Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt vs Men's Run Coolcell Cooling Running 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.

Our pick

Carhartt Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt

Carhartt

Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 57/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

100% cotton jersey knit, untreated

Confidence

78%

PossibleAzo dyes

PossibleMicrofiber shedding

PUMA Men's Run Coolcell Cooling Running T-Shirt

Puma

Men's Run Coolcell Cooling Running T-Shirt

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Poor 39/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 5

Material

polyester blend with moisture-wicking treatment

Confidence

72%

PossibleFormaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasers in fabric finishes

PossibleAzo dyes or heavy metals in dye pigments

PossibleAntimony in polyester fiber

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Azo dyes and Microfiber shedding on the Carhartt and not on the Puma.
  • We flag Formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasers in fabric finishes, Azo dyes or heavy metals in dye pigments, Antimony in polyester fiber and Microfiber shedding during washing on the Puma and not on the Carhartt.
  • The Carhartt is 100% cotton jersey knit, untreated where the Puma is polyester blend with moisture-wicking treatment, 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