INTERESTED IN BUYING ORGANIC BEDDING?
The term organic is being used more and more frequently to market a wide range of products including bedding, clothing and food. But what does it really mean, and does it automatically mean that a product is sustainable?
We will explore what organic bedding is, the types of fabrics that can be used and the relevant certification you should look out for!
WHAT IS ORGANIC BEDDING?
Bedding is usually labelled as organic due to the fabric that is used, whether that be Tencel™, organic cotton or organic linen. It's marketed as a healthier choice and one that tends to offer a more comfortable sleep - both in terms of peace of mind and physical comfort!
Typically, these fabrics must make up at least 95% of the composition for the product to be labelled genuinely organic. One of the more important signs of an organic textiles product (including bedding) is the Okeo-Tex certification.
The Okeo-Tex label shouldn't just be visible on the website, but also within the label itself which should match back to the unique code from the manufacturer or supplier. These are all unique and will give you visibility of the supply chain.
ORGANIC FABRICS
Cotton
Organic cotton typically uses less water and uses no harmful herbicides or pesticides, or fertilisers in production. This protects the natural habit, is good for soil and makes some really nice bedding!
Linen
Linen is made from flax seeds, which naturally require fewer fertilisers and pesticides. It's naturally very sustainable, but very little linen is genuinely organic. So this is a greener option than traditional cotton, but is not necessarily organic.
Hemp
Hemp is another raw material that grows sustainably. It's generally herbicide and pesticide free, and can typically be manufactured in a very green process. Still, it's always best to check for the Okeo-Tex certification!
Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world and has the biggest potential for renewability. It doesn’t require any chemicals, pesticides or fertilisers to grow and the fibre is completely biodegradable.
Bamboo linen is one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics available but takes a very long time to produce just a small amount. Most bamboo fabric that is sold is actually bamboo viscose which is made with the use of toxic chemicals that can be highly damaging to the environment. Be careful buying Bamboo!
Tencel™
Tencel™ is a brand of Eucalyptus lyocell fabric that is made from the cellulose of wood pulp from sustainably sourced materials. Zero harmful pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers means there is n
o damage to the soil and it is by far the most eco-friendly and 'organic' choice.
ORGANIC BEDDING OPTIONS
Buying organic, eco-friendly fabrics is a great way for a person to reduce their environmental impact. The preservation of soils and local ecosystems is more sustainable and water consumption is massively reduced.
Organic bedding certified materials are of course preferable to their non-organic counterparts, but each material is slightly different, and some are better for the environment than others.
For example, organic cotton uses a lot less water than conventional cotton uses and is much more environmentally friendly. However, organic cotton still uses a lot of water and land space.
Other options, such as Tencel™ which is an eco-friendly fabric and naturally organic, use much less water than organic cotton and use less land.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ORGANIC BEDDING?
Read even more about organic bedding, and eco-friendly bedding fabrics. There's some other really interesting articles in our Luxury Bedding Guide - so enjoy!