These sustainable bedding brands can help cozy up your sleep space

With the leaves falling and temperatures dipping, there’s no better time to cozy up your bedroom, and create a dreamy sleep sanctuary. And if you’re looking for the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, how about healthy sleep through new bedding?

I never realized how important quality bedding was until we were traveling full-time in our RV, which taught me to buy better, not more. Besides, one of the best aspects of RV life, is that your bed is with you wherever you go. So why not make it the coziest bed you’ve ever slept in? After all, we spend 1/3 of our life asleep, so if there’s one area worth splurging on, I’d say it’s your bed.

Unfortunately, not all bedding is created equal. It’s scary to think about the toxic chemicals found in most pillows, blankets, and sheets.

Thankfully, there are sustainable bedding brands out there who have made it their mission to create more mindful products that are safe for people and the planet.

If you’re ready to elevate your bed and create healthier, more restful sleep, here are 6 ethical and eco-friendly brands to consider.

Side Note: If you sleep hot (like me), then you’ll find this post especially helpful as the products mentioned below are cooling and cozy.

Magic Linen is a small, family-based business that specializes in bespoke linen home textiles and clothing. All of their products are made from European flax that are ethical, eco-friendly and Oeko-Tex certified. They have an in-house production facility where they hand-make every product, and you can even reach out to them directly so inquire about custom orders.

I’ve purchased their bedding products in the past (along with their face masks), and am obsessed with everything they make. Not only are their stonewashed linen products timeless and beautiful, but they are high-quality and feel oh-so-luxurious, cooling, and cozy. Plus, all of their products are made in Lithuania, Europe where linen has deep roots in folklore and mythology. Their products are available through their website, Amazon, and Etsy.

First impression and experience:  As mentioned above, I already own a few of their linen products, but they sent us their Natural Linen Duvet Cover Set, linen sheets, pillowcases, and waffle blanket I love the thought-out eco-friendly packing the products come in, and the linen felt very thick and luxurious. It did take a couple washes to soften it up, but that’s how linen works, and it will continue to get even softer over time. I chose neutral bedding with the exception of the cinnamon top sheet and body pillow cover, which are so pretty! It’s easy to see how well made their products are based on the simple yet beautiful details, down to the coconut button closures.

Benefits: Linen comes from the fibers of the flax plant. It’s environmentally-friendly, hypoallergenic, and highly absorbent. It’s also durable and gets softer with every wash. And because linen is a breathable fabric, it will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Not to mention, linen has a laid-back, effortless style that feels casual, natural, and rustic. Even a messy bed will look beautiful in its own right.

Use promo code BLFRIDAY2021 through November 21, to save 20%!

Sijo focuses on beautiful and timeless home essentials, such as bedding, loungewear, and aromatherapy, all created with integrity for the modern home. Their bedding options include Eucalyptus and French Linen. Anni Stromfeld started it with the vision of creating a global brand that inspires mindful living. She was joined by Jacob Xi, a friend she’s known since middle school, who is passionate about creating products that are beautiful and meaningful. They partner with the Joyful Heart Foundation by donating a percentage of sales to help sexual assault and domestic violence survivors.

“We believe home is more than just the physical space. A mindful home reminds us of the good things in life such as harmony, health, and happiness. We create beautiful and timeless home essentials for the modern home that you will love for decades.”

– Anni & Jacob

First impression and experience: They sent us their Eucalyptus Bedding Bundle, and I chose the forest sheet set and snow duvet cover. The material felt buttery soft, and cool to the touch. It may seem like a small thing, but I appreciate how the sheets include labels for the “bottom/side.”  The material felt luxurious, and dare I say, sexy?

True confession, I’ve been on the fence about Eucalyptus bedding because it always seemed so shiny, and I prefer the matte look of linen and hemp. With that said, I’m so happy to have finally given it a try because the material is a hot sleeper’s dream come true. Plus, it became slightly less shiny after a couple of washes (though it still has some sheen). However, the best part is that the duvet cover feels like our cooling duvet insert, which I love. And to quote Eric, “These are it. These are my favorite sheets.” Yup, this is the bedding we didn’t know we needed.

Benefits: This sustainable bedding is Oeko-Tex certified and is sure to help you sleep cool and comfortable due to the natural properties of the TENCEL™ lyocell fabric, which is made from a blend of sustainably farmed eucalyptus and other wood sources. It’s hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, buttery soft, static-free, and feels oh-so-luxurious. If you sleep hot, TENCEL is definitely a material to consider!

Eucalyptus bedding can also be pretty wrinkly, just something to keep in mind. Though it doesn’t seem to be as wrinkly as hemp or linen, at least not when you take it out of the dryer (make sure it’s on the lowest setting.)

Use promo code MOUNTAINMODERNLIFE  to save an additional 20% on top of the 20% you save when buying the bedding bundle.

Bearaby makes beautiful, chunky, hand-knit, weighted blankets that are ethically sourced using quality, sustainable materials. They don’t use any artificial fillers or plastic pellets like conventional weighted blankets, but instead use patented weighted yarn. They are on a mission to free the planet from synthetic weighted blankets that are uncomfortable to use and bad for the environment. Their blankets come in various colors, weights, and materials, including organic cotton, TENCEL, and eco-velvet.

“Weighted blankets have been medically proven to aid naturally deeper sleep cycles. The weight on your body stimulates the production of serotonin (the happy hormone), reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), and increases melatonin, which helps you fall (and stay) asleep. A knitted weighted blanket is supposed to help you sleep better and feel calmer, naturally.” – Bearaby

First impression and experience: They sent us their cotton napper in cloud white, and I immediately thought the packaging was clever and creative. Once I removed the blanket (which is heavy) from the bag, I was honestly blown away by the quality. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was even prettier in person. The cotton is cool to the touch and super soft, more so than I had expected. I immediately wanted to take a nap and test this baby out. Once I snuggled up with it, I found it to be cozy, calming, and comforting. 

Is it weird that I now think about this blanket during the day? It’s become my dedicated “Yoga Nidra” blanket that I use for my sleep meditations, and the weight is so cozy and comforting. I was worried I’d feel claustrophobic or hot under a weighted blanket, but surprisingly, that’s not the case. They do offer the Tree Napper, which is made of TENCEL and perfect for hot sleepers, but I feel like the cotton napper is cooling and cozy at the same time.

I’ve wanted a chunky knit blanket for some time now and love that this cotton napper offers the look while also offering the benefits of being weighted. It’s the blanket I didn’t know I needed, though I must have been crazy to get it in white, being that we have pets who seem to love snuggling on top of it. Though it is machine washable.

Benefits: Weighted blankets include health benefits like improved sleep and reduced anxiety. This blanket is naturally breathable,100% biodegradable, vegan, and machine washable. It’s also OEKO-TEX® and Fairtrade International certified (95% Cotton, 5% Spandex). 

Your Napper should be roughly 10% of your body weight (i.e. 150lb body weight = 15lb Napper). This blanket makes for a beautiful throw and napping companion, but it’s meant for one person (though they do have a bigger size available.) While this blanket can help naturally calm and soothe you, resulting in better sleep, it’s not recommended for people with pre-existing medical conditions such as sleep apnea. 

If you tend to sleep hot, make sure your comforter is on the cooling side. This will allow any temperature regulating duvet covers to do their job. Otherwise, it’s a lost cause.

Buffy was created by Leo Wang, who has 20+ years of experience working in the bedding industry alongside his family. They are committed to using sustainably grown fibers and recycled fluff to create sustainable bedding that’s as soft on the earth as it is on your bed.

They didn’t send me any products to review, but I purchased the Cloud comforter for our RV bedroom back in 2017 after seeing an ad on Instagram and quickly became obsessed with it!

The Buffy Cloud outer shell is woven from earth-friendly lyocell fiber, and the inside is filled with recycled PET bottles. They also offer the Buffy Breeze, which is even more cooling, though on the thinner side vs. the loftier Cloud comforter.

I still have the queen-size comforter we used in our RV, but wanted to buy a larger one for our California King size bed. I was excited when I discovered Bed Bath and Beyond had the Buffy cloud in stock locally. Unfortunately, they only had the twin size available, but it was on sale and I read a comment about someone using two twins to make a king-size comforter. I thought this was a genius idea, especially since I really wanted an oversized comforter, which can be hard to come by and is not something Buffy currently offers. So I bought 2 twin size comforters, and my mom created a custom oversize comforter for our bed (thanks, mom!)

First impression and experience: The Buffy Cloud comforter is silky soft, cool to the touch, feels fluffy and, as the name suggests, cloud-like. I’ll admit I’ve never used an actual down comforter because I prefer vegan bedding that’s cruelty-free, so I can’t compare it to one of those. With that said, this is by far the best comforter I’ve owned to date, and it’s only gotten softer over the years. I freaking LOVE this comforter! (The newer version is now machine-washable, which is a plus, though true confession I’ve machine-washed our older one many, many times, and it’s still holding up great.)

Benefits: Eco-friendly, vegan, cooling, machine-washable, and each comforter recycles approximately 50 plastic bottles.

You can also find their blankets on Amazon, but if you order through their website, they do offer a 7-day trial period. However, based on reviews some people have been confused about how it works, which seems to make up the bulk of any bad reviews. It seems the trial starts once you place the order, so shipping days are included which doesn’t make much sense. For that reason you basically want to let them know within 1-2 days of receiving your order if you plan to return it, otherwise you’ll probably be charged the full amount, even though you can still request a refund if you choose to return it during the 30 day window. It can be a little confusing, but the trial isn’t why I bought the blanket so I wasn’t too concerned about it.

Clean sheets may just be my favorite thing ever and being that we allow our pets to sleep in our bed, we are constantly changing them out. This is why it’s so nice to have extra sets on hand. A good rule of thumb is to have 3 sets per bed: one on the bed, one in the wash, and one in the linen closet. Having extra sets will also help them last longer.

I wish I could tell you I have a favorite from those above, but the truth is I love them all for different reasons. And while I don’t generally use a top sheet, it’s nice to have the option during the fall and winter. And when your bedding is cooling, it’s much easier to add layers to snuggle up with without overheating. It’s also fun to switch up the type of linens being used every so often. It makes each sheet set and duvet cover feel all that more special when we use them.

Tip: If you’re on the fence about what sustainable bedding to purchase, consider ordering pillowcases first. This way you can get a sense of the material and how it washes, without splurging on the whole set. 

If you sleep hot, you really can’t go wrong with linen, hemp, or eucalyptus bedding because they’re all temperature regulating. As mentioned earlier, I’ve also used high-quality, organic cotton Percale sheets, which are also great for hot sleepers (especially if you prefer crisp sheets.)

Is there any specific bedding you can’t live without or plan to put on your holiday wish list? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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