Sustainable home textiles prioritize the use of organic, renewable, and non-toxic materials. Since our skin is in direct contact with these materials frequently and for significant lengths of time, it is important to seek safe bedding and bath products.

Choose sustainable linens that are made of natural materials such as cotton, bamboo, wool, linen, or Tencel fibers. Organic fabrics are best, as the fibers are free from harmful chemicals. Look for certifications that further verify that the material was not processed or dyed with harmful chemicals. OEKO-TEX is the most common certification you will encounter for any textiles. Review the guidelines on choosing sustainable textiles here.

Check out this guide to learn about the pros and cons of Natural vs Synthetic fabrics, and which is best.

The only bed sheets I currently have from the following list are Cariloha bamboo sheets. They are very soft and durable and I have been very happy with them.

Brand	Certified B Corp	GOTS certified	OEKO-TEX	Fair Trade	Carbon Offsets	Notes
Pact		Y		Y	Y
Cariloha	Y	Y	Y	some	Y	Products are made from bamboo viscose. FSC-certified packaging
Sijo	Y	some	some	*see policy		Some products are FSC-certified or Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly. 1% of purchases is donated to nonprofits.
Parachute		some	Y	some	Climate Neutral Cert.	Some products are Responsible Down Standard and Global Recycled Standard verified
Crate & Barrel		some	Y		Y
Pottery Barn		some	some	some	Numerous programs in place	Shop by sustainability filters
Coyuchi		Y		some		Only uses non-GMO GOTS certified cotton
Magic Linen			Y			Products are produced from linen. Compostable packaging.
Avocado	Y	Y			Climate Neutral Cert.	Some products are also certified MADE SAFE, vegan, RWS, Greenguard, FSC certified, Eco Institut
The Company Store		Y	Y			RDS and GRS certified products; One Tree Planted partner
Under the Canopy		Y	Y
Target		some	some			Shop by sustainability filters
Aizome		Y				Organic, unbleached cotton; dyed with natural indigo and contains no synthetic ingredients

I think cotton fleece is the answer, but is hard to find as nearly all fleece is made from polyester.

I purchased The Company Store Cotton Fleece Blanket for Christmas and it has been a great sustainable alternative to our petroleum-based blankets. It is just as soft as polyester, is warm, and has a nice weight. This 100% cotton blanket has OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 Certification.

Garnet Hill Cotton Fleece Blanket and Throw is another option I found that looks worth a try. It is made with 100% organic cotton fleece and is OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 Certified.

Sustainability tip: Instead of cranking up the heat in the colder months, throw on a sweater and utilize more blankets. About half the energy used in our homes comes from heating (Learn about efficiently heating & cooling your home here). Fun fact: an electric blanket uses 90% less energy than a portable space heater!

To avoid VOCs and other harmful chemicals, skip mattresses that:

• Are made with synthetic materials, including polyurethane foam, polyester, and PVC. Instead, choose mattresses made from natural materials, such as cotton, natural latex, and wool.
• Include particleboard or plywood; these materials are usually held together with glue containing formaldehyde.
• Have been chemically treated, including mattresses that advertise flame retardants, stain resistance, water repellency, or antimicrobial properties. These are all sources of VOCs, in addition to containing the harmful chemicals Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.”

Additionally, allowing a new mattress to off-gas in a well-ventilated space before use can help reduce VOC exposure.

Materials to avoid in mattresses	Reason	Safer alternative
PVC / Vinyl	Source of phthalates, which can damage developing reproductive systems; can emit VOCs	Waterproof with a mattress cover made of polyurethane laminate (PUL) or polyethylene
Flame retardants	Chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and immune system dysfunction	Wool is a great natural flame retardant; Polylactic acid (PLA)
Polyurethane foam	Petroleum-based, emits harmful VOCs	100% GOLS certified natural latex foam; if latex isn’t an option, choose low-VOC certified polyurethane
Antimicrobials or fragrances	Unnecessary and non-disclosed chemicals; allergens	Skip
Solvent-based glues	Can emit harmful VOCs, like formaldehyde	No glue, or water-based glue

Is an organic mattress worth it?

An organic mattress is hypoallergenic, contains little to no chemicals, and is made with sustainable, certified organic materials, including cotton, latex, and/or wool rather than man-made, fossil fuel-based materials like polyurethane foam and polyester. Synthetic materials are often associated with a large number of harmful chemicals and a larger environmental impact.

The characteristics of organic materials are generally more desirable, too. For example, natural latex mattresses are more breathable than those with polyurethane foam, which tends to block airflow and trap heat. Similarly, cotton allows more air circulation than polyester.

The downside is that mattresses made from natural materials and that hold safety certifications, especially organic mattresses, tend to be more expensive. Since we spend at least a third of our lives in our beds, it is a worthwhile investment in our health to prioritize the purchase of a non-toxic mattress.

If an organic mattress is not in your budget, you can still seek mattresses certified by the following organizations, which ensure limited to no exposure to VOCs.

Mattress certifications to look for

Non-toxic Mattress Brands

Avocado

• Avocado organic mattresses are made from GOLS-certified latex, GOTS-certified organic cotton, and RWS certified wool (which can be omitted for a certified vegan option).
• Greenguard, Made Safe, FSC certified, Eco Institut
• Company certifications: Certified B Corp, Climate Neutral certified, 1% For the Planet member.
• Their factories are powered by renewable energy and are approaching zero waste. They even care for nearly 200,000 sheep and grow and produce their own natural latex from their own farm.
• Certified by UL Solutions for a landfill diversion rate of 85%

Cariloha

• Cariloha bamboo mattresses are GOTS certified, as well as CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX.
• Certified B Corp, Fair Trade
• FSC and SFI certified packaging

Brentwood Home

• Brentwood Home offers mattresses made from a variety of materials, including GOLS certified latex, GOTS certified organic cotton and wool, Tencel, and recycled steel springs.
• Their Cypress Memory Foam mattress is reasonably priced option for those on a budget. It does contain polyurethane for the base foam, but it is CertiPUR-US certified.
• Greenguard, OEKO-TEX, Climate Neutral certified

Naturepedic

• Naturepedic organic mattresses are made with GOLS-certified natural latex and GOTS-certified wool and organic cotton.
• FSC certified wood.
• Certified vegan, Made Safe, UL/Greenguard certified

Parachute

• Parachute mattresses are a foam-free option made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, New Zealand wool certified by the Wool Integrity NZ program, and tempered steel.
• Climate Neutral certified.

Savvy Rest

• Savvy Rest organic mattresses are made with GOLS-certified natural latex, GOTS-certified wool and cotton.
• Certified B Corp, Cradle to Cradle, GOTS, and Greenguard certified
• Wood used is sustainably-harvested and regionally-sourced maple and poplar, certified by Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers.

Saatva

• Saatva mattresses are composed of Certi-PurUS certified memory foam made from 30% naturally-derived soybean & corn oils and GOLS certified latex
• Certified organic cotton mattress covers
• Utilize recycled materials such as recycled steel coils and poly fiber made with recycled plastic bottles
• GREENGUARD Gold, eco-INSTITUT, OEKO-TEX certifications
• The company works with 19 U.S. factories, many of which use renewable energy and recycle all scrap materials. On average, mattresses travel less than a 100 miles from the factory to your home.
• Mattresses are made fresh to order–they don’t make your mattress until ordered.

Where to donate a mattress

It can be a little difficult finding a place that will accept mattress donations. The Salvation Army is the only national organization I have found that takes mattresses. Check whether local thrift shops will take gently used mattresses. I think that your best bet is to give unwanted mattresses away on your local Buy Nothing group. I have seen many requests for mattresses posted, and whenever one is offered up, they are spoken for quickly.

Mattress recycling

Americans throw out 50,000 mattresses a day, taking up precious landfill space. 80-95% of the materials in mattresses are recyclable, so definitely make sure yours doesn’t end up in the landfill.

Mattress Recycling Steps:

1. If you are replacing a mattress, ask the store if they will take the old one to be recycled.
2. If not, check whether your city’s bulk waste collection recycles the mattresses they pick up.
3. In cities that do not have bulk waste pickup or do not recycle what they collect, search for a mattresses recycling company in your area. Bye Bye Mattress has a directory of programs available in some states.
4. Lastly, find a junk hauling company such as Junk King that will take your mattress to be recycled for you.

I’ve got the Avocado Green Pillow and I love it! The fill is made from GOLS-certified organic latex and GOTS-certified organic kapok, stuffed inside a GOTS certified organic jersey cotton liner. I love that the fill is adjustable so you can change the loft of the pillow depending on your preference. The pillow is also Greenguard Gold and Made Safe certified.

See more sustainable pillow favorites from Treehugger and Earth911.

What to do with old pillows?

• Use the stuffing to add to another flat pillow or stuffed animal; the cover can be used as a dropcloth or cut up into rags.
• Use as floor cushions
• Transform into a pet bed
• Pad your knees when gardening
• Use for camping or travel

Check with your local homeless shelters or animal shelters whether they accept pillow donations, but I have not had luck finding any in my area that will accept them.

Recycling pillows

Feather or down filling can be composted. Savers is the only place I have found that will take used pillows. Try other places that recycle textiles.

Recycling home textiles

Bedding, blankets, and towels can be recycled through some of the same options as that for clothing.

• Savers is a convenient option. I’ve been told that you can label your donation as ‘scraps’ and they will recycle them for you.
• H&M is another good choice for non-donatable textiles. You can drop off a bag at the register and they will give you a coupon for future purchase.
• Goodwill stores may recycle unusable items; check with a store near you.
• Coyuchi has a take-back program for their products and will give you 15% off your next order.

As for mail-in textile recycling programs, I think the most promising are through recycling logistics company Supercircle. They work with many individual companies on recycling solutions. One such program is Thousand Fell’s Trade In by TF, which accepts any type of textiles for recycling. Create an account and they will send you a pre-paid shipping label to ship your well-worn goods. Once received, they give you points towards future purchases.

Unfortunately, any other mail-in recycling options are not cheap, especially as textiles tend to be bulky. These include:

• Trashie sells a postage-paid take-back bag for $20 that will hold approximately 15 pounds clothing, shoes, accessories such as hats and bags, and linens including sheets and towels. And for sending in your recycling, you earn rewards that can be redeemed with a variety of brands. The take-back bag can also be purchased through For Days, which will net you a $20 reward towards a purchase.
• Retold Recycling has options for a one-time bag purchase or a subscription to send them your unwanted textiles. They sort through your things and depending on the condition, send them to thrift stores, donation centers, recyclers, resellers and up-cyclers.
• Terracycle has a Zero Waste Fabric and Clothing box. This is quite pricey though…prices start at $136.

Find many clothing recycling options here.