US shoe brand publishes process for producing PFC-free shoes
The US shoe brand Keen has set up an open source model for the production of PFC-free footwear. To support this initiative, Keen is calling on the outdoor footwear industry to be PFC-free by 2025. Product developers can http://www.keenfootwear.com/Detox View all information about the detox process that Keen has been following since 2014 to remove PFCs from the supply chain.
Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) – also known as PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a group of man-made chemicals that include a class of approximately 5.000 fluorine-containing compounds. They are called the “forever chemicals” because they are so stubborn. These toxic chemicals virtually never break down, remain in the environment and enter the food chain. They can also survive in the human body and potentially endanger health.
At production sites, the toxic chemicals often enter the natural cycle through contaminated water or waste and spread easily. A study by the nonprofit advocacy group Environmental Working Group, presented in January 2021, details the widespread problem in Scientific American and states that most Americans' drinking water is contaminated by these chemicals.
“We have spent the last seven years researching, developing and refining what is now a proven process for completely eliminating PFCs from our product range. “There is no need to compromise on product performance during this process,” reports Erik Burbank, vice president of Keen. “After eliminating PFCs and PFAs from our supply chain and products, we have been able to remove 180 tons of fluorine-containing chemicals from the environment over the last seven years. We want to share this process so that other brands can also produce PFC-free products more quickly.” Keen says it has invested a seven-figure amount in the goal of becoming PFC-free.
Keen's Detox the Planet environmental initiative was founded in 2012 to proactively identify, remove and replace harmful chemicals in its supply chain with safer, more effective alternatives.
