Like all young mums, Pia Maguire has joy and love in abundance. What she could do with more of is sleep: that delicious state of blissful unconsciousness that parents of babies and toddlers crave. Pia’s beautiful daughters’ sleep patterns are further complicated by their suffering from eczema. “Sometimes it has been so bad that Maya, who is five months old, would scream with the pain and irritation,” says Pia, who works part-time in human resources. Three months ago, Pia, sleep-deprived and wanting to help her girls, did some research into eczema and found a reference to wool bedding improving sleep quality, particularly for people with skin disorders. READ: Eight of the best pillows “I ordered wool cot duvets, pillows and mattress toppers for the girls’ beds and the difference was immediately noticeable,” says Pia, who lives with her husband, Ben, Ava, two and a half, and Maya, five months, in north London. “Ben was sceptical and wasn’t sure I was spending the money wisely, but he’s now a convert.
After the girls’ sleep improved, we ordered wool bedding for ourselves, and we sleep better now too. “What was also pleasing was that the wool came from British sheep, rather than from cotton from the Far East or goose down from Eastern Europe. It’s helping sheep farmers look after our countryside by making it worth their while to keep sheep. It made me feel proud, in a way,” says Pia. Anecdotal evidence such as Pia’s is always nice to hear, as the British wool industry, once the mainstay of our rural economy, is struggling to assert itself despite its impeccable eco-credentials. Not only is British wool recyclable and local, but sheep farmers do much to maintain our rural landscape. READ: What's the best mattress topper? Ongoing studies into wool and sleep at the University of Sydney appear to confirm Pia’s experiences. Researchers at the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences conducted “polysomnography” tests, which use sensors to measure the amount and type of sleep that people get.
Eight healthy volunteers slept in and on wool, cotton and synthetic sleepwear and bedding at three different temperatures: hot (29C/84F), neutral (22C/72F) and cold (17C/63F). The differences in sleep quality showed that wool produced more deep sleep and longer sleep, with the difference at high temperatures most marked. Here, the average night’s sleep was 448 minutes (seven hours 28 minutes) with wool, compared with 426 minutes (seven hours six minutes) with synthetic nightwear. Cotton performed better than synthetic bedding, but worse than wool. The research, due to be published later this year, complements previous findings on the benefits of sleeping on wool and sheepskin both for healthy people and for those with bed sores and skin problems. Scientists believe the wool improves sleep because it absorbs much of the sweat bodies produce at night, keeping skin dry and comfortable. It regulates body temperature, keeping sleepers warm in winter and cool in the summer, a feature that is particularly helpful for babies, who have trouble regulating their own temperatures.
Jo Dawson, of H Dawson Wool, a family wool-buying business since 1888, says the British are slowly rediscovering all sorts of uses for wool, including bedding and sleepwear as well as unusual architectural and interiors applications. Designers have even made load-bearing structures with wool, including staircases. “British lowland wool is particularly good for bedding because it is naturally bouncy and springs back into shape when depressed.” He says that for years wool bedding was only of minority interest because it was difficult to wash, but now washable duvets, pillows and mattress toppers are available thanks to modern wool processing methods. Certainly wool mattress toppers, which cost between £100 and £125, are kinder on the pocket than wool mattresses, which can cost £1,000-£2,000. Children’s sleep expert Andrea Grace says: “It doesn’t surprise me that children sleep better on wool bedding as the natural fibres are likely to help regulate temperature. I would, however, advise parents to check their babies aren’t allergic to lanolin first if they are tempted to try wool.”
Useful contacts Bedding: The Wool Room Sleep: Andrew Grace Wool: H Dawson Send your questions to Sarah at Life, The Sunday Telegraph, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT, asksarah@telegraph.co.ukConventional mattresses are usually made of . It's difficult to find out exactly which chemicals were used in a particular mattress. The worst offenders are synthetic memory foam, followed by polyurethane (though almost all polyurethane can meet CertiPUR certification ), and then synthetic latex, which usually does not meet any green certifications on its own. Going with a spring mattress reduces the amount of foam and chemicals in it. On top of that, flame retardants like PBDEs, , or are often added, and won't be listed anywhere in sight. Look for mattresses that specify no chemical flame retardants (see on flame retardants). You also want to avoid mattresses that are stain resistant, as they . Similarly, the chemical that makes sheets (and clothes) wrinkle-free . Some mattresses are also adding an antimicrobial agent which you want to avoid.
I am getting reports from several different people on problems with natural latex. My 3-inch piece of latex started to "melt" after about a year. Another one of my pillows became covered in grey mould after two years in low humidity. Others have noticed issues of disintegration and mould. Another blog reader has just written to me to tell me that her natural latex bed went mouldy on the underside even though it was on slats and it was not in high humidity. I have since seen many other cases of this on a . It is not clear if this is a defect (these were all different brands), or whether there is a certain condition that leads to the latex breaking down. Below is my original post about latex and other mattress materials. I still have a natural latex sofa and so far it is OK. I would suggest not going with natural latex. I would not buy it again myself. If you do buy natural latex look closely at the warranty. There are plenty of options for natural latex mattresses made in US and Canada.
I have sourced the most affordable ones. (Make sure it is 100% natural latex, claims zero-VOCs, and test for odours/sensitivities to make sure nothing was added to it). makes natural latex mattresses starting at 1600 (queen size, plus tax and shipping from the US). I was able to test a couple samples - they do have a natural rubber smell, but it didn't cause me to feel sick. The smell dissipates with time but does not go away. An organic mattress cover would block some of the scent. A more economical option is to buy a 3-inch piece of latex. For $299 (plus tax and shipping) you can get from Amazon (queen). I find that 3 inches is very comfortable to sleep on. You could also add another 3 inch layer. You might want one side medium and one side soft to see which you like better. You will need to have a cover made. For piece of latex with cover you will pay about 760. People with MCS vary greatly in their ability to tolerate the natural smell of rubber and different brands work for different people.
of some of the ingredients that can be in natural latex. Essentia, which makes natural memory foam claims that the VOC levels of their foam ( The only non-toxic memory foam out there is Essentia - this is also natural latex based. They have tested the VOC levels which are hey claim that this is the same level as natural latex and this is the same as "background levels". (For reference GreenGaurd Gold levels are 220 μg /m3). As for background levels here is one study of background levels in houses in Germany. Here is a study showing outdoor levels of VOCs which are around the same level as this mattress claims are background levels. This mattress also contains the following essential oils - grapefruit seed, cone flower essence, and jasmine essence. I have tested a sample and it has a noticeable scent. Though I would not say it is flowery, it is a bit sweet. Definitely test a sample before purchasing. I went with the purest option I could find which is a 100% wool mattress from (California).
It is a (relatively) economical choice at $1200 for a queen (skinny version pictured). It does have a wool scent and is very firm as it gets compacted with time. I would recommend using a topper with it or using the thicker version. I would buy this again.Check out their non-latex mattress for $2000. (available through Resthouse in Canada) - Cotton and spring mattress. $1600 for a queen. also has some conventional style affordable organic mattresses to compare. A queen without latex is $1700. has a good variety of mattresses, some with springs and coils will be more comfortable than conventional futons. Look for the ones without latex or soy foam (with is polyurethane). Their prices are fantastic starting at 300 USD. They don't ship to Canada. will sell the organic cotton canvases and buckwheat hulls that you twist together yourself! They don't seem to guarantee that the buckwheat is organic so I would source the hull yourself (they don't deliver hull to Canada). A or pad would likely be needed for comfort.
Or, you could fill the canvas with , , or even recycled wool sweaters, and use the same twist system to make your own true DIY chemical-free mattress! Futons are often affordable and often don't use flame retardants - but look for organic cotton or wool filled. Avoid conventional cotton batting which still retains a lot of pesticide. I have seen silk filled mattresses (which seem to be more affordable in the UK) if you cannot tolerate cotton, wool or latex. Or for a quick and easy solution maybe a will do! Let it offgas a bit first. The plus side is there is not much to offgas there, so some time in the sun should do it. For sleeping pads is tolerable for sensitive people after a bit of offgassing (Canadian only). Air bed: Though this phthalate and PVC-free TPU air bed comes highly recommended by an extremely sensitive person and I'm going to get one for myself as well. For pillows you will want wool filled or organic cotton filled. , are also good options.
Never use non-organic cotton batting as the bats retain a lot of pesticides. Organic cotton batting sometimes still retains a strong smell from the oils of the cotton plant. I use this with polyester filling, but it still needs to be washed or aired out before use. with organic cotton filling is GOTs certified (chemical-free). I have one and it did have a strong cotton oil smell at first which aired out quickly. It also has a zipper so you can wash the case or the cotton itself. also makes organic sheets, pillows and other bedding that is made with the chemically sensitive person in mind. I highly recommend this company. They use natural dyes but the safest bet is always virgin fabric. If you react to the product you can return it. I've been really happy with all their products. (Also available on .) Cotton that has been processed into fabric (sheets, pillow cases etc) in theory. But stay away from permanent pressed finish (wrinkle-free finish), and make sure the dyes are steadfast or all natural.
Almost all cotton that is not organic has a chemical added to it and smells bad. Look for GOTS certified fabrics which is the best certification for non-toxic textiles. I use organic sheets which needed one wash to get the smell out (probably the smell of cotton oils). I use pillow cases. If you have an old mattress and you want to block flame retardants from migrating out of the mattress, use a cover like Organic Lifestyle's Bed Bug Cover which is also waterproof and will protect you from dust mites and bedbugs. It has a pore size of zero. The polyurethane smells strong to me but after a lot of offgassing I found it to be good. It is hard to find a odourless non-toxic complete cover, with a pore size of zero. Polyethylene covers are the least toxic but do not hold up very well after washing. There are polypropylene covers as well, they do not hold up for very long either. is a mix of polyethylene and polypropylene and is reported to be very tolerable by someone very sensitive to plastic.
They do not stop offgassing from foam or scents that a mattresses has picked up, unfortunately. If you just want dust mite covers (that are not waterproof, and don't block flame retardants), I use these and (non-organic but were good for me after one wash, I'm really happy with them as they have reduced my allergies). I use wool blankets from - the natural colour with indigo stripes. It does have a wool smell, so if you are sensitive to wool try their cotton blanketsI really like wool because it's hard for me to stay the right temperature at night without them and I slept with the window open when my house was newThe wool blankets were a super good investment in my case, as they stopped me from waking up through the night due to being too cold. A metal bed frame that is powder coated would be a great option. (pictured right) is only $116 for a twin on Amazon. Or, if you can tolerate the natural smell of wood, go with a solid wood bed frame, with solid slats (not laminated), finished with .