Texas investigates Lululemon over PFAS claims in athletic apparel

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened a consumer-protection probe into Lululemon Athletica Inc. on Monday, using a civil investigative demand to examine whether the company’s athletic apparel contains PFAS, the persistent synthetic compounds often called forever chemicals. His office said the review will also test whether Lululemon misled shoppers about the safety, quality and health impacts of its products, turning the case into a fight over labeling and brand promises as much as fabric chemistry.

Paxton said Americans should not have to worry that they are being deceived when trying to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. The Texas office said it will review product composition, marketing practices, internal safety standards, the company’s Restricted Substances List, testing protocols and supply chain, a broad sweep that could matter well beyond one yoga-wear company if other premium apparel brands are making similar wellness claims.

Lululemon said it phased out PFAS in early 2024 and had not used them in its products since then, adding that any earlier use was limited to a small portion of its assortment, including durable water-repellent items. A local TV report quoted the company as saying PFAS had been phased out in 2023, creating a small public timeline discrepancy, but Lululemon also said its products meet or exceed global regulatory, safety and quality standards and that vendors must test for restricted substances through credible third-party agencies. The company said it was cooperating by providing requested documentation.

The case lands as PFAS scrutiny intensifies across consumer goods. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says PFAS are used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products and can accumulate in the human body for long periods, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most people in the United States have been exposed and have PFAS in their blood. EPA finalized the first-ever national drinking-water standard for PFAS in April 2024, and New York has enacted a PFAS-in-apparel law; an industry summary says seven states have new PFAS restrictions taking effect in 2026.

Investors treated the Texas move as another hit for Lululemon. Market coverage reported the stock fell more than 3% after the probe became public and at one point was down as much as 4.5% in New York trading, while Bloomberg said the inquiry arrived as sales growth slowed, quality issues resurfaced and founder Chip Wilson pressed for a board overhaul. For apparel makers, the Texas action is a reminder that the most expensive risk may be the gap between a clean-label image and what regulators believe is inside the product.