Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans vs Men's Five Star Premium Canvas Jeans: which is safer?
Wrangler Men's Five Star Premium Canvas 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
Skip
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 Five Star Premium Canvas Jeans
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 57/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
100% cotton canvas (untreated)
Confidence
78%
PossibleAzo dyes and colorant migration
PossibleFormaldehyde-based resin finishes
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 dyes and colorant migration and Formaldehyde-based resin finishes 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 canvas (untreated), 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