All 15 umbrellas we scored fail our PFAS screen
All 15 umbrellas PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of November 2026.
Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.
Are umbrellas non-toxic?
None of the 15 umbrellas we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on umbrellas in this category are microplastics, VOCs and off-gassing, undisclosed ingredients.
What to watch for in umbrellas
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 15 umbrellas in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 9 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- VOCs and off-gassing
Volatile compounds that evaporate out of a material at room temperature, which is what a new product smell is.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 3 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Undisclosed ingredients
Not a chemical. The absence of one, where we found no statement from the brand about what it uses.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 2 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FTC
The safest umbrellas we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
See PFAS-free umbrellas on AmazonThe umbrellas we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 20Bad
- 20Blunt Metro UmbrellaBad
water-repellent coating degradation and microparticle release
- 20Bad
What we check on umbrellas
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The umbrellas brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 5 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.
AE Outdoor, Blunt, National Outdoor Living, ShedRain, Totes.
The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.
Common questions about PFAS in umbrellas
Are umbrellas PFAS free?
All 15 umbrellas PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of November 2026. The lowest graded is BLUNT Metro Compact Umbrella at 20 out of 100.
Are umbrellas non-toxic?
None of the 15 umbrellas we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on umbrellas in this category are microplastics, VOCs and off-gassing, undisclosed ingredients.
Which umbrellas should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are BLUNT Metro Compact Umbrella at 20, Blunt Metro Umbrella at 20, ShedRain Men's ShedRain X J.Crew umbrella (Size One Size) at 20. The problem with the first is that skip until Blunt discloses DWR chemistry or commits to PFAS-free.
Which umbrellas brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 5 of the brands we scored in this category, including AE Outdoor, Blunt, National Outdoor Living, ShedRain, Totes. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test umbrellas?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
More clothing and outdoor categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to umbrellas.
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Does a particular brand of umbrellas have PFAS?
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Umbrellas, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 15 umbrellas.