Lululemon Settles With Texas Over 'Forever Chemicals,' and the State Isn't Done Shopping the Rest of the Mall

Lululemon has reached a binding settlement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over concerns that its activewear contained PFAS, the synthetic "forever chemicals" linked to cancer, infertility, and endocrine disruption that show up often in synthetic fabric. Paxton's office opened the investigation in April with a civil investigative demand aimed at determining whether the company misled shoppers about product safety. "I will not allow corporations to put the health and safety of Texans at risk," Paxton said.

Lululemon's defense throughout was that it had already phased PFAS out of its products back in fiscal 2023, and that its lineup "meets or exceeds global regulatory, safety, and quality standards." The settlement, known as an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, doesn't admit wrongdoing, but it does put teeth behind the claim: Lululemon must keep enforcing chemical safety requirements across its supply chain for the next three years, and vendors now have to prove compliance through independent lab testing or third-party certification, with corrective action required whenever a certification lapses.

Lululemon isn't the only name on Paxton's list. His office says it's also investigating Hanes and Fruit of the Loom over similar forever-chemical concerns in children's clothing, which suggests this settlement is less a closed case than a template the state intends to reuse.

Source: Click2Houston (KPRC 2)

Kyle Duford, Founder & Editor, BRNDWIRE. More from Kyle →