PFAS in outdoor products: What you need to know!
For years they were considered all-rounders, used in countless products to make them water-, grease- and dirt-repellent - now they are to be banned throughout the EU. We are talking about PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances). They can be found in frying pans, rain jackets, cosmetics, baker's bags, dental floss and much more. VAUDE supports the planned EU-wide ban and set out many years ago to ban the harmful chemicals from its products. Why, and what PFAS are in the first place, we explain among other things in these FAQs.
PFAS are chemical substances that have advantages in terms of their water-repellent properties, but pose enormous health risks. In our water- and dirt-repellent Eco Finish equipment, we do not use environmentally harmful chemicals from the PFAS group of substances.
What are PFAS?
PFAS is the abbreviation for "per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances" and comprises a group of chemical compounds consisting of carbon and fluorine atoms. They are water, grease and dirt repellent and are used in many products: in rain jackets and pans, but also in chain grease, dental floss, burger paper, cosmetics or ski wax.
Why are PFASs dangerous?
PFAs do not occur in nature and cannot be degraded promptly by water, light or bacteria. This means that the more PFASs are produced and enter the environment, the more they accumulate and endanger the health of animals and humans. This is because PFASs are harmful to health and carcinogenic. Although this has been known for years, the industry continues to use them - hardly any manufacturers have made an effort to find alternatives.
The German government, together with Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, wants to ban around 4700 so-called PFAS chemicals in the EU. The countries have submitted a proposal to this effect to the EU chemicals agency Echa. The planned PFAS ban covers the entire group of substances with several thousand chemicals.
“We are glad that PFAS are finally to be banned by law and that this issue has now reached the general public. It affects all of us, every single person, no matter where in the world. At VAUDE, we have been voluntarily committed to this cause for a long time and are showing that phasing out PFAS is possible,” emphasizes Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO. Unfortunately, however, this is still far from being the norm. “Too little is being done on a voluntary basis. That's why legal regulations are important to encourage the industry to rethink its approach and promote the development of alternatives that do not use PFAS,” Antje von Dewitz continues.
“Companies that act responsibly and promote ecological transformation are at a competitive disadvantage. We therefore welcome the political initiative to introduce clear legal regulations at EU and international level. This is the only way to accelerate the innovations and new solutions that we urgently need for a future without PFAS,” says Antje von Dewitz.
Following the precautionary principle, VAUDE acts deliberately to protect people and the environment. “We proactively – even without legal requirements – seek environmentally friendly alternatives to harmful substances,” explains Bettina Roth, Head of Quality Management at VAUDE. Since as early as 2010, VAUDE has not used PFCs in waterproof membranes. In the years that followed, the company managed to phase out PFAS in more and more products. In 2016, VAUDE – to this day the only major outdoor brand – signed the strict Greenpeace Detox Commitment. By doing so, the company voluntarily committed to eliminating all harmful substances from the entire production process and manufacturing its entire collection without the intentional use of PFAS or PFCs. Since then, VAUDE has refrained from using PFAS in sleeping bags, since 2020 in shoes and backpacks, and since 2021 in all apparel fabrics. Finding alternatives for the water- and dirt-repellent finish on our tents that could meet our functionality requirements was also highly challenging. The complete transition was achieved with the 2025 collection. As of the Summer 2025 collection, VAUDE has eliminated PFAS from all of its products!
