Fashion, Water Pollution and PFAS

The global fashion industry employs more than 300 million people and is estimated to be worth $US 1.3 trillion. However, the costs that the industry poses to the environment are also enormous. While the industry’s carbon footprint is well documented, less appreciated is its effect on our waterways. Incredibly, fashion is responsible for 20% of all clean water pollution. What’s more, PFAS, the ‘forever chemicals’ being linked with a raft of serious health concerns are a key part of the mess.     

To understand how the fashion industry contributes to water pollution, it’s worth taking a refresher on how textiles are made. The first step in production is turning fibers, be they natural or synthetic, into workable yarn and fabric. In order to do this, the fibers are submerged in industrial-sized baths, a process known as “wet-processing”. PFAS can then be added to assist in the absorption of dyes and bleaches, and to give fabrics water, oil and stain repellence. Afterwards, wastewater from the process has to be dealt with. Filled with contaminants, it will be sent to treatment plants. However, any spills, leaks or discharges can lead to the contamination of soil and waterways.

Jian River in Luoyang, in north China's Henan province, turned red from red dye that was dumped into the city's storm water pipe network in December 2011.STR/AFP/Getty Images

In one high profile case, a textile company was found to have poisoned drinking water with PFAS across a 65sq mile area of New Hampshire. In April 2024, the US Government issued the first ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from PFAS exposure. In an indication of how acute the problem has already become, the US EPA estimates that between 6-10% of its 66,000 public drinking water systems will need to reduce existing PFAS levels in order to comply with the new requirements. 

As awareness of the environmental dangers of PFAS rises, the pressure is on clothing brands to respond. A select few, such as Levi Strauss, have already succeeded in eliminating PFAS from their apparel. Others big names, such as GAP and American Eagle, have pledged to end their PFAS use. A 2022 scorecard, which graded apparel firms on their PFAS policies, showed however that the majority of firms had weak commitments. For outdoor clothing producers, who have historically relied on PFAS chemicals to waterproof their clothes, the grades were often particularly damning. 

There are currently calls for national and state governments to ban the use of PFAS altogether, a move which seems overdue, particularly given the existence of alternative materials. Until that happens, we as consumers can continue to care for our health and the health of our waterways by making informed choices, by asking questions and by checking the scorecards. It’s worth noting that any apparel labelled as waterproof, breathable, stain repellant, or dirt repellant has every chance of having a PFAS coating or membrane. The truth is we likely don’t require clothes with the properties that PFAS provide. And we certainly don’t need them, given the impact of PFAS on our health.