Dick’s Sporting Goods recently announced it would be getting rid of "forever chemicals" in its store-brand clothing. A variety of outdoor apparel brands have also been phasing out PFAS.

A growing number of outdoor apparel brands and sporting goods retailers are enacting plans to phase so-called “forever chemicals” out of their gear. The moves come as several states (with New York and California leading the way) ban per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances from clothing.

PFAS have often been used to create durable water-repellent (DWR) coating on various performance fabrics to give them water- and stain-resistant properties. PFAS have also historically been used in firefighting foam and to create other products with nonstick, water- and grease-resistant properties. However, the chemicals, which don’t break down in the environment, can contaminate water sources and build up in fish and wildlife. Research has linked exposure to certain PFAS with health problems that include kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Earlier this month, Dick’s Sporting Goods, which has more than 850 stores across the U.S., announced it will be getting rid of PFAS in its store-brand apparel, shoes and textiles, according to Environmental Health News. In February, REI announced that it will ban PFAS from all cookware and textile products from its suppliers starting in the fall of 2024.

Several brands have already removed, or are in the process of removing, PFAS from their products. Outdoor footwear brand KEEN, for example, spent four years removing forever chemicals from its supply chain and even published a guide for other companies that details alternative waterproofing methods to consider. Patagonia notes on its website that it is “working to convert all our water-repellent finishes to non-fluorinated versions by 2024.”