Men's 501 Original Thermodapt Jeans vs Rugged Wear Performance Series Regular Fit Jeans: which is safer?
These two grade almost identically. Pick on price and preference; neither has a PFAS edge.
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
Wrangler
Rugged Wear Performance Series Regular Fit Jeans
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 53/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
100% cotton denim (untreated)
Confidence
78%
PossibleAzo dyes and color fastness
PossibleFormaldehyde-based resins in finishing
PossibleMicrofiber shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Formaldehyde residues from finishing and Degradation and microfiber shedding on the Levi's and not on the Wrangler.
- We flag Formaldehyde-based resins in finishing and Microfiber shedding on the Wrangler and not on the Levi's.
- Both carry a flag for Azo dyes and color fastness, so neither choice avoids it.
- The Levi's is 100% cotton denim, no disclosed water-resistant treatment where the Wrangler is 100% cotton denim (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