Every product in this section is audited the same way: what the manufacturer discloses, what independent bodies say about the named ingredients, and what the label leaves out. “Non-toxic” is not a regulated term — so we treat it as the question, not the answer.
What we check on every product
- Full ingredient disclosure — does the brand publish everything, or hide behind “fragrance”?
- Named exclusions — a restricted-substances list that names compounds is checkable. “Clean” is not.
- Third-party classification — how EWG, EPA Safer Choice or the FDA classify what’s actually in it.
- Material composition — for cookware, bedding and furniture, the substrate matters more than the marketing.
- Certification substance — which certifications require testing and which are pay-to-display.
Browse by category
Audits are grouped by where the product is used. Each guide covers the compounds that matter in that category, which products avoid them, and what the trade-offs are.
Kitchen & cookware
Non-stick coatings, ceramic, stainless steel, bakeware and small appliances. The recurring question is whether a coating contains PTFE — see Free From for the chemistry, and our HexClad audit for how one brand handled it.
Personal care
Deodorant, shampoo, skincare, sunscreen and cosmetics. This is where “fragrance” as a single listed ingredient hides the most, and where brand disclosure standards vary most widely.
Cleaning & laundry
Detergents, dish soap, surface cleaners and air fresheners. Products used daily in enclosed rooms, where ventilation matters as much as formulation.
Home & sleep
Mattresses, bedding, furniture, rugs and paint. Highest-exposure category by hours of contact, and the one where certifications carry the most weight.
Why category matters more than brand
A brand can be careful in one category and unremarkable in another. The compounds that matter in cookware have nothing to do with the ones that matter in shampoo, and a company doing well on one is not automatically doing well on the other.
So the audits start with the product category and the chemistry that applies to it — then name the brands that meet the bar. If you came here for a specific company instead, the brand audits answer that directly. If you came for a single chemical, Free From traces it across every product that contains it.
Every audit on this site is built from published disclosures and third-party classifications. Read our methodology — including what we don’t do.
Published audits in this section
Non-Toxic Candles: Who Funded the Research on Your Wax
No US rule defines a non-toxic candle. Industry funded the studies; a 2026 study found soy and beeswax emit 12x more ultrafine particles than paraffin…
Non-Toxic Air Freshener: What the Label Can’t Tell You
No rule defines a non-toxic air freshener. Compare disclosure, Safer Choice and EWG Verified, plus plug-in alternatives ranked by what you can verify.