One reason myths persist is the blurred line between a brand name and a chemical compound:
- Teflon® → a trademark owned by DuPont (now Chemours).
- PTFE → the polymer that makes nonstick possible, used by many cookware brands.
For decades, Teflon pans were made with PTFE and manufactured with PFOA. Since 2013, PFOA has been phased out in the U.S. and EU. Today, PTFE remains widely used and is considered stable unless overheated.
So, while HexClad does not use “Teflon,” it does use PTFE — the same core material minus the old-generation toxins.
What Is Teflon, Really?
Teflon® is not a chemical, but a brand name first trademarked by DuPont (now Chemours) for products made with PTFE. In the mid-20th century, it became a household term because of its breakthrough nonstick cookware. Over time, however, the manufacturing process — which once used PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) — raised serious health and environmental concerns.
Since 2013, cookware in the U.S. and Europe has been made without PFOA, and modern PTFE coatings, including those in HexClad, meet current safety standards. The confusion comes from people using “Teflon” as shorthand for any nonstick coating, even though not all nonstick pans are made with DuPont’s Teflon® brand.
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