In the interior design world, many clients love stain resistant coatings. They are easy to take care of, you can have the white fabric that you love, and it is great if you have kids. Yet, have you ever looked to see what is in these coatings that makes them work? It is not pretty.
One of the toxins in stain resistant coatings is perfluooctanoic acid or PFOA. This chemical is also used in food packaging such as microwave popcorn bags, Gore-Tex clothing and non-stick pans. It is a well know fact that the out-gassing of PFOA from cooking with non-stick pans is responsible for many bird deaths a year, in fact 19 million bird deaths a year. PFOA is also gradually released in the breakdown of stain resistant coatings.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 95% of people have PFOA in their blood. There is argument over long term health effects and from what source PFOA is entering into our blood. In studies it has caused tumors in rats. Yet, I am not sure that I need any more evidence than the fact that it kills birds quiet rapidly under a low dose exposure. Do you? And this is just one of the chemicals that is found in stain resistant coatings.
It is not worth the risk to use a stain resistant coating just to have that white sofa. Use fabrics that are suited for a high traffic environment without all the added chemicals. Use a print, use a texture, or use slipcovers. Also, just making sure that food stays in the kitchen saves a lot of stains.
My words of wisdom: Believe in love, in possibility, in going after your dreams, in never stopping, in not existing but living - fully, unapologetically and wildly, believe that all is good, and always trust your gut. 
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