Q&A: Non-Vinyl Shower Curtain Liners

We received a question from one of our readers, Richard M. He asked, “My wife tends to buy PVC shower curtain liners…do you know of any alternatives to this?” Well this is a great question, and one that TreeHugger hasn’t addressed before so we decided to search. Regular vinyl shower curtains release chemical gases and odors from their ingredients and are manufactured with non-renewable and chemical resources. They are difficult to clean and end up in a landfill where they don't decompose and could release dangerous substances into the ground. The alternative that we liked the best is a curtain made of 100% hemp found at healthgoods.com. Hemp is naturally resistant to mold and bacteria and it is also quick drying which means it won’t trap moisture in the tub like those vinyl liners that only add to mold growth (yuck!). This curtain will get wet, but it will not leak through. This means that no liner is even needed. Although these hemp curtains can be pricey (up to $69.95), they don’t even compare with the vinyl ones that need to be constantly replaced. Thanks for inquiring, Richard! ::Healthgoods.com