Looking for real-world experience: PVC-free (TPO) vs. traditional PVC-coated solar shades – GreenBuildingAdvisor

Hi all — hoping to tap into some collective experience before I finalize a solar shade order.

The situation: I’m replacing solar shades on a large south-facing (slightly east) window on the 13th floor, directly across from the beach, so it gets intense, sustained sun and heat. I’m looking at 5% openness fabric, and I’m trying to decide between:

• A traditional PVC-coated polyester/fiberglass fabric (the industry standard, GREENGUARD certified)
• A PVC-free option — either TPO or 100% PVC-free polyester

My hesitation with PVC: I know GREENGUARD certification is supposed to address indoor air quality/VOC concerns, but from what I understand it’s tested at a baseline of around 73°F. My window gets well beyond that in direct sun for hours a day, and I haven’t been able to find good information on whether off-gassing behavior changes meaningfully at higher sustained temperatures. Has anyone dealt with lingering odor or off-gassing in a similarly hot/sunny installation, PVC or otherwise?

My hesitation with TPO/PVC-free: From what I’ve read, TPO fabrics can be more prone to fading and may have somewhat worse wear resistance over time compared to PVC-coated fabric, and PVC-free polyesters can be harder to keep clean and may stretch more. Given the heat and UV load my window sees, I’m wondering if a PVC-free fabric will actually hold up worse in my specific conditions — which would defeat the purpose of choosing it for “healthier” reasons if I just end up replacing it sooner.

What I’m hoping to learn from this group:

1. Anyone with direct experience with PVC vs. TPO/PVC-free shades in a hot, high-UV, south-facing exposure (fading, odor, longevity, cleaning)?
2. Any brands/lines you’d specifically recommend or avoid for this kind of exposure?
3. Is the cost premium for true PVC-free fabric (I’m seeing roughly $1,000+ more all-in) actually justified by performance, or is it more about the environmental/health angle?
4. On PVC off-gassing specifically: in a real installation with sustained heat/sun exposure (not just the first week), how long did any odor actually persist for you? I can tolerate a few weeks of a “new” smell if I can stay elsewhere during that window, but I want to understand whether it’s realistically a short-term thing or something that lingers faintly on hot days indefinitely.
5. On TPO specifically: a shade retailer’s saleswoman told me she no longer recommends their TPO-only fabric because in intense heat it “sweats” (becomes tacky/damp-feeling). Has anyone experienced this with TPO shades, or is this specific to certain manufacturers’ formulations rather than TPO as a material generally?

Appreciate any first-hand experience — trying to make a decision based on how these materials actually perform over years, not just spec sheets. Thanks!