Women's High-Rise Straight Stretch Linen-Viscose Utility Pants vs Men's Cargo Pants: which is safer?
Gap Men's Cargo 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
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (wrinkle resistance, shape retention)
PossibleAzo dyes and heavy metal pigments
PossibleAntimony in polyester (if present in trim/elastic)
Our pick
Gap
Men's Cargo Pants
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and colorfast issues
PossibleFormaldehyde-based finishing resins
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 Gap.
- We flag Azo dyes and colorfast issues and Formaldehyde-based finishing resins on the Gap and not on the Banana Republic.
- The Banana Republic is linen-viscose blend, no water-resistant finish where the Gap is cotton/cotton-blend twill, 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