We spend a third of our lives in bed. If you're yet to stop and think about the health impacts of what you're snuggling into, this is your wake up alarm.
Most of us sleep wrapped up in cotton or bamboo bedding, and while cotton might be a natural fibre, when it's farmed 'conventionally' and not organically, it uses more insecticides than any other crop. Chemical insecticides are hazardous to human health, and chemicals like Aldicarb and Parathion are two of the most dangerous yet widely used insecticides in the cotton farming industry.
Aldicarb is classified by the World Health Organisation as 'mutagenic' (a chemical that mutates human cells) and it's a known carcinogen too. Parathion causes birth defects and fetal damage, and it's toxic to the immune system and reproductive system. I'm no scientist, but I know enough to know, spending eight hours every night for a third of my life wrapped in Aldicarb and Parathion is not something I want to do.
If you hear the alarm bells I'm hearing (and you haven't just slept in), it's time to recognise the health impacts of conventionally farmed cotton and switch to a healthier alternative - organic cotton bedding. Organic cotton is better for your health, and the growing of organic cotton uses 71% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton too.
Ecodownunder shares my views on a healthy night's sleep, and they've been pioneering organic cotton bedding for over 24 years. Based on Sydney's Northern Beaches, Ecodownunder is committed to health-conscious bedding. Their certified organic and eco-cotton ranges are ethically produced between Australia and India with a people-first approach. Their farming and employee programmes include on-site health care centres, childcare centres, subsidised staff canteens, hostels on-site to accommodate staff who live too far away to comfortably travel daily, tree planting for fruit and shade production, water recycling, transport to and from surrounding villages in minibuses, and most importantly, ethical wages.
Ecodownunder is also committed to reducing plastic waste in order to protect our oceans and environment, and they're working towards eliminating plastic from their entire shipping network. From their suppliers to their warehouses and store to store, to individual customer orders - organic cotton bags are slowly replacing plastic, and any plastic packaging that is still used for protection, is recycled and recyclable.
I've been sleeping between the Classic Organic Cotton Sheets and Vintage Organic Cotton Quilt Cover for the past month now, and I sleep soundly knowing I'm enjoying a toxin-free sleep. I've also been snuggling into an Organic Cotton Waffle Blanket, which is perfect for cooler nights on the couch too.
Make the switch to more ethical, sustainable and safe bed linen, and shop Ecodownunder's organic, eco-friendly and natural cotton bedding linen here.
The Fashion Advocate x
