Brothers Men's Supima Cotton Boxer Briefs vs Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs): which is safer?
Brooks Brothers Men's Supima Cotton Boxer Briefs is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Brooks
Brothers Men's Supima Cotton Boxer Briefs
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in finishing treatments
PossibleAzo dyes and synthetic colorants
PossibleElastane degradation and microfiber shedding
Puma
Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs)
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (finishing agents)
ReportedMicroplastic shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Formaldehyde resins in finishing treatments, Azo dyes and synthetic colorants, Elastane degradation and microfiber shedding and Heavy metals in pigments or dyes on the Brooks and not on the Puma.
- We flag Azo dyes, Formaldehyde resins (finishing agents) and Microplastic shedding on the Puma and not on the Brooks.
- The Brooks is Supima cotton, no surface treatment disclosed where the Puma is Cotton/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing, 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, which covers 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 sports performance undergarments, see the full ranking