France’s PFAS ban on cosmetics, clothing, and footwear: what applies in 2026

Law No. 2025-188, signed on 27 February 2025 and implemented by Decree No. 2025-1376 on 28 December 2025, introduced hard product bans that took effect on 1 January 2026.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals used in non-stick coatings, waterproofing treatments, stain-resistant finishes, and cosmetic formulations. France is banning them because they do not break down in the environment or in the human body, accumulating in blood, organs, and drinking water supplies over time.
The scientific concern is well established. PFAS are linked to thyroid disruption, immune suppression, certain cancers, and developmental harm in children. France’s move predates an expected EU-wide restriction and positions the country as the first major European market to legislate broad consumer product bans.

The ban applies to any manufacturer, importer, or distributor placing cosmetics, ski wax, clothing, footwear, or consumer waterproofing sprays on the French market from 1 January 2026, regardless of where those products are made. If your products contain PFAS above the legal thresholds, you cannot legally sell them in France.
Under Article L.524-1 of the French Environmental Code (as amended by Law 2025-188), the ban covers the following product categories containing any PFAS substance above threshold:

The ban applies to products sold commercially and those distributed free of charge.

Products are banned if their PFAS content exceeds specific residual concentration thresholds set in Decree 2025-1376; below these thresholds, products may still be sold. The most restrictive limit is 25 parts per billion (ppb) for any single PFAS compound measured by targeted analysis, not including fluoropolymer polymers.
The thresholds set in Article D.525-4 are:

For the polymer threshold: if total fluorine measurement exceeds 50 mg F/kg, the manufacturer or importer must be able to demonstrate to authorities that the fluorine originates from PFAS or non-PFAS sources.
These thresholds will be revised if EU measurement standards under REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006) or the POPs Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 are updated.

Yes. Decree No. 2025-1376 exempts personal protective equipment (PPE) regulated under EU Regulation 2016/425, military and civil protection clothing, and clothing or footwear made with at least 20% post-consumer recycled content, where PFAS is confined to the recycled fraction only. These exemptions are narrow and carry specific conditions.

Yes. Products that were manufactured before 1 January 2026 and contain PFAS can still be sold or exported during a 12-month transition period, up to 31 December 2026. After that date, any remaining stock containing PFAS above the thresholds must be withdrawn.

For clothing and footwear brands not selling PPE, France’s PFAS ban applies, and the practical challenge is that PFAS can be present in fabrics, dyes, finishes, interlining materials, padding, button coatings, adhesives, soles, and the inks used on labels. Every component of a finished garment or shoe is potentially in scope.
Suggested steps:

The French PFAS ban sets a 25 ppb threshold for any single PFAS compound in cosmetics, with no category-specific exemption available. Any cosmetic product exceeding that limit is banned from the French market from 1 January 2026.

In practice, this means:

From 1 January 2030, France will extend its PFAS ban to all textiles, not just clothing and footwear, with limited exemptions only for products with no available PFAS-free alternative. This second phase, established in Article L.524-1 II of the Environmental Code, covers all textile products sold in France including upholstery fabric, curtains, and industrial textiles used in consumer applications.
Exemptions under the 2030 ban include:

Enforcement falls under Articles L.521-12 to L.521-20 of the French Environmental Code, giving inspectors the authority to take samples, enter premises, and seize non-compliant products. Inspectors can also require manufacturers, importers, and market operators to provide proof of PFAS concentration levels on demand.

Article L.524-2 explicitly extends these powers to the investigation and identification of violations under the PFAS chapter. Penalties for environmental code violations in France can include product withdrawal orders, sales bans, and criminal liability for responsible individuals.
France has been building its PFAS monitoring infrastructure progressively since 2023.
For industrial sites discharging PFAS into water, Article 4 of Law 2025-188 introduces a levy of €100 per 100 grams of PFAS discharged annually, with a minimum threshold of 100 grams before the levy applies.

The single most important action is to commission a PFAS targeted analysis of your finished products against the 25 ppb per compound and 250 ppb cumulative thresholds before placing any new stock in France. Without this data, you have no basis for confirming compliance and no defence against an inspector’s challenge.
Prioritise these steps:

France’s PFAS ban is not a future risk to monitor. It is an active legal requirement that already restricts what you can sell, import, or export in one of Europe’s largest consumer markets. The January 2026 deadlines for cosmetics, clothing, footwear, and ski wax have passed. The December 2026 deadline for transitional stock is approaching. And the 2030 extension to all textiles is closer than most product development cycles allow for.
The law places liability directly on the economic operator placing the product on the French market. If you are the importer or distributor, you carry that responsibility regardless of what your suppliers tell you. The only defensible position is tested, documented compliance.
France is also not acting alone. An EU-wide PFAS restriction under REACH is under active development. What France has legislated today is likely to become the EU baseline in the years ahead. Brands that address PFAS compliance now will be better positioned when that broader restriction lands.
At 24hour-AR, we work with importers, manufacturers, and distributors navigating EU product compliance obligations, including market access questions connected to evolving chemical restrictions. If you need clarity on how France’s PFAS rules affect your specific product category, get in touch: