If you've bought an outdoor jacket, raincoat, or hiking gear in the last few years, you may have started noticing a label that barely existed before: PFAS-Free, PFC-Free, or fluorine-free DWR.
Why the sudden push toward "fluorine-free"? It starts with PFOS and PFOA.
Why Are PFOS and PFOA Getting So Much Attention Now?
It's not actually sudden. Both belong to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a large family of chemicals. PFAS have an extremely stable carbon-fluorine bond, which makes them water-, oil-, and stain-resistant — and for decades that made them useful across outdoor apparel, carpeting, packaging, and countless other water- and stain-resistant products.
That same stability is the problem: once released into the environment, they barely break down. That's why PFAS have earned the nickname "forever chemicals."
After years of widespread use, scientists gradually found that some PFAS don't just persist in the environment long-term — they can also accumulate in humans and other living organisms. PFOS and PFOA are the two most studied, and the earliest to face global regulation.
PFOS was added to global controls under the Stockholm Convention in 2009 (listed in Annex B); PFOA followed in 2019 (listed in Annex A). The EU has already banned or tightly restricted PFOS, PFOA, and a range of other PFAS, and the scope of regulation keeps expanding.
What's especially worth noting: regulatory thinking is shifting from "ban the specific PFAS we know are problematic" toward "manage the entire PFAS family."
California's AB 1817, for example, has banned the sale of most textile products containing "intentionally added PFAS" since January 1, 2025, and requires manufacturers to use lower-toxicity alternatives when replacing PFAS; the allowable fluorine threshold also tightens further in 2027. Notably, outdoor apparel designed for severe wet-weather use — raincoats and technical waterproof jackets — gets a later compliance deadline, extended to 2028, though starting in 2025 those products must carry a "Made with PFAS chemicals" disclosure. In other words, the law doesn't yet require every raincoat to be PFAS-Free immediately — it requires brands to be upfront about it first. That's exactly why PETT2GO chose to drop PFAS outright, rather than wait until regulation forced the change.
The EU is also advancing a much broader PFAS restriction. As of now, the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) formally completed its scientific opinion on the broad PFAS restriction proposal in March 2026; the Socio-Economic Analysis Committee's (SEAC) opinion is expected to be finalized by the end of 2026, after which it moves into the European Commission's formal legislative process, with adoption expected as early as 2027. In short, the largest PFAS restriction proposal in the world is moving step by step from scientific review toward formal legislation.
This points to something important: we know PFOS and PFOA are problems today because they've already been used and studied for decades. A newer replacement chemical isn't automatically safe long-term just because no clear harm has been found yet. That's why recent regulation has stopped focusing narrowly on just PFOS and PFOA.
Does PFAS Actually Affect Dogs?
It helps to separate what we know from what we don't.
We have good reason to be concerned about PFAS's impact on the environment and human health, and some PFAS are already heavily regulated worldwide. PFAS contamination has been found in groundwater, surface water, and soil, and it's extremely difficult to remove once it's there.
But there isn't enough evidence to directly conclude that "a dog wearing a PFAS-containing raincoat will develop a specific illness as a result." The two things aren't the same claim.
Even so, PETT2GO chooses to be more cautious with materials. The reasoning is simple: dogs live differently than people do. They lick their fur, their paws, their belly, and may chew directly on their own gear — and they're typically far smaller than an adult human.
So even without enough research to quantify exactly how much exposure a PFAS-containing dog raincoat would actually cause, once a PFAS-free alternative material exists, there's no reason to wait years for more evidence before making the switch. Choosing safer materials proactively is, to us, a responsibility to dogs and their families.
Why Did PETT2GO Choose PFAS-Free?
Making outdoor performance gear means solving two things that can pull in opposite directions: we need water resistance, but we don't want to add unnecessary, highly persistent chemicals just to get it.
That's why PETT2GO's raincoats and water-resistant outerwear use a PFAS-free DWR (durable water repellent) finish — no PFOS, no PFOA, and no C6 short-chain PFAS either.
More importantly, we don't just take a supplier's word for it. Finished PETT2GO products are also sent to a third-party lab for CNS 15290 (Taiwan textile safety) testing, which confirmed:
PFOS: Not Detected
PFOA: Not Detected
That's why we're comfortable publishing the actual test results. "PFAS-Free" is our choice at the material level; third-party testing is one more layer of confirmation on top of that.
Does Going PFAS-Free Make a Raincoat Less Waterproof?
Not necessarily — and there's a concept that's easy to mix up here: a DWR finish is not the same thing as a raincoat's actual waterproofing.
DWR mainly acts on the outermost layer of fabric, making water bead up and roll off quickly, which reduces surface saturation. What actually determines whether a technical raincoat can withstand sustained water pressure includes: the waterproof membrane, fabric construction, taped seams, zippers, and the garment's overall design.
PETT2GO raincoat, independently tested:
| 🧪 Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Hydrostatic Head | 15,381 mm H₂O |
| Moisture Vapor Transmission | 58,861.3 g/m²/24hrs |
| PFOS | ✅ Not Detected |
| PFOA | ✅ Not Detected |
So what we're actually going for isn't: "give up performance for safety." It's: "meet real outdoor performance needs while cutting out chemical use that isn't necessary to get there."
What Should You Actually Look For When Buying a Raincoat?
If you remember only one thing, make it this: PFOS/PFOA-Free doesn't automatically mean PFAS-Free.
When choosing a dog raincoat or water-resistant jacket, it's worth checking whether a brand clearly states:
- Whether it uses a PFAS-free DWR finish
- Whether it's only labeled PFOA-Free (which can still allow other PFAS)
- Whether it still uses a C6 fluorinated DWR system
- Whether it has third-party chemical safety testing
We don't think every pet garment that has ever used a fluorinated DWR is "dangerous." But given that the outdoor textile industry already has alternatives, and global regulation is moving toward reducing PFAS use, PETT2GO chose to remove it from our materials ahead of the curve.
Not because we can prove a PFAS-containing raincoat will make a dog sick — but because when the same outdoor performance can be achieved another way, there's no need to wait until the risk is fully proven before making the better choice.
Gear Recommendation
PETT2GO Breathable Raincoat | PFAS-Free DWR, Third-Party Tested — PFOS/PFOA Not Detected
15,381 mm H₂O hydrostatic head and 58,861.3 g/m²/24hrs moisture vapor transmission — real waterproof performance, built without forever chemicals.
Shop the Breathable Raincoat →FAQ
Q1: Is PETT2GO's raincoat PFAS-free?
Yes. PETT2GO's raincoats and water-resistant outerwear use a PFAS-free DWR finish — no PFOS, no PFOA, and no C6 short-chain PFAS. They're also sent to a third-party lab for CNS 15290 testing, which confirmed both PFOS and PFOA were not detected.
Q2: Does going PFAS-free make a raincoat less waterproof?
No. DWR is only one part of water resistance — the waterproof membrane, fabric construction, taped seams, and zippers are what actually determine a raincoat's waterproofing. PETT2GO's raincoat tests at a 15,381 mm H₂O hydrostatic head while still being PFAS-free.
Q3: Is it actually harmful for a dog to wear a PFAS-containing raincoat?
There isn't currently enough evidence to directly conclude that it causes a specific illness. PETT2GO chose PFAS-free materials as a precaution, given that alternatives already exist — not because we can prove existing PFAS-containing products are harmful.
Q4: Is PFOA-Free the same as PFAS-Free?
No. PFOA-Free only means that one specific substance is absent — other PFAS, such as C6 short-chain fluorinated compounds, may still be present. PFAS-Free means the entire PFAS family is excluded, which is a much broader standard.
Taking responsibility for dogs, their families, and the environment is where our testing starts.
Turning performance into visible data is the answer we want to give you.
Not "trust us, it works" — but numbers that speak for the product.
Related Reading
- Is PETT2GO's Dog Raincoat Really Waterproof and Breathable? 15,381mm Hydrostatic Head, 58,861 Moisture Vapor Transmission — Tested
- Is PETT2GO's Lightweight Windbreaker Really Water-Resistant and Safe? Reading the Third-Party Test Data
Want More Real Test Data on Dog Outdoor Gear? 🐾
Follow us on Instagram for the first look at new test results and gear launches.
Regulatory status can change. The information in this article reflects official sources verified at the time of publication; refer to current regulations and professional advice for how they apply to your situation.
Related Topics