Men's Force 1/4-Zip Long Sleeve T-Shirt 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.
Carhartt
Men's Force 1/4-Zip Long Sleeve T-Shirt
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 12/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Cotton blend with moisture-wicking treatment
Confidence
45%
PossibleAntimony in polyester
PossibleVOC and odor off-gassing from synthetic finish
Our pick
Carhartt
Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 57/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
100% cotton jersey knit, untreated
Confidence
78%
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleMicrofiber shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Antimony in polyester and VOC and odor off-gassing from synthetic finish on the Carhartt and not on the Carhartt.
- We flag Azo dyes and Microfiber shedding on the Carhartt and not on the Carhartt.
- The Carhartt is Cotton blend with moisture-wicking 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 Carhartt 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