All About PFAs and PFC-Free Waterproofing
Outdoor companies are producing gear without PFAs and PFCs – without sacrificing performance
Published November 2, 2023
The outdoor gear industry has been in a challenging position for most of its existence. How do companies produce gear that offers sufficient protection from the elements in outdoor environments while also causing minimal harm to the very earth we want to explore?
While we still have a long road ahead, brands are developing new technologies that help to lessen this impact without sacrificing performance.
One of those developments is finding ways to exclude polyfluoroalkyl and perfluorochemicals (commonly referred to as PFAs or PFCs) from waterproof and water-resistant outdoor apparel and gear. Most waterproofing membranes and materials that use PFCs still perform better than those that don’t, which is part of why these chemicals are so prevalent in our outdoor gear. But that’s starting to change, and some PFC-free options that are newer to the market are proving that they can contend with the best of them. For outdoors folks, we’re finally getting more environmentally-friendly options for gear that are also high performance and able to stand up to all our adventures.
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WHAT ARE PFAS AND PFCS? WHY ARE THEY BAD?
PFCs are a group of chemicals used in manufacturing various goods, such as nonstick cookware, furniture, and a lot of outdoor gear. The EPA lists chemicals in this group as “forever chemicals,” meaning they remain or decompose very, very slowly in the environment and never biodegrade. According to the CDC, “PFCs have been found in rivers and lakes and animals on land and in the water.” And when found in these places, they remain and only compound.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, animal studies have shown that PFCs negatively affect various parts of the body, including the endocrine system and immune system, and “cause adverse effects on multiple organs.” More studies need to be done for conclusive evidence, but current research suggests that PFCs have a similarly negative effect on human health. This suggests that PFCs are also likely to negatively affect the health of wildlife and the environment as a whole.
These PFCs and PFAs are not necessarily entering your body by wearing outdoor gear that uses them. None of the current studies show strong evidence that wearing gear with these chemicals in their fabric is harmful to humans. Rather, they’re most commonly ingested through contaminated water and other sources. When outdoor gear and apparel get thrown out or washed, those chemicals used for waterproofing can seep into the water and the environment, eventually making it back to us.
Moreso, those who work to produce this gear and the raw materials are the most affected by these chemicals since they’re working directly with them day in and day out. There is likely far more potential harm to the people actually making a waterproof hardshell than to the person wearing it.
Because of these negative environmental impacts, the outdoor industry is beginning to shift away from these materials. But the urgency is greater now that some states are moving to ban these substances from consumer goods, outdoor apparel included.
WHERE PFAS AND PFCS ARE COMMONLY FOUND IN OUR OUTDOOR GEAR
Of the many reasons PFAs and PFCs are used in various products, water repellency is their primary function in outdoor gear and apparel. PFCs could be in anything from your rain jacket to your backpack. Many DWRs (durable water repellents) contain PFCs, as do most products with a GORE-TEX membrane (the layer in a rain jacket that repels water while keeping it breathable).
As a result, any of your outerwear, backpacks, hiking pants, or most things meant to repel or resist water in some way have a high potential of containing PFCs. It’s been the standard in the industry for a long time because of these chemicals’ unique ability to resist water, oils, and other liquids, and many outdoor brands have yet to find an alternative that performs as well as materials that use these chemicals.
Matt Decker, a Global Technical and Innovation Leader for Gore, who we chatted with via email for this story, says, “Fluorinated materials offer highly unique and specialized performance and protective benefits for outdoor apparel. These types of protective benefits have helped enable people to endure the harshest environments outside. Until recently, it has been very difficult to replicate these benefits without the use of fluorinated materials while maintaining the same level of performance standards outdoor consumers have come to expect from their gear.”
Patagonia’s Communications Manager, Corey Simpson, also noted during this year’s Outdoor Media Summit the massive task it has been for outdoor brands to move away from fluorinated materials in waterproof apparel, but that it needs to happen. However, we’re finally seeing breakthroughs with new designs and materials from Gore and other outdoor brands, some of which may even perform better than some of the current waterproof-breathable membranes currently on the market.
BRANDS LEADING THE CHARGE WITH PFC-FREE GEAR
Gore-Tex, the waterproofing membrane widely known as one of the best on the market, relies on PFCs for many of its most prolific products, including the Gore-Tex Pro membrane (as do many other waterproofing membranes—it’s certainly not just Gore). But Gore has been one of the brands at the forefront of developing gear that performs without these harsh chemicals, partly due to environmental groups pushing the brand to make changes. While developing these new products takes time, big strides have been made toward developing waterproof materials that contain no PFCs yet still perform as well as those that do.
Along with the push from environmental groups, Patagonia (who has used Gore-Tex in their products for ages) also asked Gore to develop a waterproof membrane that eliminated harmful PFCs and was less harsh on the environment while maintaining high-performance standards.
In the fall of 2022, Gore launched their first fully PFC-free membrane, the ePE Membrane. According to Decker at Gore, per our email conversation, the main difference in this, compared to the previous membrane, is in the chemistry, which uses a makeup that is less harmful to the environment. But there are other advantages to the ePE Membrane, too. It’s both lighter and stronger than the old membrane, with a “high strength to weight ratio per tensile testing,” says Decker.
Last winter, Patagonia released the Storm Shift ski kit, the first to use Gore’s new PFC-free waterproofing ePE Membrane. Patagonia is the first to bring a fully PFC-free Gore-Tex hardshell to the market, but many more will surely (and hopefully) follow. We had the chance to test this kit over the winter and were impressed by its performance. Gore-Tex offered only a limited run of this fabric to a handful of brands, so it’s not yet widely available, and we have yet to thoroughly test it up against Gore-Tex membranes that contain PFCs. But our initial impressions indicate that this performs just as well.
For their fall/winter 2023 launch, Patagonia will bring more hardshells to market using the Gore ePE Membrane, including the Untracked jacket and bibs (which we are currently testing) designed for backcountry skiing and riding, and the Triolet alpine hardshell, among a couple of other niche items.
Many brands, Patagonia included, have used PFC-free durable water repellents (DWRs) for a few years, and others, including Arc’teryx, have launched small lines with the new PFC-free Gore-Tex membrane. Brands including Picture Organic, Stio, Fjallraven, Cotopaxi, and Mammut all incorporate PFC-free DWR treatments into their lines, though most of these garments still feature membranes containing PFCs.
At this point, many major outdoor apparel brands have set goals to decrease or eliminate PFCs from their products in the coming years. Pertex is another prominent manufacturer of waterproof-breathable fabrics for the outdoor industry, and they have a PFC-free DWR that various brands use. Ultimately, this means that environmentally responsible and highly technical gear will be only more widely available as these technologies continue to develop.
ALTERNATIVES TO PFC WATERPROOFING
If you need new waterproof apparel and want to avoid purchasing gear loaded with PFCs, there are a handful of options to explore, with hopefully more coming in the future. According to Patagonia’s website, “By Fall 2023, about 96% of our weather- and waterproof garments that include DWR membranes and finishes will be made without PFCs, including select outerwear, insulation pieces and mid layers all of which have passed the gauntlet of H₂No tests.” It’s clear that Patagonia is transitioning to using the ePE Membrane in more of their Gore-Tex shells as well.
If you want an easy way to search for PFC-free outdoor gear, Patagonia has a collection on their website that features all of their gear that contains no PFCs–from hardshells to puffy jackets to running shorts. This includes the popular Torrentshell rain jacket, which is made with the PFC-free H2No membrane and DWR coating. You’ll also find their winter kits, including the Storm Shift and Untracked lines, along with the Triolet hardshell.
Outdoor Research has similar goals to eliminate PFAS from their apparel in the coming years. They already use some PFAS-free DWR treatments and are working to transition to garments that don’t use these chemicals at all.
Earlier this year, after much pressure from environmental groups and consumers, REI announced that it would ban “forever chemicals” (including PFAS) from all cookware and apparel sold in the store starting in 2024. So, beginning next year, shopping for apparel at REI will ensure you avoid these harmful chemicals in at least some of your gear.
Other brands are also incorporating their own waterproofing materials to make PFC-free shells. Helly Hansen is offering a technical backcountry-focused ski kit, the Odin BC Infinity, which features their LIFA Infinity membrane and a DWR treatment, both of which are free of forever chemicals.
Some smaller brands are also trying to make the change to PFC-free materials as well, including Salida, Colorado’s Katabatic Gear. Kris Diers, Katabatic’s Administrative Director, said in an email, “Part of our company mission is to create UL gear with an extended useful life and performance that meets or exceeds our customers’ expectations. We don’t want it to end up in a landfill before its time, leading the customer to buy yet another piece of gear. Another major piece of our sustainability plan is to continuously work with our materials suppliers, looking to find the balance between the best performance, customer experience, durability, and sustainability. This is where our transition to PFC-free fabrics came to be. We are always learning, and realize there are moving targets and multiple priorities under the umbrella of sustainability.”
Ultimately, PFCs are just one piece of the puzzle, and it’s equally important for our gear to be durable in order for it to be more sustainable. And that’s one of the big reasons this transition away from these harmful chemicals has been such a long and slow process.
When it comes time to give the gear that’s already in your closet some TLC, much of Nixwax’s line of washes and DWR treatments are now PFC-free, including TX.Direct, which is commonly used to re-up waterproofing in outdoor garments at home.
SHOULD I REPLACE MY OLD GEAR WITH NEW PFC-FREE MODELS?
The author testing the PFC-free, 3-layer Gore-Tex Patagonia Untracked ski jacket. Photo courtesy Stasia Stockwell.
As always, the most environmentally conscious thing to do regarding outdoor gear and apparel is to keep what you have in rotation for as long as possible. So don’t toss your old gear for a new PFC-free shell unless you genuinely need it. It’s far better for the environment to keep that gear out of the landfill for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, PFCs are prevalent in our environment already. According to the EPA, “PFAS are found in water, air, fish, and soil at locations across the nation and around the globe.” Outdoor apparel is just one of many contributors. Tossing out your waterproof jacket likely won’t rid your home of all PFCs. Of course, when it’s time for new gear, look to these more environmentally friendly options to replace your old stuff—it’ll be better for the earth and probably for you, too.
In the meantime, if your gear could use a refresh, don’t forget that cleaning your Gore-Tex shells is actually beneficial to their performance and will help them last longer. And reach for the PFC-free Nikwax when it’s time to revive the waterproofing.
AUTHOR’S EXPERTISE: WHY YOU SHOULD TRUST US
Stasia Stockwell is a lifelong skier who has spent an average of 50 days skiing each season since she could walk. She has taken classes on all-mountain skiing techniques and has her AIARE Level 1 avalanche safety certification. Her work in the industry spans from testing and reviewing skis for Backpacker Magazine to working on ski videos for Atomic skis.
A true mountain dweller, Stasia Stockwell feels far more at home on a high alpine ridge than a busy city street. She writes primarily in the outdoor and adventure travel realm, focusing on destinations content and gear reviews that are intriguing and informative for newcomers and experts alike.
Stasia has worked as a backpacking guide in southeast Alaska and written for Backpacker, REI Co-op Journal, and The Dyrt, among others. She’s a lifelong skier, mountain biker, backpacker, and trail runner who’s passionate about lowering barriers to entry for outdoor sports. She hopes to inspire people to love and respect the wild natural world through her work.
More of her work and adventures can be found on her website.
To see all Stasia’s Treeline articles, see her author profile.
As a freelance writer and gear tester, Stasia and Treeline Review are not sponsored, an ambassador, or an employee of any companies mentioned here. This review is unbiased, and we do this to help you find the best product for the best price. Treeline Review doesn’t accept sponsored content, native advertising, or paid reviews.
