Women's Breathe Shorty vs Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs): which is safer?
Gap Women's Breathe Shorty is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Gap
Women's Breathe Shorty
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 53/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Cotton blend (breathable apparel, no water-resistant treatment stated)
Confidence
72%
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (fabric finishing)
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleElastic degradation and microfiber shedding
Puma
Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs)
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Poor 47/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Cotton/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing
Confidence
82%
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (finishing agents)
ReportedMicroplastic shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Formaldehyde resins (fabric finishing) and Elastic degradation and microfiber shedding on the Gap and not on the Puma.
- We flag Formaldehyde resins (finishing agents) and Microplastic shedding on the Puma and not on the Gap.
- Both carry a flag for Azo dyes, so neither choice avoids it.
- The Gap is Cotton blend (breathable apparel, no water-resistant treatment stated) where the Puma is Cotton/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing, 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 sports performance undergarments: see the full ranking