Does children's rain gear contain PFAS?

Most conventional children's rain jackets, rain pants, and rain boots use PFAS-based DWR coatings to achieve water repellency. Testing of children's outerwear by consumer advocacy groups has repeatedly found PFAS in products marketed to kids, including items from well-known family brands. Since children's rain gear is often brightly colored with graphic prints, it may also contain additional chemical treatments.

Children wearing PFAS-treated rain gear face exposure through skin contact, especially at wrists, necks, and faces where rain jackets contact skin directly. Children also touch their rain gear and then their mouths, creating an ingestion pathway. The combination of rain (which can increase chemical migration from fabric) and children's higher vulnerability makes PFAS in kids' rain gear a particular concern.

PFAS-free children's rain gear is available from brands that use fluorine-free DWR coatings or PU-laminated fabrics. Waxed cotton rain jackets for children are another natural option. When shopping, look for explicit PFAS-free or fluorine-free claims, not just general eco-friendly marketing. Protecting children from PFAS exposure in rain gear is especially important given their higher vulnerability.