Shakespeare · Fishing Line & Fishing Tackle
Shakespeare Sportfisher Fishing Mono filament Line
Lower concern. Nylon monofilament unlikely to contain PFAS.
Shakespeare Sportfisher is standard nylon monofilament fishing line with no disclosed coatings or treatments known to require PFAS. No public PFAS testing available, but material itself poses lower concern.
Shop Shakespeare on Amazon →Material
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
Category baseline
other is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Shakespeare Sportfisher monofilament is extruded nylon (typically nylon 6 or nylon 6.6), a thermoplastic polymer designed for strength and abrasion resistance in freshwater and saltwater fishing. Monofilament is cast into a single continuous strand and does not undergo the same processing as woven textiles or coated cookware, so it avoids many chemical additives tied to those products. The material is chemically inert under normal fishing conditions (cold water, ambient light, mechanical stress) and does not leach into water or contact food.
The brand's record and disclosure
Shakespeare is a long-established fishing tackle manufacturer (part of the pure fishing group) with no documented product recalls, safety alerts, or chemical disclosure controversies related to monofilament line. The brand does not publish detailed material safety data sheets for consumer fishing line products, which is standard in the fishing tackle industry and not atypical. No third-party testing or independent safety certifications specific to this product line are publicly available.
How it compares in its category
Monofilament fishing line as a category is considered among the safest fishing tackle products because the finished product is a simple, stable polymer with minimal processing or additive chemistry. Alternatives such as fluorocarbon line (also nylon-derivative) or braided polyethylene lines carry comparable safety profiles. Unlike some specialty coated lines or colored monofilaments, standard clear monofilament typically requires no dyes, UV absorbers, or proprietary additives that could pose hazards.
If you buy it
Store monofilament in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to preserve strength and prevent brittleness over time; UV exposure degrades nylon polymer structure but does not release hazardous chemicals. Replace line annually or after heavy use, as degraded line can snap unexpectedly during casting. Dispose of used line responsibly in a waste bin, not in water or natural areas, as monofilament poses an entanglement hazard to wildlife and persists for years in the environment. Normal handling and contact with skin or water poses no established health risk.
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.”
UV degradation and polymer breakdown
Extended sunlight exposure degrades nylon monofilament's tensile strength over months; this is a mechanical failure risk (line breakage during use), not a chemical hazard, but users should store spools indoors.
Microplastic shedding (use phase)
No published data indicates that intact monofilament line sheds microplastics during normal fishing use; breakage and wear release polymer fragments, but the quantity and environmental persistence are not established for this specific product.
Dyes or colorants (if colored variant)
Shakespeare Sportfisher is typically sold in clear or low-visibility transparent formulations; colored variants may use azo dyes or synthetic colorants, but no safety data or concerns are on record for standard monofilament dye packs.
Heavy metals in additives
Nylon monofilament does not require lead, cadmium, or antimony in typical formulations; no recalls or test reports document metal contamination in Shakespeare or comparable consumer monofilament products.
Environmental persistence (post-consumer)
Discarded monofilament is known to persist in aquatic environments for years and entangle wildlife; this is an environmental hazard tied to disposal, not consumer safety, but responsible end-of-life handling is important.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% 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 fishing line & fishing tackle 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.