Blue Generation Scotchgard Embroidered Short Sleeve Dress Shirt
Scotchgard treatment likely contains PFAS. Seek untreated alternative.
Scotchgard is a legacy water-repellent coating finish historically linked to PFAS chemistry. Aramark makes no PFAS disclosure for this product. Consider untreated cotton shirts to avoid exposure.
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Material
Cotton blend with Scotchgard stain/water treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
clothing is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Cotton-blend dress shirts often use formaldehyde-based cross-linking resins for wrinkle resistance or durable press; Aramark does not specify treatment type. Scotchgard application may involve formaldehyde as a carrier or curing agent, though major manufacturers have reduced these. Residual formaldehyde is a skin and respiratory irritant.
Source: ATSDR ↗Azo dyes in embroidery thread or base fabric
Commercial polyester threads and lower-cost cotton blends may use azo dyes, which can break down into carcinogenic amines under sweat and UV exposure. No testing data is available for this specific product; azo content depends on dye supplier practices.
Antimony in polyester content
The polyester blend and embroidery thread may contain antimony (a catalytic byproduct of polyester synthesis), which is a potential toxicant at high exposure but not typically mobile from finished textiles under normal wear.
Coating degradation and microfiber shedding
Scotchgard-treated textiles shed microfibers during washing; as the fluorinated coating degrades, it becomes a vector for PFAS release into wash water. This is a known pathway for PFAS into wastewater and aquatic systems rather than direct skin exposure.
What’s reassuring
Fragrance or odor masking agents
No fragrance claims on the product; standard industrial uniform finishing does not typically add fragrance unless marketed specifically.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This shirt is a cotton blend (exact polyester percentage not specified in product data) finished with Scotchgard, a water and stain repellent treatment. Scotchgard products historically used polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) as active ingredients, though 3M reformulated some lines after 2020. The embroidery thread is typically polyester, which adds a secondary synthetic component. Cotton itself is low-risk; the treatment chemistry is the primary concern here.
The brand's record and disclosure
Aramark (a uniform/hospitality supplier) does not publicly disclose chemical treatment details, certifications like OEKO-TEX, or supplier vetting practices on their product pages. The company has no established stance on PFAS phase-out or safer alternatives documented in major sustainability reports. This silence is notable given widespread retailer commitments to disclose fluorinated treatments post-2019.
How it compares in its category
Most commercial work shirts offer stain resistance as a default feature, but increasingly retailers and workwear brands (Carhartt, Dickies, some uniform services) now offer untreated or PFAS-free alternatives. This product does not market itself as PFAS-free or certified low-chemical, placing it below the disclosure standard set by higher-tier brands. For a corporate dress shirt, the Scotchgard treatment is optional convenience rather than functional necessity.
If you buy it
Wash separately in cool water before first wear to reduce excess treatment chemicals on the surface. Avoid bleach and high heat (over 140F), which can degrade the finish and potentially release volatile compounds. If used in a workplace setting, rotate with untreated shirts to limit skin contact duration. Scotchgard does fade with 20-30 laundry cycles; plan replacement timing around loss of water repellency rather than damage.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 62% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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Antimony in polyester
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Microplastics
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⚠Risky category by default
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⚠Risky category by default
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UA Women's Butter-Soft STRETCH 6-Pocket Scrub Pants
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Limited concern
Azo dyes and colorant toxicity
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Elastane degradation and leaching
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Microplastics
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⚠Risky category by default
More scrubs & work uniforms grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.