Have you ever been overwhelmed by the smell of a new shower curtain? It’s a smart idea to look for non-toxic shower curtain alternatives; a report by the Center for Health and Environmental Justice found 108 volatile organic compounds (aka toxic substances) leaching from PVC shower curtains.
Vinyl is one of the most toxic materials on earth, earning itself the nickname “poison plastic”. PVC is toxic all along its lifecycle, from production (releasing harmful air pollutants), to when it’s in your home (off-gassing hormone-disrupting phthalates), to disposal (incinerating vinyl releases cancer-causing dioxin). Rest assured there are safer options, which I have outlined below.
Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. This helps support my writing and website costs, thank you!
Avoid all PVC or Vinyl
As I mentioned earlier these materials contain many hazardous chemicals that can off gas into your home. In addition, the smell is overwhelming! Most shower curtain packages will be labeled as “vinyl” or “PVC” or “polyvinyl chloride”.
Natural Fabric Options
You can use fabric for the internal shower curtain, which is elegant and the safest option out there. I use organic cotton shower curtains. Please note that fabric curtains do require some maintenance, every few months (depending on how often you use the shower) you will need to remove the inner curtain and wash it in the washing machine. My friend and blogger Dr. Karen Lee has a great non-bleach shower curtain-washing recipe here. I have had many fabric curtains and I usually replace it once a year.
Fabric options range in price, cotton and linen being the most affordable (also the most likely to attract mildew). Other fabric materials that are more mildew resistant include: hemp and birch. Hemp is a very sustainable material, but it is expensive – a hemp shower curtain can run you between $75-100.
- Cotton Shower Curtain (Made in USA) – $36.00
- Hemp Shower Curtain – $80.00
- 100% Certified Organic Cotton Canvas Shower Curtain – 49.00
Nylon and Polyester
Nylon and polyester are petroleum based fabrics and have a bigger ecological footprint than the natural fibers I outlined above. Safety wise, nylon and polyester do not off-gas the same way plastic materials do and many are naturally mildew resistant and water repellent.
On a Budget? Try PEVA/EVA.
PEVA/EVA is a safer alternative to PVC and is the most affordable option. If you’re on a budget or just can’t be bothered with washing fabric a few times a year, I suggest going this route. PEVA has similar feedstock to PVC (meaning they are derived from petroleum) so the environmental impacts are still a concern, but PEVA is supposed to be phthalate-free and odor-free.
Sniff Test
If you’re purchasing a non-toxic shower curtain in the store, try opening the package to see if the plastic smells strong. If it does, skip it!
Creating a safer home environment is easy if you have the right information. Please share this with your friends and family and check out my other articles about avoiding toxic chemicals in your home HERE.
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That sniff test has saved me from buying so many items! I remember when I first found out about plastic shower curtains and how shocked I was to realize that these poison plastics are everywhere!This is a great piece that I’m sharing!
Thanks Sara :)
Oh Lindsay, you’re singing our song! PVC is the nemesis of a healthy household, so I’m thrilled to see so many great, safer options!
Vinyl, PVC = blech!
I prefer the fabric shower curtains too – but there’s definitely a mildew issue which is a bummer. I made the mistake of buying a shower curtain online once and the smell was horrible – I had to throw it out!!
PVC is also on the top of my no-no lists. We have shower doors so this is one I haven’t dealt with personally yet! It is crazy how ubiquitous phthalates are. I am suspicious of anything that smells “plasticky.”
Me too. I’ve been having a heck of a time finding a non-PVC bath mat. Blog post forthcoming!
I always thought the smell was a good thing! Oh dear gawd
I have a variety of fabric and PVC free PEVA shower curtains on my website bestofbathdecor.com