PFAS in Textiles: What to Document in the Digital Product Passport

PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often called "forever chemicals" — are a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals widely used in textile finishing for water and stain repellency. The EU is moving to restrict PFAS in textiles, and the Digital Product Passport under ESPR requires brands to document their chemical compliance status. This article explains what PFAS documentation means in practice for the DPP.

What Are PFAS and Why Do They Appear in Textiles?

PFAS includes over 10,000 chemical compounds characterised by strong carbon-fluorine bonds that make them extremely persistent in the environment and human body — hence "forever chemicals." In textiles, PFAS are primarily used in:

• DWR (Durable Water Repellency) treatments: Applied to outdoor jackets, rainwear, and workwear to cause water to bead off the fabric surface
• Oil and stain repellency finishes: Applied to workwear, tablecloths, and upholstery textiles
• Breathable membrane laminates: Some ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) membranes in hardshell jackets
• Firefighter and protective clothing: Where PFAS-based finishes have historically provided critical protection properties

The EU Regulatory Situation for PFAS in Textiles

The ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) PFAS restriction proposal under REACH — one of the broadest chemical restrictions ever proposed in the EU — covers a wide range of PFAS uses including textile treatments. Key points:

• The universal PFAS restriction proposal would limit the concentration of PFAS in articles (including textiles) placed on the EU market
• DWR treatments using long-chain PFAS (C8) have already been restricted under REACH Annex XVII. Shorter-chain PFAS (C6, C4) are under the broader restriction proposal
• The ESPR Digital Product Passport requires disclosure of chemical compliance, which directly captures PFAS status for affected products

Which Textile Products Are Most Affected

• Outdoor and performance apparel: Hardshells, softshells, rain jackets, hiking trousers — products where DWR treatment is functional
• Workwear and protective clothing: Products requiring oil and chemical resistance
• Sportswear: Some technical fabrics with moisture management finishes
• Home textiles: Tablecloths, upholstery fabrics, mattress covers with stain protection

For brands producing 100% natural fibre garments without any water-repellent or stain-resistant finish, PFAS documentation is not required — but this should be stated in the Harmful Substances Declaration to make the absence explicit.

How to Document PFAS Status in the DPP

In epassportify, PFAS documentation sits in the Harmful Substances Declaration field in Step 4 (Compliance & Care). This field accepts a text statement. The appropriate content depends on your product's PFAS status:

Option 1: PFAS-Free Confirmed by Testing

If your DWR treatment has been independently tested and confirmed to contain no PFAS above detection limits:

"This product's water-repellent finish is PFAS-free. Independent laboratory testing (bluesign/OEKO-TEX/[test lab name]) confirms no PFAS detected above [threshold] in the DWR treatment applied to the shell fabric. Test report reference: [reference number]."

Option 2: PFAS-Free via Supplier Declaration

If your DWR chemical supplier has provided a declaration confirming their finish is PFAS-free:

"The DWR finish applied to this product has been confirmed PFAS-free by the chemical supplier via declaration dated [date]. The treatment does not contain per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as defined under the ECHA universal restriction proposal."

Option 3: Contains C6 PFAS (Compliant with Current REACH)

If the product contains shorter-chain (C6) PFAS that are compliant with current REACH restrictions but subject to the broader restriction proposal:

"This product's DWR treatment contains C6 fluorocarbon chemistry (short-chain PFAS). The treatment complies with current REACH Annex XVII restrictions on C8 PFAS. The product does not contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or related long-chain PFAS. C6 PFAS are under review as part of ECHA's universal PFAS restriction proposal (ECHA-24-A-17)."

Option 4: No PFAS-Containing Finish Applied

For products without any water-repellent or stain-resistant chemical treatment:

"This product has not been treated with any PFAS-containing finish. No fluorocarbon DWR treatment has been applied."

Connecting PFAS to the Supply Chain Entries

The PFAS status of a textile product is determined at the Dyeing & Finishing stage — which corresponds to the Dyeing & Printing Country field in epassportify's Step 3. The facility responsible for applying the DWR or finishing treatment should be entered as a supplier. This creates the traceability chain: the DPP shows which facility applied which treatment, and the harmful substances declaration confirms whether that treatment was PFAS-free.

If your fabric mill applies the DWR treatment in the same facility as weaving, the same supplier entry covers both stages.

Bluesign and PFAS Certification

Bluesign certification covers the chemical inputs and processes used in fabric production. A bluesign-approved fabric is processed using a restricted substances list that excludes harmful PFAS. If your fabric is bluesign-certified, this provides strong evidence for the PFAS-free claim and can be referenced in the Certification Scheme field in Step 4, alongside the PFAS statement in the Harmful Substances Declaration field.

Transitioning Away from PFAS: Documenting the Change

Many brands are actively transitioning from PFAS-based DWR to PFAS-free alternatives (hydrocarbon-based, wax-based, or polymer-based DWR). During a transition, different production batches may carry different PFAS status. epassportify's variant system is the correct tool for this scenario: create separate variants for PFAS-containing and PFAS-free production runs, each with accurate harmful substances declarations. Do not retroactively edit past variants — this preserves accurate historical records for market surveillance purposes.

Conclusion

PFAS documentation in the Digital Product Passport is concentrated in one field: the Harmful Substances Declaration. The quality of that documentation depends on the evidence available — whether a lab test, a supplier declaration, or a certification like bluesign. Brands that have already invested in transitioning to PFAS-free chemistry have a compliance advantage: their DPP harmful substances declaration makes that investment visible and verifiable to buyers, regulators, and consumers via QR code scan.