Public concern over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continues to grow as evidence highlights their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and adverse health effects. Increasing detections in drinking water, consumer products, and industrial discharges have intensified regulatory scrutiny. This review examines the evolving PFAS regulatory landscape in the United States, focusing on the pulp, paper, and textiles industries, which contribute significantly to PFAS contamination through wastewater discharges, end-product disposal, and the absence of dedicated removal technologies. PFAS emissions from food packaging alone are estimated at 2,300 kg annually. Addressing contamination presents substantial economic challenges, with wastewater treatment costs projected to reach USD 3 billion annually and growing risks of legal liabilities exemplified by paper mill settlements reaching USD 11.9 million for historical pollution. Large-scale remediation of PFAS remains financially prohibitive, with estimates exceeding the global gross domestic product (GDP) of USD 106 trillion. Additionally, healthcare costs for PFAS-linked diseases exceed USD 62 billion and further emphasize the need for prevention. State-level restrictions on PFAS-containing consumer products are expanding, particularly in food packaging and textiles, which are now the most regulated across the United States. As PFAS-containing products face increasing market limitations and potential loss of sustainability certifications, which have already reduced sales growth by 70% in some cases, transitioning to non-fluorinated alternatives could significantly mitigate economic risks for paper and textiles companies. Within this context, this review highlights the urgency of integrating policy, technological innovation, and economic incentives to accelerate the transition away from PFAS and mitigate long-term environmental and financial liabilities.

This study presents the first cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of T-shirt production using viscose and Lyocell fibers, benchmarked against cotton and polyester under consistent system boundaries. The analysis covers spinning, knitting, wet processing, garment assembly, and regionalized energy supply. Results show that cotton T-shirts exhibit the lowest global warming potential (14.1 kg CO₂eq/kg) but the highest water demand (2.9 m³/kg) in China. Polyester garments, although less water-intensive, contribute significantly to plastic accumulation (1.0 kg/kg shirt) compared to cellulose-based fibers (0.1 kg/kg shirt). Within man-made cellulose fibers, Lyocell generally outperforms viscose in toxicity-related categories—reducing freshwater ecotoxicity by 35% and human non-carcinogenic toxicity by 62%—thanks to its closed-loop solvent recovery. However, Lyocell also shows the highest carbon footprint (21.6 kg CO₂eq/kg) unless produced in regions with cleaner energy mixes. Regional sensitivity analysis indicates that shifting production from China to Brazil could reduce global warming impacts by up to 38%. Overall, these results highlight the trade-offs across fiber types and demonstrate the importance of both material choice and production geography in driving sustainability within textile supply chains.