Nylon clothing and fabrics can carry PFAS when they are given a water-repellent or stain-repellent coating. PFAS are man-made chemicals. Studies suggest exposure to some may be tied to health problems, though causation has not been established.
As of October 2026, no MDL names nylon fabrics or clothing. The closest case is the New York Attorney General’s lawsuit, filed on July 9, 2026.
It covers PFAS in consumer goods, including water-repellent clothing. Texas has also opened an investigation into whether Lululemon’s athletic apparel contains PFAS.
- Case or litigation name: No MDL names nylon; related case: People of the State of New York v. 3M Company et al.
- Defendants: 3M Company; EIDP, Inc.; The Chemours Company, Inc.; The Chemours Company FC, LLC; Corteva, Inc.; DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (related New York case)
- Court and docket number, when available: Albany County Supreme Court, Index No. 907879-26 (related New York case)
- MDL number, judge, and case count, when an MDL exists: No MDL
- Filing date: July 9, 2026 (related New York case)
- Main allegations: The State alleges the companies sold PFAS they knew to be toxic in consumer products, deceived consumers and failed to warn the public
- Products or people involved: PFAS consumer products, including water-repellent clothing and water- and stain-resistant fabric treatments (related New York case)
Table Of Contents
Latest PFAS Nylon Lawsuit Updates
July 9, 2026: New York Attorney General Files PFAS Lawsuit
The New York Attorney General announced a lawsuit. It targets PFAS in consumer products, including water-repellent clothing and fabric treatments. The case was filed in Albany County Supreme Court [1].
It names six defendants, including 3M Company, The Chemours Company, Corteva, Inc., DuPont de Nemours, Inc. and EIDP, Inc. It asks the court for product warnings, damages, restitution and penalties.
April 13, 2026: Texas Opens Lululemon PFAS Investigation
The Texas Attorney General announced an investigation of Lululemon USA Inc., an activewear brand. It asks whether the company misled consumers on product safety and health impacts, including PFAS in athletic apparel [2].
The office used a Civil Investigative Demand. It will review the company’s Restricted Substances List, testing protocols and supply chain practices.
September 30, 2025: Court Dismisses Carpet Class Action
A federal court dismissed the carpet class action Peterson v. 3M Company without prejudice [3]. The court found the plaintiffs did not allege Article III standing. It also found too few facts for the RICO claim.
Vicki Peterson and Paul Sadeghi filed the case in the District of Minnesota in August 2024. It was for people who bought treated carpets. It concerned carpets, not nylon clothing.
January 1, 2025: California Textile PFAS Ban Takes Effect
California’s ban on new textile articles that contain regulated PFAS took effect under Chapter 762 (AB 1817) [4]. No person may manufacture, distribute, sell or offer for sale such items in the state.
The statute defines textile to include nylon and polyester. It excludes carpets and rugs, and outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions is exempt until January 1, 2028.
What Is Nylon?
A 2020 study in Polymers says nylon 6.6 is also known as polyamide 6.6. It is a copolyamide made from hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid [5].
ATSDR says PFAS have been used to make water-repellent clothing and stain-resistant fabrics and carpets [6].
Who May Be Affected?
ATSDR lists using products like stain-resistant carpet or water-repellent clothes among the ways PFAS exposure can happen. Other routes include contaminated drinking water, food and dust. Stain-resistant carpet is covered on our PFAS in carpet page.
A claim depends on your own facts, such as the product, how often you used it and any diagnosis. A lawyer can review them with you. Our PFAS exposure lawsuit page covers the wider legal picture.
Reported Injuries or Damages
The New York complaint’s one nylon mention concerns a carpet fibre treatment. New York alleges that some PFAS are associated with an increased risk of cancer, birth defects, pregnancy complications, high cholesterol, hormone issues and other health problems.
ATSDR’s clinical overview found evidence of an association with increased cholesterol and small decreases in birth weight [7]. The evidence also covers lower vaccine antibody response in children, preeclampsia and liver enzyme changes.
For PFOA, the evidence covers kidney and testicular cancer. ATSDR states that causal relationships have not been established. EPA says exposure to some PFAS may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals [8].
IARC classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). It classified PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). IARC says a classification does not indicate the level of risk [9].
A 2022 laboratory study by van der Veen coated polyamide and polyester fabrics with fluorinated water-repellent finishes [10]. Aging and washing the coated fabrics released PFAS to the environment.
The study measured chemicals in fabrics and the environment, not health effects in people. The European Commission summary says the original polyamide fabric held more extractable PFAS than the polyester [11].
Evidence to Preserve
Keep records that show what you bought, how it was treated and how it affected you:
- Receipts or order confirmations showing where and when you bought the nylon garment or fabric.
- Product tags, hang tags, care labels and fiber-content labels that show what the item is made of.
- Photographs of the item, its original packaging and any water-repellent or stain-resistant claims on the packaging or website.
- Records of how often you wore and washed the item over time.
- Any laboratory test results for the item, with the testing company’s report.
- Medical records and test results for any diagnosis you are concerned about.
- Messages with the seller or manufacturer about the item, its finish or your concerns.
Filing Deadlines
Deadlines for a claim over PFAS exposure are set by state law. They vary with where a person lives and when the harm happened.
Some states start counting at diagnosis. Others look to the date of exposure or illness. Filing after the deadline can end a PFAS claim, however strong the facts.
Anyone considering legal action over PFAS exposure should check with a lawyer promptly to learn which state deadline applies to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nylon Have PFAS?
Nylon fabric can have PFAS when it has a water-repellent coating. A 2022 laboratory study tested coatings based on fluorinated polymers. A European Commission summary says some coatings use entirely different compounds, so the finish matters.
What Fabrics Contain PFAS?
Fabrics that can contain PFAS include outdoor clothing made water- or dirt-repellent with durable coatings. Coated test fabrics included polyamide, or nylon, which is common in tights and swimwear, and polyester, which is common in shirts and bedding.
What Does the Research Say About PFAS in Nylon Fabrics?
Research on PFAS in nylon fabrics includes a 2022 laboratory study. It found that washing decreases some PFAS but can raise extractable volatile PFAS. Tumble drying did not affect PFAS concentrations, and the study did not test retail garments.
Does California Restrict PFAS in Textiles?
California restricts PFAS in textiles. Chapter 762 was approved September 29, 2022. It covers PFAS added on purpose or total organic fluorine at or above 100 parts per million. The limit falls to 50 parts per million from January 1, 2027.
References
- https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-sues-some-nations-largest-chemical-companies-over-toxic
- https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-launches-investigation-lululemon-over-potential-presence-toxic-forever
- https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.219863/gov.uscourts.mnd.219863.62.0_3.pdf
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1817
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7569831/
- https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/about/index.html
- https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/hcp/clinical-overview/health-effects.html
- https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained
- https://www.iarc.who.int/news-events/iarc-monographs-evaluate-the-carcinogenicity-of-perfluorooctanoic-acid-pfoa-and-perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid-pfos/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9069696/
- https://environment.ec.europa.eu/news/chemical-releases-coatings-durable-water-resistant-clothing-suggests-need-wide-ranging-regulation-2022-11-30_en