Men's Graphic Short Sleeve Running Top vs Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt: which is safer?
Carhartt Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Brooks
Men's Graphic Short Sleeve Running Top
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (wrinkle-resist, shrink-control finishes)
PossibleAzo dyes and heavy metal pigments in graphics and dye lots
PossibleAntimony in polyester polymer (catalyst residue)
Our pick
Carhartt
Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleMicrofiber shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Formaldehyde resins (wrinkle-resist, shrink-control finishes), Azo dyes and heavy metal pigments in graphics and dye lots, Antimony in polyester polymer (catalyst residue) and Microfiber shedding during laundering on the Brooks and not on the Carhartt.
- We flag Azo dyes and Microfiber shedding on the Carhartt and not on the Brooks.
- The Brooks is polyester blend athletic shirt, no stated coating where the Carhartt is 100% cotton jersey knit, untreated, 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 waterproof sports undergarments: see the full ranking