Non-Toxic Shelf and Drawer Liners

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.

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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).

2. Silicone Drawer Liners

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.

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 ones 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.

4. Polypropylene Liners for Wire Shelves

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.

5. Paper, Cloth & Wallpaper

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.

(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

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.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 7 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.