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Secondhand Fashion Has a Looming PFAS Problem

A number of US states are banning PFAS in clothing, but the crackdowns leave a loophole for heaps of toxic clothes to keep circulating through resale markets.
Racks of clothing at a second-hand store.
A number of US states are banning PFAS in clothing; however, it leaves a loophole for the sale of toxic clothing in secondhand markets. (Shutterstock)
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A growing number of US state bans are forcing clothing companies to find less toxic alternatives to per- or polyfluorinated substances — called PFAS for short — when making shirts, hats and rain jackets that are water- and stain-resistant. California and New York have bans on PFAS in apparel that take effect in 2025, while Maine banned PFAS in consumer products, including apparel, starting in 2030.

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