Haverty · Upholstered Furniture
Havertys Contessa Shiloh
Unknown PFAS status. No brand disclosure on materials or treatments.
Haverty does not publicly disclose PFAS-related information for this upholstered sofa. Upholstered furniture may contain stain treatments with PFAS, but no lab data or brand claims available.
The better-graded swap
Thomasville Furniture
Thomasville Ella tufted sofa beige - 98"Wx35"Dx39"H
75/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
upholstered furniture, likely polyester/poly blend fabric
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.
Flame retardants
Polyurethane foam in upholstered sofas commonly contains flame-retardant additives to meet flammability codes. Haverty does not disclose which class is used in the Contessa Shiloh; brominated retardants pose bioaccumulation concerns, while organophosphate alternatives present lower but non-zero toxicity.
Source, EPA ↗Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and off-gassing
New upholstered furniture routinely off-gasses formaldehyde, toluene, and other VOCs from adhesives, foam, and fabric treatments during the first days to weeks. No testing data is available for this specific model, but this is standard in the category and manageable through ventilation.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester and cotton-blend fabrics may contain formaldehyde-releasing resin finishes for wrinkle resistance or dye-fixation. Without product labeling or testing, presence cannot be confirmed, but is common in budget and mid-range upholstery.
Source, ATSDR ↗Polyurethane foam degradation over time
Standard polyurethane cushioning breaks down with age and UV exposure, shedding microparticles into the air and dust. This is a long-term concern (typically 5-10 years) rather than an immediate hazard, but cushion replacement will be necessary to prevent inhalation exposure.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Heavy metals
Lead and cadmium contamination in fabric dyes is documented in some imported textiles, but no recalls or testing data exist for Haverty products. Risk is lower for this US-distributed brand than for unvetted overseas sources, but remains unverified.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The Contessa Shiloh is an upholstered sofa likely constructed with polyester or polyester-blend fabric over a wood/particle-board frame with polyurethane foam cushioning. This material combination is industry-standard for mid-range furniture but can off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and may contain flame-retardant chemicals applied to the foam or fabric. Polyester textiles themselves are stable when not heated, but the adhesives, dyes, and finishing treatments used in manufacturing are the primary chemical concern.
The brand's record and disclosure
Haverty Furniture does not publicly disclose chemical composition, flame-retardant formulations, or PFAS treatment status for individual products. The company has no known certifications (such as Greenguard or OEKO-TEX) for this model. Industry databases show no recalls or third-party testing results specific to the Contessa Shiloh line, meaning safety information relies entirely on category-level knowledge rather than product-specific verification.
How it compares in its category
This sofa sits in the typical mid-market upholstered furniture range where chemical disclosure is minimal and flame retardants are standard practice. Competitors in the same price and brand tier (Ashley, Wayfair house brands) show similar opacity. Higher-end or certified alternatives (Room & Board, west elm GREENGUARD products) typically provide more transparency, but the Contessa Shiloh reflects common industry practice rather than outlier risk.
If you buy it
Unbox and air the sofa in a well-ventilated space or outdoors for 24-48 hours to allow initial off-gassing of VOCs to disperse. Avoid direct sunlight and heat sources (radiators, fireplaces) which can accelerate degradation of fabric coatings and foam breakdown. Vacuum with a HEPA filter monthly and spot-clean with mild soap and water; do not use harsh solvents. Monitor seams and zippers for wear; replace cushion covers if foam breaks down, as degraded foam particles increase inhalation exposure risk.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 25% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Haverty has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More upholstered furniture 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.