Williamson-Dickie · Stain-Resistant Workwear
Dickies Men's Pro Series Double Knee Work Pants
Standard work pants with water-repellent coating finish; PFAS use uncertain, brand silent.
Dickies Pro Series pants are cotton/polyester with durable water-resistant finishing, a common source of PFAS in workwear. Williamson-Dickie provides no public disclosure about PFAS content or treatment methods.
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Material
Cotton/polyester blend with water-repellent coating treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
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
Dickies Pro Series Double Knee uses a cotton-polyester blend (typically 65/35 or similar ratio) with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish. The blend balances cotton's breathability and durability with polyester's strength and wrinkle resistance. The water-repellent coating is the primary chemical concern: historically such finishes used PFAS-based compounds, though reformulation to non-fluorinated alternatives is increasingly common. The double-knee reinforcement uses the same base fabric with extra layers sewn at stress points.
The brand's record and disclosure
Williamson-Dickie (Dickies parent company) does not publicly disclose water-repellent coating chemistry or chemical restricted substances lists specific to work apparel lines. The brand has no documented major textile safety recalls in recent years and is not known for formaldehyde or azo dye violations. However, silence on PFAS and water-repellent coating treatment means you cannot verify whether the finish uses legacy fluorinated compounds or newer alternatives. Dickies markets durability and value rather than chemical transparency.
How it compares in its category
Work pants in this price tier typically use similar cotton-poly blends with water-repellent coating finishes; Dickies is mainstream and widely distributed. Brands like Carhartt (similar price, wider distribution) also use water-repellent coating but similarly do not disclose PFAS status. Premium workwear brands (e.g., Rasco FR, made for flame-resistant markets) more often disclose treatment chemistry due to regulatory pressure in specialized sectors. Standard work pants like these occupy a middle ground: no transparency push but also no public safety warnings.
If you buy it
Wash before first wear to reduce loose dyes and finish residues; use cool water and mild detergent to preserve water-repellent coating longevity. Avoid high heat drying (air dry or low tumble) to prevent synthetic fiber degradation and minimize potential off-gassing. water-repellent coating finishes degrade after 20-40 washes; if water no longer beads, the finish has worn off but the base fabric remains safe. Replace when seams fray or fabric thins at stress points (typically 1-2 years of regular use), not due to chemical hazard.
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 (durable finish processing)
No formaldehyde resins are standard in water-repellent coating finishes; however, finishing and dyeing processes in cotton-poly blends may use small amounts in some factories. Dickies does not disclose process chemistry, and no recalls or complaints are on record for this product line.
Azo dyes (synthetic colorants in dark colors)
Dickies work pants are produced to OSHA and US textile standards, which restrict banned azo dyes. No documented violations or safety alerts exist for this brand's dark work trousers, though formal certification is not publicly available.
Antimony in polyester component
Antimony trioxide is used as a polyester catalyst in manufacturing but is not typically present in finished fabric at unsafe levels. Dickies does not disclose polyester sourcing or catalyst details; no skin irritation complaints specific to these pants are documented.
water-repellent coating finish degradation and microfiber shedding
Synthetic-blend fabrics shed microfibers when washed and worn, especially as water-repellent coating breaks down. This is not unique to Dickies but inherent to polyester blends; microfiber contamination is environmental rather than direct health risk to the wearer.
Heavy metals in dyes or fasteners (buttons, zippers)
Dickies uses standard metal hardware (typically zinc-alloy or steel) and commercial dyes compliant with US import rules. No lead or cadmium contamination recalls exist for this product or brand; risk is low for typical use.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 35% 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.
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More stain-resistant 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.