No “forever chemicals” (PFAS) in our products from the start
The poison of the century
You can neither see nor smell them, but they contaminate the whole of Germany: Current research by NDR, WDR and SZ shows that more than 1,500 places are contaminated with PFAS chemicals. An interactive map from the Tagesschau shows where the poison was found and everyone can look in their area.
What are PFAS?
PFAS is a group of man-made chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are used to make numerous products because they are water-repellent and extremely durable. That's why they're often found in pans, weatherproof clothing, food packaging or insulation, for example.
Why are PFAS called “forever chemicals”?
PFAS are extremely robust and long-lasting. They are called “perpetual” because they decompose very slowly and therefore accumulate in both the environment and the human body over a long period of time. In most people, including children, these chemicals can be detected in the blood.
Comment from: Manuel Fernandez, BUND expert on chemicals policy
“The results of this PFAS research are shocking. It has long been known how much these toxic and extremely long-lasting industrial chemicals contaminate soil and water. There is no alternative to a comprehensive ban on the entire group of PFAS. The German government must now work unconditionally to ensure that the EU Commission immediately introduces a strict legal proposal and develops a national strategy for the remediation of contaminated sites.
Nobody knows or wants to say how many people are affected and to what extent. An intolerable situation that shows that the production and use of such harmful chemicals are out of control. More than 10,000 individual PFAS compounds are already on the market, most of which have hardly been studied.”
PFAS ban planned in the EU
Germany and four other European countries are calling for a ban on around 10,000 so-called eternal chemicals. The EU chemicals agency ECHA published a corresponding proposal from Germany, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden.
During an investigation by the Federal Environment Agency last year, PFAS were found in excessive amounts in the blood of children and young people. In up to a quarter of the young people, the concentration in the body was so high that "health effects can no longer be ruled out with sufficient certainty," it said.
From our point of view, it is high time!
At JECKYBENG we have been avoiding PFAS chemicals since the first jacket.
A key turning point was Greenpeace's Detox campaign in the mid-2010s, which began publicly targeting some outdoor clothing companies for their use of fluorochemicals. The environmental group tested 40 garments for the use of fluorochemicals and found them in all but four, revealing an industry-wide problem.
This detox campaign was accompanied by our co-founder and textile engineer Dominik Fuss , so that we at JECKYBENG were able to rely on PFC-free products from the start. That's why we launched The Natural Laboratory 5 years ago to develop windproof and waterproof materials made from natural fibers for our products.
Jeckybeng joins PFAS movement in fight against 'forever chemicals'
We have joined the Swedish non-profit organization ChemSecs PFAS movement. The movement advocates for a number of harmful fluorinated compounds - called "forever chemicals" - to be phased out and banned. 
" We are very proud and happy that JECKYBENG has joined our PFAS movement. The more companies become aware of the PFAS issue and support the initiative, the greater our opportunities to influence legislation ,"
says Dr. Jonatan Kleimark, project manager of the PFAS movement.
At the end, a film tip on this topic
There is a very good and emotional film that we would definitely recommend to you. Poisoned Truth (original title Dark Waters) is an American feature film directed by Todd Haynes and the film adaptation of a report by Nathaniel Rich in the New York Times Magazine about the 19-year legal dispute between Robert Bilott and DuPont. The film was released in US cinemas on November 22, 2019. A “must-seen”!
If you have any questions, please contact hello@jeckybeng.com
Best regards
Your JECKYBENG team
Sources:
https://daserste.ndr.de/panorama/archiv/2023/ Jahrhundertgift-PFAS-Wie-verseucht-ist-Deutschland,pfas104.html
https://time.com/6252365/pfas-raincoats/
https://www.greenpeace.de/engagieren/nachhalter-leben/raus
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/les-decodeurs/article/2023/02/23/forever-chemicals-what-are-the-health-effects-of-pfas_6016910_8.html
https://foreverpollution.eu/
https://www.heilpraxisnet.de/naturheilpraxis/pfas-wie-weit-verbreitete-chemikalien-unseren-stoffwechsel-veraendern-20230223572188/
https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/panorama/das-jahr Jahrhundertgift/das-erste/Y3JpZDovL25kci5kZS8yYmY5NWExYS01YWRlLTRkZWEtOTJjNi02MGUyNTE4YTZmYTI/
