PFAS restriction on footwear and clothing: what changes on 10 October 2026?
Technically reviewed: 2026-08-12
In short
Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 restricts PFHxA, its salts and related substances under REACH: from 10 October 2026, textile, leather, fur and hide parts of consumer clothing and consumer footwear must stay below 25 ppb (PFHxA and its salts) and 1,000 ppb (PFHxA-related substances) per homogeneous material. Other consumer textile articles follow from 10 October 2027. Category III personal protective equipment is explicitly exempt.
What exactly does the regulation restrict?
Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 amends Annex XVII of REACH: undecafluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), its salts and related substances may not be placed on the market in the designated product groups above the limit values. The limits apply per homogeneous material:
- 25 ppb — for the sum of PFHxA and its salts;
- 1,000 ppb — for the sum of PFHxA-related substances.
From when, and for which products?
| Date | Product group |
|---|---|
| 10 October 2026 | textile, leather, fur and hide parts of clothing and related accessories, and footwear, for the general public |
| 10 October 2027 | other consumer textile articles (beyond clothing) |
“Per homogeneous material” means, in practice, that every material of a shoe — upper, lining, membrane, laces — is judged separately for compliance.
Where PPE stands
The regulation explicitly exempts Category III personal protective equipment under Regulation (EU) 2016/425: there, the protective function (heat and flame protection, chemical resistance and so on) takes precedence. Category I–II products sold to the general public, on the other hand, can be caught by the table above — risk category and sales channel have to be read together.
What should a manufacturer or importer do?
- Map which of your products carry repellent finishes, membranes or impregnation — PFHxA-related substances typically occur there.
- Request supplier declarations per material, referencing the regulation.
- After a recipe or supplier change, back the declaration with verification testing — the limits are in the ppb range and invisible to the eye.
- Document: market surveillance judges compliance by the date of placing on the market.
If you are unsure whether a product is affected or what evidence it needs, ask us — we will identify the applicable requirement and the testing route that demonstrates conformity.
Frequently asked questions
- Is safety footwear affected?
- Category III PPE (protecting against mortal or irreversible risks) is explicitly exempt from the restriction. Lower-category products sold to the general public, however, fall under the limits — this has to be judged product by product.
- Why is PFAS in footwear at all?
- Water-, oil- and stain-repellent finishes, membranes and impregnation agents commonly relied on these chemistries. PFHxA-related substances occur in exactly those functions.
- What should I ask my supplier for?
- A written declaration that the finish keeps PFHxA content below the limits of Regulation (EU) 2024/2462, per material. After a recipe change, a declaration alone is weak evidence — verification testing may be warranted.
Where next?
A question about your own product?
Request a quote