PFCs or PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are chemicals that are useful but are also very detrimental to our health and the environment.

Both terms, “PFC” and “PFAS”, are generally used to describe the wide range of industrially processed chemicals used for waterproofing. PFAS are primarily manufactured chemicals and do not occur naturally in the environment. Among other applications, they are used for outdoor clothing and outdoor gear such as backpacks, which have been given an invisible dirt- and water-repellent finish. Although PFAS are very effective at waterproofing, the flipside is that they are extremely harmful to human and animal health and the environment.

In specialist publications the term PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is now more widely used, which is why we’ve also adopted its use in our communications.

deuter has not used any PFAS in its production since the middle of 2019. That’s because however useful these chemicals are, they are extremely damaging to the environment. Products that have been treated with PFAS, such as clothing, cookware or cardboard coatings release per- and polyfluorinated particles during their manufacture, use and disposal. Once released into the environment, they disperse rapidly and extensively through wind and water. Scientists have discovered PFAS chemicals in the most remote corners of the Himalayan mountains and as far as the Arctic. In soil and drinking water, in the blood or breast milk of humans and animals, and even in the carcasses of polar bears. Because they are so persistent and cannot be removed from the environment, they continue to accumulate. And that’s also why they’re also known as “forever chemicals”.

As active outdoors people, we care about the beauty of nature and its preservation. And so, we need to try to protect it and choose products that have been given a natural, environmentally friendly waterproofing finish.

Even though we have eliminated PFAS from our entire production, we cannot guarantee that per- and polyfluorinated particles have not made their way into our products through other means which are beyond our control. PFAS have already made it into our ecosystem and can be found virutally everywhere (yes, even in the air that we breathe). This means that we cannot rule out the possibility of tiny quantities of PFAS becoming embedded in our products through contact with machines, air or people, for instance. And so, the statement ‘PFAS-free’ would therefore be inaccurate.

We’ve been able to do away with PFAS since the middle of 2019 thanks to the use of an environmentally friendly, biodegradable waterproofing finish. It is effective at repelling water, coffee and other everyday liquids, and is ideal for high-performance outdoor gear and textiles. This new finish is made using 60% renewable raw materials from a range of plant-based sources that are not genetically modified. None of these plant-based ingredients come from our food supply. Which means that our PFAS alternative conforms with Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) regulations and is bluesign® approved.

It was when Greenpeace launched its “Detox My Fashion” campaign in 2011 [NS1] that the outdoor industry started to rethink things. And the same applied for deuter. So we set about looking for an environmentally friendly alternative to PFAS. Working closely with waterproofing manufacturers, we started to run tests on various options. Once we found a finish made specially for our products that did not rely on PFAS, and following adjustments to our production processes and training for our manufacturers, we gradually launched our first products on the market in 2017. Finally, in 2019, we were able to scale the process up and apply it to all materials we were using, while still retaining deuter’s proven high standards of quality. Now, our fabric manufacturers are also using these new alternatives and producing materials of consistently high quality.

PFAS alternatives are still more expensive than traditional waterproofing agents that use fluorochemicals, but if you factor in the environmental costs, then the savings far outweigh any costs.

Anna and Marco, our Corporate Responsibility Managers, explain what PFAS are all about and other alternatives that are currently available.

1. Which applications are the water-, grease- and dirt-repellent characteristics of PFAS chemicals      used for?

2. Why should we not use PFAS?

3. Are there any disadvantages to waterproofing treatments that do not contain PFAS?

4. Avoiding PFAS: what you can do

5. Beyond “made without PFAS”: Substituting other chemicals at deuter

Because of PFAS’ water-, grease- and dirt-repellent attributes, they are used in a wide range of products. For example:

• Waterproofing sprays for textiles and footwear
• Rain jackets
• Waxes and lubricants (e.g. ski waxes)
• Non-stick coatings on pots and pans, grills etc.
• Greaseproof paper
• Fast food packaging (e.g. burger boxes, French fry scoops, kebab wrappers, pizza boxes)
• Dental floss
• Shampoo
• Cosmetics
• Anti-fog coatings (e.g. glasses/ eyewear)
• Plant pesticides
• Carpets
• Photo paper, adhesive labels
• Printing inks and varnishes
• Water filters
• Cable insulation
• Fire extinguisher foam
• Electronic devices
• Heat pumps

Once released into the environment, PFAS are mobile (to a greater or lesser extent depending on the length of the chain), and are dispersed throughout the world through groundwater and surface water. PFAS chains are also persistent, only marginally degradable and bioaccumulative. Which means they will not easily break down and accumulate within organisms. These compounds can now be found in animals living in even the most remote places like the Arctic. In farming, for example, liquid sewage, which may contain PFAS, is often used as a soil conditioner. This is one possible way in which these chemicals make their way into the groundwater from the environment.

Humans are mainly exposed to PFAS through food or through contaminated drinking water. Higher concentrations of PFAS can often be found in the air inside our houses because of carpets that have dirt-repellent coatings, which further exposes humans to PFAS. PFAS also disrupt hormones in many living organisms and impact their reproductive functions. In high concentrations, certain PFAS are carcinogenic and are therefore regulated by law. And that's not all, because PFAS are virtually impossible to break down, they are therefore highly persistent in humans, animals and the natural world.

Despite not using PFAS, our backpacks have the same water- and dirt-resistant performance. However, fatty substances cannot be repelled – only PFAS [NS1] are effective at this. Once a product has been through an intense period of use, it should be washed according to the instructions and reproofed to prevent it from absorbing water. There are PFAS-free waterproofing agents available to buy for this purpose. And you can also protect your backpack from rain by using a rain cover.

The phasing out of PFAS must continue to be driven forward by all industries worldwide. The time has passed for pioneering efforts to achieve such a changeover. A lack of alternatives is no longer a viable excuse. And it is also vital from the point of view of the health and safety of the people who make these chemicals and use them in production processes. So, when you are buying goods, make sure they have been made without PFAS.

In the medium term, we are replacing the PU coatings on our fabrics with an environmentally friendly alternative. Currently, these are still made using solvents. And so, we are testing water-based alternatives for polyurethane coatings – a process which, to date, is proving difficult to combine with our environmentally friendly waterproofing. The durability of these kinds of PU coatings is still not comparable to solvent-based ones.