Natural and organic cotton sheets and bedding for your baby

November 05, 2019

First time parents are mostly anxious about the preparations that need to be done to welcome their child in this world. This is natural since parents are caring and want to protect their child as much as possible from toxic substances.

One of the best ways to do this is to give your child organic products as far as possible. This means organic foods, organic healthcare products and organic clothing. Children are more prone than adults to disease; and by limiting their exposure to conventional every day use items that might have toxic elements one can reduce the risk of illness and sickness significantly.

Historical perspective
Organic cotton has been in use much before World War I. However at that time it was not known as “organic”, but just simply “cotton”. The reason is that back then there was no rampant use of chemicals and pesticides and the soil was rich. Therefore, the yield was high and there was no damage done to the ecology. The cotton bedding, sheets, towels, bed covers and duvet covers were made of a thick fabric that lasted for years. With technology advancement, improvements were made to make lighter fabric.

Lighter “easy-care” fabric comes into being
Textile manufacturers leveraged on this need and found an opportunity here. They created lighter “easy-care” cotton fabric. Housewives were very happy as the label mentioned the words “crease-resistant”; or “wrinkle-free”; or “wash & wear”; or say “permanent press”. For them the workload was reduced. For a few decades this worked, but as research continued, their joy was short-lived as it was found that the cotton bedding contained the chemical Formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a chemical that is human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) and responsible for health conditions such as burning and watery eyes, coughing, difficulty breathing, and skin allergies.

Crib sheets became organic cotton sheets
Looking at the above dangers, parents realized the importance of safe bedding for their infants that was free of Formaldehyde. Additionally, they also began looking whether PVC or Vinyal added any value.

This was natural because parents hold babies in their arms to comfort them and reassure them. Babies begin to recognize the sense of touch and associate it with comfort and an indication to go to sleep. In the same way cribs provide a soothing movement that lulls a baby to sleep. However as crib mattresses are covered mostly with PVC or Vinyl coating that contains harmful phthalates, parents have switched to organic cotton sheets, so that babies don’t sleep on or breathe such toxins.

Why protecting your child against toxic substances is a must?
Babies are vulnerable
Babies are more vulnerable than adults to catch an infection as their skin is much thinner. If they sleep on a bedding made from non-organic materials, there is a greater chance of them experiencing dryness and rashes. Their skin might become red or purple due to toxic contaminants in the bedding.

Babies spend more time in the cribs
Infants spend most time sleeping than adults and so have more exposure to their bedding. It therefore makes sense to put them to sleep on certified organic cotton sheets, blankets and pillows. This will limit their exposure to airborne toxins.

Some ways in which you can protect your baby:
Buy organic cotton sheets and organic bedding
Always buy organic cotton sheets for your child. They are free of chemicals that are known carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and other irritants. These organic sheets are airy and will provide clean air to your child while they sleep for 16+ hours a day.

Organic cotton is more absorbent
Most infants wet their beds while sleeping and organic cotton sheets are helpful here as they absorb more moisture.

Physical and mental well-being of the child
Infants grow most during the early years of their life. The period from birth to 2 years is critical for development of vital organs such as digestive system and nervous system and it is best that during this phase exposure to toxic substances is minimized.

By using organic cotton we protect the environment
Buying organic is paying back to the environment
By doing organic cotton farming we do a service to Planet Earth and the environment since no pesticides, or harsh chemicals are used in the process of growing or weeding. In this way the health of farmers is protected and the environment is also rendered safe.

Future of our generation is restored
By using natural fertilizers, crop-rotation strategies and organic farming methods, farmers are able to maximize yield and produce long fiber organic cotton. Therefore, buying certified organic bedding helps in being consistent with the earth’s natural cycles and processes.

Organic cotton sheets are expensive but worth it
Organic bedding may appear to be expensive than conventional alternatives, but if you factor in the long term advantages of your baby's health and the well-being of the planet, then you will find it to be correctly priced.

Conclusion:
Organic cotton is the way to go forward to protect yourself, your family and the environment. If you have not switched to organic as yet, then this is the best time to do it.