Dangerous chemicals in jackets and outdoor clothing. Patagonia and the North Face are also under accusation

    Is outdoor clothing safe? We refer in particular to waterproof jackets and trousers for women and children with a passion for sports and outdoor walks. Greenpeace has decided to subject the garments produced by 14 well-known brands to specific tests, in order to verify the safety of the composition of their fabrics.



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    THEoutdoor clothing it's safe? We refer in particular to waterproof jackets and trousers intended for women and children with a passion for sports and outdoor walks. Greenpeace has decided to subject the clothing items produced by 14 well-known brands, in order to verify the safety of the composition of their fabrics.

    The analyzes on the clothes were conducted in Germany by independent laboratories. The results obtained in this regard were collected in a dossier made public by Greenpeace Germany yesterday. The problems found on the clothes analyzed concern the presence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), used in the field of clothing for the production of waterproof fabrics, given their water-repellent characteristics.

    Perfluorinated compounds are also used to make non-stick coatings in Teflon and in the composition of fire retardant foams. Their possible presence in waterproof clothing had attracted the attention of Greenpeace for some time. The first company to be targeted foruse of PFC fu H&M, which in September 2012 announced their ban and their replacement with sustainable and safer substances.

    The laboratory analyzes conducted in Germany cover 14 clothing brands for sale around the world, among which we find Jack Wolfskin, The North Face, Patagonia, Everywhere e Marmot, in which outdoor clothing for women and children have been identified high quantities of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), considered toxic. In the jackets produced by the Mammut and Vaude brands, high concentrations of chemicals have been identified that can give rise to PFOA.

    The clothes to be worn during outdoor sports are advertised using images that recall nature, but the reality is that for their production dangerous substances are used that can now be identified in the environment and in the blood of individuals throughout the world. world, as he explained Manfred Santen, Greenpeace Germany expert.



    Dangerous chemicals in jackets and outdoor clothing. Patagonia and the North Face are also under accusation

    Greenpeace asks all clothing houses to eliminate from its production cycle the use of hazardous and polluting substances such as PFCs and replacing them with more environmentally friendly components. The environmental association also requests that PFCs be tested according to the rules set by the European Union regarding chemicals.


    The compounds under indictment they hardly dissolve in the environment and I am capable of contaminate water and food, consequently entering our body. Recent studies have linked PFOA exposure to Health problems linked to fertility, thyroid and immune system, as highlighted by Greenpeace in the dossier dedicated to the chemicals used for the production of outdoor clothing, “Chemistry for any weather”, which can be downloaded at this address.


    Marta Albè

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