Super Search
 

Question from wen

in the market to buy some new sheets (btw, thank you for the great info re: white sales!) i was thinking of either buying organic sheets (btw, are they all basically the same thing? just a preference issue? (i.e. ‘simply organic’ vs. ‘coyuchi’ etc?) or is there something to look for to determine better quality etc?

secondly, i have some old cotton sheets that i LOVE. they’re high thread count and worn down and very soft. however, they were not organic. would the formaldehyde or toxicity be worn down over time and now be somewhat insignificant? or is it something that does NOT diminish..hence, even old non-organic sheets should still be considered toxic?

thank you very much.

Debra’s Answer

Organic cotton sheets are like any other sheets–they do vary in quality depending on how and where they are manufactured. I personally don’t have enough experience with the different brands to make a recommendation, except to say that Coyuchi has a reputation for being very high quality.

Go ahead and use your non-organic cotton sheets! As I’ve said before, the main benefit to organic cotton is environmental. Tests have shown there are no pesticide residues in cotton fabric (see Q&A : Conventional vs organic cotton clothing and Q&A : Pesticide residues in fabrics). The best thing for the environment is to use something for it’s full useful life before discarding it and needing to replace it by taking more resources from the environment.

The only cotton sheets to be concerned about are those with no-iron or permanent press finishes. These contain formaldehyde. Untreated non-organic cotton sheets are not toxic.

I did have one instance where I bought a set of printed cotton sheets and after I opened the package found the printing was a plastic-y kind of ink like on some t-shirts. That smelled and I had to just pass them along to a thrift store.

Also, from a quality standpoint, I’ve noticed some of the lower-priced cotton sheets are printed only on one side, where the more expensive ones have the pattern through-and-through. This has happened a few times buying sheet sets, and I don’t discover this until I get them home. You get what you pay for…

[See Debra’s List : Beds & Bedding for organic cotton sheets]

Add Comment

ARE TOXIC PRODUCTS HIDDEN IN YOUR HOME?

Toxic Products Don’t Always Have Warning Labels. Find Out About 3 Hidden Toxic Products That You Can Remove From Your Home Right Now.