THE Pfas (perfluoroalchilic substances) They are a family of chemical compounds widely used in industry for their hydrophobic properties, that is, the ability to reject water. These substances are found in numerous products of daily use, including waterproof clothing, shower curtains and non -stick products.
Although they are effective in keeping the clothingthe PFAS are also known for their persistence in the environment and in the human body and for this reason they are considered “eternal pollutants” or “forever chemicals”, as they are defined in the USA.
These compounds have been connected to a series of health problems, including hormonal disorders, damage to the immune system and potential carcinogenic effects, which makes them particularly worrying for children, who are more vulnerable to harmful chemical agents. The problem is that these pollutants have also been detected in products intended for children, such as waterproof jackets.
The test on child jackets
There Swiss magazine The shopping bag (FRC) led One test on 10 waterproof jackets for childrensold at prices ranging from 29 to 80 francs. The aim of the test was to verify the presence of PFAS, also because many producers say that their products are without these harmful substances.
The laboratory examined 31 specific compounds belonging to the PFAS family, finding Between 4 and 9 molecules in each tested product.
The results are therefore worrying, especially for the fact that these clothing are intended for a particularly vulnerable range of population, precisely children.
, half of the tested jackets still contained Pfas, denying the promises of the producers and showing that these indications are often misleading. PFC is in fact an sub -famiglia of the PFAS, but not all PFAS are PFC, which creates confusion for consumers.
The best and worst jackets
Adidas has positioned itself In the first place with the Wind.rdy Kids jacket, obtaining a vote of 8.1 out of 10. This model has a concentration of PFAS equal to 1 microgram per kg and a number of different substances equal to 4, thus resulting the jacket with the lowest level of contamination.
In third place, we find the brand Quechua (Decathlon) with the MH500 jacket which obtained a vote of 7.7 out of 10, with a concentration of PFAS of 2 micrograms per kg and 5 chemicals detected, a result however positive but slightly higher than Adidas.
Tear a sufficiency H&M With a vote of 6.2 for its waterproof jacket, which presents a concentration of 5 micrograms for kg and 5 different substances, already positioning itself in a slightly more worrying range, with higher contamination levels.
Following, all the jackets analyzed.
The deception of the “PFC Free”
Many of the tested jackets reported the “PFC Free” label indicating the absence of perfluoring chemical compounds. However, the analyzes revealed that Some of these jackets contained between 5 and 13 different types of Pfas.
This error in labels could induce consumers to make choices based on incorrect information. Experts therefore decided to penalize these models, considering that deceptive marketing not only does not help consumers to make informed choices, but undermines trust in the sector.
Some producers, as they go, responded to the concerns expressed by the investigation. Vaude, known for his environmental commitment, said he uses alternative compounds to PFAS to avoid the use of these substances. But, despite this, the waterproof jacket for children “Kids Turaco Jacket III” of Vaude also contained seven pfas molecules, also showing that we are still far from a product truly without these pollutants.
On the contrary, brands like H&M have declared to carry out control analysis, while others, such as Tchibo and Rukka, have not provided answers.
In any case, the test highlighted a disturbing reality: Finding a waterproof jacket for children completely free of PFAS is practically impossible.
The new Swiss investigation, among other things, is only a confirmation of this situation. In fact, there is already a previous test, conducted by 15 environmental protection organizations, which revealed that 63% of the Outdoor Jackets for Children’s Testate contains PFAS, with 29% that exceeds the limits allowed by the European Union.
