501 Jeans vs Rain Jacket: which is safer?
Levi's 501 Jeans is the clear pick. REI Co-op Rain Jacket carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Levi's
501 Jeans
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes in indigo coloring
PossibleFormaldehyde in sizing and finishing resins
ReportedMicroplastic shedding from synthetic finishing agents
REI Co-op
Rain Jacket
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyPFAS in water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
PossibleAzo dyes in polyester dyeing
PossibleFormaldehyde in synthetic fiber finishing
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes in indigo coloring, Formaldehyde in sizing and finishing resins, Microplastic shedding from synthetic finishing agents and Residual pesticide or processing chemicals from cotton on the Levi's and not on the REI Co-op.
- We flag PFAS in durable water repellent (DWR) coating, Azo dyes in polyester dyeing, Formaldehyde in synthetic fiber finishing and Coating degradation and microparticle shedding on the REI Co-op and not on the Levi's.
- The gap is 55 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Levi's is the one to buy.
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 clothing: see the full ranking