Women's Slim Refined Blazer vs Women's Linen-Blend Schoolboy Blazer: which is safer?

J.Crew Women's Linen-Blend Schoolboy Blazer is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Banana Republic Women's Slim Refined Blazer

Banana Republic

Women's Slim Refined Blazer

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%

PossibleFluorochemicals in water-repellent coating finish (PFAS-class concern covered separately)

PossibleFormaldehyde resins in finishing (wrinkle-resistance, crease-setting)

PossibleMicrofiber shedding and degradation over time

Our pick

J.Crew Women's Linen-Blend Schoolboy Blazer

J.Crew

Women's Linen-Blend Schoolboy Blazer

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 57/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

linen-blend, likely cotton-linen mix, unfinished

Confidence

78%

PossibleAzo dyes and synthetic colorants

PossibleFormaldehyde from storage or finishing treatments

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Fluorochemicals in DWR finish (PFAS-class concern covered separately), Formaldehyde resins in finishing (wrinkle-resistance, crease-setting) and Microfiber shedding and degradation over time on the Banana Republic and not on the J.Crew.
  • We flag Azo dyes and synthetic colorants and Formaldehyde from storage or finishing treatments on the J.Crew and not on the Banana Republic.
  • The Banana Republic is Cotton/polyester blend with DWR finish where the J.Crew is linen-blend, likely cotton-linen mix, unfinished, 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 J.Crew is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Banana Republic grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, 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 blazers & suits: see the full ranking