Sleep Healthy

Good Gracious! Great Green Gifts 2010

Guest Blogger: Michael Earnheart, Wickford RI Showroom Manager

Faster than you ever thought possible, the holiday season is here and with 29 days left until Christmas it is just the right time to get your shopping underway.

 At The Clean Bedroom, we are all about the green! I have taken the liberty to come up with five holiday gift ideas that will warm the heart and fill up the cups of joy!

1. Under the Nile Organic Cotton Blanket: You are really not going to find a more comfortable, warm and wrap-up-able blanket than this! The Under the Nile Organic Cotton blanket is made from 100% organic Egyptian cotton and is exquisitely soft to the touch. It is so popular, in fact, that it has been voted “Best Blanket in the World” by Esquire magazine. I plan my route around the showroom so I get to touch this blanket, that is how great it is! You have to have one!

2. Natura DreamMate: This pillow is tops! I love my kapok pillow, but this one is a wonderful contender! It is filled with shredded talalay latex, so it is super soft and the outer cover is made from wool so, it has natural wicking properties to keep your skin cool and temperature regulated. A lot of people feel it mimics the properties of a down pillow without the dreadful allergic side-effects. This one is an absolute winner for anyone!

3. Loop Organic Cotton Sheet Sets: I have to say I really love our Loop sheet sets. The colors are just great, especially that chocolate-brown, it has such an wonderfully rich, earthy tone to it and it is offset so nicely by seafoam green. They also have a simple, yet tasteful piping on the pillow shams which really ties the design together and makes for a nice finished look when the whole set is made on the bed. These sheets are very soft, extremely durable and will last many years to come.

4. Coyuchi Organic Flannel Pajamas: Warm up this holiday season and all through the cold months with a set of Coyuchi Organic Flannel Pajamas. These PJ's are made from twill-woven organic cotton and feature really nice coconut shell buttons, to add a dash of earthiness to the ivory tone. There is a small amount of piping tracing the around the sleeve cuff, around the waist and at the pant cuff, which adds a little bit of depth to the a clean set of pajamas you can lounge around in all season.

5. Ogallala Body Gift Sets: Once you are through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather, why not soak into a hot bath, with all-natural salt scrubs and soaps? Nothing will treat your body better than the scent of lavender, to calm the muscles. Invigorate the senses with the boldness of grapefruit and Mediterranean cypress or root yourself in the earthen scents of sandalwood, a truly divine aroma.

All of these gifts can be had from The Clean Bedroom and will be sure to green the lives of the loved ones you give them to. Indulge yourself and others into luxurious, but affordable gifts sure to bring smiles to all.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chemical-Free for a Healthier Me

Guest Blogger: Michael Earnheart, Wickford RI Showroom Manager

One of the most frequent questions I encounter from customers at The Clean Bedroom is “What is the difference between an organic mattress and a conventional mattress?”

The simple answer is that all truly organic mattresses are constructed from natural materials. Conventional mattresses are composed primarily of human-made or engineered materials, derived from nonrenewable sources such as petrochemicals.

Organic mattresses have increase exponentially in popularity because they are free from flame retardants, pesticides and a vast array of other chemicals used in the overall process of building your mattress. Organic means 100% natural, untreated and free of any human-made products that may “enhance” or “improve” the natural qualities of the existing product.

The most common flame retardant used on mattresses are PDBEs (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers). There are numerous case studies that explore the correlation between exposure to PDBEs in its various forms and impaired development of the nervous system of children. PDBEs are also linked to hormone disrupting effects, particularly on estrogen and thyroid hormones.

Several states have taken severe action against PDBEs, including Maine, California and most severely Washington – which has banned PDBEs entirely as of 2007.

Human skin absorbs 60% of what comes into contact with it, consider that at least one of those 6/10 items coming into contact with your skin is your mattress and if PDBEs are on your mattress, they can easily get into your body. Take a look at this study for more information regarding PDBEs and their interaction with your body.

If you are in the market for a new mattress, strongly consider organic – you will be doing yourself or your loved ones a world of good.

New baby? Why not go green?

Guest blogger: Suzanne Roberts, Westport Showroom Manager

Where does one begin when a new baby is coming into the home? New parents all want a safe haven at home for their precious cargo. To start out life living in a clean and green way is important and surprisingly easy to do. 

  
In the nursery start out with eco-friendly paint (a great option is milk paint) and then set up your baby’s HEPA air purifier before the baby even comes home. Compact and powerful, an air purifier will filter odors and gasses and trap large dust particles. Our Baby’s Breath HEPA purifier has a three speed control switch and a motor mounted on shock absorbers. Bonus point: it comes in pink or baby blue! 

Then comes the crib and furniture…eco-friendly pieces come in contemporary and classic designs.  Clean, tasteful and simple pieces, made from sustainable woods - from cribs to night tables and dressers we carry several brands. There are no formaldehyde emissions and any glues, stains and finishes used in construction are 100% non-toxic. 

The crib mattress is, of course, an important piece. All-natural Talalay or Dunlop latex with a covering of soft organic cotton filled with 100% natural wool batting as a fire retardant. A waterproof mattress pad is, in my opinion, a necessity. Then, cover this crib mattress and pad with a variety of organic bedding, all colors, patterns and accessories. Choose from flowers or polka dots for baby girl to stripes or solid colors for baby boy. Blankets, bumpers and crib skirts finish your ensemble. They are all soft, natural and eco-friendly. 

And who can forget the toys - veggie shapes, naturally organic to teethe on and washcloths to make bath time fun and soothing. One of the best times of the day for babies and parents! 

Then, sit back, wait for the baby’s arrival and enjoy every moment of this new life.

 

Suzanne Roberts brings with her an extensive background in interior design and has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful and Parents Magazine.

Living up to the Label

Guest Blogger: Michael Earnheart, Wickford, RI Showroom Manager

The world is greening, there is no doubt about that and that is a good thing! It is definitely good to want to make aspects of your life more sustainable, non-toxic and have minimal environmental impact while allowing the producers of your goods and food to be fairly compensated for their labor. However, with all of the good, there is, unfortunately, some bad and it comes in the form of label misrepresentation.

It now seems that anyone who uses 1% recyclable materials in their packaging seems to be touting buzzwords like “Responsibly Manufactured”, “Sustainably Harvested” and most used of all, “Eco-Friendly”. It is extremely important that the discerning, environmentally conscious consumer investigate the labels affixed to products large and small, research these alleged “green” organizations and certifications, because this will ensure you are not being bamboozled by marketing scheme crafted by a clever manufacturer, bent on hoodwinking consumers.

Going green and chemical-free is not something that should be taken lightly. It is something serious and a focus point at The Clean Bedroom. Organic mattress and bedding manufacturers and their base of customers are concerned with VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), systemic reactions to synthetically engineered oils, glues and compounds used in the construction and flame-retardant process of mattresses and their respective foundations. These concerns have grown an industry geared toward removing these harmful chemicals from our sleep environment and other industries work similarly to eliminate toxins that are just simply not needed, because there is a safer and more often than not, more effective alternative.

A really wonderful database I steer people toward is Eco-Label Index, it has a compiled list over 300 organizations, from 42 countries that actually exist! The index offers a simple fact sheet for each label and links to the respective organizations' website.

As we approach the holiday season, I find that green gifts will be extremely popular, however armed with this guide, you will be able to tell what is truly green, organic and sustainable and what is just humbug.

Green your decor

Guest author: Suzanne Roberts, Westport Showroom Manager

Green is in fashion for the home - from solar panels, which I just saw on a church, to non-toxic bed frames, bedding, pillows and mattresses. Some people might think going green has to be plain and unfashionable, but take a look further - the Clean Bedroom’s’ Oyasumi mattress on a Bed Works of Maine Zen bed frame is a work of art!

 

The materials used to construct the mattress just make you feel healthier. Materials like all natural latex, wool and cotton. Anything wooden, like beds or flooring, can be made from reclaimed woods such as oak, pine and maple or even rare woods such as chestnut and hickory. The results are beautiful without cutting down a single tree. The Clean Bedroom’s’ Sierra bed frame, made exclusively for us, is a perfect example. Made from reclaimed Douglas Fir with non-toxic water-based stains, it is a thing of beauty.

Eco-friendly wall paints from many companies now come in a variety of colors, from soothing to vibrant. Current colors range from soft, soothing greens and grays to eye-catching oranges or purples. All VOC, solvent- and glycol-free, eco-friendly and allergen-free with absolutely no herbicides or pesticides.  After all, if you’re redoing and redecorating green you might as well go all the way! 

Then there are the carpets. There is a wide range of organic patterns and sizes to choose from.  Natural rugs are the environmental way to go being biodegradable and sustainable.  Sisal, coir, jute, seagrass, and qool are just a few of the ways to go. 

Lastly, don’t forget about covering your windows.  From woven blinds to pleated drapery panels, there are plenty of organic options out there. Try to keep the palette in lighter colors on your windows to best keep in line with the “green”home you are creating. 

All of the above eco-friendly components can help to create a warm and relaxing environment for the home and, of course, help preserve our planet for our younger generations.

Reporting from Wickford, RI: Showroom Update

Guest Blogger: Michael Earnheart, Wickford RI Showroom Manager

Things have been great down at The Clean Bedroom in Wickford, I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of fantastic people in the village as friends and neighbors, as well as customers who have traveled near and far to come and say hello.

The Green Sleep Vimala floor model was purchased, a very happy couple from Massachusetts came down on Wednesday to pick up their new mattress and foundation. In the near future, we will be bringing down the newly-designed Ergo Hevea by Greensleep, which is truly spectacular from my understanding!

The biggest piece of exciting news is the fact that I have finally received the long-awaited Oyasumi. It is now resting on a beautifully, untreated, natural wood Freeport bed frame and looks quite handsome I would say! The low profile is striking and the jersey cover is great. Of course, being the showroom manager one of my most enjoyable responsibilities is testing out new products. I took a quick “test rest” on this mattress and I must say – I am a big fan.

Now, generally I really like a firm mattress it was surprising that even though this mattress is not characteristically what I would look for, I was impressed with how it felt to me. The soft latex top layer adds just enough cushion between you and the thicker firm or medium layer beneath you. I think the magic with this two layer mattress is the outer cover giving with your body and the wrapped layers, so each one works independently, rather than compressing together like one block.

Customer like this mattress too! It's aesthetically appealing, people like to touch it and sit on it and it looks so sharp in a bed frame. It really is an elegant piece.

Finally, we have new store hours down in Wickford! I am available by appointment anytime and am open on Friday from 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

See you soon!