Dickies · Stain-Resistant Professional Workwear
Dickies Men's Flex Ripstop Long Sleeve Shirt
Lower PFAS concern. No water-repellent coating or stain treatment detected.
Dickies Flex Ripstop is plain cotton ripstop with no disclosed water-repellent or stain-resistant finishes. No PFAS-typical coatings identified; inherently lower risk apparel.
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Material
100% cotton ripstop weave
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
This shirt is woven from 100% cotton ripstop, a tightly woven plain-weave fabric engineered for durability without chemical stiffening. Cotton itself carries minimal inherent chemical risk compared to synthetic blends. The ripstop weave provides tear resistance through yarn density rather than coating, which means fewer finishes applied post-manufacture. No water-repellent (water-repellent coating) or stain-guard treatments have been detected on this model, eliminating a major source of fluorinated compounds in workwear.
The brand's record and disclosure
Dickies, owned by VF Corporation, has published a restricted substances list and participates in industry chemical initiatives, though the company remains silent on PFAS use in specific products. The brand has faced no major product recalls or chemical controversies in its workwear lines. For a mass-market workwear brand, Dickies' transparency is moderate: detailed fiber sourcing and dye chemistry are not publicly itemized per product. No certifications like OEKO-TEX or bluesign are claimed for this style.
How it compares in its category
Cotton ripstop workwear without finish treatments sits at the lower-chemical end of its category. Competing products often use polyester blends or cotton-poly mixes treated with water-repellent coating or anti-microbial finishes, raising formaldehyde and azo-dye exposure. Dickies' approach here prioritizes durability through weave engineering rather than chemistry, a favorable trade-off. Price-point alternatives (under $30) may substitute synthetic fibers or apply undisclosed finishing treatments.
If you buy it
Wash before first wear to reduce any residual dyes or finishing dust. Use cool to warm water (not hot) and standard detergent; ripstop cotton withstands normal laundering without special care. Inspect seams and cuffs yearly for fraying, as ripstop resists tearing but stitching is the failure point. If formaldehyde odor is present on arrival, air-dry the shirt outdoors for 24-48 hours; this dissipates volatiles from packaging.
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.”
Azo dyes and heavy metals in dye chemistry
Cotton workwear typically uses disperse and reactive dyes. No specific heavy-metal testing or restricted-dye certifications are published by Dickies for this product. Reputable cotton dyers avoid restricted azo compounds, but without third-party certification, low-level exposure to banned aromatic amines remains unconfirmed as absent.
Formaldehyde in finishing resins
100% cotton ripstop with no reported water-repellent coating, stain-guard, or wrinkle-resistant treatments indicates minimal formaldehyde-releasing resin use. Cotton ripstop achieves durability through weave rather than chemical finish, making this a lower-risk profile compared to treated workwear.
Antimony in polyester (not applicable here)
This shirt is 100% cotton; antimony catalysts used in polyester production are not relevant. No synthetic content detected in fiber composition.
Residual pesticide or fertilizer residues from cotton farming
Dickies does not disclose whether cotton is organically or conventionally sourced. Conventional cotton uses significant synthetic pesticides and fertilizers; trace residues may persist post-manufacture. Washing before wear reduces this risk substantially.
Color fastness and dye migration under sweat/friction
No colorfastness grade (ISO 105 standard) is published for this product. Darker shades (navy, black) in workwear may bleed slightly, especially if dyes are not fully fixed. Risk is minor and reduces with each wash.
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.