Carhartt · Waterproof Sports Undergarments
Carhartt Men's Force Logo Sweatshirt
Cotton blend with unspecified water-repellent coating treatment presents unclear PFAS concern.
This sweatshirt is a cotton blend with a water-repellent coating finish. The chemistry of the water-repellent coating treatment is not stated. Carhartt has no PFAS statement on record for this product.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
cotton blend with water-repellent coating treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Carhartt Men's Force Logo Sweatshirt is made of, ingredients and materials
This sweatshirt is a cotton-polyester blend treated with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish. The cotton base is inherently low-toxicity and breathable, but the water-repellent coating is where chemical concern enters, traditional water-repellent coating finishes historically relied on PFAS (PFAS "forever chemicals"), though newer fluorine-free alternatives exist. Carhartt does not publicly disclose which water-repellent coating chemistry they use on this product, making it impossible to confirm whether PFAS or lower-concern alternatives are in the finish.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Carhartt does not disclose whether this sweatshirt uses traditional PFAS-based water-repellent coating or newer fluorine-free alternatives. If PFAS-based, migration risk is low during normal wear but possible during washing; if fluorine-free, risk is substantially reduced.
Source, ATSDR ↗Fabric degradation and microplastic shedding
Any polyester-blend textile sheds microfibers during washing; this sweatshirt will contribute to this background hazard. No product-specific mitigation, but use of microfiber-catching wash bags reduces environmental and potential inhalation risk.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No formaldehyde-related recalls or reports specific to Carhartt apparel. Cotton-dominant blends rarely require high-formaldehyde resin finishing, and pre-washing mitigates any residual exposure.
Source, ATSDR ↗Heavy metals
Carhartt workwear typically uses non-problematic pigmentation. No industry-wide or brand-specific data suggests concern for azo dye toxicity or heavy metal contamination in their standard colorways.
Source, FDA ↗Polyester antimony content
Polyester in this blend may contain antimony catalyst residues, but levels in apparel-grade polyester are generally below concern thresholds and are not reported as a Carhartt-specific issue.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Carhartt is a legacy workwear brand with no known major chemical safety controversies or recalls tied to apparel toxicity. However, the company has not published a detailed chemical management or PFAS elimination policy for their garment lines. Their silence on water-repellent coating composition is notable given industry movement toward transparent fluorine-free finishes; brands like Patagonia and Arc'teryx disclose these choices, while Carhartt has not.
How it compares in its category
Cotton-blend workwear sweatshirts typically carry similar water-repellent coating risks. Carhartt's price point and durability reputation position it in the mid-to-premium segment where fluorine-free water-repellent coating is technically feasible but not standard. Competitors vary widely, some use certified fluorine-free finishes, others do not disclose, and many budget options skip water-repellent coating altogether. Without Carhartt's disclosure, direct comparison is difficult.
If you buy it
Wash before wearing to reduce surface residues. Use warm water and standard detergent; avoid dry cleaning, which can concentrate water-repellent coating chemicals. Line dry or low-heat tumble to preserve the water-repellent coating finish and prevent heat-triggered resin breakdown. If water-repellent coating performance degrades over time, replacement or re-treatment with a disclosed fluorine-free product is an option. Monitor for skin irritation, though cotton-dominant blends rarely trigger reactions in typical users.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 55% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Carhartt has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Carhartt Men's Force Logo Sweatshirt?
- Cotton-blend knit jersey, uncoated
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- Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon
- cotton jersey, no applied finish
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes and colorant residues
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon
- 100% cotton jersey knit, untreated
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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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.