Before you throw away the dandelions from your lawn, remember that they are a rich source of beta-carotene, vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, potassium and zinc.
If you live in a pesticides-free area, why not trying these simple recipe with the kids?
You should replace your bedding (especially your sheets) about every two or three years, if not more often. But there's more to consider when buying new bedding than just matching your decor. Do you know the benefits of replacing your sheets with natural bedding?
Natural bedding can keep you healthier and more comfortable—and it can even help save the environment. If you've never tried organic, chemical-free bedding, now is the time to start.
In this guide, we'll take a deep dive into the benefits of using non-toxic sheets. Keep reading to learn why natural bedding is the way to go!
Natural bedding uses organic materials, like bamboo. It also avoids dyes, bleach, and other treatments that can be harsh on your skin while you sleep.
Since you spend about a third of your time sleeping, it's important to have bedding that helps you stay healthy and comfortable. Conventional bedding often releases chemicals over time, which can get on your skin and even into your lungs.
In addition to helping you avoid long-term health effects, using natural bedding also has more immediate benefits. Let's take a look at what those are.
When it comes to picking out bedding, comfort is often at the top of our list of priorities, and buying natural bedding can actually help you feel better while you sleep.
The lack of chemical treatments like bleach actually makes the fabric feel softer. Have you ever noticed how a just-bleached shirt feels stiffer? The same is true for your sheets -- and who would want to sleep on stiff sheets?
Depending on the material used and the weave of it, some natural bedding is softer than others. You can pick the texture based on your preference. Also, no matter how many times you wash your natural bedding, it should stay just as soft.
In addition to being softer, natural fabrics also tend to breathe better than synthetic ones. This helps eliminate the unpleasant, sweaty feeling you get from sleeping on subpar bedding.
If you're sensitive to dyes and chemicals in your clothing and cosmetics, you should choose your bedding with the same care. Natural bedding is a great choice for keeping sensitive skin happy.
Dyes can actually contain metals that tend to trigger allergic reactions in people with sensitive skin. The chemicals that conventional bedding emits can even trigger asthma attacks in some people. With organic bedding, you'll avoid all these uncomfortable risks.
When you buy organic bedding, you're buying bedding made from materials that weren't grown with pesticides. This is better for you, and it's also better for the environment.
Most of us know to carefully wash non-organic fruits and vegetables before consuming them. Otherwise, you'll end up consuming the dangerous residue from pesticides. But we don't often think about protecting ourselves from the bedding we sleep on in the same way.
And if pesticides can harm us so easily, just think of what their widespread use does to the environment. Pesticides get into the water supply, and eventually into food grown nearby. From there, they get consumed by plants, animals, and people, doing widespread damage to the earth.
Organic growing methods avoid those toxins to keep everyone safer. When you buy natural bedding, you're making a statement that says you support farmers who avoid pesticides.
Natural bedding tends to have higher quality levels than conventional bedding does. With natural bedding, you won't have to replace it as often, and it will feel and look better for the entire time you use it.
Conventional materials are often harvested by machines that leave the plant material contaminated with seeds and other excess stuff. Then, the material has to be cleaned using chemicals.
However, organic materials are more likely to be harvested by hand, and cleaned using gentle soap. This leaves farmers with a better raw material that can be turned into high-quality bedding.
Organic bedding typically isn't bleached or dyed, unless a safe, natural dye is used. This leaves you with a beautiful range of earthy colors that will suit any home.
Natural bedding sometimes costs more, but when you consider that you're paying for the quality levels, it becomes easy to justify the cost.
Even if you don't have sensitive skin or asthma, natural bedding is still better for your health in the long run.
Your skin, lungs, and other tissues can become irritated by pesticides and other chemicals over time. At first, you might not even trace these effects back to your bedding. But after you've slept on natural bedding, you'll quickly start to see the difference.
Chemical-free bedding actually does more for the environment than just avoid pesticides.
When you get rid of your bedding, you're probably used to putting it in the trash. If you're environmentally conscious, you might find a fabric recycling center to take it to instead.
But when you're done with your natural bedding, you can actually compost it! Many organic bedding materials are biodegradable. Some can even break down in a matter of weeks.
Textiles account for massive amounts of waste every year. By switching to organic bedding, you can do your part to cut down on that waste.
The fact that natural bedding lasts longer will also help cut down on waste. These natural materials tend to be extremely durable, resisting wear and damage. When you don't need to replace your sheets as often, you're reducing your environmental impact even further.
Which natural bedding materials should you look for? Organically grown bamboo and silk.
However, in addition to looking for the right material, you'll also need to make sure your organic bedding was grown sustainably, and not treated with chemicals. That's why it's always best to buy from a trusted retailer of natural bedding.
The easiest way to find natural bedding is to find a retailer that specializes in it. This helps to ensure you get top quality without spending more than you need to.
We've got a great selection of silk and bamboo bedding to get you started -- check it out here!
Or if it is bamboo that you like, you can Try Bamboo Bed Sheets All Natural No Dye No Bleach Now !
