Sunbrella · Outdoor Furniture Cushion Protectants
Crate & Barrel Sunbrella 20"x20" Cabana Wheat Yellow Stripe Outdoor Throw
Sunbrella uses water-repellent coating treatment; PFAS composition undisclosed by brand.
Sunbrella outdoor fabrics use water-repellent finishes standard to the industry, but the brand does not publicly disclose PFAS-free certification or testing results. Contact Sunbrella for treatment specifics.
The better-graded swap
Blazing Needles
74 in by 19 in Outdoor Solid Polyester Tufted Chaise Lounge Cushion
85/100 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
Sunbrella solution-dyed acrylic with water-repellent coating finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Crate & Barrel Sunbrella Outdoor Throw is made of, ingredients and materials
This throw is Sunbrella solution-dyed acrylic, meaning colorant is built into the fiber itself rather than applied topically, which reduces dye migration. The water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish is the variable, Sunbrella does not publicly disclose whether their water-repellent coating treatment contains PFAS or fluorine-free alternatives. Solution-dyed acrylic is inherently more stable than printed fabrics and resists fading, but the finish composition remains opaque to consumers.
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
Sunbrella's water-repellent coating treatment composition is proprietary and not publicly disclosed. If PFAS-based, washing and skin contact could mobilize trace amounts; fluorine-free water-repellent coating would eliminate this risk. No recalls or consumer reports of harm from this product are on record.
Source, ATSDR ↗VOC off-gassing or odor on first use
New outdoor textiles may emit mild VOCs (finishes, dyes) for the first few uses. Washing before use and air-drying in open air mitigates this. No reports specific to this product, but typical of finished textile goods.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Solution-dyed acrylic typically avoids formaldehyde-releasing finishes used in reactive dyes on cotton blends. No formaldehyde concerns are documented for Sunbrella acrylic throws. Standard acrylic dyeing does not require formaldehyde.
Source, ATSDR ↗Azo dyes and colorant stability
Sunbrella solution-dyed fibers use synthetic disperse dyes engineered into the polymer; these are not azo-based heavy-metal dyes. The 'Cabana Wheat Yellow' coloring is built in during extrusion, not applied topically, which reduces leaching risk.
Flame retardants
Sunbrella acrylic is inherently flame-resistant due to fiber chemistry and does not require added flame retardant treatments. No brominated or chlorinated additives are documented in this material class.
Source, EPA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Sunbrella is owned by Glen Raven and is the market leader in solution-dyed outdoor textiles. The brand has not published a formal PFAS disclosure statement or commitment to PFAS-free formulations, despite industry pressure. Sunbrella products are widely specified in hospitality and residential use but lack third-party certifications (e.g., Oeko-Tex, GOTS) that would independently verify chemical content. This silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is the primary transparency gap.
How it compares in its category
Sunbrella acrylic outperforms typical polyester outdoor textiles in UV stability and colorfastness, reducing replacement frequency. However, many competitors now offer PFAS-free or fluorine-free water-repellent coating alternatives (e.g., Crypton, some Perennials lines), which Sunbrella has not widely adopted. The throw's price point and durability are competitive, but chemical disclosure lags peers in the premium outdoor segment.
If you buy it
Wash before first use and regularly (quarterly for outdoor use) with mild detergent and cool water to reduce surface residue and any loose finish particles. Avoid direct prolonged contact with skin if you have sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivities, as water-repellent coating finishes can occasionally cause mild irritation. Store dry to prevent mildew; do not dry-clean, which may concentrate finish chemicals. Replace if visible degradation occurs (loss of water repellency, fraying, fading beyond normal use).
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Sunbrella has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Crate & Barrel Sunbrella 20"x20" Cabana Wheat Yellow Stripe Outdoor Throw?
Blazing Needles
74 in by 19 in Outdoor Solid Polyester Tufted Chaise Lounge Cushion
- Polyester fill with polyester cover
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes in polyester textiles
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- mineral oil, argan oil blend
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 100% cotton canvas
- Azo dyes and dye contamination
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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.