Outdoor Clothes Laboratory Test in Bremen

The testing of outdoor clothes (rain jackets and kids wear) in a laboratory. Samples are tested under an electron microscope in the Umweltinstitut Bremen as part of the Greenpeace Germany Outdoor Report "Chemie fuer jedes Wetter - Outdoor-Kleidung" (English version "Chemistry for Any Weather Report").
Greenpeace is investigating the presence of chemicals in outdoor clothing and is testing the clothes for perfluorinated toxins. Weatherproof clothing manufactured by leading outdoor brands contains hazardous substances that can be harmful to the environment and health. Commissioned by Greenpeace, two independent laboratories have carried out tests for perfluorinated and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) and other toxins in 14 outdoor clothing items sold for women and children. Products from Jack Wolfskin, The North Face, Patagonia, Kaikkialla and Marmot contained noticeable concentrations of toxic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). High concentrations of fluorotelomer alcohols, which are harmful to health, were found in jackets from Mammut and Vaude. “The outdoor clothing industry advertises its products featuring images of pristine nature. But harmful substances used in this industry are now found in the environment and in the blood of humans all over the world,” says Manfred Santen, Greenpeace’s expert on chemicals.