French PFAS ban spares second-hand garments

PARIS – France’s newly published decree which defines how the country’s ban on PFAS applies to textiles, footwear, and waterproofing agents confirms a range of market thresholds, exemptions and how second-hand garments are effectively now out of scope.

This carve‑out means that used PFAS-treated textiles can continue to be traded in the French second-hand market, even as new PFAS-containing products are progressively restricted. This latest approach – effective from 1^st January 2026 – reflects wider tensions identified by European bodies over how legacy PFAS in textiles interact with circular economy goals and reuse strategies.