Sustainable Living "No one person has to do it all but if each one of us follow our heart and our own inclinations we will find the small things that we can do to create a sustainable future and a healthy environment." ~ John Denver

As a rule, softer, breathable natural fibers such as cotton and wool—even if they are not ecologically produced—are always preferable to petrochemical fabrics like polyester.

When possible, choose organic cotton, which is grown without synthetic pesticides or genetically engineered seeds. You can also find Fair Trade Certified cotton, although it's use in sheets is rare.

For blankets and comforter batting, choose wool over polyester, and look for organic or "Pure-Grow" wool, which come from ranches that don't dip their sheep in pesticide baths. Ask the manufacturer or retailer whether their wool is treated with mothproofing insecticides, which should also be avoided.

People who prefer colored sheets to brighten up their décor should look for either heavy-metal-free or vegetable-based dyes. A product that uses "SKAL-certified" dyes means that they are free of heavy metals. Also, check out FoxFiber™ "color-grown" cotton, which is bred (not genetically-modified) to grow in different colors, though usually only browns, beiges and greens. Color-grown cotton is also less likely to fade in the wash than dyed cotton.

Opt for unbleached or chlorine-free bleached products. Conventional cotton, and some organic cotton, is bleached with chlorine after harvesting in a process that releases cancer-causing dioxin into the atmosphere.

Avoid textiles labeled permanent press, no-iron, crease-resistant, shrink-proof, stretch-proof, water repellent or water-proofed. Some finishes, such as those to prevent stains and wrinkles, can release formaldehyde into the air.

Look for products that are machine-washable to keep dust and allergen levels at a minimum (wool is naturally inhospitable to dust mites).

Allergy sufferers and asthmatics should also avoid bedding and comforters stuffed with down feathers, which may cause allergies to flare up.

Blankets often are made of polyester, and comforters frequently contain it as a filler. The basic building block of polyester is petroleum, contributing to the depletion of this non-renewable resource. Its manufacture may also be hazardous to workers. Infants of female workers exposed to antimony, a chemical used in polyester production, have suffered from higher rates of miscarriage, premature birth, and stunted growth, and breathing antimony has caused lung cancer in some animal studies. In addition, polyester production releases lung-damaging pollutants such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides, particulates, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals into the air, as well as globe-warming carbon dioxide.

Cotton accounts for 18 percent of all pesticides used worldwide. Of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton crops, seven are considered "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The pesticides and fertilizers applied to cotton fields inevitably run off in groundwater, which supplies about 50 percent of drinking water in the U.S. Cotton's chemical habit can have devastating consequences for wildlife, as well. At least 13 pesticides documented as causing die-offs in birds are currently registered for use on cotton.

Cotton, even organic cotton, consumes enormous amounts of water, and diverting it from waterways for irrigation has caused near-drought conditions in some areas of the world.

Another natural, time-tested, breathable fiber is wool. One benefit to wool is that it's naturally fireproof, alleviating the need for treatment with chemical fire-retardants. It's not moth-resistant, however, and is usually treated with mothproofing insecticides as a result. Wool may also contain other insecticide residues from dipping sheep in chemical baths to rid them of parasites such as lice, ticks and mites.

Cotton and polyester textiles are also typically "finished" with chemicals that minimize wrinkling. Such permanent press finishes typically contain formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen that can be released into the air, causing flu-like symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, throat irritation, headache, fatigue, and respiratory problems.