Dickies · Scrubs & Work Uniforms
Dickies EDS Unisex Drawstring Nursing Scrub Pants
Skip until brand clarifies water-repellent coating finish status or confirms absence.
Dickies EDS scrub pants are a standard poly-cotton blend with no disclosed finish treatment. Absence of waterproofing claims reduces PFAS risk, but the brand makes no public statement about chemical composition or treatments.
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Material
polyester/cotton blend
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Dickies EDS Unisex Drawstring Scrub Pants is made of, ingredients and materials
Dickies EDS scrub pants are a polyester-cotton blend, a common healthcare textile choice because it resists wrinkles, holds color, and tolerates repeated hot laundering. Polyester fibers themselves do not leach chemicals into skin under normal wear. The cotton portion is biodegradable; the polyester portion is not and will persist in landfill. The blend's durability for frequent washing is a practical strength in clinical environments, but the finish applied to the fabric (dye, anti-wrinkle resin, or water-resistant coating) determines most chemical risk.
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.
PFAS
Dickies EDS marketing does not claim water resistance, but many hospital-grade scrub lines include stain-resistant or fluid-shedding finishes that historically relied on PFAS. Dickies has provided no statement on finish chemistry. If a water-resistant coating is present, PFAS cannot be ruled out; if absent, this hazard does not apply.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastics
Polyester-blend garments shed microfibers into washing machines and the environment with each wash, a documented phenomenon for all synthetic textiles. Dickies EDS will contribute to this; shedding can be slightly reduced by washing in cold water, using a washing machine filter, or air drying. No specific shedding rate for this product is available.
Source, EPA ↗What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No recalls or published incidents of formaldehyde finish on Dickies EDS scrubs. Polyester-cotton blends used in medical apparel rarely receive heavy formaldehyde finishes compared to pure-cotton dress shirts, but Dickies does not disclose finish type. If present, off-gassing risk is minimal post-wash and decreases rapidly.
Source, ATSDR ↗Azo dyes (carcinogenic metabolites when reduced)
No product-specific recalls or warnings on record for Dickies EDS. Azo dyes are legally restricted to non-release levels in apparel sold in the EU and are discouraged by major dye houses globally. Dickies' choice of dye supplier is not transparent; darker colors carry higher theoretical azo-dye load, but actual exposure via skin contact is negligible.
Antimony in polyester fiber
Antimony trioxide is a common polyester production catalyst and remains in fiber at trace levels. No health hazard is established for skin contact with antimony in polyester under normal use. Dickies does not specify antimony levels; this is an industry-wide non-issue unless fiber is incinerated or heavily degraded.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Dickies is a legacy workwear manufacturer with no publicized product recalls for chemical hazards in apparel. The brand has not published transparency reports on restricted substances, dyes, or finishing treatments used in EDS scrubs. No third-party certifications (OEKO-TEX, GOTS) are listed on product labels or vendor sites for this line. Dickies' silence on PFAS use in water-resistant or stain-resistant finishes is the primary disclosure gap.
How it compares in its category
Healthcare scrub pants are typically polyester-dominant or poly-cotton blends; Dickies EDS is mid-market positioning without premium sustainability branding. Most competitors at this price point (Barco, Cherokee, Medline generics) also do not disclose finish chemistry or restrict PFAS. High-end or certified-organic scrub brands (e.g., Figs with OEKO-TEX) do publish material transparency, making them easier to evaluate for chemical concerns. Dickies EDS sits in the large, non-transparent segment of the market.
If you buy it
Wash in warm water (not hot) on first wear to release any loose dyes or finish residues. Line dry or tumble on low heat; excessive heat may degrade polyester elasticity over time but will not release monomers into fabric at normal laundry temperatures. Replace when elastic loses tension, seams fray, or fabric pilling accelerates, typically after 50-100 wash cycles with heavy use. Store in a dry location; polyester does not absorb moisture and is resistant to mildew.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- 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.
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