Dickies Double Knee Boys Pants - Black - Size: 14
Lower concern; basic work pants with no water treatments disclosed.
Dickies double-knee pants are traditional cotton twill with no indicated water-repellent coating or stain treatments, reducing typical PFAS coatings. No brand PFAS disclosure found, but standard workwear without functional coatings poses lower risk.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
cotton twill blend, no stated water-resistant treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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.
Heavy metals
Black twill typically uses azo or metal-complex dyes. No test data published by Dickies; heavy metals (cadmium, lead, chromium) in pigments are low-probability but unverified for budget workwear lines. Pre-wash mitigates free dye leachate.
Source, FDA ↗Formaldehyde / VOCs
Untreated cotton-blend twill may still contain formaldehyde-based wrinkle resist or sizing agents applied during finishing. Concentration typically below regulated thresholds for children's clothing (100 ppm CPSIA limit), but not disclosed. Washing removes most residual resin.
Source, ATSDR ↗Dye bleed and color fastness
Budget black twill commonly reports dye transfer in first wash, especially if wet. Not a toxicology hazard but indicates incomplete dye fixation; pre-washing reduces skin exposure to loose dyes.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Polyester antimony catalyst
Polyester reinforcement threads may contain antimony oxide catalyst (common in polyester synthesis). No disclosure from Dickies; leaching is negligible from intact fiber. Risk rises only if fabric is burned or severely degraded.
No water-resistant coating applied
The absence of water-repellent coating or stain-resistant treatment is a safety advantage, no fluorocarbons or silicones to off-gas or accumulate. Standard untreated cotton-blend finish poses minimal chemical hazard.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Dickies Double Knee Boys Pants are cotton-twill blend (typically 65-100% cotton with polyester reinforcement). Twill weave is durable but holds dyes and finishes in the fiber; the polyester component introduces synthetic dye chemistry. No water-resistant or stain-resistant treatment is disclosed, which means no fluorinated or silicone coatings to offgas or degrade, a significant safety advantage over treated alternatives. The material itself is relatively inert once cured.
The brand's record and disclosure
Dickies is a workwear heritage brand (VF Corporation subsidiary) with minimal public transparency on chemical use in pants production. No GOTS, OEKO-TEX, or similar third-party certification is advertised for this line. The brand does not disclose dye chemistry, formaldehyde-based finish resins, or heavy-metal content in pigments, standard practice for budget workwear but a gap versus premium labels. No major recalls or documented contamination incidents are on public record for this specific product line.
How it compares in its category
Standard untreated cotton-blend workwear sits in the middle-to-lower hazard tier for boys' apparel. Untreated twill avoids the PFAS and silicone off-gassing risks of outdoor or 'tech' pants. It carries typical azo-dye and formaldehyde-resin finish risks common to all budget denim and twill, but at lower intensity than heavily treated or acid-dyed alternatives. Organic-cotton or certified-low-chemical workwear alternatives exist but cost 2-3x more.
If you buy it
Wash 2-3 times in cold water with mild detergent before wear to remove residual dyes and finishes; this step reduces exposure to any unreacted formaldehyde resins or excess azo dyes. Avoid hot water or prolonged sun exposure, which can accelerate dye bleeding and resin degradation. Replace when seams tear or fabric thins (typical lifespan 2-3 years with moderate use). Store dry; damp storage can promote mold and reactivate any residual chemical treatment.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Dickies has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More school 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.