Toxic Shower Curtains: Say NO to Vinyl!

I am finally replacing my gross old shower curtains today! This is a statement not often followed with an exclamation point, but I am truly delighted about this, because quite frankly it’s long overdue. That said, my awareness around plastic has grown over these years – with a huge nod of thanks to Fake Plastic Fish, whose blog I’ve been reading for awhile now – so in replacing the old ones, I knew I didn’t want to just go out & purchase another vinyl set.  So I started doing some research today… and you’ll never believe what I found:

Did you know that there are as many as 100 toxic chemicals released into the air from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shower curtains? These chemicals are what make up that “new shower curtain smell” unique to PVC vinyl shower curtains and shower curtain liners, according to Volatile Vinyl: The New Shower Curtain’s Chemical Smell.

PVC is the single most environmentally damaging of all plastics, one reason being is that it contains high concentrations of phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive problems, such as testicular development and fertility, liver cancer and more.

In developing my new eco-friendly + organic baby clothing, I learned a lot about the dangers of these toxic chemicals, which is why I’m proud to say all of the inks used in my silkscreening process are now entirely water-based and phthalate-free.

So there’s “phthalates” & then there’s “PVC”… are they the same?
Sorta. I had this question, too, and here’s how it works: Phthalates are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like vinyl (polyvinyl chloride, aka PVC) more flexible or resilient.  Sadly, phthalates are nearly ubiquitous these days, and are found in packaging, toys, hoses, vinyl flooring, adhesives, detergents, shampoo, hospital supplies, and hundreds of other products.

Coming back to the shower curtain issue, I’m really happy to see that (thanks a lot in part to the study above), you can now find PVC-free shower curtains at many major retailers. Note, however, that manufacturers are apparently not required to label shower curtains (this drives me crazy), but some may list “PVC” or “vinyl” on the packaging, so watch out for that. Also, the recycling code “3” or sometimes “V” indicates the presence of polyvinyl chloride.

Here’s a few great eco-friendly (PVC-free, chlorine-free, biodegradable) shower curtain resources I found:

  • EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) shower curtains – This is the new & improved shower curtain that you can now find available online and most major retail stores, like Bed Bath & Beyond and Target. Prices range from only $8-20. See thumbnails of some available on Amazon below.
  • PEVA – Fun designs available at IKEA for only $1.79-$9.99 or online at VitaFutura ($29-44, depending on design)
  • Cotton or hemp shower curtains are available on these eco-shopping sites: EcoChoices, Pristine Planet, Greenfeet
  • Healthgoods sells a recycled polyester plastic shower curtain that it claims is superior to the fabric options.

I know that when I first started learning about all the toxins around us, I was a little overwhelmed. But I’m really thankful there’s more awareness happening these days, which is making it easier & easier for us to choose healthy alternatives. People are speaking up and companies are listening. The public is waking up and we want safe products! Our health, and the health of our pets and loved ones is all we’ve got in the end. Therefore, it’s key we’re keeping our eyes & ears open to learn about the harmful chemicals, that we may not have even been aware of before now, so that moving forward we can make conscious choices.

Thanks for reading, and thank you for supporting companies who are dedicated to manufacturing eco-friendly products – like WilloToons! :)

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