermal uptake: An important pathway of human exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances?,” Environmental Pollution, vol. 307, p. 119478, Aug. 2022, doi: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2022.119478.
[9] C. Xia et al., “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in North American School Uniforms,” Environ Sci Technol, vol. 56, no. 19, pp. 13845–13857, Oct. 2022, doi: 10.1021/ACS.EST.2C02111/ASSET/IMAGES/LARGE/ES2C02111_0004.JPEG.
[10] P. A. Rice, J. Aungst, J. Cooper, O. Bandele, and S. V. Kabadi, “Comparative analysis of the toxicological databases for 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA),” Food and Chemical Toxicology, vol. 138, p. 111210, Apr. 2020, doi: 10.1016/J.FCT.2020.111210.