Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans vs Men's 502 Taper Jeans: which is safer?
Levi's Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Levi's
Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and color fastness
PossibleFormaldehyde residues from finishing
PossibleDegradation and microfiber shedding
Levi's
Men's 502 Taper Jeans
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and residual dye metals (chromium, copper, nickel)
ReportedDye stability and color bleeding
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from dye solvents and processing
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and color fastness, Formaldehyde residues from finishing and Degradation and microfiber shedding on the Levi's and not on the Levi's.
- We flag Azo dyes and residual dye metals (chromium, copper, nickel), Dye stability and color bleeding and Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from dye solvents and processing on the Levi's and not on the Levi's.
- The Levi's is 100% cotton denim, no disclosed water-resistant treatment where the Levi's is 100% cotton denim, 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 stain-resistant jeans: see the full ranking