Men's Half-Terry Crew Socks (3 Pairs) vs Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs): which is safer?
PUMA Men's Half-Terry Crew Socks (3 Pairs) is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Puma
Men's Half-Terry Crew Socks (3 Pairs)
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and residual colorants
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (shrinkage control)
PossibleElastic degradation and skin contact
Puma
Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs)
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (finishing agents)
ReportedMicroplastic shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and residual colorants, Formaldehyde resins (shrinkage control), Elastic degradation and skin contact and Microfiber shedding on the Puma and not on the Puma.
- We flag Azo dyes, Formaldehyde resins (finishing agents) and Microplastic shedding on the Puma and not on the Puma.
- The Puma is Cotton/polyester blend, half-terry construction where the Puma is Cotton/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing, 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, which covers 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 sports performance undergarments, see the full ranking