European Flax® Certified Linen

Flax linen is one of the most environmentally friendly fibres in the textiles industry. It requires much less water than most other fibres to cultivate and every part of the flax plant can be utilised to create diverse and valuable products, meaning there’s nothing wasted. The flax plant also has a high rate of carbon absorption and creates a carbon sink, storing 400 000 tons of CO2 in Europe each year.

Few, if any, pesticides and fertilizers are required in the cultivation of flax and often flax comes close to the organic standard without trying.

At IN BED we ensure we work exclusively with linen that holds a European Flax® certification meaning the flax has been produced in Western Europe (France, Belgium, The Netherlands) and also guarantees a high level of traceability and accountability through each stage of production & ensures the following;

• No irrigation (rainwater only)
• No GMO 
• Zero waste
• Mechanical scutching (ensuring zero chemicals are used in this process)
• Natural field retting (also known as ‘dew retting’)
• Fibre production is in compliance with International Labour Organization rules

All of our linen is also OEKO-TEX® 100 ensuring no harmful or toxic dyes have been used during any part of the production and that every component of the product (every thread, button and other accessories) has also been tested for harmful substances, ensuring the product is completely safe & toxic free.

Organic Cotton

In 2020 IN BED committed to working only with Organic Cotton. At present the majority of our cotton ranges are 100% organic cotton but any minimal non organic cotton stock remaining from past collections will be phased out by mid 2022. 

Why is it important to use Organic Cotton?

Conventional cotton cultivation uses an abundance of water & pesticides along with causing a variety of social issues in cotton producing countries. Organic farming practises avoid using harmful chemicals and aims for environmental sustainability and the use of fewer resources. It uses significantly less water than conventional cotton with most being rain-fed. This not only is better for the earth and for you, but better for the people and communities that cotton is grown in - ensuring cotton farming is not impacting water or food supplies.

Below is a list of where our cotton has been grown & sourced by product:

Double gauze cotton bedding: Turkey
Khaki towels: India
Tshirt & tracksuit: India

Alpaca & Wool

Our throws are made from 80% Alpaca wool sourced from Peru & 20%  Wool sourced from South Africa. 

Alpaca fleece is one of the most sustainable wool options available. The majority of Alpaca fiber comes from animals that live free-range in their native habitat in the Andes Mountains, meaning land clearing is not necessary to raise herds. 

The Alpaca also has soft, padded feet similar to dogs which means unlike goats or sheep they do not harm the earth with their hooves. They also require less food and water than goats or sheep and when they graze they trap grass and plants gently in their mouths without pulling the root, leaving the root system undamaged so a plant can continue to grow after an Alpaca has eaten it.

Alpaca fiber does not contain lanolin or grease which means it is easy to wash and does not require harsh detergents or chemicals to remove these.

It’s also hypoallergenic and the lightest & most thermal of natural fibres (one layer of Alpaca fleece is equivalent to approximately 5 layers of standard wool). It also naturally repels dirt & odor meaning it needs minimal laundering (we recommend once per season when in use).

The wool used in our throws is Merino wool, from non mulesed sheep reared in South Africa (where Mulesing in general is not practised). Our supplier holds a Responsible Wool Standard Certification which addresses the welfare of the sheep and the land on which they graze. 

Yarn for our Alpaca & Wool throws is OEKO-TEX® 100 certified and the dying process is REACH compliant (the EU equivalent of OEKO-TEX) ensuring no harmful or toxic dyes have been used during any part of the production and that every component of the product has been tested for harmful substances, ensuring the product is completely safe & toxic free.

Cashmere

Although beautiful & natural, cashmere is unfortunately not one of the most sustainable fibres around. There are issues with over-farming and degradation of land due to the grazing of the goats.

The cashmere we use at IN BED is sourced from Inner Mongolia, where cashmere goat husbandry is the main source of income for the area, and is produced in line with the Sustainable Fibre alliance Cashmere Standard who are developing a cashmere standard and certification which is currently in pilot phase.

The Standard will be a recognised industry benchmark for sustainable cashmere production and will comprise institutional arrangements, procedures and requirements for accreditation of cashmere producers who comply with the SFA Codes of Practice - Rangeland Stewardship and Animal Welfare. Those adhering are certified to use the ‘SFA Assured’ logo. The Codes of Practice currently include:

• Grassland Management
• Animal Welfare
• Internal Control System
• Cashmere Fiber Harvesting

The SFA’s overall goals for the Cashmere Standard include;

• Environmental resilience in cashmere producing regions.
• Improved long-term prospects for herding communities that rely on cashmere markets.
• Assurance on animal welfare within cashmere production.

As per all IN BED textiles, our cashmere is OEKO-TEX® 100 certified. Ensuring no harmful or toxic dyes have been used during any part of the production and that every component of the product (every thread, button and other accessories) has also been tested for harmful substances, ensuring the product is completely safe & toxic free.