Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans vs Men's Performance Straight Fit Jeans: which is safer?
Patagonia Men's Performance Straight Fit Jeans is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
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
Our pick
Patagonia
Men's Performance Straight Fit Jeans
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossiblePFAS in water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
PossibleDegradation of finish over time
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 Patagonia.
- We flag PFAS in DWR (durable water repellent) coating and Degradation of finish over time on the Patagonia and not on the Levi's.
- The Levi's is 100% cotton denim, no disclosed water-resistant treatment where the Patagonia is cotton/organic 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