Breaking News! France Passes New Decree Banning PFAS Use In Textiles And Footwear, Effective January 1st Of This Year

PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are widely used in textiles, especially in outdoor sports apparel, protective clothing, and outdoor gear, providing excellent waterproof, oil-repellent, and stain-resistant properties. However, PFAS are very difficult to degrade in the natural environment, exhibiting persistence and bioaccumulation. Once they enter the human body, they are difficult to eliminate and will continuously accumulate, potentially weakening the immune system, causing liver damage, and increasing cancer risk. They may also have long-term impacts on ecosystems. Recently, France officially passed a new decree to ban the use of PFAS in consumer products.

On December 30, 2025, the French government announced Decree No. 2025-1376, introducing strict measures to prevent risks associated with PFAS, while explicitly excluding second-hand clothing from the restrictions.

According to the newly released government decree, the ban on PFAS will apply to new textile and footwear products on the French market from January 1, 2026, as well as waterproofing agents, prohibiting the manufacture, import, export, and sale of products containing PFAS. It specifies concentration thresholds, compliance timelines, and exemptions for specific sectors. There is a 12-month transition period for the sale of existing inventories produced before this date. However, second-hand clothing containing perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, including legacy products treated with water or stain repellents, is effectively allowed to continue circulating in the French second-hand market.

This exception allows for the resale, donation, and reuse of textiles treated with perfluorooctane sulfonate, reflecting the policy's concern for the environmental and social trade-offs of removing a large volume of existing clothing from circulation. French authorities acknowledge that an immediate restriction on second-hand clothing could undermine circular economy goals and increase textile waste, especially considering the widespread presence of PFAs in conventional garments.

The decree stipulates the residual concentration thresholds for PFAS compliance as follows:

25 ppb (excluding polymers)

The total amount of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid is 250 ppb (precursor degradation, excluding polymers).

The total fluoride content is 50 ppm (including polymers).

If the total fluoride content exceeds 50 mg F/kg, manufacturers, importers, exporters, or producers must provide evidence as required by the competent authorities, proving that the fluoride content originates from perfluorooctane sulfonic substances or non-perfluorooctane sulfonic substances.

Allow certain exemptions, particularly:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) under EU Regulation 2016/425;

Military and civilian protective equipment.

Textiles and footwear containing at least 20% recycled materials, with perfluorooctane sulfonate limited to the recycled parts.

The decree implements the provisions of Law No. 2025-188, passed earlier this year, to protect public health and the environment from PFAS-related risks. This regulation aligns with EU standards and anticipates future technological updates based on European chemical safety regulations. The Ministry of Ecological Transition emphasizes that these measures aim to reduce exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate, which is associated with environmental persistence and potential health hazards.

This approach reflects the internal discussions among European regulators on how to manage "legacy" chemical risks in textiles while promoting reuse, recycling, and extending product lifecycles. Although new products containing PFAS will face progressive restrictions, regulators have opted for a phased transition to avoid penalizing resale platforms, charity shops, and export-oriented second-hand dealers.

For global apparel exporters, including suppliers from Bangladesh, the decree emphasizes the necessity of clearly separating compliance strategies for launching new products from resale and reuse channels. Industry observers note that brands supplying the French and broader EU markets will now face stricter chemical management, disclosure requirements, and scrutiny of future collections adopting PFAS-free materials, although legacy inventory can still be traded legally.