Women's High-Rise Straight Stretch Linen-Viscose Utility Pants vs Men's Richmond Pant 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.

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)

Brooks Brothers Men's Richmond Pant Pants

Brooks Brothers

Men's Richmond Pant Pants

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Poor 49/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

wool blend or cotton blend dress pants

Confidence

72%

PossibleFormaldehyde resins (dye fixing, wrinkle resistance)

PossibleAzo dyes and dye metabolites

PossibleSynthetic antimony (polyester content if present)

Where these two actually differ

  • 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 Brooks Brothers.
  • We flag Formaldehyde resins (dye fixing, wrinkle resistance), Azo dyes and dye metabolites, Synthetic antimony (polyester content if present) and Formaldehyde releasers from finishes (skin sensitization) on the Brooks Brothers and not on the Banana Republic.
  • The Banana Republic is linen-viscose blend, no water-resistant finish where the Brooks Brothers is wool blend or cotton blend dress pants, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

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