Can sweat increase chemical transfer from kids' textiles?
Yes. A 2025 textile study found simulated sweat sharply increased modeled PFAS and organophosphate ester absorption compared with dry contact.
What's actually in it
Some textiles are treated with PFAS for water or stain resistance. Some also contain organophosphate esters, often used as flame retardants or plastic additives.
Kids sweat, crawl, nap, and play in fabric for long stretches. Sweat can change how chemicals move from fabric to skin.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Science of the Total Environment tested household textiles and children's garments for 28 PFAS and 9 organophosphate esters.
PFAS were found in 87.9% of samples, and organophosphate esters were found across the tested textiles. Durable-water-repellent garments had about 3x higher PFAS and organophosphate ester levels than conventional functional items.
The exposure model found sweat increased estimated skin absorption by up to 3252x for PFAS and 835x for organophosphate esters compared with dry contact.
Choose untreated cotton basics for long skin contact when you can. Be more careful with stain-resistant, water-repellent, and treated performance fabrics for kids.