Audience:
Open industry. All apparel and footwear industry professionals, regardless of AAFA membership, are encouraged to participate.
Description:
PFAS restrictions for apparel, footwear, and textiles are tightening fast. California’s AB 1817 caps total organic fluorine at 100 ppm today and 50 ppm from 2027; New York and Colorado are phasing in limits, France’s national ban took effect in 2026, and the EU’s universal REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) restrictions advances. Increasingly, brands and suppliers must substantiate PFAS claims, not just assert them.
This session explains how product conformity assessment turns a test result into a defensible claim. We cover why PFAS is best assessed at the material level (substrate plus finish), how risk stratification focuses limited testing where fluorinated chemistry is most likely, and why a credible claim rests on two independent pillars: analytical testing AND process-control evidence. Crucially, attendees will see why a clean paper trail can explain a failing test but never override it—separating marketing language from genuine assurance.
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
- To identify the regulatory drivers making PFAS a priority across apparel and footwear supply chains—US state restrictions (e.g., California AB 1817, New York), national EU bans, and the pending EU REACH universal restriction—and the test methods they rely on (TF/TOF screening and targeted PFAS analysis).
- Why PFAS conformity is best assessed at the homogeneous-material level (substrate + finish/process), and how risk stratification (high / medium / low) directs sampling toward the materials most likely to carry fluorinated chemistry.
- How to apply a two-pillar conformity model—pairing analytical testing with process-control and documentary evidence—to distinguish a defensible PFAS claim from an unsupported one, including why documentation cannot overturn a failing test result.
Speaker:
Sravanth Kanukuntla
Global Softlines Director
Eurofins
Sravanth has 20+ years of experience in textiles, apparel, footwear, and home textiles – from raw materials to market-ready products. He guides brands through global regulations, create effective testing protocols, and simplify complex compliance challenges. Sravanth partners with clients to ensure quality, product safety, validate claims, and achieve compliance across multiple markets. He is also an active contributor in global standards and industry forums, representing Eurofins at key conferences and technical committees.
AAFA Host:
Andrew Pappas
Director, State and Local Government Affairs
AAFA
Andrew Pappas joined AAFA in January 2025 as Director of State and Local Government Affairs. In this role, he leads the association’s advocacy efforts at the state and local levels, engaging with legislators and regulators across the country to represent the industry’s interests and priorities. Before joining AAFA, Andrew worked in Community Relations and Public Affairs at Vail Resorts where he built partnerships and advanced strategic initiatives. Prior to Vail Resorts, Andrew worked at Outdoor Industry Association where he managed the organization’s sustainability and regulatory policy programs, driving environmental stewardship and navigating complex regulatory challenges.
Unable to join on September 14?
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CONTACT | QUESTIONS
Stephanie Paendong