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Following my last post about creating a bedroom that’s made with sustainable materials that won’t aggravate your allergies, to top it all off let’s talk about mattresses and bedding.

According to this article, it isn’t easy to recycle conventional mattresses. That’s because they have several types of materials fused together – commonly polyurethane foam, wood framing, metal coils and synthetic fabric. Some companies have made a business of mattress recycling, such as this one in the Montreal area. For a mattress to be considered greener (unlike polyurethane, which is made from petroleum), it should be made from a natural material, not be treated with chemicals and it should be durable.

I’ll be honest and say that I’m not sure about the sustainability of foam mattresses made from natural sources, such as soy foam and latex (rubber). Soybeans and rubber trees are renewable resources, so it appears that the source is better than a conventional mattress. As long as the mattress hasn’t been treated with flame retardants, it’s less likely to off-gas irritants as polyurethane does. And memory foam mattresses made with solid foam are much more efficient to ship: some can be rolled up into a surprisingly small package, making the carbon-per-unit from shipping significantly lower than a conventional mattress.

So far, soy foam and latex are looking pretty good, but I’d keep a couple of things in mind. First, a lot of mattress companies use a small amount of soy, mixed in with polyurethane. Second, I’m not sure that they are biodegradable in the way the manufacturers claim. I’ve yet to find a solid study showing how soy foam biodegrades, but if a mattress can live in your bedroom, beneath warm, moist bodies for six or eight hours a night, how is it that they wouldn’t biodegrade as you sleep? My guess is they would take a very long time to biodegrade in landfill, and it’s not clear what they become as they break down. If you like the sounds of a

Want an alternative to natural-sourced foam? Perhaps a mattresses made from a mix or organic cotton and wool, used in combination with metal coils, is right for you. Here’s one one from Grassroots. Ikea also makes its Sultan Heidel mattress with a large portion of natural latex and untreated cotton.

Above the mattress, I’d say go for fabrics made with organically grown fibre, most commonly cotton, although hemp and linen are also good choices (particularly for duvet covers). While conventional fabrics aren’t typically hazardous to us, the pesticides used to grow the crops are often harmful to the agricultural workers, the groundwater and any area watersheds, and they can persist in the soil for a long time.

To keep your mattress clean, look for an organic cotton mattresses cover. Assess the options for durability, because you should wash the cover often in extremely hot water to kill dust mites, then hang it on the clothesline in the sun.

Organic cotton sheets and duvet covers in fine threadcounts are now fairly easy to find; if you prefer a raw look try these or these.

What to adorn that bed with? Well, from an allergy point of view, contrary to what we sometimes show in beautiful magazine spreads, the fewer pillows the better. Pillows and shams just collect dust, and that means doing a lot of washing!

It’s begun. As the rain drizzled down in Toronto yesterday, I could feel my eyelids swelling up just a bit, and by midday I was definitely stuffed up. Spring – and allergy season – has begun. Over the years I’ve learned that, particularly during allergy season, having a clean bedroom — free of dust and chemical irritants — means I’ll start the day feeling much more like myself.

In my experience, there are a few important bedroom elements to control in order to control your allergies:
- The flooring, wall covering and other materials you’ve used to finish the room
- The furniture, drapes and other furnishings
- Your mattress and pillows
- Your mattress cover, sheets and pillow cases

As usual, when I look for better choices for the Earth, I also find better choices for my own health. I’ll share what I’ve learned about finishes and flooring today, and move on to mattress, pillows and bedding tomorrow. Maybe you’ll have some of your own tips to add.

Design elements of a cozy, eco-friendly, allergen-free bedroom should generally made with natural materials, they should be easy to dust and wash and they should be durable. Here are a few areas that make a difference:
- Ventilation. Bedrooms can get stuffy at night. If you wake up to humidity on your windows in the cooler months, you have excess moisture (it must be all that heavy breathing). You might need a heat recovery ventilator. This heat exchanger works with your central heating system to maintain fresh air and keep humidity in check while reducing heating costs.
- Windows. Thwart window-frame mold from moisture buildup by installing vinyl or fibreglass windows, and insulate and caulk thoroughly around the frames. Check the Energy Star ratings before you buy to ensure you’ve chosen a highly energy- efficient window.
- Flooring. Several kinds of flooring may emit irritating, sometimes harmful gasses. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are common in carpets, engineered wood products such as plywood and particleboard, finishes like paint and stain, fabrics that have been treated with fire retardants, and other materials. Avoid potential irritants and do the Earth a favour by choosing Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified solid wood flooring, or Low-E engineered flooring made with sustainable materials such as wood, bamboo or cork. While wool rugs are a good environmental choice, any sort of carpet can trap allergens.
- Drapes. I have a street light outside my window, so if I didn’t have blackout fabric behind my drapes, according to this Homemakers.com article, I wouldn’t sleep as soundly. Whatever window coverings you choose, make sure they’re easy to wash. I’ve found plastic venetian blinds really difficult to clean, and I doubt they’re recyclable.
- Furniture. Avoid furniture that can absorb moisture and harbour dust, forgoing stuffed chairs for those made with wood, steel and washable fabrics. Skip particleboard furniture (most furniture is now made with particle board with a face of wood veneer) unless you know it’s low emission (Low E). Low E composite wood furniture is getting easier to find, with retailers such as Ikea on board. Don’t forget about antique shops for wood and brass beds frames!
- Paint and wall coverings. Although there are many beautiful wallpaper designs out there, keep in mind that some wallpaper isn’t paper at all, it’s vinyl! Vinyl off-gasses VOCs. Flocked paper is back in style, but it’s hard to dust! If you have allergies, choose smooth, low-E glue, washable paper or simply apply a low-VOC paint. For a better night’s sleep, choose a matte finish — it will help absorb light.

Keep in mind that if you already have some VOC-emitting materials in your home, most off-gas fairly quickly, particularly if you have a source of ventilation (open the windows). Furniture you already have is better for the environment than new stuff.

For more ideas on getting ahead of your allergies, check out the April issue of Homemakers magazine for the story “Survive the Sneeze Season” by Lesley Young.

See you tomorrow for green mattress and bedding tips!