Dreaming of an eco-friendly bedroom? With a growing range of luxury ethical home décor, from sustainable bed linen to non-toxic paint, creating an eco-friendly bedroom no-longer involves compromising on style or comfort. Find out how you can make a difference with these handy tips.
Why Your Bedroom May Need Some TLC
If there’s one room in the house worth investing in, it’s the bedroom. An inviting bedroom helps you sleep better, wake feeling rested and fires you up for the day ahead. Getting enough quality shut-eye can also help your physical and mental health, making it as important as food, drink and the air we breathe.
Creating an eco bedroom
Creating the ultimate sleep haven doesn’t have to be costly or challenging. You may not even have to reach for the paint brush - a little decluttering, some beautiful fresh linen and a few well-chosen accessories may be all you need to transform your space. Switching to a high tog duvet and layering with a blanket or luxury faux fur throw can also make your space more sleep-friendly in the winter months. Here’s how to implement a bedroom refresh that will boost its eco creds all year round...
How to Create a Greener Bedroom with Ease
There are lots of quick and easy ways to start creating an eco-friendly bedroom, from avoiding some scented candles to choosing the right toxin-free paint. Adopting a ‘buy less, buy well, buy to last’ approach when shopping will help you make better purchasing decisions and avoid impulse buys.
Step 1: Eco-friendly paint
Ready to paint? The VOCs and other chemicals in paint are a no-no for eco-friendly rooms. To prevent chemical nasties entering your eco bedroom opt for a VOC- and solvent-free paint. You’ll also be helping to save the planet by reducing air pollution, while giving yourself a better night’s sleep. For the vegan bedroom look for a natural eco paint that uses vegetable casein in place of animal derived paint ingredients, such as Lakeland Paints.
Step 2: Mattress
Time to upgrade? Eco-friendly mattresses can offer a refreshing sleep experience without costing the earth. Some mattresses and other bedding items such as Tielle’s Suprelle Tencel Eco-Fresh Pillows are made from recycled plastic bottles; others are often made from renewable, biodegradable resources such as cotton or coir fibre, rather than silk or wool. Mattresses made from plant-based fibres such as coir, flax and cotton are also free from animal fibres, making them suitable for the vegan bedroom.
Step 3: Bedlinen
Bedding past its best? Nothing beats jumping into bed with beautiful bed linen but that feeling won’t last if the linen’s second rate. For a longer lasting luxury sleep experience, go for high-quality cotton linen from an established ethical supplier. Any responsible online retailer will have an ethical statement you can read. You could also look for the product’s EU Eco label and Oeko-Tex certification as proof of the company’s commitment to environmental and socially responsible production. Our Suprelle Tencel ECO Fresh Pillow helps save 80 million plastic bottles annually from going to landfill while offering a great night’s sleep.
Step 4: Flooring
Tread ethically! Natural flooring such as cork, linoleum, bamboo and hardwood are compassionate alternatives to unethically made wool carpets and rugs. Warm to walk on and easy to clean, these eco-friendly bedroom alternatives are also more suitable for allergy and asthma sufferers than allergen-trapping wool.
Step 5: Calming scents
Ready to relax? Candles are the ultimate de-stress tool but some, such as paraffin wax candles, release chemical nasties that pollute your home. For a clean burn and natural fragrance look for a sustainably sourced candle made from 100% natural wax with a beautiful essential oil. Tielle loves the Scentered aromatherapy range .
Recycle the Old Before in with the New
As you upgrade your bedroom, try and repurpose or recycle bedding and other unwanted items where
you can. Old sheets and pillowcases can often be donated to charity. Bedlinen and towels made from natural and man-made fibres are recyclable via textile banks. Duvets and old pillows past their best can often be reused as bedding by animal sanctuaries. Bed covers, sheets and pillowcases made from 100% cotton can also be added to the compost bin.
Quick guide to buying eco-friendly bedding
It's easy to feel bamboozled by choice when buying sustainable and eco-friendly bedding. When choosing new bedding and bed linen, here are a few things you may want to ask yourself:
Do I want vegan bedding? If so, microfibre is ideal. Free from feather and down, a microfibre duvet or pillow is soft, warm and lightweight with a beautiful natural drape. A high quality duvet with a good outer cover will also help your duvet last longer, benefitting the environment and your purse!
How ethical is my eco-friendly bedding? When buying cotton bed linen, look for a retailer that supports the global cotton sustainability programme, BCI (Better Cotton Initiative), and Ethical Trading Initiative. Tielle also adheres to ISO and SA8000 accreditations to ensure ethical workplace practices.
How sustainable is my eco-friendly bedding? How your bedding and bed linen is packaged, how far it’s travelled and how it’s made all contribute to its carbon footprint. Overpackaging and use of air freight are a major cause of waste and carbon emissions. Tielle responsibly packages in reusable bags and favours sea travel over air, only using UK and Irish suppliers for its pillows, duvets and ethically-sourced feather and down.
Will my eco-friendly bedding last? Bedding and bed linen made to the highest standards will last for longer, reducing your environmental impact while providing a more comfortable night’s sleep. Look for a product made from high quality long staple cotton – a reliable indicator of good bed linen – and don’t be too taken in by thread count. The quality of the yarn is more important than whether it’s 200tc or 600tc. Read our guide to common linen misconsumptions in Anyone Can Spin a Yarn.
Bedroom Plants for a Healthy Finishing Touch
Bedroom plants bring colour and life to a bedroom and even help you sleep better by filtering the air. How well they convert CO2 into oxygen depends on the type of plant, how many you have, and how much water is in the soil. Just as humans need water to function well, so do plants when it comes to removing CO2 from the environment. You also need to consider the light conditions of your bedroom before buying eco-friendly house plants as some thrive in sunny spots, while others prefer shade.
Bedroom plant ideas
The adage ‘right place right plant’ is key when it comes to choosing indoor plants. If your bedroom is light and bright, consider a glossy green Sterilitzia or a feathery leaved Cycad for a more tropical vibe. If your bedroom has little natural light, a dramatic snake plant (also known as Mother-in-Law’s tongue), will look fabulous on a bedside table. For a versatile showstopper, bedroom plants such as a tall Monstera (also known as Swiss Cheese plant) will add drama to a shady or sunny spot.
Check out our other ways to extend your inner horticulturist with our guide to how to style your home with flowers and foliage. Tielle loves the Patch Plants guide to plants for the bedroom.
