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What are they?

• PFCs are ‘perfluorinated compounds’ or ‘fluorocarbons’; man-made chemicals used in the manufacturing of a wide range of goods.

What’s the problem?

• The PFCs get into the environment during manufacturing or from finished products and don’t break down, or else they do breakdown but into more toxic substances.
• PFCs have been found all over the planet, in people and in animals.
• There are health implications when PFCs are in the body, such as affecting the hormone and reproductive systems.

How are they used in Outdoor Gear?

• Mainly used in waterproof garments but also in tents, they are a key component of DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coatings.
• A waterproof and breathable jacket will have a very thin membrane bonded to the outer fabric of the garment, this membrane will keep rain out but allow moisture from perspiration to pass through, keeping you dry.
• If rainwater soaks into the outer fabric of the jacket this will stop the moisture from passing to the outside and the jacket will cease to be breathable.
• A DWR coating stops the fabric from soaking up water and therefore keeps it breathable
• Certain PFCs are great at repelling water, dirt and oils from skin and therefore are effective components of DWR coatings.

Why are they still being used?

• Finding alternatives has been tricky because the performance of a waterproof jacket is critical, people’s lives may depend on it and finding substances that are as good as PFC’s has been hard.
• Alternatives have been found though, either silicon based or wax based and are being used by reputable brands to create products that perform as well as their PFC predecessors

What should I do?

• Check that the product you are buying has been manufactured without using PFCs.
• Look after your kit! It has always been necessary to regularly wash garments with DWR coatings because ingrained dirt and oils will compromise the coatings ability to repel water.
• The new breed of PFC Free DWR coatings need more of this to ensure their continued performance.

For a more in depth discussion go to our full page on this subject…  Why is PFC free important?

Our ‘Time Saver Guides’ aim to give you the benefit of our knowledge and experience in a concise format, some of what we include is our opinion because presenting all sides of an argument takes time!

Mark Richardson
Mark was the founder of Ultralight Outdoor Gear back in 2006 and has completed long distance backpacking routes in some of the remotest parts of the world. His favourite hikes have been Torres del Paine (full circuit), the John Muir trail and the Markha Valley trail (Ladakh, India). Although semi-retired Mark has not lost any enthusiasm for minimalist backpacking and is tackling Scotland’s Munros choosing multi-day backpacking routes over the more usual guide book excursions. Read more from Mark Richardson