Women's High-Rise Straight Stretch Linen-Viscose Utility Pants vs Men's Slim Fit Taper Leg Work Pants: which is safer?

Dickies Men's Slim Fit Taper Leg Work Pants is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

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

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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)

Our pick

Dickies Men's Slim Fit Taper Leg Work Pants

Dickies

Men's Slim Fit Taper Leg Work Pants

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 57/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

cotton/polyester blend, no reported water-repellent treatment

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes (synthetic colorants)

PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from dyeing/finishing off-gassing

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 Dickies.
  • We flag Azo dyes (synthetic colorants) and Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from dyeing/finishing off-gassing on the Dickies and not on the Banana Republic.
  • The Banana Republic is linen-viscose blend, no water-resistant finish where the Dickies is cotton/polyester blend, no reported water-repellent treatment, 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