Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans vs Men's 511 Slim Jeans Performance Cool: 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

Levi's

Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

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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

Levi's Men's 511 Slim Jeans Performance Cool

Levi's

Men's 511 Slim Jeans Performance Cool

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

cotton/polyester blend with moisture-wicking treatment

Confidence

45%

PossiblePFAS in water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish

PossibleFormaldehyde resins in fabric finishing

LikelyCoating degradation and microplastic shedding

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 PFAS in DWR (durable water repellent) finish, Formaldehyde resins in fabric finishing and Coating degradation and microplastic shedding 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 cotton/polyester blend with moisture-wicking 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 Levi's 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