The U.S. activewear market generated $137.4 million in revenue last year, and it can seem like everyone in the country now wears workout clothes for both exercise and everyday activities, such as housework or running errands. So recent news that leading activewear brand Lululemon is being investigated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over the potential presence of “forever chemicals” may concern anyone who puts on leggings multiple times a week.
The probe will examine whether Lululemon clothing contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, synthetic chemicals used in many consumer goods that can take decades to break down in the environment. Studies have linked these compounds, which make clothing water- and stain-resistant, to a long list of potential health problems, including fertility challenges, developmental delays in children and an elevated risk of certain cancers. (In a statement emailed to The Washington Post, a spokesperson for Lululemon said the retailer has phased out PFAS and no longer uses these substances on clothing.)
Here’s what consumers should know about PFAS, how these chemicals might harm human health when used on apparel and how to reduce your exposure without giving up activewear entirely.
What are PFAS, and how can they end up in clothing?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been in widespread use since the 1950s. There are thousands of variations of these chemicals, but all contain a chain of carbon and fluorine that generates “an extremely strong bond,” said Graham Peaslee, a professor emeritus in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Notre Dame. “Once they’re made, and they’re all man-made, they last in the environment forever,” he said.
PFAS chemicals can be used in a wide range of consumer products, including nonstick cookware, grease-resistant food packaging and certain types of dental floss. Because they’re so long-lasting, PFAS have been detected in soil, food and at least 45 percent of the nation’s tap water. As a result, “everybody has PFAS in their blood now,” Peaslee said.
These substances can also be applied as additives to apparel, such as to make outdoor gear like rain jackets durable and waterproof. “In the case of our studies, we found that products that were marketed as stain-resistant or stain-repellent” may also contain PFAS, said Marta Venier, an environmental chemist and associate professor at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.
In a 2022 research report, Toxic-Free Future, an environmental health research and advocacy group, tested consumer products from 10 major retailers and identified PFAS in a variety of textile items, including napkins, tablecloths, rain jackets, hiking pants and mattress pads.
A study Venier co-authored discovered that many children’s clothing items marketed as being “stain-resistant” or “waterproof” contained PFAS, including school uniforms. And a 2025 study of reusable feminine hygiene products co-authored by Peaslee and Venier found these chemicals in nearly 30 percent of samples.
How might workout clothing containing PFAS affect your health?
The biggest concern that researchers and activists have identified when it comes to PFAS in clothing is how these substances could affect human health after sustained contact with the skin, which is known as dermal exposure. The Environmental Protection Agency has not established a stand-alone acceptable dose specific to dermal absorption of PFAS, and this area has not received as much study as exposure routes like inhalation or ingestion, Venier noted.
Compared with contaminated food or water, “the amount of exposure that people likely get from wearing garments that have PFAS in them is probably pretty small,” said Jamie DeWitt, a professor in the department of environmental and molecular toxicology at Oregon State University. “But that still hasn’t been confirmed.”
Studies suggest that at least some of these substances are absorbed through the skin. A 2024 study from the University of Birmingham investigated 17 commonly used PFAS in clothing fabrics and personal care products and found that 15 showed substantial dermal absorption. Certain parts of the body may be more vulnerable, Peaslee noted. “Your neck and your underarms and your crotch are all areas where the skin is thin, and so transport there is pretty easy,” he said.
It’s possible there could be additional exposure routes with apparel. Some PFAS used on clothing are considered volatile and become airborne, Peaslee noted, “so even hanging in your closet, you won’t smell it because they’re odorless,” but they can produce compounds that you can inhale.
And, as with any other consumer product containing PFAS, if you throw out an old rain jacket or pair of leggings that was coated with these chemicals, they will probably end up in a landfill: There, the fabric will eventually dissolve and any PFAS will wash into the groundwater, Peaslee explained, continuing the pollution cycle. “It’s a phenomenal environmental problem,” he said.
What should consumers do if they’re concerned about PFAS in workout wear?
There’s some positive news: “The bright side is that states are taking action,” DeWitt said. California and New York have recently enacted regulations to phase out PFAS in apparel and other consumer goods, making shopping easier for consumers, she said.
In states without regulations, it can be challenging to suss out whether a piece of clothing contains PFAS. “The label doesn’t have that information on it,” Peaslee said. But if the product description says an item is water-, stain- or oil-resistant, that’s a clue it has some sort of coating, DeWitt said, “and if you can’t find out what that coating is, assume that it’s PFAS.”
On outdoor gear, you can try a quick water test: For example, “if you’re suspicious of your raincoat,” Peaslee said, “put a drop of water on it, and if the drop of water is still there three hours later, then it’s probably PFAS. If it’s soaked in the garment after a couple of minutes, then it isn’t.”
PFAS can be applied to both synthetic and natural fibers (and Venier’s study of school uniforms found higher PFAS concentrations on those that were 100 percent cotton), But these chemicals do tend to be more commonly used on performance fabrics, which in turn tend to be synthetic, Peaslee noted.
Companies that specifically market their products as PFAS-free are usually a safer choice, he said, because “they probably have done due diligence.”
If you own clothing that might have PFAS, “washing them multiple times might help get rid of some of the chemicals,” Venier said. (The chemicals will then enter the water supply, however, so they’re not going away entirely, and some research suggests that washing certain types of fabrics with volatile PFAS may release them into the air.) When buying secondhand, “the previous owner has done multiple cycles, and so you sort of start at an advantage,” she added.
Shopping for just about anything while trying to avoid PFAS can make consumers “feel a little bit helpless,” DeWitt acknowledged. While the risk from PFAS in apparel “may be a very small part of our overall exposures,” she said, educating yourself about these chemicals and taking reasonable steps to avoid products that contain them can reduce your risk.
“At least for me, I know that when I can control one tiny thing, it makes me feel a little bit better about those things that I can’t control,” DeWitt said.
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