Environmentally Friendly Beds and Bedding
Sleep well on an environmentally friendly bed
A good night’s sleep is one of those essentials of good health, like proper nutrition and exercise. It improves mood and increases your ability to think clearly and handle stress. Every cell is rejuvenated.
Synthetic bedding products are common, from polyester sheets to polyurethane foam mattresses. They’re made from nonrenewable petrochemicals rather than renewable agricultural fibers, and some people may be affected by formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted from synthetic products. If you are chemically sensitive, bedding products made with natural fibers and with no chemical treatments may be the best way for you to get a good night’s sleep. Even if you aren’t sensitive, you can benefit from the comfort and breathability of products made from natural rather than synthetic fibers.
Fortunately, there’s a long list of excellent natural-fiber bed products to choose from. For sheets and pillowcases, cotton is the most affordable and easy-to-find fiber, but you can also purchase linen, bamboo, hemp, modal (a type of rayon made from beech trees), or even silk bed linens. Blankets are made from a variety of natural fibers. Natural pillows bulge with feathers, down, cotton, wool, kapok, and even milkweed. For the fillings of quilts and comforters, your main choices are cotton, wool, down, silk, and hemp. For the mattress itself, where natural products may be less vital to your comfort and health, there are three types of construction–innerspring, foam, or stuffed–and innards made from synthetics, cotton, wool, hemp, or latex rubber.
If the list seems long–don’t despair. The rest of the articles in our bedding section can help you figure out which solutions will work best for you. Click on the following links to go to straight to the specific bedding topics or read on to get a great overview.
Detailed bedding articles
- Sheets
- Mattress and Pillow Covers
- Pillows
- Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
- Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames
Top Tips
When shopping, look for
- Organic cotton. Some part of your bed will no doubt be made of cotton. Be sure the cotton you buy is organic. Conventional cotton uses even more pesticides per acre than growing food, so it’s even more important to the earth to buy organic cotton than it is to buy organic food.
- Sheets and pillowcases with no added formaldehyde. The main health concern associated with bed linens is formaldehyde, which provides wrinkle resistance in many fabrics. In high concentrations, though, it can cause asthma attics, nausea, a burning sensation in the eyes, nose and throat, and even cancer.
- Formaldehyde-free wood components. The main source of formaldehyde emissions in most homes is composite wood. Make sure your bed doesn’t add to the problem.
- Breathability. Synthetic bedding tends to be less breathable than natural products, so some people find it less comfortable.
Other Considerations
If you want to avoid petrochemical-based products, there are plenty of natural-fiber linens, bed covers, mattresses, and bedding accessories to choose from. But keep in mind that all-natural mattresses are harder to find and may cost you more than conventional mattresses.
Benefits…
…to you and your health
A natural bed can be healthier and increase the air flow around your body, which may allow you to sleep better.
…to your wallet
The initial investment in a natural bed is high (more than $1,000), but you can make the transition gradually by starting with sheets that have no added formaldehyde.
…to the Earth
Natural fibers are renewable. And if you buy cotton that is grown organically (without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), you’ll spare the environment.
Common Mistakes
Too much washing and drying. Stay clean, but don’t over-wash your bedding. Too many trips to the washing machine–or leaving it too long in the dryer–wastes water and energy and wears out the fabric. See the Washers and Dryers article for tips on eco-friendly laundering.
Getting Started
If a complete natural bed makeover is beyond your budget, purchase components one by one. Start closest to your body and work away, creating more and more layers between your body and the synthetic mattress. All of these component parts can eventually be used with your natural-fiber mattress to make a completely natural bed.
Here’s a list of bed components in the order that you might want to replace them. For more information, click on the topic headings.
- Sheets
- Mattress and Pillow Covers
- Pillows
- Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
- Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames
August 19th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Check us out. http://www.myessentia.com.
We invented natural memory foam. Biodegradable foam which feels like memory foam but has non of the toxic ingredients.
October 17th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I wanna give a piece of advice. When you decide to purchase new furniture, be sure to dispose of your old items in the most eco friendly way possible (otherwise you are harming the nature with that garbage!).
You have several options available to you. You can donate the items to places like Goodwill or your local women’s shelter.
- T.Vincent
Queen size mattress
Miami
October 28th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Have you ever gotten a new comforter and when you took it out of the package, it smelled like chemicals? Yuck! I now try to only buy Organic certified cotton sheets, or bamboo fiber sheets, and other certified bedding materials. As far as donating to Goodwill and other places…. be careful with that because even those companies throw away a lot of what is given to them. Best bet: give it to the homeless, needy, or shelters where it WILL be used and probably right away!
November 6th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I NEED SOME NEW SHEETS AND A NEW MATTRESS. THEY ARE TOO OLD. I MIGHT LOOK INTO ECO-FRIENDLY BEDDING STUFF.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
How green are air mattresses?
October 26th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
See, I knew there was a reason why I visited your site. Its because of informative stuff like this. Appreciate it for the article. Look forward to more. See ya!
February 21st, 2011 at 9:18 pm
Thank you for the time and thought you have put into informing the people. There is a tremendous need for networks and blogs to educate consumers about eco-friendly products. As owner of http://www.northernnaturals.com I see a growing need for products that are non-toxic and chemical free. we offer an online marketplace for many bedding products and happy to spread the word.
July 10th, 2011 at 4:46 pm
As we push towards more eco-friendly products one must give consideration to 100% Bamboo bedding. 100% bamboo bed linens can provide qualities that lend towards a healthy sleep environment. Bamboo bedding has unsurpassed qualities-repels bed bugs and mites, is stain and odor resistant, thermal regulating-moisture wicking, hypoallergenic and antimicrobial and the softness has been compared to cashmere. Bamboo bedding is just good for you and the environment.
April 19th, 2012 at 10:32 pm
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July 22nd, 2012 at 9:10 am
Bedding of high quality has its great value when it comes to health.Decorative pillows become quite important as it touches your skin all the day.
December 26th, 2012 at 6:07 am
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April 18th, 2013 at 7:54 am
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