Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans vs Men's Wrangler Riggs Workwear Relaxed-Fit Five-Pocket Jeans: which is safer?
Men's Wrangler Riggs Workwear Relaxed-Fit Five-Pocket Jeans is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
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
Our pick
Wrangler
Men's Wrangler Riggs Workwear Relaxed-Fit Five-Pocket Jeans
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 57/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
100% cotton denim, no reported water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) or stain-resistant coating
Confidence
72%
PossibleAzo dye residue and unfixed dyes
PossibleFormaldehyde in sizing and finish resins
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 Wrangler.
- We flag Azo dye residue and unfixed dyes and Formaldehyde in sizing and finish resins on the Wrangler and not on the Levi's.
- The Levi's is 100% cotton denim, no disclosed water-resistant treatment where the Wrangler is 100% cotton denim, no reported durable water-repellent (DWR) or stain-resistant coating, 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