Most of you are probably aware of the importance of cleaner beauty and personal care products. But one area that’s easy to overlook when it comes to using non-toxic materials: the bedroom! We spend an average of a THIRD of our lives in bed, so if you ask me, it’s pretty darn important that we try to be conscious about choosing natural materials that are in frequent close contact with our bodies!
This post is sponsored by Savvy Rest and contains affiliate links.
This post covers:
- Why Being Conscious About Bedroom Materials Matters
- About Savvy Rest & Why I Love ‘Em!
- My Favorite Savvy Rest Products (& a Discount for You!)
Why Being Conscious About Bedroom Materials Matters
Let’s chat more about WHY this all even matters in the first place! Here are a couple of reasons why conventional bedding poses both health and environmental risks:
- Most bedding is made from conventional cotton which is considered one of the “dirtiest” crops in the world because of the high amounts of pesticides used to grow it. It’s also considered “dirty” because the industry is notorious for child labor and sweatshops. When choosing cotton, you want to look for 1) certified organic to ensure no pesticide usage and 2) fair trade to make sure the supply chain is ethical.
- Cheaper, synthetic materials are frequently used in place of cotton such as polyester or nylon. The main concern here is that they don’t biodegradable and are not sustainable!
- For mattresses and pillows, memory foam is often used which is a type of polyurethane. According to SleepFoundation.org, memory foam can contain tons of harmful chemicals and carcinogens such as methylbenzene (toluene), formaldehyde, blowing agents, and methylene chloride. Manufacturers are not required to disclose what’s in their memory foams! In addition, polyurethane emits lots of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air.
- Lastly, most mattresses use chemical flame retardants that heavily offgas and bioaccumulate in humans. Opt for natural alternatives such as wool which takes longer to ignite and is inherently fire-resistant! 🐑
Other things to be aware of: bed frames that use high VOC stains and finishes, heavy impact dyes on sheets/pillowcases/duvets/etc., and bleached materials.
A recent study showed that replacing foam and furniture made with chemical flame retardants can significantly reduce your exposure and create a healthier home environment. So yes, it matters!
About Savvy Rest & Why I Love ‘Em!
Alright, hopefully I didn’t totally freak you out about your bedroom! Thankfully, there are companies like Savvy Rest that go above and beyond to offer us consumers SAFE and environmentally-friendly products. I learned about them on social media years ago and have been a happy customer since! 🛌
Here’s why I love them and think you will too:
- Certified B Corp and employee-owned meaning they value the importance of community, employees, and the environment
- Made in the USA
- Have a Safe Sleep Pillow Program where they donate a pillow to women and children at local domestic violence shelters
- Boast a myriad of impressive certifications such as Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified, GREENGUARD GOLD certified (low indoor chemical emissions), and is a Green America Gold-level certified business. You can see all of their certifications here.
- Never use pesticides, chemical flame retardants, bleaches, or harmful dyes on their products.
- Are particular about where and how their materials are sourced and use natural, sustainably-sourced ones such as organic cotton, wool, kapok, latex (not synthetic), hemp, jute, and hardwood. And their furniture uses zero-VOC stains.
Overall, they are an amazing small business and I’ve only had good experiences with them! Everyone I have interacted with has been accommodating and friendly.
You can use my code ORGANICALLYBECCA for 20% off your Savvy Rest order!
Shop Savvy Rest Products Here!
My Favorite Savvy Rest Products
Now let’s talk more about the actual products. Since I’ve been using Savvy Rest for a few years now, I’ve had time to build up my collection (some I bought myself and some were gifted to me)! But, I want to remind you that it can take a long time to switch out items in your bedroom, especially since they tend to come at a higher price point. So don’t stress about doing it all at once! You can invest in quality pieces here and there and each little step does make a difference 🌛
Here are the specific items I own and more about them!
Organic Kapok Body Pillow (Becca’s Fave!)
This body pillow is definitely my FAVE! I literally cannot sleep without it. If you’re a side sleeper like me (or if you’re pregnant or have back pain) then you would LOVE a body pillow. They support your top leg, torso, and upper arm while you sleep which keeps your spine in alignment and relieves pressure points. I can attest that I have more restful sleep when using this body pillow and less tossing and turning!
Savvy Rest offers different types of body pillows (various fills and cases). I have the Organic Kapok one which is their softest. Kapok is a cotton-like substance that grows from a ceiba tree and is a good alternative to down feathers. It comes with an easy wash outer casing, too.
What’s nice about this body pillow is that you can CUSTOMIZE it! It comes intentionally overstuffed and you can remove the fill to adjust it to your desired fluffiness. It does become slightly less fluffy over time, so I like to save the fill so I can add more back in when necessary!
Read more here: “Organic Body Pillows for a Better Night’s Sleep (Savvy Rest Review)”
Natural & Organic Pillows
Pillows were the first thing I bought from Savvy Rest, and likely one of the top items on your list, too! Savvy Rest has eight styles so you’re bound to find one that suits your needs and preferences 💤
I have the Shredded Latex Pillow which feels dense and supportive yet still has a touch of softness. It’s perfect because I don’t like when pillows are too hard or too fluffy—this is juuuuuuust right! This one also has customizable fill so you can add or remove latex as desired. My husband uses the Organic Contour Pillow which is firm and the curve provides head and neck support. It’s made from formed latex and he loves it.
All of their pillows come in an unbleached, organic cotton casing with a soft flannel finish. We’ve had ours for years now and they’ve held up great.
Serenity Organic Latex Mattress & Waterproof Mattress Protector
An organic mattress was something that had been on my wishlist for a while, so we finally took the leap and got Savvy Rest’s Serenity Mattress! We’ve had it for over two years now and still are very happy with it. It’s so comfortable!
Again, Savvy Rest has a couple of different mattress options. Customer service was very helpful in guiding me and suggesting a configuration based on my preferences. With the Serenity mattress, you can customize the three layers on each side which is SO cool! There are no springs; it’s just latex layers that are sourced from rubber tree plantations that adhere to sustainable forestry practices. The casing is organic cotton with organic wool batting quilted inside (which acts as a natural flame barrier too).
You can choose between a combination of Soft, Medium, or Firm natural latex layers. And they have two types of latex: Dunlop (denser and more supportive) and Talalay (softer and better pressure relief). I ultimately chose Soft Talalay, Medium Dunlop, and Firm Dunlop for my side and my husband Jon chose the same except for a Medium Talalay top.
Read my full review here: “Savvy Rest Natural Latex Mattress Review (& Why I Choose Organic!)”
We also have the organic cotton waterproof mattress protector on top to help preserve the mattress and keep it safe from stains or spills.
Natural Duvet Insert
This is one I got more recently! It’s natural wool fill wrapped in organic cotton (Savvy Rest also has an all-organic duvet insert option). You can use it alone as a comforter but I suggest placing it inside a duvet cover to keep it clean. Since it’s wool, it would shrink if you put it in the washer/dryer FYI!
A look at the Duvet Insert and Mattress ProtectorBut the duvet insert is really nice because it feels warm and cozy in the winter but still breathable and cool in summer. We’re pleased with it!
Organic Cotton Blanket
Organic cotton Chenille blankets with a herringbone weave! They’re so pretty and made without dyes; just the color-grown cotton. I have one of the smaller Throw blankets but you can get a larger size for your bed too. It’s very lightweight but still cozy.
Savvy Doggy Organic Pet Bed
And we can’t forget the pups! 🐾 Pet beds are actually less likely to be adequately tested for safety than beds for humans, so I’m glad Savvy Rest makes some for dogs and cats!
My dog Dexter has one of the taller shredded latex beds but you can also get them with a shorter formed core. He is about 65 lbs. and fits well on the Medium bed. Despite him being a messy dog, the bed has held up well for a number of years already. The outside cover is organic cotton; it’s removable and you can hand wash it!
Read more here: “Savvy Doggy Organic Pet Beds: Because Your Fur Baby Deserves Non-Toxic!”
Other Products Savvy Rest Offers:
Savvy Rest truly is a one-stop shop for all your bedroom needs. Aside from the products I already mentioned, you can also find bed frames, mattress pads/toppers, sheets, duvet covers, home furniture (sofas, tables, benches), baby cribs, and baby mattresses. I highly recommend this brand to anyone looking for safer and greener bedding!
You can use my code ORGANICALLYBECCA for 20% off your Savvy Rest order!
Have you started making the switch to non-toxic bedroom supplies? 😴 I hope this post inspires you to make at least one small swap where you can!
