CHOOSING THE RIGHT ORGANIC BEDDING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hey! I’m Sara: Canada-based conscious shopper & new homeowner on a journey to intentional living. On here you’ll find my experiences in seeking balance and joy in the form of food, home, poetry and the story of makers around the world. www.petraalexandra.ca @petraalexandra

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I proudly sleep on a twin-sized bed. I’m unapologetic, not just because it’s all I need, but also because it makes my room seem so much bigger, and it’s a cinch to make the bed every morning. The more efficient life can be, the happier it makes me.

The challenge with choosing to sleep on a twin bed is that when looking for beautiful bedding for adults, larger companies are often sold out of twin sizes. I was stuck with Ikea sheets, which are basically scratchy cardboard.

So when SOL Organics reached out to me in October, I was over the moon excited. They’re Fair Trade Certified, use GOTS Certified Organic Cotton, and are consciously made. On top of that, they also use no plastic in their packaging—100% sustainable. To top it all off, they produced twin-size sheets—and they were in stock.

Long story short, in a few minutes I was saying yes and they were shipping off a bedding bundle to me.

HERE ARE A COUPLE QUICK FACTS ABOUT SOL ORGANICS

• Their name stands for Sustainable Organic Living
• They produce Fair Trade, organic sheets for the budget-conscious. Their mission is to produce textiles with integrity.
• SOL’s mission goes beyond the textiles used. Their supply chains are free of child labour and support sustainable working environments for their farmers and production staff.
• $7.50 from each purchase goes to one of 4 international charities: Children’s Defence Fund, Hope For Justice, Water 4, and Fund for Animals
• Their sheets, when directly compared, are more affordable than competitors: x1.5 markup instead of x3, which is industry norm.
• $99 for a full sheet set (twin), up to $169 for a King set.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR SHEETS:

• Both sateen (a bit of a shiny finish) and Percale (a more matte finish) are available
• 100% Certified Organic Cotton
• 300 Thread Count
• Made in India, however there are some great Made in USA options too!
• You can purchase either sheet sets, or full bedding bundles which include a duvet cover (that’s what I chose!)

As soon as I received my bundle, I was so pleasantly surprised by the intentional packaging. It was almost like I was receiving a special gift (and made me remember when I asked for sheets as Christmas gifts when I was a teen). They’d make such a beautiful gift for parents or in-laws!

I actually use the little cotton bags the sheets came in as travel pouches or bags for fruit & veggies when shopping. Reusing to the max!

So okay – does organic cotton really make a difference? I was sceptical at first, but wanted to try it.

HERE’S WHAT I LEARNED:

1/

We spend 1/3 of our lives in bed or sleeping. That’s a lot. So if we’re making conscious choices during the 2/3 of time that we’re awake, why are we overlooking the last third?

It’s kinder on your skin, and free of allergens. A lot of the pesticides and chemicals used to process regular cotton can affect sensitive skin or respiratory systems. If you or your little ones have been having sensitivity issues and haven’t been able to identify them, this could be a place to turn.

2/

They’re just more comfortable. I thought it was a lie. I seriously did. Until @candicemtay and I tried SOL Organics in our own homes at the same time, and started talking about how our sleep patterns changed. We both noticed a deeper sleep, a calmer, more settled feeling when we woke in the morning. Weeks later, I still feel more comfortable and calm when going into bed. I fall asleep SO fast.

3/

Organic sheets are kinder to the earth, for the same reason that I mentioned above: no pesticides. These chemicals end up in runoff, and eventually into water systems. So by supporting organic and Fair Trade farming, you’re also helping keep communities and farming sustainable

4/

It’s durable (and) biodegradable. The high quality and craftsmanship that is invested into SOL Organics Sheets betters with every wash. Seriously, each time I wash it, it comes out with a beautiful linen-like texture that’s just as soft as before (if not more). When cotton is organic, it’s more easily biodegradable when it eventually comes to the end of its life. Although, if you’re like me, you know that good sheets can last a lifetime – or even to two generations!

5/

Speaking of the end of life, another great advantage of organic sheets is that when they’re eventually too old to go on, they could be used for endless other smaller projects! @papertheory released a pattern for underwear made from fabric scraps, and I’ll often use cotton as rags around the house. They could even make handy little bags for when you’re shopping and want to be zero-waste!