How Sustainable Bedding Contributes To A Better Environment

Sustainability has been a focus for lots of companies in recent years, and rightfully so. Looking after our environment is more important than ever so it’s great to see more sustainable bedding enter the market. Eco-friendly duvets, pillows and sheets make it possible to have a bedding collection which is entirely sustainable.

However, the question inevitably arises with sustainable goods as to how exactly they are benefiting the environment. It’s an innocent enough question, especially since some goods that claim to be sustainable will have little transparency on how they are produced and manufactured.

The Fine Bedding Company tries to be as open as we can about our supply chain, as we are committed to ensuring we help toward creating a better environment. Sustainable activities are possible to achieve throughout all stages of a product's lifecycle. Good eco-friendly initiatives will consider the production of raw materials and the people involved, the emissions involved in creating and transforming raw materials, and eventually how the materials are disposed of. This article details how sustainable bedding can contribute to a better environment.

The usage of certain materials, and how those materials are sourced, will always play a major role in determining whether a good is sustainable or not. When it comes to bedding, one of the most important materials used is cotton. The World Health Organization states that cotton farming produces the three most hazardous chemicals on the planet. Its production alone generates an astounding amount of greenhouse gasses, and it also employs dangerous pesticides and fertilizers that contaminate thousands of litres of potable water. That is why it is so important to make sure that the sourcing of cotton is being done responsibly.

For cotton growing, there exist certifications like BCI. BCI's labelling of cotton reflects its mission to "help cotton communities in surviving and thriving while conserving and healing the environment." In essence, the initiative aims to create a system of farming cotton that considers the environmental, social and economic impact its cotton has and optimizes it. When it comes to the environment, the main impacts of cotton production stem from poor management of nitrogen-based fertilizers, poorly optimized water irrigation systems and deforestation to make way for cotton plantations. These are all tackled by the BCI certification, which aims to reduce all of these. That’s why we use BCI cotton in our 400 thread count classic fitted sheet.

Of course, sustainability does not only consider the environment. Sustainable production means that the people and communities involved in production are not being exploited and can continue to keep producing in the future. BCI cotton ensures that workers get fair pay, and have job security and also seeks to eliminate gender inequality in the production process. That’s another reason why we always strive to use BCI cotton, which features in our range of sustainably sourced duvet covers.

When local communities' basic needs are met, they won’t have to resort to using cheaper methods, ones that often cause more pollution. Using cheaper fertilizers for example won’t be as necessary, so more eco-friendly substitutes can be used instead.

Making raw materials more environmentally friendly shouldn't just be a priority for sustainability; factory manufacturing should also be a priority. A GRS certification for recycling and upholding an eco-friendly standard has been granted to The Fine Bedding Company. This certification is reserved for organisations that are able to successfully raise the bar for recycled goods and ensure the validity of sustainability content claims. The GRS standard has established the criteria for third-party certification. Good recycling schemes will eliminate waste at the end of a product’s lifestyle, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

That being said, our products are designed to last. Ideally, the products we offer can last a lifetime, which would reduce the need for people to buy more bedding products, which would end up creating more waste! If you’re wondering how you can do your bit for the environment when it comes to bedding, check out our top sustainability tips.