PFAS No More: Blocked in California and New York

ByMultiple AuthorsJackie Florman/David Wilkinson

Jan 29, 2025

Table of contents

PFAS in CA/NY in 2025

A Brief History

What are Intentionally Added PFAS?

Other States

What This Means for You

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Polyfluoroalkyl substances and perfluorocarbons, better known as PFAS (and also referred to as "forever chemicals”) are a current hot-button issue in the outdoor industry. These synthetic compounds are incredibly effective at resisting water and oil; unfortunately, their nearly indestructible nature also makes them incredibly effective at sticking around in the natural environment. After decades of regular application (PFAS were first applied to apparel in the 1940s), these chemicals have infiltrated everything from the soil you walk on to groundwater supplies—and yes, even your body—bringing significant environmental and health risks. Until now, PFAS regulation has been in the works in various states but remained theoretical, but the teeth come out in 2025.

PFAS in California and New York in 2025

You may have read an article about PFAS in the past (here is our full breakdown on the topic) or seen signage at various outdoor gear stores promoting apparel that is “PFAS free.” Previously, a handful of brands have led the efforts against PFAS—Keen was entirely PFAS free in 2018 and helped pioneer the effort for other brands by documenting its process. Some, like Patagonia and REI Co-op, quickly followed Keen’s lead, but most brands are just now rolling out lines of PFAS-free apparel. That said, until 2025, the consumer was still free to choose the gear they desired, with or without PFAS.

Now, brands still using PFAS have lost two major markets for many of their products—products containing PFAS can no longer be shipped to zip codes in California or New York. More states are soon to follow in implementing these restrictions.

The legislation is, as you’d expect, being implemented. While researching product updates, a member of our sustainability team living in California stumbled across a new notice on a product page on Danner Boots’ website: “PFAS Restricted Item: Cannot Ship to 93546,” with an option to shop PFAS-Compliant products instead. However, when we tried adding a Black Diamond Recon Stretch Jacket—which contains PFAS—to our cart from California, we had no problem proceeding to shipping. Based on this, it seems some companies have yet to implement PFAS legislation-compliant procedures on their websites. When we contacted Black Diamond via its live chat, the agent told us that it was not possible to ship the Recon Stretch Jacket to California, and it is working to comply.

A Brief History of the Regulations

California is often at the cutting edge of environmental regulations among states, and Assembly Bill (AB) No. 1817 was passed in late 2022. This bill “prohibits the manufacture, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any new textile articles containing regulated PFAS within the state beginning January 1, 2025.” Among the many categories of goods included in this bill are bedding, shower curtains, and outdoor apparel. Fast forward just over two years later, and California residents are officially unable to purchase outdoor gear with PFAS.

New York passed similar legislation in spring of 2023 in the form of Bill S1322/A994. This bill was more narrow in scope, and starting on January 1, 2025, it prohibits the sale within the state of “any new apparel containing intentionally added PFAS,” which happens to include outdoor gear. Taken together, those two states represent over 17% of the U.S. population, or nearly one fifth.

"The bill 'prohibits the manufacture, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any new textile articles containing regulated PFAS within the state [of California] beginning January 1, 2025.'"

What are Intentionally Added PFAS?

PFAS is most often used intentionally—it’s directly added for its functional properties in preventing moisture and oil from entering a product’s shell or membrane. That said, occasionally, there is the incidental presence of PFAS in a product, with test results returning positive because of trace contamination from items such as the shipping labels and receipts included in packaging. For regulation purposes, California has set the threshold at or above 100 parts per million total organic fluorine within the product or product components, and this threshold drops to 50 parts per million on January 1, 2027. The New York bill requires its Department of Environmental Conservation to set an enforceable numerical threshold level for PFAS by 2027.

Moisture beading up on REI Co-op First Chair GTX ski jacket

Other States to Follow

While California and New York were the first states to act, there are more to come. Also beginning on January 1, 2025, Colorado prohibits the sale of outdoor apparel unless it includes a “Made with PFAS chemicals” disclosure (this is somewhat reminiscent of cigarettes). This is noteworthy because PFAS labeling has historically been inconsistent in the outdoor industry; many brands excluded that information from product web pages. On January 1, 2028, that stipulation will be repealed and all products containing intentionally added PFAS will be banned outright, similar to the two states above. Behind Colorado, in 2026, several states will roll out their own PFAS prohibitions, including Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, and more.

What This Means for You

When it comes to sustainability, PFAS has garnered significant attention in the outdoor industry, and rightfully so. States are officially clamping down, and we are seeing brands rush to phase out PFAS in their products. It’s worth noting that PFAS are extremely effective for a reason, and we have heard anecdotally that finding replacements isn’t as easy as some had hoped. We are speaking with brands about possible performance compromises and whether they anticipate overcoming these hurdles.

For all consumers—not just those in California or New York—all of the products in our gear guides and reviews have a dedicated sustainability box that notes whether they are PFAS free. You can also use our sustainability search functionality to find PFAS-free products in the category of your choice, along with many other sustainability metrics (for more, read our article About Our Sustainability Ratings). And if you do by gear and apparel with PFAS-free DWR, make an extra effort to keep it clean. Dirt and oils can get in the way of its performance, but a simple laundering cycle (including both washing and drying) will bring it back to life.