Making Mindful Consumer Choices in Our Global Marketplace: Be Kind to All Creatures and Choose Organic and Humane Bedding

Being a savvy, mindful shopper in today’s world means learning to wade through and understand the many labels on products, from organic to Free Trade to Sweatshop Free and beyond. One important alternative given to consumers is choosing goods that are humanely made. If you are buying new linens for your own or your child’s bedroom, be sure to choose organic and humane bedding, and you’ll know that neither your planet nor any animal has suffered to provide you with a warm, cosy night’s sleep.

Sink into a Cosy, Cuddly Down Pillow or Comforter without Guilt
One of the most popular fillers for comforters and pillows is down. “Down” is the layer of very fine, fluffy feathers found beneath the outer feathers of grown ducks, geese, and other water birds, providing the birds with extra warmth and plenty of insulation, particularly in colder climes. Down’s incredible insulating properties make it a wonderfully warm and comforting filling in outerwear and bedding. However, while birds pluck their own down to line their nests and shed regularly, too, mechanical or hand harvesting of down is not always accomplished humanely. Many suppliers of down cruelly and repeatedly pull feathers and down from live birds, leaving the birds bald and in much pain and distress. Be sure you vigilantly research the source of down in any comforter or pillow before you buy, to ensure you are buying humanely harvested down from a reputable company.

Contented, Kindly Handled Sheep provide the Most Snugly Wool Fabrics and Fillers
Sheep also provide us with the best of beddings, from an inviting wool blanket to wool-filled comforters, mattress pads, and pillows. However, giving us warm, versatile fleece can be a dreadful task for those sheep bred and kept in less-than-humane conditions, subject to overly crowded flocks, a variety of regular chemical treatments (drenching or dipping for parasites, growth stimulants, antibiotics, and more), and other inhumane conditions and practices. Once again, a little research can go a long way towards giving you a good night’s sleep, knowing that no sheep was harmed or ill-treated to dress your snug, restful bed. And, a stressed sheep will produce shorter, more brittle fibres, so choosing humanely made bedding from a happy, well-treated sheep means your wool comforter, blanket, or mattress pad will be much softer, stronger, and fluffier!

Are “Organic” and “Humanely Made” the Same?
Third-party, independent organic certification ensures that animals and birds producing organic products are treated kindly and kept safe and healthy through good farm management standards. So, when you see a “certified organic” label on a comforter, mattress pad, or pillow, you can rest assured that any sheep who donated fleece or bird that gave down for the bedding was treated compassionately. However, a “humanely made” product, while ensuring humane treatment of animals, isn’t necessarily produced and processed under organic conditions. As always, be a sharp consumer and read labels to be sure you are purchasing the very best cruelty-free, environmentally friendly bedding for you and your loved ones.

While choosing organic and natural goods is a smart and planet-friendly choice for you and your family, you can go a step further and watch out for your fellow creatures who share your planet, as well. As you continue on with your journey towards becoming a careful, more informed consumer, be sure you are always shopping humanely, as well.