Best Alternatives To Plastic-Based Bedding In 2024

As mentioned in our Best Natural Fabrics That Reduce Microplastic Absorption, there are some products you are exposed to daily, and would benefit you largely if you replaced them with non-synthetic, non-microplastic-leeching fabric.

When it comes to replacing fabrics, this first brings our attention to the bedroom.

Why target the bedroom?

Given the fact that most humans will sleep up to a third of their lives, likely on some form of bed, we can make safe assumptions that a large volume of plastic exposure via skin, or transdermal contact, is happening during our sleeping hours.

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After filtering our air and filtering our drinking water, it makes sense to keep targeting the big fish - to swap synthesized fibers out of our bedsheets, pillows, duvet covers, and even mattresses if possible.

Where do I start?

For only $50-200, you could remove some to nearly all plastic from your bedding other than the mattress. Later in this article we will link our favorite solutions we have found so far, but first let’s list off the order for best microplastic problems to solve first.

Bedsheets and pillowcases - The biggest bang for your buck would be to switch out your sheets and pillowcase, since they most directly contact your skin. Since outer, heavier layers might still be polyester (such as a fleece blanket), you are at least not contacting the material directly.

Blankets, duvets, and pillows - The next step would be eliminating the rest of the plastic around and in your bedding. Considering natural fillings of your duvets and pillows is especially of priority.

Mattress covers - Since replacing an entire mattress is the most difficult and expensive change to make, settling for a natural cover to retain the microplastics shedding from your mattress is a worthy compromise.

The mattress itself (if possible) - And finally, the most difficult step, a fully natural and organic replacement to your mattress. At the end of the day, it’s about controlling what you can, so while this would seal the deal on your nightly exposure, it is also understandable to omit a change this extreme.

Bedsheets And Pillowcases

Depending on your price point, there is a wide variety of quality you could get when it comes to sheets and pillowcases. However, as long as the material is natural, we will be satisfying our requirements for removing this component of plastic from our lives.

Note - as mentioned in our article on natural fibers, bamboo and cellulose-derived rayon sheets and bedding will not be present on this list. Even though they are of natural materials, the semi-synthetic process of manufacturing these rayon sheets typically use harsh chemicals that can be detrimental to humans even if it’s not because of microplastic reasons.

Cotton Sheets

Cotton is the most versatile and common fabric used for sheets and bedding. It is often considered a year-round material for bedding depending on whether or not you are a hot sleeper (like me). Still, the base moisture-wicking element of cotton in tandem with relatively cheap pricing makes it a great option, at least to start your journey away from plastic sheets.

Budget pick: LANE LINEN 100% Organic Cotton Sheet Set - often on sale, getting a hotel-quality organic cotton sheet set for ~$50 or less is a great deal. The ‘percale’ weave is exactly what most hotels use, giving that cool, crisp feel without leaning towards plastic based sheets.

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Quality pick: California Design Den 100% Cotton Sheet Set - reputable company with tens of thousands of reviews, slightly higher quality for a similar price and a different sateen type weave which is silkier and smoother, yet heavier.

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Linen Sheets

If you run warm, the best sheets for hot sleepers are typically linen sheets. Even though they are thicker, these flax-based sheets are still more moisture wicking than regular cotton sheets and more durable as well. Although, they will still get softer with each wash, just like cotton.

Budget pick: Simple&Opulence Belgian Linen Sheet Set - finding ‘cheap’ linen (made from all flax, not ‘fake’ linen made from 100% cotton, or rayon) is difficult. However, we found a brand that makes a cheaper set made from both flax and cotton. While this may not be the best pure linen sheet, it is a good lower-cost entry to the world of linen.

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Quality pick: LBR02M 100% Linen Sheet Set - one of the highest and best-reviewed organic linen sheet sets on Amazon, a good investment for someone who wants to ‘buy it for life’. With a multitude of colors, it shouldn’t be difficult to get your favorite style accounted for as well.

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Flannel Sheets (brushed cotton)

Winter months, and for those who run cold at night, might be interested in flannel sheets. Flannel is cotton that undergoes a slightly different manufacturing process to create a more rough but insulating texture. Flannel sheets are great for cold nights and overall a cozy material.

Budget (and quality) pick: Bare Home Flannel Sheet Set 100% Cotton - the market for organic flannel sheets is not as competitive, so most prices for 4-piece sets will settle around the ~$50 range. Thankfully this Bare Home sheet set is well reviewed with plenty of customer satisfaction making it a safe bet for your first set of flannel sheets.

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Blankets, Duvets, And Pillows

Note on polyester fake ‘fluffy’ blankets. Mention organic duvets. Pillows being close to the face, next to where we breathe.

Blankets

More often than not, bed blankets, especially ‘fluffy’ ones, are technically polyester. Given how much you might be moving a blanket around, bringing it with you from the bed to the couch, or wearing it over your back on a cold winter morning, investing in natural fiber blanket is a great idea.

Best budget pick: Utopia Bedding 100% Cotton Blanket - for an incredibly low price, you can move from plastic to 100% cotton with this versatile medium thickness simple blanket. Available in several sizes and colors, you might want to pick up a few of these for around the house.

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Best quality pick: Desert Breeze Distributing 100% Natural Alpaca and Merino Wool Blanket - if you need additional warmth, splurging on an organic wool (and Alpaca!) blanket will be a purchase you only make once. The Desert Breeze Distributing brand only offers one gray/brown color way, but is still fashionable.

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Duvets

Duvets are a great solution for those who need warmth and coverage in the winter but still want to remain cool in the warmer months. Most duvets may have an outer layer of organic cotton but could still contain polyester or microfiber fills. The best duvets for our microplastic avoiding mission will end up with goose feather or down fill, natural materials. Be sure to also order a natural fiber cover for your duvet as that is the part that might contact your skin directly!

Goose feather/down duvet (budget) pick: APSMILE Queen Size Feather Down Comforter - admittedly, finding a good duvet without containing plastic-based filling is surprisingly difficult. The APSMILE comforter is a good, relatively cheaper option containing only feather down which satisfies our requirement for plastic-free bedding.

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Goose feather/down duvet (quality) pick: EGYPTIAN BEDDING Goose Down Fiber Waterfowl - one of the highest rated natural material duvets on Amazon, this model has a bit more attention to detail to the stitching and form, making it a great pick if you want a more luxurious feel.

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(Bonus) Natural fiber duvet cover option: MooMee 100% Cotton Duvet Cover Set - as mentioned earlier, don’t forget a natural fabric duvet cover sheet! Adding a duvet sheet reduces the laundering needed depending on the use of the duvet, and multiple layers of sheets give the duvet a hotel feel.

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Pillows

Pillows arguably have the most interesting variety in material options, as we get into the use of down and seed hulls. Regardless, it is first most important to prioritize a completely natural exterior to the pillow, then a natural interior as well. The selection we have provided is 100% natural and completely free of microplastics.

Goose feather/down pillow pick: puredown® Goose Feathers and Down White Pillow - for those looking for a basic replacement to a conventional pillow, a standard down-filled cotton-lined pillow is a perfect option for removing plastic from your bedding.

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Buckwheat husks pillow pick: LOFE Organic Buckwheat Pillow - a lesser-known but insanely comfortable filling material, buckwheat husks provide great support and breathability compared to standard fill pillows. The buckwheat material can be removed or added to change the fill capacity.

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Mattress Covers

The final piece to our puzzle, other than replacing the mattress, is to surround the potentially microfiber-shedding mattress with a good natural fiber protector.

This step is at the bottom of our list because it is considerably more expensive even at the lowest cost options, so we have provided a brand that we think is the best we could find (true, 100% natural material cover) for the price.

Best natural fiber mattress cover - ​​Whisper Organics, 100% Organic Cotton Mattress Protector - sporting a 100% organic cotton makeup, this is exactly what is needed to prevent plastic from shedding into your sheets and your skin at sleep once you have made all other bedding organic. As an added bonus, the omission of plastic from this cover will help heat transfer away from your body more efficiently, preventing sweating overnight.

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Conclusion:

When you choose one of these options, you will be one step closer to a microplastic-free lifestyle that is better for you and your family's health.

If you want to learn more about ways to reduce your daily microplastic consumption for good, read on in our Going Microplastic-Free Guide.

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