Men's Rebar M4 DuraStretch Straight Leg Pants vs Women's High-Rise Straight Stretch Linen-Viscose Utility Pants: which is safer?

Banana Republic Women's High-Rise Straight Stretch Linen-Viscose Utility Pants is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

ARIAT Men's Rebar M4 DuraStretch Straight Leg Pants

Ariat

Men's Rebar M4 DuraStretch Straight Leg Pants

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 8/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

cotton/polyester blend with water-repellent coating finish

Confidence

45%

Possiblewater-repellent coating finish chemical composition (PFAS vs. fluorine-free)

PossiblePolyester shedding and microfiber release

PossibleResidual finish irritation on sensitive skin

Our pick

Banana Republic Women's High-Rise Straight Stretch Linen-Viscose Utility Pants

Banana Republic

Women's High-Rise Straight Stretch Linen-Viscose Utility Pants

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

linen-viscose blend, no water-resistant finish

Confidence

82%

PossibleFormaldehyde resins (wrinkle resistance, shape retention)

PossibleAzo dyes and heavy metal pigments

PossibleAntimony in polyester (if present in trim/elastic)

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag DWR finish chemical composition (PFAS vs. fluorine-free), Polyester shedding and microfiber release and Residual finish irritation on sensitive skin on the Ariat and not on the Banana Republic.
  • We flag Formaldehyde resins (wrinkle resistance, shape retention), Azo dyes and heavy metal pigments and Antimony in polyester (if present in trim/elastic) on the Banana Republic and not on the Ariat.
  • The Ariat is cotton/polyester blend with DWR finish where the Banana Republic is linen-viscose blend, no water-resistant finish, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Banana Republic is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Ariat grade, at 45% confidence against 82%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More stain-resistant professional workwear: see the full ranking