For brands, manufacturers and suppliers, reliable testing is becoming an important part of staying ahead.
PFAS rules are taking shape across Europe
Several recent regulatory developments show how quickly expectations are changing:
- EU: Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
From mid 2026, the PPWR restricts PFAS above defined concentration limits in food-contact packaging. This puts materials such as coated paper, packaging films and other food-contact applications increasingly into focus. - France: PFAS restrictions since January 2026
France has introduced restrictions on PFAS in selected consumer products, including clothing textiles, footwear and waterproofing products. Further restrictions covering textiles are planned from 2030, subject to defined exemptions. - Denmark: PFAS restrictions since July 2026
Denmark prohibits PFAS above the defined threshold in consumer clothing, footwear and certain waterproofing agents. Specific exemptions apply, including for certain professional and protective applications. - Sweden: National PFAS ban proposed for 2028
Sweden is proposing a national PFAS ban covering selected consumer products, including clothing, footwear, impregnation agents, cosmetics, food-contact kitchen utensils and ski wax. The proposed limits align with those applied in France and the broader EU restriction proposal. If adopted, the restrictions would apply from 1 January 2028 and remain in place until an EU-wide PFAS restriction takes effect.
For companies operating across different markets, these developments add another layer of complexity: PFAS requirements can differ by country, product category and analytical approach.
PFAS goes beyond textiles
PFAS are often associated with water-repellent textiles or outdoor clothing. But the issue extends much further.
Coatings, chemical formulations, polymers, paper and packaging can all be relevant. This makes it important to look beyond the finished product and consider where PFAS could enter the supply chain.
TESTEX can test a wide range of materials:
- Chemical formulations such as paints, glues, adhesives, coatings, inks and detergents
- Textiles and fabrics such as cotton, wool, polyester and polyamide
- Leather
- Polymeric materials such as PA, PAN, PET and PP
- Cellulose-based materials such as cardboard and paper
- Rubbers and elastomers
- Foams
- Food-contact and consumer products such as coated materials, packaging films and paper-based containers
The right test for the right question
Different PFAS questions require different analytical approaches. TESTEX PFAS Testing Solutions therefore combines three complementary methods:
- Total Fluorine provides an efficient screening approach to assess the overall fluorine content of a material.
- Targeted PFAS Analysis identifies and quantifies defined PFAS substances and supports testing against regulatory requirements and Restricted Substance Lists.
- Non-Targeted PFAS Analysis goes beyond predefined substance lists. TESTEX's advanced in-house method uses high-resolution mass spectrometry with database screening of knwon PFAS to investigate more than 10,000 PFAS compounds.
How companies are approaching PFAS
Moving away from fluorinated substances does not have to mean compromising on product performance. TOKO, for example, demonstrates how both can go hand in hand.
The company reformulated a waterproofing product that had previously been manufactured using fluorinated raw materials. Following continuous optimisation, the product achieved strong results in independent consumer testing, including recognition by Stiftung Warentest in Germany and Kassensturz in Switzerland in 2025.
But changing a formulation is only part of the process. Claims need evidence.
“If we claim that a product is fluorine-free, we need to verify it. And that testing is done here at TESTEX.”
For TOKO, reducing fluorinated substances is also a question of responsible product development.
“From a chemical perspective, I strongly support the effort to gradually remove fluorinated substances from consumer products.”
Know what is in your product
Whether you need to assess a textile, coating, chemical formulation or packaging material, the right testing strategy starts with the right question.
TESTEX supports brands, retailers, manufacturers and suppliers with independent PFAS testing tailored to their products, target markets and regulatory requirements.