Better Homes & Gardens · Waterproof Outdoor Cushions
3-Piece Outdoor Patio Cushion Cover
Skip due to undisclosed water-resistant coating composition.
Outdoor cushion covers typically use water-repellent coating treatments, often PFAS-based. Better Homes & Gardens provides no public disclosure of coating chemistry or PFAS avoidance on this product.
The safe swap
Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Gardens 19 inch x 18 inch Rectangle Outdoor Seat Pad Cushion, 1-Piece, Medallion
75/100 safety
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
polyester with unspecified water/stain-resistant treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
furniture is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This product is polyester fabric with an unspecified water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) or stain-resistant finish. Polyester itself is stable and does not leach under normal outdoor use. The concern centers on the coating applied to achieve water and stain resistance: these formulations often contain PFAS compounds (Teflon-family coating), though non-PFAS alternatives exist. Better Homes & Gardens has not publicly disclosed the chemistry of their finish, making it impossible to confirm whether PFAS-free treatments were used.
The brand's record and disclosure
Better Homes & Gardens, owned by Walmart, has not published transparency statements or certifications (such as OEKO-TEX or bluesign) specific to PFAS avoidance in outdoor textiles. The brand does not list ingredient or treatment composition on product pages for outdoor cushion covers. This silence is typical for mass-market home goods but prevents informed comparison against brands that do disclose water-repellent coating chemistry.
How it compares in its category
Outdoor cushion covers from budget retailers typically use untested water-repellent coating finishes to hit price points; mid-market competitors like Sunbrella explicitly market PFAS-free coatings and charge proportionally more. Premium outdoor fabric brands (Sunbrella, Crypton) certify their finishes. Better Homes & Gardens sits at the lower end of disclosure and likely uses conventional fluorocarbon water-repellent coating, though this is inferred rather than confirmed.
If you buy it
Use only outdoors or in well-ventilated areas; do not bring cushions inside regularly or store in enclosed spaces where off-gassing could concentrate. Wash covers by hand or gentle machine cycle with water only; avoid high heat dryers, which can degrade polyester and potentially mobilize coating residues. Replace covers if the fabric develops tears, pilling, or visible coating breakdown, as degraded finishes may shed microfibers. Monitor for color fading and stiffness loss, which signal coating breakdown and diminished water resistance.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Formaldehyde resins in textile finishes
Polyester cushion covers sometimes receive formaldehyde-releasing finishes to improve wrinkle and water resistance. No recall or testing has been reported for this product, but the coating composition is not disclosed.
Antimony in polyester fiber
Polyester fibers may contain antimony trioxide as a catalyst; outdoor cushion covers using standard polyester yarn are not known to pose leaching risk in exterior use, though the level in this specific product is not confirmed.
Microplastic shedding from degraded coating and fiber
As the water-resistant coating degrades over seasons of UV and weather exposure, the underlying polyester may shed microfibers, particularly if the fabric develops tears or heavy wear. No specific degradation timeline for this product is documented.
VOC off-gassing from unidentified water-repellent coating finish
Fluorocarbon and other polymer-based water-resistant coatings can release volatile organic compounds during storage, opening, and initial outdoor use. The scale depends on coating type and ventilation; outdoor use minimizes exposure risk compared to indoor textiles.
Allergic contact reaction to dyes or finish residues
Polyester cushion covers are not known to cause sensitization from standard azo dyes or disperse dyes when used as outdoor furniture. No documented incidents for Better Homes & Gardens products in this category.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 35% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Waterproof Outdoor Cushions
Better Homes & Gardens
19 inch x 18 inch Rectangle Outdoor Seat Pad Cushion, 1-Piece, Medallion
polyester fabric fill, cotton cover
Lower concern. No PFAS-prone treatments reported for cushion.
⚠Risky category by default
West Elm
Cut Garden Flowers Pillow Cover
100% cotton canvas
Lower concern. Plain cotton pillow cover unlikely to contain PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
West Elm
Outdoor Knotted Border Pillow
outdoor pillow, likely synthetic fibers or polyester blend
Outdoor pillow with no disclosed PFAS or water-repellent coating treatment info.
⚠Risky category by default
More waterproof outdoor cushions 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.