Forever Chemicals in Kids’ Apparel

May 30

When we hear the term “environmental toxins” it sounds like we’re talking about air pollution. At least that’s how I used to think of it. However, environmental toxins really encompass our entire environment: what we eat, the air we breathe, and even the clothes we wear. And I know, isn’t it bad enough we have to worry about plastic chemicals leaching into our food, or chemicals being used on crops, now we have to worry about what’s in our clothes? It’s too much. I get it. The whole thing can be very overwhelming and discouraging.

Unfortunately, we are a figure-it-out-later society, where we come up with some “great,” profitable idea and push it on the masses, before fully understanding their true repercussions on humans, animals, vegetation, and water supplies. This is exactly what happened with Teflon, and it’s coming to light again in the broader sense of forever chemicals.

Forever chemicals, usually interchangeable with PFAS, have been in the news quite a bit lately, as they are contaminating our soil and most recently, the ocean. What isn’t getting as much attention is that PFAS are also readily present in waterproof gear, ranging from your outdoor patio cushions to the rain jacket your child is wearing.

As I’ve mentioned before, we are by no means a fully non-toxic household (with forever chemicals showing up in our clothes, it’s hard to be fully non-toxic). However, I do my best to be as low-tox as possible, which means trying to find safe clothing for my kids. While our body is equipped with numerous systems to protect us against toxins, it’s important to remember that our skin is not only our biggest organ, it is our first line of defense against pathogens. However, it’s not a fool-proof barrier; toxins get in, resulting in other organs and systems kicking in to fight against them. This is why the clothes touching kids’ skin should be as free of toxins as possible.

What Are PFAS?

To back up a little bit, let’s talk about what PFAS actually are.

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are manmade chemicals that are incredibly slow to break down, in other words, they take forever. PFAS is the umbrella term that covers PFOA, PFOS, GenX, PFBS, PFNA, and PFHxS. While I will admit I don’t know all of the nuances and differences between each PFAS chemical, I do know this: PFAS are so commonly used and take so long to break down that they are present in the blood of nearly every human and animal on this planet. Because they last forever (hence their name), their presence in the soil and waters mean that they are now in the plants, animals, and fish we consume.

Further, because these chemicals are stain & water-resistant (think Teflon), they are commonly used in furniture and clothing marked waterproof or stain resistant. This includes kids’ apparel, which is frankly appalling given what we know about the health risks associated with even minimal PFAS exposure.

PFAS were first introduced to consumer products in the 1940s, and the risks associated with them have been known since at least the 1990s, likely earlier, they’ve just conveniently been overlooked and poorly (to say the least) regulated. Health problems associated with PFAS include increased cancer risk, immune system damage, hormonal disruption, delayed development in children, reproductive problems, low birth weight, and more. Yikes.

The Dangers of PFAS

Obviously ingesting PFAS is incredibly dangerous, whether it’s through contaminated food or water. Even regular exposure to small amounts of PFAS add up and can become severely dangerous & unhealthy, especially for little kids that are rapidly developing their nervous systems, skeletal systems, GI tracts, immune systems, internal organs, and everything else.

One of the scariest things about PFAS in our food is how incredibly difficult it is to find land that isn’t contaminated. I feel for the farmers who are learning their land is contaminated and literally have no choice but to shut down their livelihood because there’s no clean land nearby and they don’t want to knowingly sell contaminated food. It’s insane really.

Perhaps this has something to do with PFAS literally falling from the sky. Clouds are absorbing forever chemicals from evaporated water, and then dumping it back down on us, filling our oceans, lakes, and streams, and getting reabsorbed into our soil. I mean, what the serious f.

And as if that weren’t bad enough, PFAS in our clothing can off-gas, meaning it releases toxic fumes into the air that we then inhale when we breathe, or we absorb through our skin, particularly when we are hot and our pores are like sponges. PFAS can also be released during wash cycles, getting into the water and as it drains, back into the environment. Because PFAS are known for their water & stain-resistant qualities, they are regularly and liberally used in waterproof gear like rain jackets and boots, workout clothes, like yoga pants and sports bras, and even some brands of underwear (especially those used during a menstrual cycle).

PFAS are not safe on any level, and given their numerous ways of contaminating things, they really should be avoided as much as possible.

Safer Options

I know it is incredibly hard to be fully non-toxic. Let’s be honest, it’s a challenge trying to just be low-tox. I do my best to prioritize what I think are the most important areas to be non- or low-tox, and my kids’ apparel is one of them. The following brands are ones that do not use PFAS, and I have personally used them for my kids and can vouch for their quality:

CeLaVi (rain boots, slippers, rain jacket/pants)
Hatley (rain boots)
Keen (shoes)
Oaki (rain boots)
Burton (winter jacket)

Other brands (that I haven’t tried yet) include:

Stonz
Bisgaard
Ecoalf

Unfortunately, even companies like Patagonia which are incredibly eco-conscious, have not fully removed PFAS from their clothing. Many of these companies (i.e., Patagonia, L.L. Bean, REI and Lululemon to name a few) have pledged that they’ll remove PFAS in the coming years, but only time will tell. Does this mean I don’t shop at those places? No. I just make informed decisions and opt to avoid anything waterproof (as best as I can) from these companies.