Arrow · Stain-Resistant Professional Workwear
Arrow Men's 1851 Poplin Dress Shirt
Basic cotton dress shirt, lower PFAS concern unless treated.
Arrow poplin dress shirts are typically untreated cotton. No visible water-repellent coating or stain-resistant finish claimed. Brand discloses nothing about PFAS; verify product tag for any applied finishes before purchase.
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Material
100% cotton poplin
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
Category baseline
clothing is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Arrow's 1851 Poplin is 100% cotton, a natural fiber that carries minimal inherent toxicity compared to synthetics. Poplin is a tightly woven plain-weave cotton, which reduces surface area for chemical retention and off-gassing. The main safety consideration is how the cotton is finished (dyed, wrinkle-treated, softened) rather than the fiber itself. Cotton dress shirts typically undergo fewer aggressive chemical treatments than performance or fashion-forward garments.
The brand's record and disclosure
Arrow, owned by Tailored Brands, maintains no prominent public certifications (OEKO-TEX, GOTS, bluesign) or transparency reports specific to chemical use in manufacturing. The brand has not issued recalls for chemical contamination in dress shirts on public record. No major controversies regarding formaldehyde, azo dyes, or heavy metals in Arrow basics have been documented. Silence on PFAS treatment specifics is typical for mainstream apparel brands and does not indicate known use.
How it compares in its category
Standard cotton dress shirts occupy a lower-risk category than activewear (which may contain flame retardants or antimicrobial coatings) or fashion items treated for water/stain resistance (potential PFAS application). Arrow's poplin is positioned as a basic workwear/casual piece, so it is less likely to receive advanced finishing chemicals than premium or technical dress shirts. Among commodity cotton dress shirts, Arrow represents typical safety practices with no distinction either direction.
If you buy it
Wash before first wear to remove residual finish dust and reduce any surface chemical load. Use warm water and standard detergent; no special precautions required. Dry on low to medium heat if using a dryer, as high heat can stress cotton fibers and seams over time but carries no specific toxin risk. Replace when collar or cuffs show visible wear (fraying, thinning) or after 2-3 years of regular wear; degraded fabric poses no acute hazard but loses function.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Formaldehyde resins (wrinkle/shrink treatment)
Cotton dress shirts are often treated with formaldehyde-based resins to reduce wrinkles or shrinkage. Arrow has not published treatment methods; standard poplin finishes may include low-level formaldehyde. Pre-wash mitigates residual exposure significantly.
Azo dyes (color fastness)
No recalls or public concerns document the use of banned azo dyes in Arrow dress shirts. Commercial poplin typically uses modern dyes, though brand testing protocols are not disclosed. Risk is low for basic colors (white, light blue, khaki).
Heavy metals in dyes or pigments
No documented cases of cadmium, lead, or other heavy-metal dyes in Arrow cotton dress shirts. The poplin weave and standard dyeing do not require the mordants that elevate metal risk in some printed or heavily dyed garments.
Flame retardants
Cotton dress shirts are not routinely treated with flame retardants unless marketed as fire-resistant. Arrow's 1851 Poplin carries no such claim and is thus unlikely to contain brominated or phosphorus-based additives.
Antimony in polyester or blends
This product is 100% cotton, so antimony catalysts used in polyester production are absent. No cross-contamination risk from fiber blending.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 78% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
More stain-resistant professional workwear 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.