Sustainable Textile Chemicals: PFAS & Compliance | GTZ India

18 Oct, 2026 15 views

Sustainability in textile manufacturing goes beyond the type of fibre used in a fabric. The chemicals used during pretreatment, dyeing, printing and finishing also need careful consideration. Manufacturers today may have to balance product performance with changing chemical restrictions, water-management requirements and customer expectations. PFAS are receiving greater regulatory attention, while frameworks such as Manufacturing Restricted Substances Lists are encouraging closer control of chemical inputs. For manufacturers evaluating sustainable textile chemicals, the practical approach is to look at the complete production process rather than considering a chemical in isolation.

Why Are PFAS Important for Textile Manufacturers?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, are a large group of chemicals. Some PFAS have historically been used in textiles to provide properties such as water, oil or stain repellency. Their persistence has led to increasing regulatory scrutiny. In the European Union, restrictions already apply to certain PFAS groups. From 10 October 2026, specified concentration limits for PFHxA, its salts and PFHxA-related substances will apply to clothing textiles and related accessories intended for the general public, among other product categories. A broader restriction covering a much wider range of PFAS is still progressing through the EU REACH restriction process.

The issue also extends beyond legislation. The ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List, or MRSL, focuses on chemical inputs used during manufacturing rather than only on substances present in the finished product. For textile manufacturers, this makes visibility into chemical formulations an important part of PFAS management. Understanding the formulations entering the production process is therefore an important starting point.

Important questions include:

Does the formulation contain substances restricted by the applicable regulation or customer requirement?
What information and documentation are available from the chemical supplier?
Which markets will the finished textile enter?
Does the buyer follow an RSL, MRSL or another chemical-management programme?
Is laboratory testing or additional verification required?

Manufacturers should also avoid assuming that a chemical is PFAS-free unless this is specifically confirmed through reliable product documentation.

Water Use Needs a Process-Wide Approach

Water management is a critical issue in textile manufacturing. ZDHC notes that apparel, textile and footwear production can require large volumes of freshwater, and its Wastewater Guidelines provide harmonised parameters, limit values and test methods for wastewater and sludge.

Manufacturers need to examine factors such as:

liquor ratios
washing and rinsing sequences
dosing accuracy
process temperatures and times
reprocessing rates
machinery efficiency
opportunities for suitable water reuse
wastewater treatment requirements

Pretreatment is particularly important because it prepares the textile for subsequent processing. Poor control at this stage can affect later dyeing or finishing operations and may contribute to additional washing or reprocessing.

Our textile portfolio includes a range of pretreatment chemicals for specific process requirements. These include wetting agents, hydrogen peroxide stabilisers, detergents, a peroxide killer, a mercerising wetting agent and a sequestering agent.

The range also includes several low-foaming detergents/wetting agents, such as AQUATEX – HPLF 37, AQUATEX – HPLF 39, AQUATEX – HPLF 165, AQUATEX – HPLF 163, AQUATEX – HPLF 90, AQUATEX – HPLF 95 and AQUATEX – HPLF PREMIUM.

These products are designed for low-foaming or high-performance low-foaming textile-processing applications. Water consumption, however, is influenced by the overall process, including machinery, liquor ratios, rinsing requirements and operating conditions.

Chemical Compliance Starts Before the Finished Fabric

Testing the finished textile is important, but chemical compliance also requires attention to what enters the factory. Manufacturers may need to work with several different requirements:

Legal Requirements

Chemical restrictions depend on the country or market in which the textile is manufactured, imported or sold.

Customer Requirements

Brands and retailers may maintain their own Restricted Substances Lists, or RSLs, for finished products.

Manufacturing Restrictions

An MRSL looks further upstream. It addresses substances used during manufacturing, helping companies manage restricted chemicals before they enter the production process. ZDHC describes its MRSL as a list identifying substances restricted from intentional use during manufacturing. Because these requirements can change, manufacturers need an organised chemical-management process.

This may include maintaining a current chemical inventory, collecting supplier documentation, reviewing formulations against applicable requirements and reassessing chemicals when regulations or customer standards are updated.

Look for Clearly Documented Product Characteristics

Sustainability-related terminology needs to be specific. Terms such as eco-friendly, green or sustainable can be too broad unless they are supported by clearly defined product characteristics or recognised criteria. A better approach is to look for information that can be verified.

For example, AQUATEX 125 WA is listed in our portfolio as an APEO FREE, NON IONIC WETTING AGENT IN TEXTILES. This is a specific product characteristic. It is different from broadly describing the entire formulation or manufacturing process as sustainable.

The same principle applies when evaluating chemicals for dyeing and printing.

Review Dyeing and Printing Chemicals Carefully

Dyeing and printing involve several chemical functions. Our portfolio includes dye-fixing agents, levelling agents, dispersing and levelling agents, wash-off or soaping agents, fixing agents and a dispersant and chelating agent. Some products also have clearly stated characteristics related to formaldehyde.

For example:

AQUATEX 35 DF is listed as a formaldehyde-free cationic dye-fixing agent.
AQUATEX 45 DF is listed as a formaldehyde-free cationic dye-fixing agent.
AQUATEX 47 DF is listed as a non-formaldehyde cationic dye-fixing agent.
AQUATEX 49 DF is listed as a non-formaldehyde cationic dye-fixing agent.

These descriptions give manufacturers specific information to consider when reviewing their chemical inputs.

They should not, however, be interpreted as confirmation that an entire textile process or finished fabric meets a particular regulatory, MRSL or certification requirement. Compliance needs to be assessed against the requirements that apply to the specific manufacturer, product and market.

Finishing Chemicals Need the Same Level of Review

Chemical management should continue through the finishing stage. Our Finisher category includes cationic softeners, silicone-based softeners, a hydrophilic softener, a formaldehyde scavenger, an antistatic agent and a sizing softener. AQUATEX FS – 40, for example, is specifically listed as a formaldehyde scavenger.

Before selecting a finishing chemical, manufacturers can consider:

the performance required from the finished textile
applicable chemical restrictions
customer specifications
available technical documentation
compatibility with the existing process
implications for wastewater treatment
effects on properties such as shade, feel or finish

The objective should be to select chemistry that is appropriate for both the manufacturing process and the requirements attached to the finished product.

Build Sustainability Around the Entire Textile Process

There is no single chemical that can make textile manufacturing sustainable. A more useful framework is to consider:

Chemical selection → process control → water use → wastewater management → textile performance → compliance

This also makes sustainability claims easier to substantiate. Rather than relying on broad statements, manufacturers can identify measurable and documented characteristics, understand which substances are entering production and review how individual chemicals fit into the overall manufacturing process.

We offer Textile Chemicals across Pretreatment, Binder, Dyeing & Printing and Finisher categories. The AQUATEX range includes wetting agents, detergents, binders, dye-fixing agents, levelling agents, wash-off agents, softeners and other chemicals for different textile-processing requirements. Manufacturers evaluating textile chemicals can review their process requirements and discuss suitable product options with our team.

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