Organic Wool Bedding Interview

Why is it so important to choose organic bedding?

We spend a third of our lives in bed, breathing and absorbing into our bodies all these nasty chemicals, fire retardants, and toxic odors from conventional bedding products that lead to sleep disorders, severe allergies and asthma, especially in children and infants.

For example, boric acid, a poisonous pesticide and roach killer, is also used as a fire retardant in the conventional mattresses. As organic bedding manufacturer, we ensure that no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), arsenic or other chemicals are used in creating a safe sleeping environment for you.

Also, when you purchase organic bedding, you know that one farmer or that local community on the other side of the planet is getting paid equal wages for their commitment to save the Earth from all the synthetics, herbicides, and pesticides.

A natural sleeping environment free of carcinogenic chemicals ensures a healthy beginning for babies as they spend most of their time sleeping.

Producing Organic Wool

How is organic wool fiber produced?

The Kyrgyz wool industry has a positive reputation around the world for its organic animal husbandry practices with the industry's success being based upon producing healthy and contented sheep, which give some of the finest, softest, and highest quality wool in the world market.

Organic wool production is a whole chain of rules and regulations set by NOP, the National Organic Program of the USDA that needs to be strictly followed in order to get the wool fiber certified organic.

Some of the crucial and important criteria for organic wool production vs. conventional wool production are using organic feed, producing the wool without the use of pesticides and herbicides, taking care of the animals without synthetic medicine, paying strict attention to how many animals can be grazed on a particular land area, and independent, third-party certification and lab testing to ensure we're meeting all those requirements.

The National Organic Program requires accurate and comprehensive documentation of each step on the farm to assure organic traceability. Overall, the whole organic wool production chain must be certified by an independent third party certification agency accredited by USDA to have the wool fiber labeled as organic.

In addition to pasture and sheep monitoring, we send a sample of our organic wool and wool products to WOOLMARK, an international independent and reputable certification agency in England, and Associated Laboratories in Pasadena, California, for chemical testing.

When a product carries a WOOLMARK label, you can be confident of quality, performance and value for your money. Only licensed manufacturers can use the WOOLMARK label. WOOLMARK guarantees fiber content and has provided quality assurance for over four decades.

How are the sheep taken care of?

Housing and management is appropriate to the behavioral needs of the sheep. Our sheep graze on the fields on average 16 to 18 hours per day, receiving sunlight and having freedom of movement. This increases their immune system, making them less vulnerable to diseases and infections.

We do not perform mulesing, which is a surgical removal of strips of wool-bearing wrinkled skin from around the tail. It is performed as a way to prevent fly strike (a skin infestation of fly larvae) in regions where fly strike is common, such as Australia.

The singer Pink has spoken out on how to stop that practice in Australia with the help of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

Shearing takes time from May to July of each year. Within one year, our merino sheep can grow up to 30 pounds of organic wool. It is then sorted and washed with hot water and organic soap to remove impurities such as dirt, grease and dried sweat. Impurities account for between 30 and 60 percent of the total fleece weight. At this point, the wool is considered cleaned wool.

About Kyrgystan

Why Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyzstan, the size of Nebraska and with only five million people, is a “heaven for organics” as its nature is untouched and virginal. It is a “Hidden Switzerland” in the heart of Central Asia where centuries ago The Great Silk Road took place.

Here in Kyrgyzstan, with the mysterious and primeval landscapes, you feel like the first and the sole man on the planet, as if you were transferred through the time, and appeared at the starting point of the Earth history. You can find coniferous forests here, as well as tundra, and even "the Arctic" plateaus with unearthly landscapes, troubled only by freezing winds. The Kyrgyz walnut tree forests with respect to their size and age, are unique on the world. Alexander the Great was so impressed by these forests that by his order the walnut tree was exported to Greece, where it found its new home.

According to the Lonely Planet guide: “No whistles and bells, just friendly faces and some mighty big mountains. What Kyrgyzstan lacks in gracious buildings and fancy cakes it makes up for with nomadic traditions such as laid-back hospitality, a healthy distrust of authority and a fondness for drinking fermented mare's milk. It is perhaps the most accessible and welcoming of the Central Asian republics.”

What makes the sheep there so special?

Kyrgyz people, one of the oldest nomadic people on Earth, are known for raising sheep as well as their brilliant horse riding abilities. You see all four seasons in Kyrgyzstan: hot summers (average 89 degrees Fahrenheit) with severely cold winters (average 13 degrees Fahrenheit). Therefore, our merino sheep had to adapt to those cold winters and burning hot summers and developed much better, longer and finer wool fiber than any other sheep that would keep their body temperature regulated in different weather conditions.

There are many types of sheep. Some sheep are used for meat mainly, some for the fiber. Merino sheep are mainly raised for their fine, long and soft wool fiber, which is considered to be one of the best, highest and softest qualities in the textile industry.

Australians brought a couple hundred merino sheep a long time ago to Kyrgyzstan to see how the sheep would adapt in our country. Today, our merino sheep produce much finer and higher quality wool fiber than the Australian sheep and Australians now cooperate with Kyrgyz sheep farmers on cross breeding our sheep with their sheep to stay competitive in the organic wool industry.

American sheep are sheared twice a year, versus Kyrgyz merino sheep that are sheared only once per year. American wool is coarser and is used more on mattress pads and pillows, giving that fluffy and springy condition. Our merino wool is softer and finer, therefore, is perfect as a filling for comforters.

Canadian wool is either sterilized or sanitized to make the wool product washable and prevent odor and bacteria growth. Thus, the wool fiber absorbs some toxic chemicals whereas our organic merino wool is processed all organically and retains a little natural pleasant smell of the fiber, which goes away within few weeks.

Finding the Right Bedding

How can consumers choose the best organic bedding?

There are only few a manufacturers of organic bedding in the United States and Canada who distribute their products mainly through specialty retail stores and online stores.

When shopping for organic bedding, I recommend consumers to check whether the company who is selling it is Fair Trade Certified or CO-OP America approved for their ethical and business standards. Whenever you see the logo of CO-OP America or Fair Trade, you can be sure that the workers get paid equal living wages and work in good conditions.

When shopping for organic bedding, look for the products that state their raw materials or ingredients as “certified organic” rather than “organic” or “100% natural” as those words are quite misleading. Demand the certification or testing copy from the retailer or the manufacturer to be assured of the organic integrity of the product.

At Sleep & Beyond, we bring the finest and purest nature created certified organic fibers under our eco fair trade factory and masterpiece each of our comforters, one at a time since 1992.

Some companies like us have also taken that extra step in manufacturing high quality organic bedding. One of them is Pure Rest Organics/Eco Baby, based in San Diego, California. A Happy Planet from San Francisco is another great place to shop for all organic products for home.

Great green search engines to find organic products on the Internet are EcoBusiness Links, EcoMall, and Organic Consumers Association.

Why is organic wool in particular a good bedding choice?

Wool is the perfect insulator: no overheating or overcooling. It is used in all climate types: hot desert days or the coldest arctic nights. The heart rate under the wool-filled comforter was significantly lower 100 percent of the time compared to polyester comforters according to The Ergonomics Unit at the Polytechnic Institute of Wales. The humidity next to the skin under the wool comforter was significantly lower 71 percent of the time.

People who suffer from insomnia, fibromyalgia, back pain, arthritis, headaches, and sleep disturbances have found a great relief by using our organic merino wool products. Simply by using organic wool products, you get much better night’s sleep free of carcinogenic toxic odors and chemicals.

Organic merino wool is naturally non-allergenic and chemical free. It's not heavy or itchy. It naturally resists dust mites, mold and mildew. It is naturally fire resistant. The wool is durable, long lasting and offers excellent body support while sleeping.

In addition, behind organic merino wool products is sustainable, nature friendly, organic wool production. Sheep aren't killed for their wool and do not suffer like birds do when their down is harvested.

Any other tips for our readers?

They should do their research before they buy organic bedding and shift to eco-friendly, recyclable, fair trade products. They might cost a bit more because of the higher cost of raw materials, but organic products are much better return for your money and your overall health. Organic industry is a fair trade, sustainable industry from start to finish--creating hundreds of equal paid jobs every year.