Are there PFAS in underwear?

The short answer

PFAS (“forever chemicals”) aren't inherent to underwear — they show up specifically in certain chemical finishes, most often moisture-wicking or odor-control treatments, and in some leak-proof liners. Whether a given pair contains them depends on the finish used, not on underwear as a category. GOTS certification prohibits adding PFAS outright; EU law under REACH is moving the same way, with a specific PFAS restriction for consumer textiles taking effect on 10 October 2026; and a brand's own Restricted Substances List (RSL) is the internal control that checks incoming fabric and trims against both, plus anything else the brand chooses to restrict.

What GOTS requires

GOTS-certified processing prohibits PFAS outright, alongside other restricted inputs. GOTS has strict chemical criteria aimed at protecting the health of workers, the environment and the end consumer, prohibiting allergenic and carcinogenic chemicals and those that don't meet rigorous conditions — including flame retardants, PFAS and toxic dyes. That's a ban on GOTS-certified processors adding PFAS — it isn't a guarantee of zero detectable trace amount in a lab test, which is a meaningfully different (and unprovable) claim.

This applies to our GOTS-certified styles specifically — not everything we sell carries GOTS certification, and GOTS-certified styles are labeled separately from the rest of our range. (Organic Basics is GOTS-certified under certification number GOTS-20447, certified by Control Union.) Our Restricted Substances List, below, applies company-wide regardless of GOTS status.

What REACH requires

REACH is the EU's chemicals regulation, and it's now specifically restricting PFAS: Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 restricts PFHxA (a specific PFAS) and its related substances, setting a limit of 25 ppb for the sum of PFHxA and its salts in textiles, leather, furs and hides used in clothing and related accessories — and from 10 October 2026, products above that limit can't be placed on the EU market at all.

Our RSL

Beyond GOTS and REACH, our Restricted Substances List (RSL) adds a further, brand-level layer of control, applied to incoming fabric, trims and finishes before they're approved for use. Rather than one blanket PFAS line, it sets specific limits by sub-group.

PFAS sits at the RSL's highest risk tier across every fiber and material type we use, which means it's routinely checked by accredited third-party labs rather than taken on trust, and every supplier has to sign a declaration confirming they don't intentionally add PFAS to anything they supply us.