Curtains, ranked by PFAS safety
15 products graded from Bad to Excellent, safest first. 9 grade Good or better and are worth buying.
Start here
The best non-toxic curtains, ranked safest first
Buyer’s guide
What to look for in curtains, and which brands grade best and worst
Bad · Better · Best curtains
The quickest read, what to skip and the top-graded picks worth buying instead.
Crate and Barrel
Sharland England French Ticking Stripe Blackout Curtain Panel
High uncertainty due to silent stance on blackout finish chemistry; avoid unless Crate & Barrel clarifies.
Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn Seaton Textured Cotton Light Filtering Curtain
Lower concern because plain cotton carries minimal PFAS risk when untreated.
Worth buying Good or Excellent, safest first
Pottery Barn
Seaton Textured Cotton Light Filtering Curtain
100% cotton, uncoated
Azo dyes (synthetic dye toxicity)
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Lower concern because plain cotton carries minimal PFAS risk when untreated.
⚠Risky category by default
Pottery Barn
Custom Seaton Textured Cotton Curtain
100% cotton textile, no stated coating
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Dye migration or bleeding onto skin or other fabrics
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern because untreated cotton rarely requires fluorinated treatments.
⚠Risky category by default
West Elm
Emma Chamberlain Multi-Stripe Curtain
Cotton/linen blend multi-stripe woven textile
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
VOC off-gassing
Limited concern
Lower concern because plain woven fabric shows no PFAS triggers, but West Elm lacks transparency.
⚠Risky category by default
West Elm
Poppy Blooms Curtain Set of 2
polyester blend curtain fabric, dyed
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Volatilization of residual dye solvents and manufacturing chemicals
Limited concern
Color bleeding or dye migration onto adjacent surfaces
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern, but West Elm does not clarify dyes or applied finishes.
⚠Risky category by default
West Elm
Frankie Floral Curtain Set of 2
polyester blend curtain fabric, no reported water-repellent coating
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Allergens and sensitizers in sizing or dyes
Limited concern
Lower concern because standard decorative fabric lacks PFAS-risk treatments, though brand offers no transparency.
⚠Risky category by default
Parachute
Linen Shower Curtain
100% linen
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Microorganism growth and mildew
High concern
PFAS
Limited concern
Lower concern because untreated linen shower curtain avoids PFAS, but confirm no water-resistant finish.
⚠Risky category by default
Crate and Barrel
Trevino Cotton Silk Blend Window Curtain Panel
Cotton-silk blend, no known finishes applied
Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern; standard blend fabric with no visible water or stain treatments.
⚠Risky category by default
Crate and Barrel
Crate & Barrel Organic Cotton Natural Taupe Window Curtain Panel
organic cotton, no applied coating mentioned
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or off-gassing
Limited concern
Lower concern because untreated organic cotton avoids water-repellent coating finish and stain treatment.
⚠Risky category by default
Crate and Barrel
Crate & Barrel French Pleat Window Curtain Panel
100% polyester fabric, likely uncoated
Azo dyes and residual dye chemicals
Limited concern
Antimony catalyst residue in polyester fiber
Limited concern
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from wear
High concern
Lower PFAS concern because standard fabric lacks water-resistant finish needing chemical treatment.
⚠Risky category by default
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Pottery Barn
Riviera Striped Light Filtering Curtain
Polyester blend with light-filtering treatment/finish
PFAS
Moderate concern
Polyester microfiber shedding during wash and wear
High concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Azo dyes (carcinogenic metabolites from reductive cleavage)
Limited concern
Avoid until Pottery Barn names the treatment chemicals used in light-filtering.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Parachute
Waffle Shower Curtain
PVC shower curtain, likely water-repellent coating water-repellent coating
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from PVC
High concern
Mold and mildew growth
Limited concern
Plasticizers and coating degradation
Limited concern
Chemical migration from water-repellent coating
Moderate concern
Avoid or verify material spec.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Parachute
Hpd Half Price Drapes Faux Linen Blackout Room Darkening Curtain
Polyester faux linen blend with blackout coating (composition unspecified)
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Flame retardants
Limited concern
Coating degradation and particulate release
Moderate concern
Volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing
High concern
Avoid due to unspecified blackout coating, a known PFAS source in curtains.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Crate and Barrel
Crate & Barrel Floral Blackout Window Curtain Panel
Polyester with blackout coating (composition unspecified)
Flame retardants
Limited concern
Volatile organic compounds (VOC) and odor from blackout coating
High concern
Microplastic and coating particle shedding over time
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Avoid until Crate & Barrel names the blackout coating or certifies PFAS-free.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Crate and Barrel
Crate & Barrel Warm Beige & Storm Grey Linen Double Pinstripe Grid Blackout Window Curtain Panel
Linen blend with blackout coating (unspecified)
PFAS
High concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Azo dyes
Limited concern
Coating degradation and particulate release
Limited concern
Avoid until Crate & Barrel discloses blackout coating chemistry.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Crate and Barrel
Sharland England French Ticking Stripe Blackout Curtain Panel
cotton/cotton-blend fabric with blackout lining, water-repellent coating treatment unspecified
PFAS
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Coating degradation and microfiber shedding
Limited concern
Volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing
Limited concern
High uncertainty due to silent stance on blackout finish chemistry; avoid unless Crate & Barrel clarifies.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
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