Blunt Metro Umbrella
Skip or contact Blunt directly; water-repellent coating coatings often use PFAS, but the brand provides no transparency.
Blunt umbrellas are marketed for water repellency but offer no public disclosure of PFAS use or avoidance in their water-repellent coating treatment. Polyester canopies with unspecified water-repellent coatings carry moderate PFAS concern due to common industry reliance on fluorinated compounds.
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Material
Polyester canopy with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating, type unspecified
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.
water-repellent coating degradation and microparticle release
As the water-repellent coating weathers with use and washing, microscopic polymer and coating fragments may shed from the canopy. No formal testing of the Blunt Metro for microparticle release during wear is on record, but this is a general risk with all coated textiles under abrasion and UV exposure.
PFAS
If the Blunt Metro uses a conventional long-chain PFAS-based water-repellent coating (common until recently), contact with skin or inhalation of wet fabric near the face poses potential PFAS exposure. Blunt's silence on this means the hazard cannot be ruled out and requires direct brand inquiry.
Source, ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Polyester fiber shedding
Polyester canopies can shed microfibers, particularly if the weave is loose or the fabric is damaged. No specific reports link the Blunt Metro canopy to excessive fiber shedding, and this is typical for polyester umbrellas across brands.
Heavy metals
Polyester canopies are typically dyed with synthetic dyes, which may contain trace heavy metals such as chromium or lead. Blunt does not disclose dye chemistry or test results; no recalls or contamination reports are on record for this brand.
Source, FDA ↗Formaldehyde / VOCs
Some fabric finishes, including water repellents, may incorporate formaldehyde-releasing resins as a cross-linking agent. No documentation of formaldehyde use in the Blunt Metro or from Blunt is available; this is a rare concern in umbrellas because the canopy is not body-worn or breathed near intensively.
Source, ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The Blunt Metro uses a polyester canopy with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating applied to the fabric. water-repellent coating finishes are designed to shed water without forming a continuous waterproof membrane, which means they degrade with use and washing. The specific chemistry of Blunt's water-repellent coating formulation is not disclosed by the brand, leaving the PFAS status unknown; many commercial water-repellent coating coatings historically relied on long-chain PFAS compounds, though some manufacturers have begun switching to shorter-chain or non-PFAS alternatives.
The brand's record and disclosure
Blunt does not publicly disclose the composition of its water-repellent coating or provide certifications such as OEKO-TEX, Cradle to Cradle, or similar third-party verification of chemical safety. The brand has not issued statements on PFAS avoidance or use. No major safety recalls or controversies specific to Blunt umbrellas have been documented in public health databases. The lack of transparency makes it impossible to assess whether this product contains legacy PFAS or has migrated to alternatives with lower concern.
How it compares in its category
Most umbrella brands do not disclose water-repellent coating chemistry, so Blunt is not unusual in this regard; however, a small number of premium umbrella manufacturers (notably some European brands) now advertise PFAS-free or low-PFAS water repellent systems. The Blunt Metro is positioned as a durable, design-focused product rather than a sustainability-focused one, which aligns with its silent stance on chemical inputs. In practical terms, polyester canopies with conventional water-repellent coating are industry standard and carry similar disclosure gaps across price points.
If you buy it
Hand wash the canopy gently rather than machine washing to prolong water-repellent coating durability; avoid dry cleaning or heat drying, which can degrade the coating prematurely. Store in a dry place and allow it to air dry fully after use to prevent mildew. Plan to replace the umbrella every 3-5 years as the water-repellent coating inevitably wears down and water beading diminishes. Before purchase, contact Blunt directly to ask whether the water-repellent coating is PFAS-free; their response (or lack thereof) will clarify the risk profile.
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
- Blunt has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More umbrellas 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.