Men's Jean Cut Straight-Fit All Seasons Tech Khaki Pants vs Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans: which is safer?

Levi's Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Dockers Men's Jean Cut Straight-Fit All Seasons Tech Khaki Pants

Dockers

Men's Jean Cut Straight-Fit All Seasons Tech Khaki Pants

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 12/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Cotton blend with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish

Confidence

45%

Possiblewater-repellent coating finish composition (non-PFAS concern)

PossibleSpandex or elastane degradation over time

Our pick

Levi's Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans

Levi's

Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

100% cotton denim, no disclosed water-resistant treatment

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes and color fastness

PossibleFormaldehyde residues from finishing

PossibleDegradation and microfiber shedding

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag DWR finish composition (non-PFAS concern) and Spandex or elastane degradation over time on the Dockers and not on the Levi's.
  • We flag Azo dyes and color fastness, Formaldehyde residues from finishing and Degradation and microfiber shedding on the Levi's and not on the Dockers.
  • The Dockers is Cotton blend with durable water-repellent (DWR) finish where the Levi's is 100% cotton denim, no disclosed water-resistant treatment, 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 Levi's is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Dockers grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, 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 stain-resistant jeans: see the full ranking