PFAS in Textiles: What We Know, What We Don’t, and How the Industry Is Responding

Recently, the Association for Contract Textiles (ACT) published an educational article, “Stain Repellent Finishes: What You Need to Know,” highlighting the growing questions surrounding PFAS, stain-repellent technologies, and evolving regulations. ACT notes that the goal is to help facilitate informed conversations between specifiers, fabric suppliers, furniture manufacturers, and end users as the industry navigates changing requirements.

In reality, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemistries made up of thousands of compounds. The EPA describes PFAS as a “large, complex group of thousands of chemicals.”

These chemistries were developed because they provide valuable performance benefits such as:

• Water repellency
• Oil repellency
• Stain resistance
• Durability
• Chemical resistance

Over time, PFAS became widely used in:

• Textiles and upholstery
• Food packaging
• Nonstick cookware
• Outdoor apparel
• Firefighting foam
• Electronics
• Industrial manufacturing

The issue is that some PFAS compounds persist in the environment and accumulate over time, raising scientific and regulatory concerns. Because many degrade very slowly, they are often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

One reason PFAS remains such a challenging topic is that the science, regulations, and terminology continue to evolve. ACT recently noted that designers and specifiers are increasingly seeking clarity around stain-repellent finishes, how they work, and what alternatives are available. As regulations emerge across various states and markets, many organizations are still evaluating how to balance environmental goals, product performance, durability, and cleanability.

Research over the last two decades has focused heavily on long-chain PFAS chemistries, particularly:

• PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid)
• PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate)

These compounds became the subject of significant environmental and health investigations due to concerns around persistence and bioaccumulation.

According to the EPA, major manufacturers phased out many of these legacy chemistries in the United States beginning in the early 2000s.

Studies have linked exposure to certain PFAS compounds with potential health concerns, including:

• Elevated cholesterol
• Immune system effects
• Thyroid disruption
• Developmental impacts
• Increased risk of certain cancers

However, scientists and regulatory agencies also continue to emphasize an important point:

Not all PFAS chemistries behave the same way.

Different compounds can vary significantly in:

• Toxicity
• Environmental persistence
• Bioaccumulation
• Exposure pathways
• Performance characteristics

That distinction matters.

According to ACT, the effectiveness of stain-repellent technologies depends on multiple factors, including the type of stain, the chemistry being used, and the fabric construction itself. No single technology is ideal for every application. Instead, manufacturers, specifiers, and end users must evaluate performance requirements, maintenance expectations, sustainability goals, and regulatory considerations when selecting a finish.

This reflects a reality many in the textile industry are experiencing today: performance expectations have not disappeared simply because regulations are changing. Designers still need fabrics that clean easily, perform in demanding environments, and maintain their appearance over time.

Commercial fabrics are still expected to:

• Resist staining
• Clean easily
• Maintain aesthetics
• Meet fire code requirements
• Withstand heavy abrasion and wear
• Perform in hospitality, healthcare, senior living, marine, and residential environments

Historically, fluorinated chemistries helped achieve many of these performance goals simultaneously.

As the industry shifts, manufacturers and finish providers are now tasked with developing alternative technologies while remaining transparent about performance tradeoffs.

That’s why we offer both PFAS-free and fluorinated performance technologies depending on the application and performance requirements.

As the conversation around PFAS continues to evolve, one thing has become increasingly clear: there is no universal solution for every textile application.

ACT’s recent guidance encourages open communication between manufacturers, suppliers, specifiers, and end users when evaluating stain-repellent technologies and performance requirements. We agree. The future of textile performance is not about one universal solution—it is about understanding the options available, the tradeoffs associated with each, and selecting the technology that best aligns with the intended application.

At Applied Textiles, that philosophy has led us to develop multiple performance platforms that support different customer priorities. Whether the goal is PFAS-free performance, enhanced cleanability, oil repellency, regulatory compliance, or durability, we believe customers deserve accurate information and clear choices.

That’s why we believe the future of textile performance is not about fear-based messaging or one-size-fits-all claims; it’s about transparency, testing, and informed decision-making.

We continue to invest in technologies that give customers options based on their specific priorities, whether that means pursuing PFAS-free performance solutions or advanced repellency technologies engineered without legacy PFAS chemistries like PFOA and PFOS.

Both approaches play an important role in today’s market. The key is understanding the differences, trade-offs, and performance expectations associated with each.

That’s where Applied Textiles can help.

Alta™ dwr was developed for customers seeking:

• PFAS-free textile performance
• Enhanced cleanability
• Soft hand and aesthetics
• Durability for commercial environments

Like many PFAS-free technologies currently on the market, Alta™ dwr focuses primarily on water repellency rather than oil repellency.

This distinction is important because oil repellency has historically been one of the more difficult performance characteristics to achieve without fluorinated chemistry.

However, it is:

• Free of PFOA
• Free of PFOS
• Not considered one of the older legacy PFAS chemistries that became the focus of major regulatory concern

Alta™ was engineered to provide advanced textile performance benefits such as:

• Water repellency
• Oil repellency
• Enhanced stain resistance
• Improved cleanability
• Increased abrasion performance
• Improved seam strength and pilling resistance

Applied Textiles has previously communicated that Alta™ technologies are formulated without the legacy PFAS compounds most associated with historical environmental concerns.

As regulations and scientific understanding continue evolving, Applied Textiles remains committed to monitoring developments, testing technologies responsibly, and helping customers make informed decisions based on their performance needs and compliance goals

Research is ongoing. Regulations continue changing. Customer expectations are evolving rapidly.

But while there is still much we are learning, there are also things we do know:

• Transparency matters
• Testing matters
• Responsible chemistry matters
• Performance expectations still matter
• One-size-fits-all solutions rarely exist in complex industries

At Applied Textiles, we believe the future of textile performance will require a thoughtful balance between:

• Environmental responsibility
• Human safety
• Durability
• Cleanability
• Compliance
• Real-world functionality

The conversation around PFAS will continue to evolve as additional research, regulations, and technologies emerge. Organizations like ACT are helping move the discussion forward through education and transparency, and we believe that same approach will ultimately benefit the entire industry. By focusing on science, testing, and informed decision-making, manufacturers and specifiers can continue delivering high-performing textiles while adapting to the changing landscape of material selection.

Sources

• ACT — Stain Repellent Finishes: What You Need to Know
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – PFAS Explained
• EPA – Basic Information on PFAS
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – PFAS Overview
• CDC/ATSDR – PFAS and Your Health
• EPA Stewardship Program on PFOA/PFOS Phaseout