sandstone linen bedding

Sustainable bedding made from organic cotton, linen or hemp may cost more to start with, but the fibres last longer, and they are also better for the planet and more comfortable. Arrange beds so coloured bedding does not fade in sunlight.

Safe Organic Bedding (without flame retardants)

The reason many people like eco bedding and pyjamas is to avoid chemical fire retardants. But this of course means that you have to be more stringent with advice to avoid fire hazards. But in modern non-smoking bedrooms with smoke alarms, the risk is far smaller anyway:

  • Avoid overloaded plugs & convector heaters
  • Don’t leave warm laptops and phones on beds
  • Test smoke alarms weekly, and know escape routes.
  • Avoid ‘floaty sleeves or nightgowns’ (especially for children)
  • Don’t smoke indoors. Use a personal ashtray outside.

Avoid perfumes, essential oils and scented candles near babies or pets (air rooms before allowing them back in). If using plants, learn toxic plants to avoid near pets (including sago palm and lilies). 

sandstone linen bedding

This linen duvet cover is in a beautiful sandstone red colour, with pretty Pembroke-style stripes. Linen is a very comfortable material for bedding, that’s warm in winter and cool in summer. It also absorbs moisture well, so you retain a comfortable night’s sleep, even if you sweat a lot in bed.

Linen can also be grown in Europe (unlike cotton) so has fewer air miles. It creases a bit, so just  go with ‘crumpled bedding’, and site the bed away from strong sunlight, to avoid fading. Even better, you can safely wash linen, without releasing microplastics from the machine. At end of life, is just biodegrades back to the earth.

This linen is pre-washed for a fabric that should last around a third longer than cotton. Do not bleach fabric. Sold with a set of 2 matching pillowcases.

When time comes to replace, choose a duck-friendly duvet like Fou Furnishings organic cotton duvet (although a few companies use Icelandic down from birds that naturally moult, most down duvets contain feathers from factory-farmed birds).

Types of Sustainable Bedding

dip & doze bedding

Dip & Doze

Sustainable bedlinen is made from natural biodegradable materials. The main choices are:

  • Organic cotton is grown without chemicals, and far better for the planet and wildlife (and farmers).
  • Bamboo is the world’s fastest-growing grass, and has moisture-wicking properties, so is great for a comfortable night’s sleep.
  • Hemp is an organic material that grows locally, and again extremely warm in winter and cool in summer.
  • Linen also grows locally, and is from the flax plant. It has a natural crumpled look, if you’re not a fan of ironing your sheets! It also tends to get softer, with each wash.
  • making it a highly renewable option.

There are certifications like Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and OEKO-TEX® to ensure bedding is free from harmful substances. Or at least look for brands that are transparent about their production, and sold in zero waste packaging.

Tips to Buy Sustainable Bedlinen

dip & doze bedding

Dip & Doze

Consider your design to match bedrooms for years, and obviously budget is a consideration. The other consideration is thread count (higher counts are softer, but are not always the only measure of quality).

Avoid using fabric conditioners, as these can reduce absorbency and increase flammability, and also stop bedsheets being more absorbent, should you need to wash them after spills of liquids.

Non-Confusing Organic Bedding!

Dip Doze striped bedlinen

Dip & Doze is one of the many brands offering beautiful organic cotton bedding. Of course this is better for the planet and oceans, and better for you (more comfy too as it keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer). So why do we recommend this brand?

For a start, it’s more affordable than most. But secondly, because the founders have made it clear they wish to dispense with all the chat to confuse about bedding (housewife and Oxford pillowcases). It’s just sheets and pillowcases!

dip & doze bedding

George knows that however intelligent we are, most people have no idea what thread counts mean, so he decided to use his knowledge of textiles to simply create great bedding, but you don’t need a bedding degree to choose! With matching organic towel bale sets, the range is muted, for a relaxed Scandi feel to your bedroom.

These sets are made with organic Fairtrade cotton, with piped edges and a reversible design. They have an online size guide, and the thread count is 300 (good!) with sewn-in labels and a stop pocket to prevent your duvet poking out. With a concealed corozo nut button closure and reusable drawstring bag (made from product offcuts). Also find linen bedding sets.

Beautiful Organic Cotton Bedding Sets

littleleaf organic bedding

LittleLeaf Organic bedding sets (use code Naturally to receive an extra pair of pillowcases for each set sold) include a sateen weave sheet and pillowcases, with matching duvet cover, all wrapped in organic cotton.

Making a wonderful housewarming treat or a gift to others, choose from many muted colours. The 300 thread count means this is luxury to sleep in too!

Beautiful Organic Bed Blankets

Luks cotton blanket

Luks Linen makes lovely organic cotton blankets ideal to put on beds. These are expensive (made by Turkish artisans) but carry a whopping 20-year guarantee!

If donating old blankets/towels to animal shelters, avoid giving ones with strings and tassles (could tangle in boxes).

How to Choose a Sustainable (vegan) Mattress

Panda bamboo mattress

Choosing a mattress for your bed is a big investment, that will last years (companies you buy from should recycle the old ones, if not your council can usually collect, for a small fee, if booked in advance).

Sustainable mattresses can be a difficult choice. For a start, these companies are usually very expensive, and many people will likely just have to go with a cheaper mattress. But if you can afford a sustainable mattress, most of the ‘eco-friendly’ ones are made from wool, which vegans don’t wish to use. But a vegan mattress may contain chemicals.

Most foam or latex mattresses have up to 4 kilos of fire retardant chemicals that can escape into your bedroom.

It’s best to buy mattresses new. This is important for babies (one risk for crib death is mould from used mattresses). The Lullaby Trust has tips on choosing a safe mattress for babies (avoid cot bumpers).

panda mattress

Panda makes good bedding, including a bamboo mattress combined with recycled polyester for a kind of comfortable memory foam mattress. This company does offer a 100-night trial but will then collect it for free, eliminating the landfill issues.

The zip-off top bamboo cover is easy to remove and keep clean by hand or in the machine. do not tumble dry, and wipe the mattress with a damp cloth. Do not tumble dry the cover, and use a household steamer for a deep clean.

The mattress has up to 1500 encased pocket springs to respond to your sleeping position that alter in firmness where pressure needs to be relieved and goes well with their comfy bamboo duvet and sold with a 10 year guarantee, and sent in zero waste packaging with free delivery. Each item complies with fire regulations.

The duvets are in 4.5 or 10.5 tog for the perfect thickness or combine with SnuggleSnap for some serious warmth. There is a size guide to eliminate confusion on single to double to king and emperor sizes, along with measuring the size of your bedroom.  If you’re over 6 feet, choose a king or super-king to stop your feet hanging over the edge!

If you sleep with someone else (that includes pets), choose a small double upwards, considering the space you need (and the size of your dogs!) and space you need to move around.

vegan mattress

Climate Mattress is the first vegan mattress (no wool or horsehair) that is also eco-friendly. Before that, the vegan mattresses tended to be synthetic. Now you can have both!

This company lets you give them your old mattress, and their trained staff will even take your new mattress upstairs for you, on delivery. Just be sure to ask for collection at checkout, then the old mattresses can be recycled. The company does not offer a 100-day trial, due to 20% returns causing a landfill nightmare.

cottonsafe mattress

Cottonsafe Natural Mattress (from Devon) is also vegan. This has no fire-retardant chemicals or residues that can be inhaled. Handmade to order and side-stitched with flax threads (no glue), to avoid fire you simply use a smoke alarm, don’t smoke in bedrooms, don’t use convector heaters and avoid leaving warm laptops and mobile phones on your bed.

It has a 5-year guarantee and a lovely polyester sleeping surface and is easy to turn with the fillings equal on both sides. The pocket sprung unit is under a thick layer of polyester, with pocket springs in their own pockets to allow the mattress to adjust and respond to your weight. Choose from medium or firm.

These mattresses are made to order to arrive in a few weeks, and are tested as safe by a UKAS certified independent testing house to conform to UK fire regulations, without retardant chemicals.

The company also makes children’s mattresses, but do read the instructions as it must be kept dry as it does not soak up water (if a child vomits) so is used with a waterproof cover. Also never use near open fire or other sources of heat like electric bar or gas fires.

It also makes Futomats (which are mattresses, rather than futons, which are often made with horsehair). UK fire regulations class futons as seats, while futomats are classed as bed mattresses, so have to pass different test to be legal and safe.

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