Eco duvets & quilts

This article explores different materials for eco duvets and quilts. Helping you source a healthy duvet suitable for any season and climate. By limiting the amount of synthetic and chemically treated materials in your bedroom, you are helping reduce the risk of developing illnesses such as asthma and allergies. Aiding you to have a truly good night’s sleep.

Eco bedrooms - look for natural & organic bedding

The following quilts and duvets are available in a variety of togs and weights to suit the time of year and climate and can be found from a variety of manufacturers globally. Purchase these products from manufacturers/retailers who are in your local area to reduce on the level of embodied energy created from transportation and distribution.

This also encourages local trade which helps the economy. If you are unsure about a particular product, contact the manufacture directly for their environmental policy regarding manufacture and material origin and content.

Eco Quilts

Organic cotton
Look for unbleached organic cotton, or cotton that has been dyed by hand with a vegetable based dye.

Eco quilts - source all natural & organic fibres for a truly eco bedroom Vegetable base
Made from sustainable maize and sugar beet fibres – natural and renewable resources.

Natural wool
A great insulating and thermal material for quilting. Look for organic sheep’s wool quilts.

Patchwork
A great way to recycle unwanted pieces of fabric into practical solutions! Look for Fair Trade patchwork quilts – although some patchwork quilts may be made with synthetic fibres and chemical processing.

Eco Duvets

Eco bedding - look for natural filling like eiderdown

Eiderdown and feather duvets
Typical fowl are duck and geese for down. These do not go through chemical processing and are a good environmental and healthy choice to synthetic alternatives. The feathers and down give excellent insulation for cold nights. Down also seals off air and moisture, this is a disadvantage as both need to circulate. However the methods of harvesting down are questionable with some manufacturers. Ideally the manufacturer will take down from free range fowl after they have been slaughtered for meat trade. Not so ideally, fowl may be treated poorly in factory farms with the possibility of fowl being plucked whilst they are alive.

* Be careful with labels that state ‘down’ as they may contain polyester and chemical additives. Check the label for content or contact the manufacturer.

Kapok duvets
Originating from the kapok tree, this plant fibre is a light, moisture resistant and a hypo allergenic alternative to eiderdown duvets. Usually combined with organic cotton as a filling and covering.

Camel hair duvets
Made with 100% camel hair filling, this is similar in characteristics to wool and cashmere. Collected as the animals shed their coats before summer. A light and soft filling that is an excellent insulator and a natural temperature and moisture regulator, keeping you warm in the cooler months and cool in the warmer months. The majority of camel hair is manufactured in China and exported globally, this creates high levels of embodied energy from transportation and distribution.

Organic cotton duvets
A popular lightweight choice of duvet filling for warmer climates and times of year.

Organic wool duvets
This duvet filling material is 100% natural, breathable, a great insulator and heat regulator covered with an organic cotton outer layer.

Wood pulp duvets
A duvet filling material made from 100% natural cellulose fibres. Excellent natural properties to absorb and circulate moisture. Up to 5% shrinkage when washed at temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius.

If you would like expert advice on eco duvets and quilts or sourcing products and materials for your home, please contact me.

View part 4 of eco bedroom ideas here......

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