PFAS in school uniforms - how to avoid them?

[7Worfs]

I’ve been vaguely aware of PFAS chemicals for a while, but only now did I find out they are used on school uniforms to make them stain resistant (first time I’ve had to buy - I have a preschooler).

I spent the day reading up on PFAS and suffice to say, they don’t belong on household items, let alone rubbing on children’s skin for 40 hours a week.

To make fabric stain-, water-, heat-resistant, these near indestructible chemicals are used. They are everywhere - found in our water and even in umbilical cords - getting into our children before they are even born.

Some brands have pledged to get rid of PFAS (Adidas and Nike caved in after campaigning).

My questions to you are:

1. Are you aware of any places that sell uniforms without PFAS (not labelled stain-resistant)?
2. What can we do to get companies to stop using PFAS at least in school uniforms? My MP is a dumb fuck so writing to him is a non-starter; are there any organisations who would want to lead on this?

All the major UK shops stopped selling school clothes with PFAs years ago. Have you been looking at information from USA? You can get info on the FIDRA site. It is an organisation that campaigns against the use of PFAs.

Thank you, @ItsDinah I will look it up.

I got our uniforms from Next and both trousers and polo shirts were advertised as stain-resistant. The trousers even had a DuPont badge and they’ve been front and centre in the US PFAS stuff.

What got my attention was two very recent articles in the DM and the Guardian about PFAS specifically in school uniforms, so it might be that they are still used?

I use eco outfitters.com
they are brilliant but EXPENSIVE

Thanks @ArseMenagerie - I haven’t heard of that brand before. They are very expensive indeed (3x the prices in Next) but I’ll get some.

It’s revolting that if you want to avoid harmful chemicals for your child you have to be able to pay a massive premium.
I’ll look into the info from the PP - I hope the big supermarkets have really gotten onboard.

This is really difficult. I get around it by trying to buy secondhand. I used to get basic cotton trousers from John Lewis but again they were expensive.

Bit of a fuss over nothing OP. Dont believe everythinh you read online. M&s don't use pfas and as a pp said i don't think many high street UK retailers do.

mobile.twitter.com/marksandspencer/status/1552994108209336321

The Mail and Guardian were quoting USA research. If you look at FIBRA,they have a table showing when all the big UK brands gave up on PFAs. There are other types of stain-resistant coatings.

www.pfasfree.org.uk/school-uniforms

See table here and chill the fuck out.

Thanks@AloysiusBear - good to see confirmation from M&S.
I’m very suspicious of Next though!

I do realise I sound very alarmed - I’m aware we can’t avoid bad stuff all of the time, but this is direct contact with the skin, all over the body, for 40+ hours a week

Thank you for the second link too.
I can chill now.

😂😎

Sorry. DS got my phone!

Threaten him with a PFAS soaked uniform if he does it again

I think I'm more concerned about the ones in the water supply than the ones on the uniforms! They are everywhere, every bit of modern life is poisoned by chemicals and I'm not sure we have much hope of escaping it now.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60761972

Yes @WonderingWanda it’s depressing.

I think some filtering can reduce (but not eliminate) PFAS from tap water - I hope someone more knowledgeable can share about filtering.

Nothing useful to add except I read your post as Parent Friend Association in school uniforms and had a chilling vision of adults at school events dressed as children in uniforms.
As you were 😂

@7Worfs that's useful to know. We don't have a filter as have soft water but might be worth investing!

I'm concerned about this too, OP, and I buy my DC's uniform from Eco outfitters. They are expensive, but they're good quality and I have several children so can pass things on 🙂. I get my older DC's school shirts there too - one of the few places that sells 100% cotton shirts. Given the concern over Blue Planet and micro plastic pollution, it amazes me how ubiquitous polyester is in most school uniforms.

On a similar note, did you know that it's a legal requirement in the UK for children's pyjamas (as well as mattresses, cushions and most soft furnishings) to be treated with flame retardants? These have a very similar risk profile to PFAS. John Lewis sell Hatley (from Canada) children's PJs which are free of flame retardants, but they can only get round the legislation by making them very close fitting.

I knew about sofas and mattresses but not about children’s pyjamas! Whoever did the risk assessment for this decision was really lacking…
I’ll check out the pyjamas. I’ve got two boys so will get my moneys worth too.

Whoever did the risk assessment for this decision was really lacking…

Well, no. It will have been an actual scientist/expert with knowledge of the statistical likelihood of injury/death in fires vs due to exposure to the chemicals you mention. As opposed to you, someone armed with google who may or may not have factual knowledge or understanding of the risks but appears to be largely basing their view on mass media clickbait new stories ....

Lacking?

Let's see - possibility of something happening that's unpleasant decades in the future or eight year olds going up like Roman Candles?

I reckon they gave that all the thought that was needed and then some more.

But aren't these sorts of decisions made on a lowest common denominator basis, assuming that all children will be exposed to flames whilst wearing their pyjamas?

We don't have an open fire, candles or bar heaters in our house. None of us smoke or vape or even use hair straighteners. I realise that we could have a house fire, but I doubt that even flame-retardant nightwear would offer much protection in that situation, and most deaths in house fires are from smoke inhalation. Therefore, I feel that the chance of my DC "going up like a Roman candle" because of their PJs is fairly slim.

It's a matter of assessing the relative risks and benefits and, for my family, the risks from flame retardants outweigh the benefits.

Same here, @MissVantaBlack

It’s ridiculous to have it mandated for pyjamas specifically and aged 9mo-6y. It doesn’t add up to statistics about house fire incidents. In the meantime, everyone needs a dollop of cancer, it’s the law. (I’m being flippant, before PP give me more aggro)

It's good that you have an induction hob rather than gas and the oven too high for him to ever come near it, never use a tumble drier, don't have electrical supply in his bedroom to keep him away from doing something like have a lamp on whilst in bed, have underfloor heating rather than radiators, don't put candles on birthday cakes, never let him go to cubs/scouts sleepovers or camps, sleepovers for friends' birthdays or at any other time - but on the whole, there are many, many ways in which a child can end up coming into contact with a heat source/source of ignition and the handful of massively risk adverse parents are outweighed by both the numbers of parents who can't or don't control the environment including that outside their direct realm to that degree - and for those, the potential outcomes for the children are so severe that it's been made the law.

I could be biased, but seeing the consequences of a child wearing something not flameproof is not something I ever want to see again.

Do you remember the celebrity's child who caught fire in their halloween costume?