Your Rain Jacket is Probably Harming The Planet – Here’s How That’s Changing

While they do an incredible job of keeping us dry, the PFCs in rain jackets might be causing some not-so-great side effects. So what’s next? Hiker and environmental engineer Leila has the lowdown.

Let’s be honest – when it comes to outdoor activities, 50% is about getting out in nature, 20% is doing a bit of exercise, 20% is getting a lil treat at the end, and the other 10% is nerding out and showing off your highly-specced outdoor gear.

You’ve smarted up and are ready to spit unprovoked facts about your three-layer performance rain jacket, the pit zips, and the effectiveness of the micropores. You’re excited to never ask yourself, ‘Am I wet from sweat or rain?’ ever again.

Until your friend asks, ‘Does that have a PFC coating?’.

You can’t out-hike the PFC question

A what now? You didn’t study up on this and it sounds really complicated.

Well don’t you worry! I’m here to tell you about the good, the bad, and the ugly of per-and-polyfluoroalkylated chemicals (PFCs) – a group of human-made chemicals used in the outdoor industry that may be harming the environment.

What are PFCs?

The Good

Have you ever wondered how your new rain jacket creates those oddly satisfying beads of water on its surface?

Enjoy this calming moment before we get into some hard truths | By Tim Davis

What about how your re-hydrated lentil curry doesn’t stick to your non-stick pan, how that river crossing didn’t soak your socks, how sunscreen doesn’t trickle into your eyes, or how your take-away cold drip doesn’t leak through the paper cup?

It’s all thanks to PFCs (or PFAS). There are over 14,000 of these waterproof, stain-proof, and fire-proof chemical compounds and they are used in a surprising number of things that make our daily lives, and adventuring, easier. Of these 14,000+ human-made chemicals, the most notable are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS).

The compounds were originally produced in the 1940s by the 3M company and Dupont de Nemours, Inc, with the purpose of making non-stick pans (the film Dark Waters gives a great origin story!). They’re produced by joining fluorine and carbon atoms, creating one of the strongest bonds in nature.

Thanks PFCs for keeping us dry… but no thanks for never leaving

Their highly-desirable properties meant that they were picked up in multiple other industries including:

• Food and drinks – to stop your food leaking in paper and cardboard takeaway containers and cups. Also to stop bin juice leaking from your compostable bags (uh oh)
• Cosmetics – to stop your sunscreen and insect repellant from running
• Fire-fighting – to cool and suppress flammable liquid fires

But the industry that we’re interested in is the outdoor gear industry. Outdoor brands have used PFCs as a water-repellent finish on most synthetic products.

Yep, a lot of the gear in this photo will probably have PFCs

In waterproof gear, such as rain jackets, hiking boots, and tents, PFCs are also used in the membrane – the barrier in your garment that keeps water out. PFCs can also be found in waterproofing sprays, ski waxes, and some climbing ropes.

These chemicals seem pretty useful, so how are they bad for the environment?

The Bad

Here’s the thing: PFCs have earned the nickname ‘forever chemicals’ because they’re stubborn and don’t break down in the environment easily. They’re also ‘bio-accumulative’, which means that they keep building up in the environment.

They’re basically the glitter of the chemical world.

No matter how many times you wash your hair or vacuum your room, the glitter is still there weeks later – sparkling away.

These chemicals are so persistent that they’ve been found in remote parts of the world, even in polar bears in East Greenland!

The issue also hits close to home too. PFCs have been found in concentrations above environmentally safe levels in Australia. In particular, PFCs have gained notoriety in Australia from their use in fire-fighting foams as it’s really easy for them to get into the environment.

Hopefully one day we can get rid of PFC-based fire suppressants | By Matt Palmer on Unsplash

You may have heard about Williamstown in New South Wales, where PFAS contamination was found on and off-site of Williamtown RAAF base, presenting a potential risk to ecological and human health.

But how does it get into the environment from outdoor gear?

• Manufacturing – PFCs enter the environment during the manufacturing phase when the chemicals may contaminate local water bodies or food being grown close to factories
• Wearing – you may be leaving a small chemical trail behind you every time you stomp through a river, wash your pans in the lake, or snag your jacket on a branch
• Reconditioning and maintenance – waterproofing sprays release PFCs into the atmosphere and will be flushed down the drain every time you wash the mud off your jacket
• Disposal – When your PFC-coated equipment is disposed of, it’s hard to recycle and may impact the soil and water surrounding landfills

The Ugly

Unfortunately, the persistence and bio-accumulation of PFCs means they can also build up in our bodies and the bodies of our furry friends, leading to potential health risks.

The Australian government says that most people are ‘very likely to have very low levels of PFAS in their bodies through exposure to everyday household items like carpet and upholstery protective sprays, cosmetics, sunscreens, and some non-stick cookware’.

Who knows what else in the home contains PFCs | By Beazy on Unsplash

People living near sites where PFCs have been released into the environment, such as in Williamstown, may have higher levels of PFCs in their bodies if they’re dependent on drinking bore water or consuming locally-sourced foods.

While scientific understanding of the impacts of other PFC exposure on humans is still developing, valid links have been made between PFC exposure and adverse effects on animals. PFOA and PFOS have been deemed ‘hazardous’ in both the US and Europe as they have been connected with thyroid, kidney, and testicular cancer and reproductive issues, respectively.

What’s being done in Australia?

Since 2002 the Australian Government’s Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) has published a number of alerts on PFCs, encouraging industries, such as the outdoor industry to phase out their use.

As a result, across multiple industries, three major PFCs – PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS – are being phased out from the 1st of July 2025, upon recommendation from the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS).

It includes industries such as agribusiness, construction, and any others that deal with land | By no one cares on Unsplash

Challenges Ahead – The Quest for Better Gear

Don’t pack up your tent just yet – it isn’t all bad news. The equivalent of biodegradable glitter is here to save the day and the outdoor industry has been at the forefront of making switches for the better.

While there’s already existing gear that’s naturally PFC-free, brands such as Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Mont, The North Face, and Kathmandu are trailblazing, taking steps to phase out PFCs, while keeping their gear just as tough.

Next time you’re getting kitted out, keep an eye out for these:

1. PFAS-Free Gear: There are alternative technologies out there that can do similar things to PFCs, without harming the environment
2. Natural fibers: Good ol’ wool and cotton are making a comeback. They might not have the same waterproof powers, but they’ve been reliable since cavemen first wore animal hides
3. Waxes and physical coatings: These classics provide physical protection without concerning chemicals, are quite durable and easy to re-waterproof as well!

In the space of PFAS-Free gear, Patagonia has been researching new materials since 2006. Together, Patagonia and Gore-Tex® started working towards removing PFCs from waterproof gear without compromising performance and durability. PFOA-free Durable Water Resistant (DWR) material started the trend.

Patagonia 🤝 Gore-Tex® = PFC-free adventurin’ | By Drew Smith

However, this was just a ‘regrettable substitution’, meaning that they were just switching one of the 14,000+ PFCs for another and possibly creating the same forever chemical issue.

Patagonia released a fully PFC-free DWR (durable water repellent) finish technology in 2019. Then in 2021, Patagonia employed the Gore-Tex® ePe (expanded Polyethylene/a Polyolefin for the technical nerds) inner membrane into their first couple of jackets.

Since then, Patagonia has been working away to incorporate their hydrocarbon-based (wax and polymer) or silicon DWR alternative into 100% of products with a DWR finish.

Patagonia’s 2024 snow and alpine ranges, including the Storm Shift and Triolet Jackets, now embrace both the PFC-free DWR finish and the Gore-Tex® membrane to help wearers brave and enjoy the elements without compromising toughness.

Includes the Super Free jacket too | @patagoniaaus

With their waders to be the last ones to convert, Patagonia will be 100% PFC-free by 2025!

Some of your other equipment may be making switches too. It’s important to remember that not all PFCs are fully understood and regulated, and similar to ‘green-washing’, companies may be leaving some important information out. But something is better than nothing and you should keep an eye out for these labels:

• PFAS-free or PFC-free – this will generally involve a complete chemical switch
• PFOS or PFOA-free – this refers to regulated compounds only and may contain other forever chemicals

PFC-free treatments may not have the same resistance to stains and oils as fluorinated chemicals, so it’s important to look after your equipment carefully (which you were doing already, of course!).

Make sure you keep it clean and dry after your adventures and you can re-waterproof your equipment using PFC-free sprays or wash-ins (such as NikWax, which has been PFC-free for years!).

A PFC-Free future?

All of this new information may be overwhelming and honestly a bit scary. But rest assured, there are plenty of researchers (like me!) out there learning more about PFCs and their impact on the environment every day.

Governments are establishing regulations and big brands are starting to do their part.

Patagonia are ahead of the game

While it’s impossible to avoid PFCs all together, you can take small steps to minimise your exposure to them, such as swapping out your non-stick pans for stainless steel or ceramics, avoiding paper and cardboard takeaway food wrapping and coffee cups, and questioning stain-resistant coatings on furniture.

But when it comes to outdoor gear, hold back from rifling through your drawers to throw out anything that may resemble a PFC coating. Like any piece of gear, if it’s still doing its job, it is better for the environment to let it live out its life.

But if you’re looking for fresh, new high-spec gear, you can now make an informed choice and start to ask your friends the same question – ‘Does that have a PFC coating?’ – before getting out and enjoying some wild weather!

Header image by @leilabowe