Lee · Stain-Resistant Professional Workwear
Lee Men's Relaxed Fit Button Down Workshirt
Lower concern. No PFAS-relevant finishes disclosed on basic work shirt.
Lee's relaxed fit workshirt is standard cotton-polyester with no waterproofing, stain resistance, or special coatings mentioned. Inherently lower PFAS risk, but brand discloses nothing about PFAS practices.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
cotton and polyester blend, no specified treatment
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
Lee's Relaxed Fit Button Down Workshirt is a cotton-polyester blend, typically 65% polyester and 35% cotton or similar ratio. The polyester component is spun synthetic fiber with no inherent toxicity, though manufacturing may involve residual catalysts. Cotton grown conventionally may carry pesticide residues, but these are largely removed in processing and washing. The blend itself poses no chemical leaching risk during normal wear, and the absence of disclosed water-resistant, stain-resistant, or wrinkle-resistant finishes suggests no fluorinated or formaldehyde-based treatments.
The brand's record and disclosure
Lee (owned by Kontoor Brands) does not publicly disclose detailed chemical restrictions or certifications like GOTS or Bluesign on basic work apparel. The brand has faced no major public chemical safety recalls for apparel in recent years. Lee's parent company has committed to phasing certain chemicals but provides minimal transparency on individual products. For a utilitarian work shirt, Lee's lack of active disclosure reflects industry norm for this segment rather than elevated risk.
How it compares in its category
Basic cotton-polyester blend work shirts are among the safest textiles because they avoid specialty finishes that introduce azo dyes, formaldehyde resins, or antimony catalysts. This product sits in the mainstream safety range for casual/workwear; it lacks certifications that would elevate it (GOTS, OEKO-TEX) but also lacks the problematic finishes of technical or performance-marketed shirts. Competitors in the same price and function category (Carhartt, Dickies, Wrangler) operate under similar transparency constraints.
If you buy it
Wash before first wear to remove any residual manufacturing dust or finishes; this is standard practice and reduces exposure to trace dyes or processing agents. Machine wash warm, tumble dry on low heat; polyester blends are durable to repeated washing and do not require special care. No need for ironing above 300°F (polyester melts above 500°F, but normal ironing is safe). Replace when seams fray or fabric thins; this is a wear-out item, not a chemical-risk item.
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 (colorants)
Lee does not market this as a natural-dye or restricted-dye product, but azo dyes in basic cotton-polyester apparel are not typically restricted in US/EU markets unless the product is imported from regions with lax oversight. No specific azo dye concerns have been documented for Lee workshirts.
Formaldehyde resins (wrinkle resistance, shrinkage control)
The product carries no stated wrinkle-resist or easy-care finish, which are the main sources of formaldehyde in textiles. Residual formaldehyde from manufacturing is typically <75 ppm in untreated apparel and dissipates after washing.
Antimony catalyst (polyester manufacturing)
Polyester is synthesized using antimony catalyst, and trace amounts may remain in the fiber. Skin contact with antimony in polyester apparel is not a documented health pathway; the element does not leach during normal wear and is not classified as a skin sensitizer at these residual levels.
Pesticide residues (conventional cotton)
Conventional cotton may carry residual organophosphate or neonicotinoid insecticides; however, textile processing (scouring, bleaching, dyeing) removes most residues, and washing removes remaining trace amounts. Risk is negligible for finished apparel.
Allergenic finish or dye migration
Lee workshirts are not marketed as hypoallergenic, but the plain-weave cotton-polyester blend and absence of special coatings make sensitization unlikely. Individuals with known dye allergies or sensitive skin should test on a small area or pre-wash thoroughly.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% 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.