HLC.me · Stain-Resistant Textiles
HLC.me Modena Lattice Fabric Tablecloth
Avoid unless stain-resistance is confirmed PFAS-free.
Polyester lattice tablecloth with stain and water-resistant coating, historically relying on PFAS-based water-repellent coating chemistry. No PFAS disclosure or certifications provided.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
polyester fabric with stain/water-resistant finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Stain-resistant water-repellent coating coatings on budget polyester tablecloths commonly contain PFAS compounds (Teflon-type coating, PFOA, or alternatives). No public confirmation exists that this specific product is PFAS-free. Potential routes, skin contact and oral ingestion via food if the tablecloth sheds coating particles onto dishes.
Source, ATSDR ↗Formaldehyde / VOCs
Budget polyester fabrics may use formaldehyde-based resins to set dyes or improve wrinkle resistance. No disclosure or testing data is public for this product. Off-gassing risk is low after washing, but new tablecloths can emit detectable formaldehyde odor.
Source, ATSDR ↗Coating degradation and microfiber/particle shedding
As the water-repellent coating finish wears with washing and use, the coating may flake or shed microscopic particles. If the finish contains PFAS, this becomes a secondary exposure route. Lifespan and durability data are not published for this product.
What’s reassuring
Antimony in polyester fiber
Polyester fibers are sometimes catalyzed with antimony during production. No specific recalls or reports exist for HLC.me or Bed Bath & Beyond tablecloths; this hazard is theoretical and uncommon in finished textiles, but untested in this product.
Azo dyes and dye stability
The lattice pattern is printed or woven; if printed with azo dyes, certain restricted azo compounds could theoretically transfer to food under wet conditions. No specific reports exist for this product or brand; OEKO-TEX testing would rule this out.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This tablecloth is polyester fabric with an applied stain and water-resistant (water-repellent coating) finish. The polyester base itself is inert once woven, but the water-repellent coating is the concern, most commercial stain-resistant finishes on affordable tablecloths historically used PFAS-based chemistry (perfluorocarbons) because they excel at repelling oils and water. Without explicit PFAS-free certification from HLC.me or Bed Bath & Beyond, the finish composition remains undisclosed.
The brand's record and disclosure
HLC.me and Bed Bath & Beyond have not published explicit PFAS phase-out commitments or finish chemistry disclosures for this product line. Neither brand appears on public lists of retailers with strong PFAS transparency policies. Bed Bath & Beyond's private-label home textiles generally lack third-party certifications (e.g., OEKO-TEX, Cradle to Cradle) that would rule out problematic finishes. This silence on chemical formulation is typical for budget home textiles but represents a transparency gap.
How it compares in its category
Budget polyester tablecloths with water-repellent coating finishes occupy a higher-risk category than untreated cotton or linen alternatives, which require no water-repellent coating. Mid-range brands like Threshold (Target) and some Wayfair house lines have begun publishing PFAS-free water-repellent coating claims; HLC.me has not. Premium certified options (GOTS organic cotton, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 polyester) eliminate this uncertainty but cost significantly more. This product sits in the opaque middle tier.
If you buy it
Before purchase, contact HLC.me or Bed Bath & Beyond directly to request the water-repellent coating finish specification and PFAS status; save the response. Wash the tablecloth once before first use to reduce any loose chemical residue. Avoid prolonged contact with skin immediately after purchase; do not use for infant feeding or close face contact until washed. Replace if the stain-resistant finish visibly degrades, peels, or flakes, as this may indicate coating breakdown.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- HLC.me has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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Azo dyes and colorfast concerns
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⚠Starting grade for this product type
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Skip pending brand verification of finish treatment.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
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No PFAS disclosure available from brand on this cover.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
More stain-resistant textiles 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.