Non Toxic Black Out Curtains and Blinds

Non-Toxic & Organic Blackout Curtains Guide

Are there any organic blackout curtains?

None that I have found so far! Making 100% blackout curtains with natural materials is possible with OEKO TEX certification. However, no brands have yet been able to achieve making blackout curtains with GOTS certified organic fibers and GOTS certified processing techniques— it's very difficult to get an organic blackout curtain with no light coming through.

Non-Toxic Blackout Curtain Fabric

What is OEKO TEX Class I certification for blackout curtains?

OEKO TEX has four product classes: I, II, III, and IV. Class I products have met the strictest requirements and limits, and are certified to be safe for babies and toddlers to touch. Babies and toddlers are more vulnerable to harmful exposures because their detoxification systems aren't fully developed, they engage in hand-to-mouth behavior more often, and their cells are dividing rapidly as they grow, meaning they are more susceptible to mutagenic exposures.

Class II means direct skin contact is safe for adults, and applies to textiles like sheets and pillowcases. Class III and IV are still much safer for you than standard fabric processing— I really want to emphasize that! — and are reserved for items without direct skin contact, decorations, and home textiles you don't touch very often (like most curtains, for example).

Why is GreenGuard GOLD certification important for non-toxic blackout fabric?

While fabrics don't usually have big issues with off-gassing VOCs, blackout curtains are a little different for 2 main reasons. First, heat increases the rate of off-gassing, and fabric can get very hot when hung in a window, especially if you're using them to keep out hot, bright sun. Second, most blackout curtains are made with PVC or other coatings that release harmful VOCs — because it's hard to make natural fabric block light! — so this is an important distinction from the vast majority of the product group.

Is polyester safe in blackout curtains?

Polyester is the best-known synthetic textile, and is actually the same thing as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), what plastic bottles are made of. This is why you see clothing, sheets, and other fabrics advertised as being made from recycled plastic water bottles. Polyester itself is relatively stable once it's made, meaning it doesn't make its way into your body easily. In that sense, it's safe.

Polyester's health issues come from the chemicals that sometimes tag along with it. Antimony is used in the chemical reaction to make polyester, and it remains on the polyester in the final product. Antimony is a metallic element that is associated with lung irritation, and is possibly carcinogenic. BPA, phthalates, and other additives are very commonly mixed with polyester to make the fabric softer, more durable, flexible, and colorfast. Phthalates are absorbed directly through the skin and are linked to developmental and reproductive harm, cancer, metabolic disorders, diabetes and more, with worse health effects in infants and toddlers. Recycled polyester is made from plastic of unknown origin and date, so can contain unknown harmful chemicals. Finally, the process of making polyester poses cancer risks to the factory workers, and virgin polyester requires fossil fuel extraction and petroleum refining, posing long-term health risks to the earth and everyone on it.

All that said (!), polyester tested to have no impurities left on it, or processed according to safer standards, can be essentially harmless to the user. This is especially true if it has GRS, OEKO TEX, or MADE SAFE certification. OEKO TEX Class 1 polyester is definitely the highest standard it can meet, and means it's basically just inert polymer fibers. Any kind of polyester is still a better choice of fabric than PVC (polyvinyl chloride). I use it for lower-contact uses in my home, like in my shower curtain and blackout blinds.

Chemical Additives in Standard Blackout Curtain Fabrics

Are blackout curtains toxic?

Many standard blackout curtains are toxic, because blackout fabric is most often made from a polyester front layer with a foam or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) backing. Foam and PVC can both off-gas harmful VOCs, and this process is sped up when exposed to heat and sunlight, which curtains often are. Other blackout curtains may be cotton or another natural material, but lightly coated in acrylic or other plastic material. You can read more about foam health in my guide here, and more about fabric and its (surprisingly chemically intensive!) processing here.

Are there flame retardants in blackout curtains?

In many blackout curtains, yes. In many states and cities, it's a requirement that curtains used in public spaces meet standards for low flammability set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Ironically, natural fibers have flame retardants added to them more often than polyester and other synthetic fibers, because natural fibers burn more readily. The easiest way to know if your curtains have flame retardants is by looking for GOTS certification, which prohibits them, or for OEKO TEX certification, which prohibits most, and confirming with the company they don't use them.

Why are flame retardants in blackout curtain fabric bad?

Flame retardants are well-known endocrine disrupting chemicals, and are linked with immune system dysfunction and neurodevelopmental issues like ADHD. They do not meaningfully reduce flammability, but are still routinely added to fabrics, especially drapes and curtains. Companies are not required to disclose whether their product contains flame retardants.

Health Benefits of Blackout Curtains

What are the benefits of blackout curtains for sleep?

The main benefit of blackout curtains is circadian rhythm regulation. Outdoor light pollution from street lamps, cars, neighbor's porch lights, and street signs easily finds its way into your bedroom through standard blinds and regular curtains at night, when it should be totally dark. The full moon on a clear night generates 1 lux, but a single LED street light generates 50 lux. Even a very small amount of night time light (over 5 lux) can disturb your clock genes, cause circadian rhythm problems, or prevent deep sleep.

Blackout curtains can also be very helpful if you or your baby needs to nap or sleep during daylight hours.

Finally, blackout curtains can dampen sound and act as an insulator, keeping your bedroom cool and shaded from the sun when it's hot out, or keeping it warmer when it's cold out.

In short, they have benefits for everyone, even if you're not working a night shift and need sleep during the day.

How dark should my bedroom be at night for healthy sleep?

Your bedroom should have less than 5 lux of light while you're sleeping for ideal health. Even a very small amount of night time light (over 5 lux) can disturb your clock genes and cause circadian rhythm problems.

Are blackout curtains bad for you?

No, as long as you choose non-toxic blackout curtains made with healthy materials like OEKO TEX certified fabric, and you use them correctly.

All of the curtains above are made with healthier fabric than standard blackout curtains, which is important so you're not exposed to off-gassing VOCs present in foam-backed or PVC-coated fabrics.

Using them correctly is the next step and is a bit of a grey area. It is definitely beneficial to your health to block excess, human-made, unnatural light out from your bedroom at night. However, it is also very beneficial to wake up to the sun's natural rays, which is where the confusion lies. A couple of options exist to make blackout curtains good for waking up:

Use blackout curtains, but don't seal every crack on the sides: this is the easiest option (which I use myself) that balances blocking out 99% of streetlight, but allows morning sunlight to come in. Sunlight emits tens to hundreds of thousands of times more light than a streetlamp, so even a small crack will send a signal to your eyes and brain that it's time to wake up. For reference, the full moon emits 1 lux, a streetlamp emits around 50 lux, and direct morning sunlight on a clear day emits 100,000 lux.

Completely seal out light from the outside using velcro strips and other techniques (Sleepout has good options) and use a simulated sunrise alarm clock or programmed lightbulb to wake up. Then, open your blinds or go outside when you're ready to get natural sunlight and set your circadian rhythm for the day.

Blackout Curtain Aesthetics

How can I make blackout curtains look better?

Use a portable suction cup blackout curtain to cover just the windows, and hang a regular set of curtain panels in front. When you're ready to impress, simply remove the suction cups and your home is aesthetically pleasing again!