Crate and Barrel · Outdoor Furniture Cushion Protectants
Crate & Barrel Surya Yellow Throw Pillow
Lower concern; basic throw pillow with no known PFAS markers.
This throw pillow uses untreated polyester or cotton blend with standard dyes, no water repellency or stain resistance. Crate & Barrel hasn't disclosed any PFAS involvement.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Polyester, cotton, or cotton-blend fabric with standard dyes
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.
Azo dyes and color migration
Yellow dyes in polyester-cotton blends may use azo chemistry, which is regulated but not banned in home textiles. Risk of dye bleeding is low with modern fixatives, but washing before use and avoiding prolonged contact with light skin (especially for infants) reduces any theoretical concern.
Flame retardants
US flammability law (16 CFR 1633) requires some form of flame resistance in pillow covers and filling; Crate and Barrel likely uses standard brominated or phosphorus-based retardants. Exposure during normal use (sitting against the pillow) is minimal and not established as a health risk in peer-reviewed literature, but no product-specific disclosure confirms the compound type.
Source, EPA ↗Microplastics
Polyester textiles shed small fibers during washing and normal wear. Shedding from a decorative pillow is negligible compared to clothing, and these fibers are not ingested or inhaled in meaningful quantities during normal use as a throw pillow.
Source, EPA ↗What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester does not inherently contain formaldehyde. Cotton-polyester blends sometimes receive formaldehyde-releasing resins for wrinkle resistance, but Crate and Barrel throw pillows are not marketed as wrinkle-resistant, suggesting minimal or no resin treatment beyond standard finishing.
Source, ATSDR ↗Antimony in polyester
Antimony is used as a catalyst in some polyester production but is chemically bound during polymerization and does not leach into air or skin contact under normal room-temperature conditions. No evidence suggests it accumulates in residential polyester furnishings.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This pillow is a polyester-cotton blend with synthetic dyes applied to achieve the yellow color. Polyester is a stable, inert plastic fiber that does not break down or leach chemicals during normal use. Cotton contributes breathability and reduces reliance on pure synthetics. The dye system used in standard home furnishing textiles is typically disperse or reactive dyes, which are bound to fibers and do not migrate into air or skin under normal conditions.
The brand's record and disclosure
Crate and Barrel does not publicly disclose detailed chemical inventories, flame retardant formulations, or dye sourcing for individual products. The brand is not known for major safety recalls or public controversies involving throw pillows or soft furnishings. They comply with US flammability standards (16 CFR 1633 for furniture) but do not advertise third-party certifications such as OEKO-TEX or GOTS for standard home goods.
How it compares in its category
Throw pillows are low-risk soft furnishings compared to upholstered seating or mattresses because of minimal skin contact and no pressure-loading that would stress seams or coatings. This product sits in the mainstream retail market; it uses conventional materials and processes similar to competitors from West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Target. No independent testing or known incidents differentiate it as higher or lower hazard than typical mass-market decorative pillows.
If you buy it
Wash before first use to reduce loose dye and any finishing chemicals. Use cool water and mild detergent; avoid high heat in the dryer, as excessive heat can degrade polyester fibers slightly and increase VOC release (though minimal at typical household temperatures). Replace if outer seams fray significantly or if filling compacts unevenly, as these suggest loss of structural integrity. Store in a dry location to prevent mildew growth on the cotton component.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 78% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Crate and Barrel has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More outdoor furniture cushion protectants 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.