Carhartt · Scrubs & Work Uniforms
Carhartt RSCU Ripstop Cargo Pants
Skip until Carhartt discloses water-repellent coating treatment chemistry or obtains verification.
Ripstop cargo pants use durable nylon with a water-repellent finish, but Carhartt does not publicly disclose the water-repellent coating formulation. Without transparency or third-party testing, PFAS risk cannot be assessed.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
ripstop nylon, unknown water-repellent coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Carhartt RSCU Ripstop Cargo Pants is made of, ingredients and materials
These pants are ripstop nylon, a densely woven synthetic textile engineered for tear resistance and durability. Ripstop nylon itself does not inherently contain problematic heavy metals or azo dyes at manufacture, but the concern here is the water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish applied to the fabric. Carhartt has not disclosed whether this water-repellent coating uses PFAS chemistry or alternative treatments, making it impossible to assess the actual chemical load of the finished garment.
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
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.
PFAS
The water-repellent coating is almost certainly PFAS-based unless stated otherwise; Carhartt's silence and lack of certification strongly suggest conventional PFAS chemistry rather than newer alternatives. This is addressed separately in the PFAS grade but is the dominant hazard for this product.
Source, ATSDR ↗water-repellent coating degradation and wear
Ripstop nylon with water-repellent coating finishes shed coating particles and lose water repellency over repeated washing and use; the fate of shed water-repellent coating particles (whether PFAS or alternative) is not characterized for consumer laundry or environmental impact, but is inherent to the category.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Ripstop nylon does not typically require formaldehyde-based finishing resins; Carhartt's standard ripstop process is not known to include formaldehyde-containing treatments, though this cannot be confirmed without access to the supplier specification sheet.
Source, ATSDR ↗Azo dyes
Carhartt's ripstop garments are typically dyed with disperse dyes suitable for synthetic fibers; no recalls or public reports of restricted azo dyes in this product line are on record, though formal dye compliance certification is not publicly available.
Antimony in polyester
This product is nylon, not polyester, so antimony catalysts used in polyester synthesis are not a concern here.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Carhartt maintains no public statement on PFAS use in its textile treatments or water-repellent coating coatings, and does not publish chemical transparency reports or certifications (such as bluesign or OEKO-TEX) that would independently verify non-PFAS formulations. The company's silence on this issue is notable given industry-wide awareness of PFAS in workwear since at least 2020. Without explicit disclosure or third-party verification, the water-repellent coating finish on these pants cannot be assumed low-PFAS or PFAS-free.
How it compares in its category
Ripstop nylon workwear is a category staple, and many competing brands (including some within Carhartt's own lineup) have begun disclosing water-repellent coating chemistry or transitioning to PFAS-free alternatives. Carhartt's refusal to communicate on this front places these pants below the transparency standard now established by leading outdoor and workwear manufacturers. Price and durability are not compromised by transparency, making this a choice rather than a technical limitation.
If you buy it
Wash separately from other garments in cool water to minimize any potential leaching of coatings into the wash water. Avoid high heat (dryer, iron) which can accelerate breakdown of water-repellent coating finishes and increase vapor release. Do not dry-clean, as perchloroethylene can degrade synthetic coatings unpredictably. Monitor pocket seams and hem integrity over time; when water-repellent coating visibly degrades (water no longer beads), replace the garment rather than attempting re-coating at home.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% 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 RSCU Ripstop Cargo Pants?
- 100% cotton twill
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes and restricted colorants
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon
- 100% cotton super twill, no coating disclosed
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes and aniline colorants
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on Amazon
- 100% cotton twill
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Shrinkage and dimensional instability
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