How To Create a 100% Sustainable Bedroom

Global warming is stressful, and it can be easy to loose sleep over. But you don’t have to. By filling your bedroom with eco-friendly and sustainably made products, from the furniture you pick out the the sheets your sleep in, you are sure to get a great nights sleep. Not only will you rest easy knowing you did your part, but also because you will be so darn comfortable. The bedding industry has come a long way to making more sustainable products. Stick around to see what products we choose to make a 100% Sustainable Bedroom.

Stick With What You Have

While if you are on this page, then you have likely already decided that you would prefer to start fresh, and purchase a new mattress and furniture. However, we want to note how important it is to not buy new when possible. When it comes to creating a sustainable bedroom, less is more. The less you consume/buy new, the better. Which is why if your current bedroom furniture and mattress are working well for you, then we suggest you continue to use the furniture and mattress you already own.

No matter how eco-friendly a mattress is made, it takes time, energy and a toll on the environment. Therefore, we suggest you use the mattress/bedding/furniture you already own for as long as you can,. This is truly the most sustainable bedroom you can have.

However, we realize that life happens. Whether your kids are moving to college and it’s time to say goodbye to their worn out childhood furniture for an upgraded guest bedroom. Or if your little one is ready to move into a big kid bed. Or perhaps you have finally worn out that mattress you’ve had for years and you’re ready for an upgrade. In that case we will walk you through how to get rid of your old mattress/furniture and start fresh from top to bottom.

Re-Use & Recycle 

Mattresses

First things first. If you are wanting to start fresh with a new eco-friendly bedroom, then it is important to know what to do with your old mattress first. Mattresses are bulky and make up a large percentage of the space in our landfills. Bulk pickup costs money and even if you drive your old mattress out to a landfill they will often either turn you away or charge you in order to take it off your hands.

If your mattress is in good condition and you know someone who could use it, the first option is to give it a new home. However, most folks would prefer to get a new mattress. Which leaves us with recycling.

Did you know you could recycle your mattress? Obviously recycling a mattress is going to be more difficult than tossing it in a recycling bin. Most recycling centers won’t even have the capability to take and disassemble a mattress in order to properly recycle the materials. However there are some that can. In order to find those recycling centers near you, check out the Recycling Guide from Earth 911 to find a center that can handle mattresses near you.

Furniture

If you have ever spent any time in a thrift store, you have likely seen a large selection of perfectly good furniture that is simply dated in style. This is why we prefer a more timeless design for the bedroom and attempt to stay away from trends. Especially for the large pieces of furniture in our room.

If you are done with your furniture but it is still in good condition, donate those items. Or if you need a few dollars in your pocket, see if you can sell it online to someone else who may love it.

Style

Go as simple and timeless as possible. Avoid trendy furniture that are just so “in right now”. These pieces will soon go out of style and you will find yourself wanting to redecorate even with your furniture continuing to work perfectly fine. Creating a timeless bedroom that continues to change with you as your personal style changes, then you will love our post on how to create a timeless bedroom. Click the link below to read all about it.

Visit How To Create Your Timeless Bedroom to learn how we design a bedroom that will never grow old.

How To Create A Sustainable Bedroom 

If you truly want a 100% sustainable bedroom, and house, it really starts with the construction of your home. However, the majority of us won’t be starting from scratch. Which means we will be focusing on creating a room that is as close to 100% sustainable in the aspects that we can control. Below are our suggestions and guide on how to add what you can to your bedroom to make it as green as you can. Some of these areas may be beyond what your budget or needs are, but we want to give you the full scope of what is out there to keep your bedroom healthy for you and the planet.

Healthy Paint & Wall Paper Options

Ever since the discovery of the tragedies that were caused by lead paint, we have all thought different about what we put on our walls. Some points are made out of toxic chemicals that while are worlds beyond better than lead… There are much better paint and wallpaper options out there that are not only better for you and your families safety and health, but also better for the environment.

Low VOC Paint

What is VOC you ask? VOC stands for volatile organic compounds. While not all VOCs are inherently bad, some of them may cause harm to your health and are bad for the environment. Which is why we suggest looking for low VOC to VOC free paint. This way you can paint without any concerns.

Naturally Made/Sourced Wallpaper

When you’re on the hunt for beautiful and economically friendly wallpaper, there are a few factors to keep your eyes out for.

Not only do you need to make sure your wall paper is made VOC free, just like your paint. You also need to make sure the paper is sourced responsibly and that the adhesives are safe. Watch out for plastic/vinyl linings as well. The hunt for a green home isn’t always an easy one but every little bit makes a difference.

Sustainable Flooring Options

With hardwood floors being rather expensive, many cheaper alternatives have hit the market. One of our all time favorite and cost effective wood floor options is bamboo. Bamboo grows rapidly, therefore when it is harvested, it grows back and renews itself very quickly. Making it one of the most environmentally friendly woods you can use. You can now get bamboo flooring in a wide range of colors in order to best fit your personal style as well.

Natural Material Rugs

Carpets are typically made out of polyester and other plastic fibers. While some of these fibers may be recycled and re-purposed into new carpets, it is still a plastic fiber that will eventually break about and litter the ocean. Which is why we suggest naturally bio-degradable fibers instead of plastic carpet fibers.

Some of our favorite rug materials are jute, bamboo fibers, wool and cotton. All of these fibers will eventually biodegrade on their own and go back to the earth relatively quickly. While plastic pollutes the planet for a very long time. Wool is especially nice due to the fact that it has natural fire retardant properties.

Windows & Window Coverings

Better rated windows for better insulation (less heating and cooling costs)

More than what it is simply made out of, investing in quality insulation for your windows is a great way to make your home more eco-friendly. The better you keep your AC or heating in your home, the less energy it will take in order to keep your house a comfortable temperature year round. This is why we also suggest investing in thick window coverings.

When searching for blinds and our curtains, keep in mind that not only using them in general is helpful for the environment but choosing sustainably made materials is important as well. The more insulation you create by your windows the less energy you use.

Sustainably Made Mattresses

These are our top picks for mattresses made with natural materials. These mattresses are all made with different materials and in different processes. If you are wanting to know more about each mattress and for it is made, it is important to know what all of the different certifications mean and what to keep an eye out for.

If you want to learn more about mattress certifications read our post Mattress Certifications: What to Know 

Best Sustainable Mattress

Brand	Type	Best For	Latest Coupon
Avocado Mattress Review	Hybrid	Overall	Avocado Coupon
Spindle Mattress Review	100% Latex	Extra Long Term Use	Spindle Coupon
Cedar by Brentwood Home Mattress Review	Hybrid	Luxury Option	Cedar Coupon
Latex For Less Mattress Review	100% Latex	Budget Buy	Latex For Less Coupon

• Avocado Mattress
  

  Overall the Avocado Mattress is our top choice for sustainability. Avocado works very hard to lead the way for all other mattress brands when it comes to organic, natural, ethical and economical practices. They also make it easy for their customers to follow with extensive certifications. These certifications not only verify their eco-friendly claims but also helps to make it easier to follow and understand all the work they are doing to make a better product.

• Spindle Mattress
  

  Not only made 100% out of eco-friendly Dunlop latex, but also made to be customizable. Since the different layers of latex can be switched out or completely replaced, you can change your Spindle mattress to fit your comfort level, or replace parts and pieces without having to replace your entire mattress. Making it a much more sustainable choice considering you can keep the same mattress for a very long time even if your top layer gets worn out.

• Cedar by Brentwood Home
  

  Brentwood Homes crafted their Cedar Natural Hybrid mattress with 7 well thought out eco-friendly layers. Each layer serving it’s own purpose to create the most luxurious bed on our sustainable mattress list. If you are wanting premium comfort without sacrificing the environment, then the Cedar is a great mattress option for you.

• Latex For Less Mattress
  

  Who knew you could get a quality environmentally friendly mattress without a steep price tag?! Latex For Less works directly with farmers to create their own latex and keep costs down. On top of that, they have created a two sided mattress with a Firm side and a Medium firmness on the other side. Since both sides are made for sleeping on, you can flip and turn to your hearts contain, allowing your mattress to last even longer. As we all know, the longer your mattress lasts the more sustainable it is.

Make Your Mattress Last

• Use a Mattress Protector
• Flip often
• Spot clean as needed

Eco-Friendly Furniture

We believe in buying furniture used. If you can buy your furniture for resale from an individual, thrift store, or vintage shop then this is the best option. Giving old furniture a new home is the most sustainable option and is often a great way to save some cash as well. We love to shop from online marketplaces and garage sales.

Keep an eye out for local furniture resale stores, they are typically packed full of great finds. One benefit to shopping resale, your home is bound to be full of unique character and not like an Ikea warehouse. However, if you do want to purchase a few new pieces we have come across some great options for that as well.

• Avocado Recycled Wood Furniture
  

  We were thrilled to find that Avocado not only makes fantastic mattresses, but they also sell their own furniture made out of reclaimed wood including a bed frame.

  Their bed frames are handmade in Los Angeles and use only zero-VOC sealant. The rustic wood finish is a beautiful addition to any room. The simple designs they have used for their furniture make their bed frames truly timeless. All so you can love them forever.

• Thuma Bed
  

  When we went hunting for our new bed frame we came across Thuma and fell in love with their well crafted bed and all of their sustainable practices.

  The wood in their frame is made out of reclaimed rubber trees that have finished their life of making rubber.

  They even made sure to pack their bed frames in very specific ways in order to completely eliminate all styrofoam from their packing. Read our full Thuma Bed Review to learn more about why we love this bed frame.
  

• Nest Wood Recycled Furniture
  

  Also made out of recycled wood, Nest Bedding also has a line of reclaimed wooden furniture. Also with a rustic aesthetic however, the furniture by Nest also comes in three different finish options. All so you can change up the look in your bedroom while continuing to be sustainable.

• Made Trade Furniture
  

  If you want to live a chic and sustainable lifestyle, then you must try out Made Trade. This unique online marketplace has a curated selection of home goods, furniture, clothing, and much more. All of which meet the very high ethical and economical requirements of Made Trade. So whether you’re looking for sheets, a new bed frame, or even a little something to decorate your walls. Made Trade has it all.

Planet Loving Decor

What better way to decorate your sustainable bedroom than with house plants? They are beautiful, add a lot of life, fun, and color into your bedroom all while cleaning the air you breath and living their best plant lives. Indoor plants are also rather popular lately, which is really just a bonus. We love house plants, however some are better to place in your bedroom than others. Visit our page Best Indoor Plants & Flowers for Bedrooms to read which plants are the best for bedroom settings.

• California Cotton – Decorative Pillows
• Made Trade – Wall Decor, Throws, Pillows, Lamps, Curtains, Rugs, etc.
• The Citizenry – Throw Pillows, Rugs, Wall Art, etc.
• The Sill – House Plants & Pots

Sustainable Bedding

• Avocado Sheets
  More than your average set of Organic Cotton Sheets. Avocado went and got some of the best Cotton you can find, Suvin Cotton. The strands are so long you can get a much higher thread count without sacrificing strength or softness. These silky soft sheets are stunning and made to love the planet.
• California Cotton Sheets
  If you are looking for eco friendly cotton lovers, then California is obviously the place to go. California Cotton made their sheets with 100% organic and fair trade cotton. Their whole focus is dedicated to sustainable and comfortable sheets and bedding. Be sure to check out their throw pillows too.
• Boll & Branch Signature Sheets
  Many different colors and styles of sheets are available from Boll & Branch, their classic hem sheet set is one of our favorites. They are GOTs and Fair Trade certified.
• Buffy Eucalyptus Comforter & Sheets
  Breaking away from the now seemingly traditional cotton sheets, Buffy makes their sheets completely out of Eucalyptus Tree fibers. These fibers are naturally antimicrobial and extra soft and cool. In order to keep these sheets especially sustainable, they are 100% naturally dyed. No toxic dyes made out of potentially dangerous chemicals. Instead the dyes are made out of things like pomegranate seeds or turmeric.

Natural Pillows

Top Sustainable Pillows

Brand	Adjustable	Shell Material	Stuffing Material
Avocado Pillow Review	Yes	Organic Cotton	Organic Latex Ribbons Organic Kapok Fiber
Birch Pillow Review	No	Organic Cotton	Birch Wool Natural Latex
Eli & Elm Organic cotton and latex Pillow Review	Yes	Organic Cotton	Shredded Talalay Latex
Sleep & Beyond	Yes	Natural Cotton	100% Shropshire Wool
Nest - Easy Breather Natural Pillow Review	Yes	Natural Cotton	Natural Latex Noodles

Make Your Pillows Last:

When it comes to trying to purchase sustainable pillows, something you simply must learn it how to take care of them. Some cheap poly filled pillows you can simply throw in the washing machine if it is in need of a wash. Unfortunately natural pillows are a bit more high maintenance.

However, if you know how to take care of them, they actually become quite easy to care for. A lot of what goes into the care and keeping of your pillow starts with prevention. Invest in a quality pillow protector and always use breathable sheets. The pillow protector + sheet combo will help to keep everything out of your pillow, like skin, sweat, hair, even drool. (We all do it sometimes)

Washing you sheets often will also help to keep your pillow fresh and smelling lovely.

• Keep Pillows Clean
• Use Pillow Cases & Protectors
• Wash Sheets Often
• Spot Treat As Needed
• Let Your Pillow Breath

How To Create a 100% Sustainable Bedroom:

We are learning more and more everyday on the effects our actions and purchases make. Which is why there are now more options than ever to make your own eco-friendly bedroom. It is important to do your research, really look into everything you buy to make sure it is truly sustainably made. With eco-friendly options gaining popularity some companies may try to make their products seem more economically made than they truly are, so be sure to read the fine print and look for certifications.

Our final reminder on here is to take care of the mattress and bedding you own, whether it is new or old. The longer you can hold onto your furniture, mattress, and decor the more sustainable your bedroom will be.

Want to know how to properly care and clean your mattress? Visit our page Mattress Care to learn out to keep your mattress fresh and clean.