The Difference in Organic Cotton On Bedding

As you shop for new bedding - be it a mattress or pillows, sheets and toppers - you'll find an array of different materials used to help create your sleeping environment. Cotton is especially a popular material as it is easily grown and harvested, and because cotton is a prime resource in the United States people may be more inclined to buy products made of it. Check labels, and you'll find some products made of organic cotton.

Some may suspect, though, that the organic label is slapped on just about everything to convince people to buy the products. Others will argue that such items are genuine are eco-friendly. You may not be able to directly see or feel any difference between organic and "regular" cotton, but look deeper and you will - even sense - unique qualities.

Firstly, how is it that not all cotton material is considered organic? It all grows from the soil, correct? Synthetic fabrics are usually given other names - if you believe it isn't labeled all-natural only when it is blended with rayon or other materials, consider this: oftentimes when crops are planted and maintained, they are treated with pesticides to prevent bugs from eating everything. Chemical based fertilizers, too, my cause these crops to be disqualified from earning the organic label. How the plant is cultivated plays a large role.

Once the raw material is harvested, too, what happens to it will determine its final label. Cotton that is not treated with chemicals during the weaving process is identified as organic. These products are certified by agencies approved by the USDA.

So if you see "USDA Organic" on the sheets or mattress you wish to buy, you can rest assured - literally and figuratively. Consider organic cotton as you shop for bedding and sleep well knowing your purchase has helped the environment and your sleep health.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on organic mattresses and organic pillows. Printed with permission.