Men's Light Weight Quick Dry Moisture Wicking Top with 40+ UPF Protection 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.
Calvin Klein
Men's Light Weight Quick Dry Moisture Wicking Top with 40+ UPF Protection
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleUndisclosed water-repellent coating chemistry (likely PFAS or fluorinated alternatives)
PossibleFormaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing finishes (wrinkle/shrink resistance)
PossibleVolatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing from synthetic blend and treatments
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 Undisclosed DWR coating chemistry (likely PFAS or fluorinated alternatives), Formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing finishes (wrinkle/shrink resistance) and Volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing from synthetic blend and treatments on the Calvin Klein and not on the Carhartt.
- We flag Azo dyes and Microfiber shedding on the Carhartt and not on the Calvin Klein.
- The Calvin Klein is Synthetic blend with moisture-wicking and UPF treatment where the Carhartt is 100% cotton jersey knit, untreated, 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 Carhartt is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Calvin Klein 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 waterproof sports undergarments: see the full ranking