PFAS in Curtains, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst

Based on available materials and public disclosure data, curtains made from untreated natural fibers like cotton, linen, and cotton-silk blends tend to grade far better than curtains marketed as "blackout," "stain-resistant," or "wrinkle-free." In our model-based review, panels from Crate and Barrel, West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Parachute earned an Excellent rating of 75 out of 100, while several blackout and heavily treated panels from those same retailers scored Poor at 30 out of 100. No brand in this review has had its PFAS status independently lab-verified in the sources we reviewed, so every grade here reflects estimates from materials disclosure, not certified lab testing.

The clearest pattern across the fourteen curtains graded in our database is that fabric finish, not brand reputation, drives the score. A retailer can sell one curtain that grades Excellent and another that grades Poor, often in the same collection. That means shoppers cannot rely on brand name alone. The safest approach, based on available data, is to check the specific product page, look for blackout coatings, stain-resistant treatments, and synthetic "ticking" or performance fabrics, and favor plain woven cotton, linen, or cotton-silk blends without added finishes. For a full breakdown of graded curtains, visit our home textiles finder or browse individual product pages linked below.

Summary Comparison Table

Product	PFAS Grade (Model Estimate)	Verdict
Crate and Barrel Trevino Cotton Silk Blend Window Curtain Panel	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, untreated blend
Crate and Barrel Organic Cotton Natural Taupe Window Curtain Panel	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, organic cotton
West Elm Poppy Blooms Curtain Set of 2	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, printed cotton
West Elm Frankie Floral Curtain Set of 2	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, printed cotton
Crate and Barrel French Pleat Window Curtain Panel	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, structured cotton
Pottery Barn Seaton Textured Cotton Light Filtering Curtain	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, textured cotton
Parachute Linen Shower Curtain	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, plain linen
Pottery Barn Custom Seaton Textured Cotton Curtain	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, custom cotton
West Elm Emma Chamberlain Multi-Stripe Curtain	Excellent (75/100)	Lower concern, cotton stripe
Crate and Barrel Sharland England French Ticking Stripe Blackout Curtain Panel	Poor (30/100)	Higher concern, blackout coating
Pottery Barn Riviera Striped Light Filtering Curtain	Poor (30/100)	Higher concern, performance finish
Parachute Waffle Shower Curtain	Poor (30/100)	Higher concern, textured synthetic
HPD Half Price Drapes Faux Linen Blackout Room Darkening Curtain	Poor (30/100)	Higher concern, faux linen blackout
Crate and Barrel Floral Blackout Window Curtain Panel	Poor (30/100)	Higher concern, blackout coating

The Best Graded Curtains, Based on Available Materials Data

Crate and Barrel Trevino Cotton Silk Blend Window Curtain Panel

This panel is made from a cotton and silk blend without a blackout backing. Crate and Barrel does not market this line with stain-repellent or water-repellent claims, which lines up with its Excellent grade of 75 out of 100 in our model. View the Trevino Cotton Silk Blend panel.

Pros, Natural fiber blend, no advertised performance coating, drapes well for light-filtering use.
Cons, Higher price point, dry-clean-only care in most listings, silk content can water-spot.

Crate and Barrel Organic Cotton Natural Taupe Window Curtain Panel

Organic cotton construction with a simple weave and no listed performance finish. The organic cotton sourcing claim is brand-stated and has not been independently verified for PFAS absence in the sources we reviewed, though the plain construction supports the Excellent grade. View the Organic Cotton Natural Taupe panel.

Pros, Organic cotton sourcing, neutral colorway, minimal processing.
Cons, Limited color options, no blackout function, may wrinkle without steaming.

West Elm Poppy Blooms Curtain Set of 2 and Frankie Floral Curtain Set of 2

Both West Elm sets use printed cotton fabric without a blackout or stain-guard treatment, and both land in the Excellent tier at 75 out of 100. West Elm's product pages describe these as decorative, light-filtering curtains rather than performance textiles. View the Poppy Blooms set or view the Frankie Floral set.

Pros, Printed cotton, sold as a pair, bold pattern options.
Cons, Light filtering only, not blackout, prints may fade with sun exposure.

Crate and Barrel French Pleat Window Curtain Panel

A structured cotton panel with a tailored pleat header and no advertised repellent finish, contributing to its Excellent grade. View the French Pleat panel.

Pros, Tailored look, cotton base fabric, no performance coating listed.
Cons, Higher price, may require lining for full room darkening.

Pottery Barn Seaton Textured Cotton Light Filtering Curtain and Custom Seaton Textured Cotton Curtain

Both Seaton products use a textured cotton weave marketed for light filtering rather than blackout performance, and both scored Excellent. Pottery Barn's product descriptions do not claim stain resistance or water repellency for this line. View the Seaton Light Filtering curtain or view the Custom Seaton curtain.

Pros, Textured cotton weave, custom sizing available on one version, no repellent finish advertised.
Cons, Not blackout, custom orders may not be returnable.

Parachute Linen Shower Curtain

Made from plain linen without a waterproof or stain-guard laminate, this shower curtain (used with a liner) scored Excellent. This differs meaningfully from vinyl or laminated shower curtains, which more commonly carry water-resistant coatings. View the Parachute Linen Shower Curtain.

Pros, Plain linen construction, requires a liner rather than built-in waterproofing, breathable.
Cons, Needs a separate liner for actual water protection, linen can wrinkle and shrink.

West Elm Emma Chamberlain Multi-Stripe Curtain

A cotton stripe design from West Elm's collaboration line, sold without a blackout or performance finish, landing in the Excellent tier. View the Emma Chamberlain Multi-Stripe curtain.

Pros, Cotton base, playful pattern, no repellent coating listed.
Cons, Light filtering only, limited to one aesthetic style.

The Worst Graded Curtains, Based on Available Materials Data

Crate and Barrel Sharland England French Ticking Stripe Blackout Curtain Panel

This panel uses a blackout lining, and blackout linings frequently rely on coated or laminated layers that can involve fluorinated or other synthetic finishing chemistry. That construction pattern is consistent with its Poor grade of 30 out of 100 in our model. View the Sharland England Blackout panel.

Pros, Genuine room-darkening performance, decorative ticking stripe pattern.
Cons, Blackout coating raises materials concern in our model, heavier fabric hand, dry-clean-only in most listings.

Pottery Barn Riviera Striped Light Filtering Curtain

Despite being labeled "light filtering" rather than blackout, this curtain still scored Poor at 30 out of 100, which suggests a performance or wrinkle-resistant finish beyond plain woven cotton. View the Riviera Striped curtain.

Pros, Crisp stripe pattern, easy-care fabric claims from the brand.
Cons, Lower model grade despite non-blackout marketing, finish type not fully disclosed on the product page.

Parachute Waffle Shower Curtain

The textured waffle weave in this shower curtain scored Poor, a notable contrast to Parachute's own Linen Shower Curtain, which scored Excellent. This is a clear example of how fabric treatment, not brand, determines the grade. View the Parachute Waffle Shower Curtain.

Pros, Textured spa-like look, cotton-based waffle weave.
Cons, Poor model grade, likely finishing agents used to stabilize the waffle texture, needs a liner.

HPD Half Price Drapes Faux Linen Blackout Room Darkening Curtain

This curtain combines a faux-linen synthetic face fabric with a blackout backing, a combination that scored Poor at 30 out of 100. Synthetic blends paired with blackout layers are among the more consistently lower-graded curtain types in our database. View the HPD Faux Linen Blackout curtain.

Pros, Budget-friendly, strong room-darkening performance, wide color selection.
Cons, Synthetic faux-linen face fabric, blackout backing, lowest-tier grade in this review alongside four other products.

Crate and Barrel Floral Blackout Window Curtain Panel

Another blackout-lined panel from Crate and Barrel, this one printed with a floral pattern, also scored Poor at 30 out of 100. Compared to the brand's own Trevino and French Pleat panels, which scored Excellent, this confirms that the blackout layer, not the Crate and Barrel name, is the deciding factor. View the Floral Blackout panel.

Pros, Full room-darkening function, decorative floral print.
Cons, Blackout construction linked to lower model grade, heavier and stiffer fabric hand.

What to Avoid

• Blackout curtains without disclosed lining materials. Based on available data, blackout linings are the single strongest predictor of a Poor grade across every brand in this review, including premium retailers like Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn.
• "Faux linen" or performance-blend fabrics. Synthetic face fabrics marketed as linen substitutes, such as the HPD faux-linen blackout curtain, tend to pair synthetic fibers with additional finishing chemistry.
• Vague "easy-care," "wrinkle-resistant," or "stain-resistant" marketing language. These finishes are rarely itemized on product pages, and in this review even a non-blackout "light filtering" curtain (Pottery Barn Riviera) still scored Poor.
• Textured weaves without a clear fiber content. The waffle-weave shower curtain scored worse than the plain linen version from the same brand, suggesting the texture-stabilizing process matters more than the fiber itself.
• Assuming brand reputation predicts the grade. Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, West Elm, and Parachute each appear on both the Excellent and Poor sides of this list. Always check the specific product, not just the retailer.

These same patterns, coatings and performance finishes driving higher concern, show up across other treated home and apparel categories. See our guides to upholstered furniture and camping gear and tents for related comparisons, since both categories often use similar water- or stain-resistant finishing chemistry.

Our Pick

Based on available materials and public disclosure data, the Crate and Barrel Trevino Cotton Silk Blend Window Curtain Panel and the Pottery Barn Seaton Textured Cotton Light Filtering Curtain stand out as lower-concern options among the fourteen curtains graded here, each earning an Excellent score of 75 out of 100 in our model. Neither claim is a substitute for independent lab testing, and no source reviewed here includes third-party verified PFAS-free certification for any product on this list. If blackout performance is a priority, be aware that every blackout-lined curtain in this review scored Poor, so shoppers weighing light control against materials concern should treat that as a real tradeoff, not an oversight. For a broader look at graded home textiles and other product categories, visit our product finder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all blackout curtains contain PFAS?

Not necessarily, but based on available data in this review, every blackout-lined curtain we graded scored Poor at 30 out of 100, while non-blackout cotton and linen panels scored Excellent. This is an association observed in our model, not proof that blackout linings always contain PFAS, since manufacturers rarely disclose the exact chemistry used in coatings.

Is a higher-priced curtain automatically a lower-concern option?

No. Premium retailers in this review, including Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn, sell both Excellent-graded and Poor-graded curtains within their own lines. Price and brand reputation are not reliable predictors, so it is important to check the specific product page and construction details rather than assuming quality tracks with cost.

Can PFAS in curtains affect my health?

Some research has linked certain PFAS chemicals to health effects, but this reflects an association observed in studies, not a proven cause-and-effect relationship for any specific curtain product. No brand or curtain listed in this article has been independently lab-tested for PFAS content in the sources we reviewed, so statements here describe materials-based estimates rather than confirmed health outcomes.