Room & Board Review, Is Room & Board Non-Toxic?
Across 16 graded products, Room & Board averages Poor (33/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. 1 of its products grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Does Room & Board have PFAS, by category
Worth buying from Room & Board Good or better, best-graded first
Room & Board
Modern Cast Outdoor Pillow
Cast polyester or acrylic fabric cover
Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
Polyester outdoor textiles typically use acid or disperse dyes; some azo dyes can release…
Antimony in polyester catalyst residue
Polyester is often synthesized using antimony trioxide as a catalyst; trace residues may…
Flame retardants
Outdoor textiles may be treated with brominated or phosphorus-based flame retardants to…
Microfiber shedding and ingestion
Polyester and acrylic textiles shed microfibers with washing and outdoor weathering.…
Outdoor pillow with synthetic fabric.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Room & Board
Modern Outdoor Emmet Seat Cushion
Polyester fabric with unspecified water/stain treatment
PFAS
Outdoor polyester cushions are almost universally treated with water-repellent finishes…
Microplastic shedding from degraded coating
As the water-repellent coating breaks down over years of outdoor exposure (UV, water…
VOC off-gassing from synthetic finishing chemicals
Fluorochemical and other synthetic finishes can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs)…
Insufficient transparency; outdoor cushions often use PFAS-based water-repellent coating without disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Outdoor Emmet Seat Cushion for Sofa Pelham
Outdoor performance fabric (likely polyester blend with water/stain repellent treatment)
Flame retardants
Outdoor cushion fabrics often carry flame retardant treatments to meet safety codes, but…
VOC off-gassing from synthetic fibers and treatments
Performance-treated polyester blends can release volatile organic compounds, especially…
Microplastic shedding from synthetic fibers
Polyester-based cushion fabrics shed microfibers over time, particularly with washing or…
Skip or contact Room & Board directly; outdoor cushion treatment and PFAS status undisclosed.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Aruba Modern Outdoor Seat Cushion
Polyester with water-repellent coating treatment (presumed fluorochemical)
PFAS
Polyester outdoor cushions commonly receive fluorochemical water-repellent coating…
Polyester fiber degradation and microplastic shedding
UV exposure, moisture cycling, and abrasion break down polyester fibers over time…
Mold and bacterial growth in damp conditions
Outdoor cushions left damp or in humid conditions can develop mold and mildew within the…
Skip or request materials; outdoor cushion likely treated with PFAS unless confirmed otherwise.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Montego Outdoor Cushions
Outdoor cushion fabric with water-resistant treatment (exact composition not specified)
water-repellent coating degradation and reapplication hazards
Unspecified water-repellent coating chemistry means unknown durability and leaching…
Volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing from new cushions
New outdoor textiles with water-resistant treatments often emit low levels of VOCs during…
Skip until Room & Board reveals fabric treatment details; outdoor cushions commonly use PFAS water-repellent coating.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Outdoor Savu Seat Cushion
Polyester/acrylic blend with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) treatment
PFAS
Undisclosed water-repellent treatment likely contains PFAS or PFAS alternatives; no lab…
Microplastic shedding from synthetic fibers
Polyester/acrylic blends can shed microfibers during use and cleaning, especially when…
Mold and bacterial growth if poorly maintained
Outdoor cushions retain moisture and organic matter; inadequate drying or storage can…
Skip until Room & Board discloses water-repellent coating chemistry or pursues PFAS-free certification.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Outdoor Rio Seat Cushion
Solution-dyed polyester cushion cover; likely water/stain-resistant treatment applied
PFAS
Room & Board has not disclosed the chemical basis of the water-resistance treatment on…
Microplastic Shedding (abrasion and UV breakdown)
Solution-dyed polyester will gradually shed microfibers when rubbed, rained on, and…
Skip unless Room & Board confirms PFAS-free treatment; outdoor cushions commonly contain PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Outdoor Theo Seat Cushion
Polyester outdoor cushion with water-repellent coating finish
PFAS
Room & Board has not disclosed whether this cushion uses legacy PFAS-based…
Microplastics
As the water-repellent coating finish degrades over years of weathering, UV exposure, and…
Skip without explicit water-repellent coating disclosure; outdoor cushions often use PFAS water-repellents.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Outdoor Mattix Seat Cushion
Polyester upholstery with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
PFAS
Polyester outdoor cushions routinely use PFAS-based or PFAS-alternative water-repellent…
Coating degradation and microplastic shedding
As the water-repellent coating finish weathers, polyester fibers can shed microscopic…
Avoid until Room & Board discloses water-repellent coating treatment details.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Yates Outdoor Pillow
Polyester with water-repellent coating water-resistant finish
water-repellent coating finish off-gassing or skin irritation
Unknown water-repellent coating chemistry means potential for low-level volatile organic…
Microplastic shedding from polyester
Polyester textiles shed microfibers during washing and weathering, though outdoor pillows…
VOC or off-gassing from dyes or finishing resins
Polyester fabrics can emit low levels of residual solvents or formaldehyde-based…
water-repellent coating durability and re-application chemicals
water-repellent coating finishes degrade with weather and washing, potentially requiring…
Outdoor pillow likely treated for water repellency; composition unclear.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Upton Outdoor Pillow
Outdoor pillow with performance fabric, waterproof treatment
PFAS
Outdoor performance fabrics almost universally use fluorinated PFAS for durable water…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Performance polyester fabrics often use formaldehyde-based resins for wrinkle resistance…
Azo dyes in color fastness treatments
Solution-dyed and conventionally dyed outdoor fabrics may use azo dye compounds, some of…
Microplastic shedding from synthetic fibers
Polyester and acrylic blends shed microfibers when washed, worn, or degraded by UV. This…
Silent on PFAS. Outdoor fabric likely water-repellent coating-treated; unclear if fluorinated.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Incline Outdoor Pillow
outdoor pillow with likely water-repellent coating-treated fabric shell
water-repellent coating treatment chemical identity (fluorinated vs. fluorine-free)
Room & Board provides no specification of water-repellent coating type. Fluorinated…
Microplastic shedding from polyester shell and fill
Synthetic outdoor textiles shed microfibers during use and washing, especially as UV and…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester performance fabrics sometimes use formaldehyde-based resins for wrinkle…
UV-driven polymer breakdown and leaching of treatment residues
Prolonged outdoor exposure degrades polyester chains and can mobilize water-repellent…
Unclear water-repellent coating treatment; Room & Board makes no PFAS disclosure.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Dena Outdoor Pillow
Polyester outdoor pillow with water-resistant treatment
PFAS
Coating type and chemical composition are undisclosed. Durability and potential leaching…
Microfiber shedding from polyester
Polyester textiles release microfibers during use, especially when wet or abraded.…
Outdoor pillow likely has water-repellent coating; PFAS status undisclosed.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Ezra Outdoor Pillow
Polyester outdoor fabric with water-repellent coating finish
PFAS
Outdoor polyester pillows are routinely treated with water-repellent coatings; Room &…
Off-gassing and VOCs from water-repellent coating and dyes
New outdoor textiles may release volatile organic compounds during the first weeks…
Microplastic shedding during use
Polyester fabric sheds microfibers when rubbed, washed, or weathered, especially as the…
Outdoor pillow likely treated for water resistance; chemistry unknown.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Jade Outdoor Pillow
polyester with water-resistant finish
PFAS
Water-resistant outdoor textiles frequently use PFAS-based compounds; Room & Board has…
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from finish off-gassing
Water-resistant coatings can emit low levels of VOCs, especially when new or stored in…
Coating degradation and microparticle shedding
Water-resistant finishes on outdoor textiles break down under UV and mechanical stress…
Outdoor pillow likely treated for water resistance.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board
Modern Bronson Outdoor Pillow
Outdoor pillow with polyester cover, likely water-repellent coating-treated fabric
water-repellent coating (durable water-resistant) coating unknown chemistry
Outdoor textiles commonly use PFAS-based water-repellent coating finishes; Room & Board…
Polyester microfiber shedding (pilling and degradation)
Outdoor pillows are subject to UV breakdown and abrasion; shedding microplastics into…
Mold and mildew growth if moisture-trapped
Outdoor pillows in humid climates or covered storage can harbor fungal growth if not…
Unknown water-resistant treatment; manufacturer silent on PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Room & Board and PFAS, common questions
- Does Room & Board have PFAS?
- We graded 16 Room & Board products, averaging Poor (33/100). 1 grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates built from published materials, ingredients and disclosures, not lab tests.
- Is Room & Board non-toxic?
- Room & Board Modern Cast Outdoor Pillow is the highest-graded Room & Board product we have scored, at 75/100. It depends on the product line rather than the brand, so check the grade of the exact item you are buying.
- Which Room & Board products are lower concern for PFAS?
- The highest-graded Room & Board products we have scored are Room & Board Modern Cast Outdoor Pillow. That is our model-based estimate from materials and public disclosure, not a lab test.
- Which Room & Board products should I avoid?
- The lowest-graded Room & Board products we have scored are Room & Board Modern Bronson Outdoor Pillow, Room & Board Modern Jade Outdoor Pillow, Room & Board Modern Ezra Outdoor Pillow. Each one links to the evidence behind its grade.
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →