Men's Force Relaxed Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt vs Men's Regular Fit TH Performance Tech Polo: 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
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
Tommy Hilfiger
Men's Regular Fit TH Performance Tech Polo
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 0/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 4
Material
Polyester blend with performance water-repellent coating finish
Confidence
42%
LikelyFluorochemical (PFAS) in water-repellent coating finish
PossibleAntimony in polyester synthesis
PossibleAzo dyes (if color-dyed)
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and Microfiber shedding on the Carhartt and not on the Tommy Hilfiger.
- We flag Fluorochemical (PFAS) in DWR finish, Antimony in polyester synthesis, Azo dyes (if color-dyed) and Microplastics shedding during laundering on the Tommy Hilfiger and not on the Carhartt.
- The Carhartt is 100% cotton jersey knit, untreated where the Tommy Hilfiger is Polyester blend with performance DWR finish, 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 Tommy Hilfiger grade, at 42% 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 →
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