Can PFAS and flame retardants in children's clothing absorb through the skin?

What's actually in it

Children's clothing, especially school uniforms, sportswear, and outdoor gear, is often treated with PFAS for water resistance and stain repelling. Flame retardants (particularly organophosphate esters) are added to clothing and textiles to meet fire safety standards. These chemicals sit on and in the fabric fibers.

Skin absorption from clothing is usually low when skin is dry. But kids sweat, especially during play and sports. Sweat changes everything: it pulls chemicals out of fabric and makes them easier for skin to absorb.

What the research says

A 2025 study in Sci Total Environ measured PFAS and organophosphate ester transfer from real children's clothing samples to simulated skin under both dry and sweaty conditions. Sweat increased transfer by up to several times compared to dry contact. The transferred amounts exceeded safe reference levels for children in several scenarios.

The study also found these chemicals don't just sit on the surface. They penetrate into the skin layers. Children have thinner, more permeable skin than adults and spend more time in physical activity, which means both more sweat and more chemical transfer.

PFAS in clothing is common in anything marketed as waterproof or stain-resistant. Organophosphate flame retardants are widespread in children's sleepwear and school bags. Washing clothes before first use reduces surface chemical levels somewhat, but doesn't eliminate them.

For kids' everyday clothing, untreated natural fibers like organic cotton, linen, and wool avoid these chemical treatments entirely.