The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) announced on June 8, 2026, the release of a report entitled No PFAS, No Problem: Product Testing Reveals Success of CA and NY PFAS Textile Laws. Beginning January 1, 2025, California banned the manufacture and sale of textile articles containing regulated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), currently defined as PFAS in a product or component at or above 100 parts per million (ppm). After January 1, 2025, New York banned the sale of apparel containing PFAS as intentionally added chemicals. The report states that to evaluate compliance with these laws, NRDC tested 115 textile products purchased in both states. NRDC found that “[m]ost products had low or no detectable PFAS compared to the current threshold in California of 100 ppm, and the majority were even below the 50 ppm threshold that comes into effect next year: 79 percent were below 100 ppm, 70 percent were below 10 ppm, and 60 percent were below 5 ppm.” NRDC notes that some products and product categories still had concerning levels of PFAS, including tablecloths, pet accessories, and reusable diapers. NRDC recommends that brands and retailers should:
- Phase out the making, using, or selling of goods with PFAS;
- Be transparent in their labels and practices; and
- Ensure they are in compliance with laws.
Policymakers and attorneys general should:
- Require all brands and retailers clearly out of compliance with state laws to move expeditiously to come into compliance;
- Set a strict threshold for compliance in New York to facilitate enforcement;
- Consider setting lower thresholds for easier enforcement, “as intentional use of PFAS can occur at levels well below current thresholds”; and
- Expand protections to other states and federally.
