When clothing and textiles are labelled as ‘stain resistant’ it usually means that they have been treated with what we now know to be a toxic chemical from the PFAS family.

These chemicals are bio-accumulative: they stay in the blood and we all have PFAS in our blood right now at different levels due to the way in which they have been manufactured and used in our environment, products and clothing.  

PFAS Studies have found correlation between high PFAS/PFOA exposure and six health outcomes: kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

There is no reason for these chemicals to be present in school uniforms.  Alternatives exist - we need legislation to protect our children, legislation that matches our promise to uphold article 33 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: our children’s right to be protected from harmful chemicals such as these.