Vinyl shower curtains are scary!

Matt Hickman posted a great response to the question of why standard PVC shower curtains are so dangerous to our health and environment on the Mother Nature Network yesterday. Here is an excerpt:

"...PVC vinyl shower curtains... contain the infamous and ubiquitous chemical plasticizer, phthalates, and a slew of other toxic chemicals that can easily off-gas in a hot ‘n’ steamy bathroom and pollute the air in your home. In various studies, phthalates have been linked to a myriad of health concerns including genital deformation, abnormal breast development, lowered IQs and ADHD in boys; shortened pregnancies in expectant mothers; and damage to the liver, kidney and reproductive system."

On recyclability he wrote:

"...PVC, a compound of chlorine and petroleum products, is the hardest to recycle of all the plastics and the production of it is highly polluting and releases carcinogenic dioxins into the air."

On safer alternatives he wrote:

"Mercifully, there are numerous alternatives to vinyl shower curtains made from materials like hemp, organic or non-organic cotton, and non-off-gassing EVA plastic, but be warned, you’ll probably have to pay a bit more. But as evidenced above, I think you’d agree it’s worth it. While perfectly acceptable, non-vinyl shower curtains can be found at major retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond and Target, I’m a huge fan of Grain’s Ty Shower Curtain that’s made from recyclable, long lasting and breathable — less mold and mildew! — HDPE (#2 plastic). For a couple bucks more, Grain also offers a Ty DIY Edition that comes with a permanent marker for shower curtain doodling."

Thanks Matt!

PEVA vs. HDPE

We have had a few questions about Ty - specifically how it is different from the PVC-free Polyethylene Vinyl Acetate (PEVA) shower curtains already available at many retailers such as Target and Ikea.

Here's what we know and why we developed Ty...

While PEVA claims to be both PVC-free and recyclable, we've found it difficult to locate information on how to recycle PEVA curtains. Being #2 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, Ty is PVC-free and readily recyclable all across the U.S. (even curbside in many locations).

If your local recycling program does not pick up #2 plastic, you can mail Ty back to the material manufacturer or use one of these sources for HDPE recycling.

Currently, it is not recommended to machine wash PEVA shower curtains and they are just as likely to develop mold and mildew as vinyl. Ty is mold and mildew resistant, extremely durable and even machine washable. We expect Ty to have a much longer lifespan than existing alternatives.

We also make and source Ty right here in the U.S., so there is less transportation in the process.

Hope this helps!

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