Europe’s transition toward PFAS-free packaging and textiles reached an important milestone with the final stakeholder event of the ZeroF research project, held in Barcelona. After three years of EU- and Swiss-funded research, the project presented practical, high-performance alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), demonstrating their technical feasibility, safety and alignment with upcoming EU regulations.

PFAS are widely used to provide water, grease and stain resistance, but their extreme persistence, bioaccumulation and potential health risks have prompted the European Union to plan a phase-out of non-essential uses by 2030. This shift is driven by the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the Zero Pollution Action Plan and proposed REACH restrictions, making PFAS-free innovation a strategic priority for packaging and textile markets.

During the ZeroF final event, project partners discussed how regulatory pressure, consumer awareness and circular economy targets are converging to accelerate the adoption of safer alternatives. Experts highlighted that materials containing PFAS may already struggle to meet evolving requirements on recyclability, food contact safety, microfibre release and non-intentionally added substances (NIAS), even before full bans are enforced.

PFAS-free upholstery textile solutions developed within ZeroF are based on advanced ORMOCER® hybrid coatings from Fraunhofer ISC. These coatings combine inorganic and organic components to deliver water- and oil-repellency with easy-clean performance. Applied and validated by Leitat with industry partners, the coatings showed strong water repellency and acceptable oil resistance for indoor upholstery applications, while being compatible with standard textile machinery.

Semi-industrial trials confirmed that these coatings can be applied using conventional processes such as padding and exhaustion. While performance does not yet fully match PFAS-based benchmarks for extreme oil repellency, further optimisation is underway to improve durability, wash resistance and long-term stability. The project also highlighted the need to update performance standards, which are often still based on PFAS-era expectations.

For food packaging, ZeroF partners VTT, Kemira and Yangi developed bio-based coatings derived from modified polysaccharides such as cellulose and starch combined with long-chain fatty acids. Known as CeFAE materials, these coatings provide effective water and grease barriers for paperboard and moulded fibre packaging, meeting laboratory and pilot-scale performance requirements.

Pilot-scale production demonstrated that these coatings can be manufactured in industrially relevant quantities using standard reactors. Tests on coated trays showed promising results in real-use conditions and partial compostability. However, further work is needed on recyclability, food migration behaviour and end-of-life impacts to fully comply with future EU Packaging and Food Contact Materials regulations.

A defining feature of ZeroF was its application of the EU’s Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework throughout the innovation process. Partners combined hazard screening, life-cycle assessment, computational modelling and cost analysis, enabling the substitution of around 20 hazardous substances and improving energy efficiency and overall environmental performance.

Consumer research conducted across Finland, France, Spain and Luxembourg revealed that while awareness of PFAS remains limited, acceptance of PFAS-free products increases significantly once consumers understand the health and environmental implications. Food packaging emerged as the top priority for PFAS-free alternatives, followed by textiles, with acceptance driven by price parity, convenience and credible certification.

The ZeroF project concludes that achieving a PFAS-free future in Europe requires not only technical innovation but also close collaboration between regulators, industry, researchers and standardisation bodies. By delivering validated alternatives and demonstrating how SSbD can bridge innovation and regulation, ZeroF provides a clear pathway for making PFAS-free materials the default choice in Europe’s green transition.