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My Chemical-Free House

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Non-Toxic Shelf and Drawer Liners

April 18, 2021 by Corinne 17 Comments

In a healthy home, I personally would not consider shelf and drawer liners made of PVC, including fabric backed with PVC, or paper coated in PVC, rubber (which is high in VOCs), or cork (which is pressed together with a polyurethane adhesive which offgasses as well).

I consider EVA, polyethylene, and polypropylene to be safe eco-friendly plastics, especially for this application.

Other non-toxic or natural options include paper, fabric, acrylic coated wallpaper, and wood veneer.

The following options are made for shelves, drawers (kitchen and other rooms), dressers, and wire carts. Some can be used in the refrigerator.

I would consider all of these options safe for kitchens, kids’ rooms, and nurseries.

All of the options here are unscented.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

1. EVA Plastic Liners

I like non-PVC plastic with no adhesive on the back best for shelf liners.

I like this clear EVA one from Amazon.

You can also get a solid color heavy-duty EVA Drawer Liner (also non-adhesive).

IKEA also makes EVA liners.

I like EVA because it doesn’t contain phthalates or bisphenols like BPA. EVA foam does have a slight odor but non-foam EVA has practically no odor.

EVA is used in medical and food packaging applications.

The only plastics that contain bisphenols are polycarbonate and epoxy (and about 3/4 of polycarbonate contains bisphenols, source).

a black and white button that says buy that you can click on

Buy clear EVA liners or solid grey EVA liners from Amazon.

2. Silicone Drawer Liners

A roll of silicone shelf liner in light blue

Silicone is very grippy – it’s good for drawers, cabinets, refrigerators, freezers, desks, or anywhere where you want things to grip to it.

Silicone liners are non-toxic, I find I need to air it out for a few hours when it’s brand new. They do not contain an adhesive.

I like these pastel-colored ones which are made from food-grade silicone and have a high degree of heat resistance.

This bright blue one is from Amazon as well.

Silicone is not made with bisphenols or phthalates. So far, from what we know even silicone bakeware is inert and won’t leach chemicals into your food.

a black and white button that says buy that you can click on

Buy pastel-colored silicone liners or bright blue silicone liners from Amazon.

3. Polyethylene (PE/PET) Liners

Polyethylene (PE) is easier to slide items across and so it’s better for kitchen shelves.

There are polyethylene options at the Container Store and the one pictured are from Amazon.

Polyethylene, including PET, HDPE, and LDPE are not known to contain BPA or phthalates (source). PE generally does not have an odor or offgas VOCs.

PE is widely used in applications where a food-safe, or food contact safe, plastic is needed.

a black and white button that says buy that you can click on

Buy polyethylene liners from Amazon or the Container Store.

4. Liners for Wire Shelves

A thick polypropylene plastic liner on a shelf of a metal cart

These liners are a thicker and sturdier plastic used to add a stable layer to wire shelves.

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the safest plastics.

Gorilla Grip specifically states that their liners are made from PP, and the shelf liners for Elfa are also polypropylene.

PP plastics are not known to contain BPA or phthalates (source). Rigid PP is odorless and does not offgas VOCs. It’s used in many food storage applications.

You can also find wire shelf liners made of EVA & PE (two plastics I mention in the above sections), like the Duck Brand Clear Classic Easy Liner Shelf Liner.

a black and white button that says buy that you can click on

Buy polypropylene shelf liner from Amazon. Buy Elfa liners from the Container Store.

5. Paper, Cloth & Wallpaper

Peel and stick wallpaper that can be used as drawer liner by Spoonflower

When I was a child we used paper to line our kitchen cabinet shelves and drawers, so I’m partial to this plastic-free look.

Some of the old-school ones are actual paper (this one is not coated with PVC) and they are harder to find. Many of the paper ones are now backed or coated with PVC. Many are scented now, so be sure to check.

You can use an actual wallpaper, and a non-toxic wallpaper glue if you prefer that look.

Spoonflower (pictured) makes a PVC-free peel and stick wallpaper that is available on Amazon. Their acrylic wallpapers have cute designs and work as shelf liners on many surfaces.

You can also use fabric to line shelves but you normally find this backed with PVC to make it stay in place. I would use a non-woven or cloth wallpaper (that is PVC-free) instead.

a black and white button that says buy that you can click on

Buy non-PVC peel and stick wallpaper from Spoonflower.

Buy non-PVC liner from the Container Store.

(In terms of contact paper, usually used to line the exterior of cabinets or countertops, I have only seen that in PVC vinyl).

6. Wood

Real wood cedar veneer that is in rolls and can be used as a liner

For bedroom shelves or drawers you can use a wood veneer liner.

This cedar liner is only wood, though the reviews describe it as finicky.

I would not use cork shelf liners as the glue used to press the cork together offgasses too much, in my opinion, to make it a truly non-toxic option.

a black and white button that says buy that you can click on

Buy real cedar wood liner from Amazon.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 8 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

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Filed Under: Healthy Interiors Tagged With: healthy decor, healthy interiors

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debra says

    February 11, 2023 at 8:28 pm

    Is there an option that’s not made in China?

    Reply
  2. Christy G says

    October 3, 2022 at 8:58 pm

    Thank you for this post! Saves me time on researching which liners off gas, etc. Also, the links to products are very helpful!

    Reply
  3. Duffy says

    September 30, 2022 at 1:40 pm

    Will any of the recommended shelf liners NOT offgas in glass door kitchen cabinets? We currently have ribbed clear shelf liners and the cabinets with wood doors that don’t have sun shining through them have no smell but the cabinets with glass doors smell pretty strong. Can you recommend a non toxic product that won’t smell when exposed to sun through the glass doors?
    Thank you

    Reply
  4. Meisha says

    July 19, 2022 at 12:34 pm

    Hi there! I am trying to find a nontoxic, reasonably priced shelf and drawer liner. I love all of the wallpaper options from Spoonflower, but it’s a little too pricey for how much I need to buy. I came across Clear Classic Easy Liner from Duck Brand. They state it is made of 80% Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and 20% PE. Is this a safe choice? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Corinne says

      July 19, 2022 at 3:28 pm

      Yes, I mention both EVA and PE in the post.

      Reply
      • Meisha says

        July 19, 2022 at 5:55 pm

        Thank you!!!

        Reply
  5. Kathy says

    February 19, 2022 at 9:40 am

    Do you have any recommendations for shelf liners that would go on a shelf where there are kitchen lights underneath? My lights are creating quite a bit of heat on this shelf where I plan to store some freeze dried or dehydrated food in glass jars for easy access, so it’s just one shelf. I really don’t want the heat transfer on my food. I thought of those garden knee pads as they are thick, but I’m not sure what they are made of and the jars wouldn’t slide over them. Any ideas? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Corinne says

      February 19, 2022 at 12:18 pm

      The thicker polypropylene options made for wire carts might be enough of a thermal break. But if that’s not enough put down something insulative like cork or foam.

      Reply
  6. Debbie M says

    January 13, 2022 at 4:19 am

    I lean toward the silicone liner but not many choices and it’s spendy which I can’t do right now. Do you think it would be ok to use parchment paper? I have in the past. Things do slide around and it has to be replaced eventually because it’s paper and will wrinkle with the slightest amount of moisture which also means you can’t wipe it down. But it’s very inexpensive!

    Reply
    • Corinne says

      January 13, 2022 at 4:29 pm

      I have no problem using parchment paper which is coated in silicone in drawers or on kitchen shelves

      Reply
  7. anonymous says

    December 9, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    Hello , I am actually looking for a shelf liner , and though I read that you prefer EVA and PET . I searched up about PET and EVA and seems like they both are toxic and specially EVA when exposed to heat . Could you pls elaborate how these options are really safe

    Reply
    • JEN says

      February 13, 2022 at 3:01 pm

      I bought some PET shelf liners and they have a strong plastic smell, which also makes me think they are off gassing.

      Reply
    • JEN says

      February 13, 2022 at 3:07 pm

      The PET products like the Con-tact brand also don’t seem to be environmentally friendly. At least most of their products, aside from their EviroLiner range.

      Reply
      • Corinne says

        February 13, 2022 at 3:55 pm

        Con-tact brand is PVC that is why it smells and is offgasing.

        Reply
        • meredith stacy says

          April 24, 2022 at 2:01 am

          I have Con-tact brand paper in various spots in my house. I recently tested it for lead and the white Con-tact paper has more leachable lead than I’ve ever seen on any product ever and I’ve been testing lead for several years. I plan on replacing with something more environmentally friendly, but I need to get the word out as this is a serious problem. I’ve contacted the EPA and the CEH in the past, but do you have any suggestions how to quickly notify consumers to test their Con-Tact paper & remove and replace it if lead is present?

          Reply
          • Corinne says

            April 24, 2022 at 3:12 pm

            Wow interesting. What did you test it with? You might see if Tamara Ruben can post about the results. The problem is we have a liability issue if we didn’t test ourelseves.

          • Kat says

            August 1, 2022 at 1:12 am

            Wow, I suspected there might be lead in older ConTact paper but shocked you found it in a newer plain white one. I now use wax paper for lining pantry shelves, drawers etc. Wax paper turns out to be the easiest and best non toxic liner for every room in my home.

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Hi, I’m Corinne Segura, I hold a certificate in Building Biology, and a certificate in Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, among other credentials below. I have 8 years of experience helping people create healthy homes.

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