Explainer: The chemistry of permastink and how to prevent it

Even if you’ve never heard the word permastink, if you’re a runner or know one, you’ve likely encountered the smell itself. And if you’ve ever felt the urge to throw away clothes suffering from it, you know the impact it has on the environment: consuming and wasting resources. Permastink refers to an unpleasant odour that won’t wash out of clothes, a smelly, stubborn squatter.