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Texas attorney general probes Lululemon over potential 'forever chemicals' in its activewear

April 13, 2026 1:23 PM

April 13 (Reuters) - Texas Attorney ‌General Ken Paxton ​has ​launched an investigation into athleisure brand Lululemon over the potential presence of "forever chemicals" in its activewear, he said on ‌Monday in a post on social-media platform X.

The probe will ⁠examine whether Lululemon's athletic apparel contains PFAS, which the brand's health-conscious customers would not ‌expect based on its marketing, ‌Paxton said. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widely used materials called "forever chemicals" because they do not break ​down easily in nature.

"Lululemon does not use PFAS in its products," a company spokesperson said, adding it phased out the substance ⁠in fiscal 2023, after limited use in durable water repellent products.

• Attorney General Paxton said emerging ​research and consumer concerns have raised questions about whether certain synthetic materials in the apparel could be linked ​to endocrine disruption, infertility, cancer and other ‌health risks.

• PFAS are associated with harmful health effects in humans and animals, according to the U.S. Environmental ⁠Protection Agency.

• The Office of the Attorney General will examine Lululemon's testing protocols, restricted substances list and supply chain practices against state safety standards.

• "If Lululemon ⁠has violated Texas law, it will be held accountable," Paxton said in his post.

• ​The company spokesperson said they are aware of the inquiry and are cooperating.

• Earlier this year, the company had to pull its "Get Low" workout collection nL4N3YN25L from ‌its website following user complaints, only resuming online sales after addressing the issues.

• Lululemon, which appointed a ‌former chief of jeans maker Levi Strauss to the board last month, ⁠has forecast nL4N4051SV weak annual ‌results amid tepid demand ​and an ongoing proxy fight with its founder.

(Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda and ‌Vijay Kishore)

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