All 78 school uniforms we scored fail our PFAS screen
All 78 school uniforms PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of November 2026.
Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.
Are school uniforms non-toxic?
None of the 78 school uniforms we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on school uniforms in this category are microplastics, heavy metals, VOCs and off-gassing, artificial dyes, formaldehyde.
Why Dickies Boys Classic Fit Flat Front Pant grades highest here, and why that is not a pass
Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 2 products it beats, so you can see exactly where the 45 points between the top and the bottom of this school uniforms ranking come from. Nothing in this category reaches our 70 point pass mark, so this is the shape of the field rather than a recommendation.
Top graded, and still below our pass mark
Made of cotton/polyester blend, no special coatings.
- +30Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
35risk points in total, which is a grade of 65
What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure, and our graders recorded 4 other hazards on it. See the full breakdown.
What it still grades above, and why
What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The top-graded product carries no such factor.
Made of cotton blend with stain defender finish.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +30Category baseline
- +10Vague safety claims only. Uses vague language ("eco-friendly", "clean") without a specific PFAS statement.
75risk points, a grade of 25
What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The top-graded product carries no such factor.
Made of cotton blend with durable water/stain repellent finish.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
80risk points, a grade of 20
No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.
What to watch for in school uniforms
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 78 school uniforms in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Found on 11 of these school uniforms. Plausible but unconfirmed on 25 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Heavy metals
Metals such as antimony, nickel and chromium migrating from a material into what touches it.
Found on 1 of these school uniforms. Plausible but unconfirmed on 35 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
- VOCs and off-gassing
Volatile compounds that evaporate out of a material at room temperature, which is what a new product smell is.
Found on 1 of these school uniforms. Plausible but unconfirmed on 4 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Artificial dyes
Synthetic colours added to food, cosmetics and textiles, most of them petroleum derived.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 64 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
- Formaldehyde
A preservative and resin ingredient that is also released slowly by a group of chemicals used in its place.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 53 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NCI
The safest school uniforms we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
See PFAS-free school uniforms on AmazonThe school uniforms we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 20Dockers Men's Fit Signature Iron Free Khaki PantsBad
water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish chemistry
- 20Bad
- 20Dockers Men's Classic Fit Workday Khaki Smart 360 Flex PantsBad
Azo dyes in polyester component
What we check on school uniforms
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. ATSDR
- Endocrine disruptors. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. NIEHS
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The school uniforms brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 22 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Amazon, Bienzle, Cintas, Dennis Uniform, Dickies, Dockers, French Toast, Gap Kids, Huesdet, Izod, JCPenney, Kaynee.
The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.
Common questions about PFAS in school uniforms
Are school uniforms PFAS free?
All 78 school uniforms PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of November 2026. The lowest graded is Dockers Men's Fit Signature Iron Free Khaki Pants at 20 out of 100.
Are school uniforms non-toxic?
None of the 78 school uniforms we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on school uniforms in this category are microplastics, heavy metals, VOCs and off-gassing, artificial dyes, formaldehyde.
Which school uniforms should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Dockers Men's Fit Signature Iron Free Khaki Pants at 20, Dennis Uniform Boys Flat Front Tech Twill Pants at 20, Dockers Men's Classic Fit Workday Khaki Smart 360 Flex Pants at 20. The problem with the first is that cotton khakis with DWR finish; PFAS risk unclear, no disclosure available.
How can you tell if school uniforms contain PFAS?
In this category we check for formaldehyde / VOCs, endocrine disruptors. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which school uniforms brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 22 of the brands we scored in this category, including Amazon, Bienzle, Cintas, Dennis Uniform, Dickies, Dockers. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test school uniforms?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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Does a particular brand of school uniforms have PFAS?
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in School Uniforms, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 78 school uniforms.