Fashion for Good launches industry project to benchmark PFAS alternatives

Fashion for Good, an Amsterdam-based regenerative fashion investment company, has launched Project DW(O)R-X, a collaborative initiative aimed at creating an industry benchmark for durable water- and oil-repellent (DW(O)R) finishes that do not contain PFAS, responding to the increased demand for safer alternatives to the persistent chemicals.

The project will evaluate nine PFAS-free chemistries across three areas: performance, environmental impact and cost. It also introduces a new testing framework designed to better reflect real-world use, incorporating conditions and stains relevant to sportswear and outerwear, such as soil, sunscreen and sweat.

Project DW(O)R-X brings together brands including Adidas and C&A, alongside manufacturing partners, chemical suppliers and testing company SGS, with the goal of generating comparable data to help brands, mills and suppliers make more informed sourcing decisions.

In a statement, Katrin Ley, managing director at Fashion for Good, said: "The challenge for the whole industry isn't just phasing out PFAS: it's ensuring we don't replace it with something equally concerning that we understand less well. Right now, brands and mills are navigating this transition without updated benchmarks to compare these alternatives."

She added that the initiative would provide "performance testing that reflects real-world use, comprehensive impact assessment, and a better understanding of cost structures. This is how we enable informed decisions and genuine progress toward safer chemistry at scale".

C&A, one of the participating brands, said it had "not allowed the intentional use of PFAS in our products for many years", but stressed that "phasing out PFAS across the sector requires coordinated action across the value chain".

The retailer added that the project would provide "a rigorous benchmarking framework to evaluate alternatives across performance, environmental impact and cost", helping build a shared knowledge base to support the industry's transition to safer chemistries.