Furans are similar chemicals and are often found with dioxins.
Dioxins and furans have never been manufactured deliberately, except in small amounts for research purposes. Dioxins and furans from manufacturing Dioxins can be inadvertently formed during the manufacture of a group of chemicals called chlorophenols, and the products made from them. Chlorophenols have been widely used to preserve wood, hides, textiles, paints, glues, and other materials, as disinfectants, and to keep industrial cooling waters free of nuisance organisms. Some of these uses have been phased out. This often meant that the 2,3,7,8-TCDD was then concentrated in the wastes from such production.