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Do you accidentally contaminate water, soil, animals, and even your friends every time you go skiing or snowboarding?
Since the 1940s, a wide variety of synthetic chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS for short) have been used in outdoor gear, particularly in snow boots, ski waxes, and water-resistant products for snowboards and skis. It has been added to clothing. This coating is known in the industry as DWR, which stands for Durable Water Repellent. This will cause water (or ice) to bead up and roll off the jacket.
The problem is that these chemicals never break down or go away. Once produced, they come off our clothes and into our homes, wash away our laundry and enter our water systems, wash into the snow of previously pristine wilderness areas, and harm wildlife and ourselves. It accumulates in the bodies of people and travels to the farthest reaches of the earth. Frequently used as high-performance outdoor clothing and gear, they are found in the blood of Canada’s most remote Indigenous communities and seeped into the snow of Mount Everest and ski resorts. .
This has dire implications for the planet and its animals, including us. Studies have linked PFAS to various cancers, reproductive diseases, miscarriages, infertility, hormonal disorders, and weight fluctuations, to name a few. You have something in your blood now.
How to find PFAS-free winter sportswear
Now, this can get pretty confusing, so let’s translate some of the industry terminology.
Many brands still use the term PFC to refer to the broad class of permanent chemicals used in most DWR finishes. PFCs are actually a subset of compounds known as PFAS, and governments, industry, and advocates are increasingly moving from the term PFC-free to the broader term PFAS-free. According to the EPA, there are approximately 12,000 known types of PFAS, a number that is more than doubling from last year’s estimates.
If a brand says their product is PFAS-free, PFC-free, or fluorochemical-free, then that product is clean. If it says it’s free of PFOA, PFOS, long chain, C8, or it says it uses short chain DWR, it’s likely that there are certain types of products that have similar health concerns, albeit with slightly less research. You’re still using types of PFAS.
“Unless they say they’re PFAS-free, that may mean they’re using some of the so-called short-chain PFAS or their substitutes,” says Toxicologist, Researcher and Director of the National Institute of Health Sciences. said former director Dr. Linda Birnbaum. Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). “In fact, we found that some of them actually turned into things like PFOA and PFOS. And even though they are stable as they are, when tested, they are the same type of things as PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, etc. is known to cause health effects.”
Chemical consultancy Bluesign and certification body Oeko-Tex are introducing a certain amount of shortcuts in the production and finishing of some waters, as brands such as Patagonia and Arc’teryx claim that non-toxic alternatives are not as effective. We plan to approve chain PFAS. -Resistant outdoor product.
You probably won’t be dropped by helicopter onto the top of a remote mountain. So the amount of performance required while drinking mugs of hot chocolate at the lodge is limited. However, some brands and advocates dispute the need for fluorochemicals even in professional-grade products. The Danish consumer protection association Tænk tests fluorine-free outdoor clothing and items containing fluorine, and says that “jackets with PFC-free coatings are more durable than other jackets, whether new or after several washes. “It can keep you dry just like a jacket.” More recently, fluorine-free performance gear has been worn in the Arctic to keep adventurers warm and dry.
I mean, there are so many PFC-free brands out there right now that I don’t think you need to buy products that contain short-chain fluorine chemicals, even if Everest is on your bucket list. This winter, I’m renting a snowboard to hit the slopes.
How to safely apply water-repellent and stain-repellent treatment to outdoor equipment
The problem with PFC-free outdoor gear seems to be that the fluorochemical-free finishes are less durable with repeated wear and washing. But it’s an easy fix. If your old jacket or gear is no longer water repellent, you can wash it using Nikwax, which is PFAS-free. Some outdoor brands, such as Paramo, use this method to waterproof their gear right out of the factory, using innovative “directional” fabrics that wick water away from the fabric, similar to roof tiles. I am using. Easy to reapply when washing and putting away your gear at the end of each season. Watch this instructional video to learn how.
You can also purchase used outdoor gear that has significantly reduced DWR and refinish it with safer alternatives.
So which brands offer fluoride-free outdoor clothing and gear? We have created a comprehensive and detailed list of trusted brands. (Many thanks to the Green Science Policy Institute for providing the list of PFAS-free products that served as the starting point for our research.)
A winter sports brand offering all PFAS-free products
Icebreaker – This brand primarily makes comfortable merino wool and synthetic-free base layers and accessories, but they also have some women’s jackets for skiing and winter hiking. The company has never used long-chain PFAS and stopped using short-chain PFAS in 2019. Verified to be PFAS free through testing.
Jack Wolfskin – This European outdoor brand is completely PFC-free as of 2019. Unfortunately, it is no longer available in the United States.
KEEN Footwear – Outdoor footwear brand with a wide selection of snow boots and shoes that has been completely PFC-free since 2018.
Houdini – This European brand offers downhill ski and cross-country ski gear made from recycled materials. It uses bio-based water repellent treatments from Atmos and Organotex, a PFAS-free membrane, and is completely non-toxic.
Páramo – This mountaineering brand has been completely PFC-free since 2014.
Vaude – This European brand offers completely PFC-free ski touring wear and equipment as of 2018.
Lundhags – This hiking and ski touring company offers ski boots and ice safety equipment that are completely fluorochemical-free.
Picture Organic – This brand’s cute skiwear is completely PFC-free thanks to a bio-based Teflon-free fluorine finish called EcoElite.
Royal Robbins – All durable water repellents are fluorine-free.
Erin Snow – This brand creates chemically safe snow sportswear with a PFC-free bionic finish eco-durable water repellent.
Brands with some products that are PFAS-free
If you can’t find what you need from the completely PFAS-free brands listed above, there are several brands you can consider.
Helly Hansen – This ski brand’s Lifa Infinity Pro 3-layer fabric is waterproof without any chemical finishes. The barrier is completely physical and not based on chemical solvents, so no DWR is required. There are currently only 14 products from the brand, but you can get all the outer layers you need from this exclusive collection.
Patagonia – As of Fall 2022, 78% of our durable water repellent products are PFAS-free. The company plans to eliminate it from remaining products, primarily professional and technical equipment, by 2025.
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