Gap Kids · Children's Rainwear & Rain Boots
Gap Kids Fall Spring Rain Jacket Coat Water Wind Resistant Large 10
Skip until Gap discloses coating chemistry and PFAS status.
Gap Kids markets this rain jacket as water and wind resistant but provides no details on the water-repellent coating used. Gap makes no PFAS claims or third-party certifications for this product, leaving coating composition unknown.
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Material
Polyester blend with water/wind-resistant coating, composition unspecified
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
clothing is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
Vague safety claims only
Uses vague language ("eco-friendly", "clean") without a specific PFAS statement.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This jacket is polyester blended with an unspecified water and wind-resistant coating. Polyester itself is stable, but the coating chemistry is the critical unknown: water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finishes on children's outerwear historically relied on PFAS-based chemicals (now partly phased to fluorine-free alternatives), and the brand has not disclosed which type is used here. The coating's integrity and leaching behavior under wear, washing, and child sweat exposure cannot be assessed without material transparency.
The brand's record and disclosure
Gap Inc. has not published detailed chemical composition or PFAS-status information for children's outerwear lines, despite industry pressure. The company has committed to phasing out PFAS in apparel by 2025 (announced 2023), but enforcement and verification remain opaque. No independent certifications (e.g., bluesign, OEKO-TEX) are listed for this product, limiting third-party assurance.
How it compares in its category
Uncoated or minimally coated polyester rain jackets avoid coating unknowns entirely; branded alternatives with OEKO-TEX or bluesign certification provide chemical transparency. Gap Kids rain jackets are mid-market in price and accessibility but lag behind competitors (e.g., Patagonia, Jack Wolfskin) in chemical disclosure. Many conventional children's rain jackets share this opacity, making this product typical rather than unusual in terms of hazard exposure.
If you buy it
Rinse the jacket in cool water before first wear to reduce loose coating residues and formaldehyde-resin off-gassing from fabric finishing. Wash in cold water only; hot water can degrade the coating and increase leaching. Inspect seams and coated areas every 5-10 wears for peeling or cracking; a degraded coating loses water-repellency and may release particulates. Avoid prolonged direct skin contact on hot days (e.g., no bare arm under saturated sleeve) until coating integrity is verified after first wash.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
PFAS in water-resistant coating
Unspecified water-repellent coating chemistry on this product; legacy PFAS-based coatings were standard in children's rain jackets until recent years. Gap's 2025 phaseout commitment offers no confirmation this garment uses fluorine-free alternatives.
Formaldehyde-releasing resins in fabric finishing
Polyester apparel typically undergoes resin-based wrinkle-resistance and sizing treatments. Formaldehyde release is well-documented in children's clothing, especially untested imports. Pre-wash recommended to reduce volatilization during wear.
Azo dyes and colorfast stability
Polyester rain jackets are often dyed with azo compounds. While restricted azo dyes are regulated in most apparel, migration onto damp skin (sweat, rain) is a known concern in children's textiles, particularly if pre-washing is skipped.
Coating degradation and microparticle release
water-repellent coating coatings degrade with repeated washing and friction (backpack straps, seams rubbing against skin). Particles from peeling coatings are inhaled or ingested during play; composition unknown, so toxicity cannot be assessed.
Antimony in polyester fiber
Antimony is used as a catalyst in polyester synthesis; no specific testing or recalls for this product exist, and modern polyester typically meets residual limits, but no certification confirms it for this garment.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 35% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
More children's rainwear & rain boots grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.