You've spent your day pursuing a greener, more eco-friendly home.  When you finally call it a night, have you considered where you'll lay your head?  Pillows and cushions are vital to a healthy, sustainable home.

When selecting pillows and cushions, find out if they are made from organic and non-toxic materials.  Also ask if the product been treated with chemical preservatives and flame-retardants?

Organic cotton, kapok and other crops are grown without using petro-chemical fertilizers or pesticides.   When chemicals are used to grow crops, the plants absorb the chemicals and residual amounts end up in the fibers.  By choosing organic products, you don't risk exposing yourself to those residual chemicals.  Plus, you're supporting sustainable farming practices and creating toxin-free work environments on farms.
  
Brominated flame-retardants, called PBDE's, are used to treat many materials and textiles found in everyday items.  These chemicals can have hormone-disrupting effects and some are even classified as neurotoxins.   When fabrics and textiles are treated with PBDE's like Deca, we can absorb the toxins through our skin and when we breathe.

To ensure a healthier, greener home, it is important to consider both the inside and the outside of pillows and cushions.

Filling:
Polyester and polyurethane (memory foam) are petro-chemical based, non-recyclable, and do not biodegrade.  They also release VOC's, which can have adverse health effects.  Instead, consider:
•    Organic cotton:  Opt for spelt organic cotton for increased resistance to dust mites and mould.  Also, cotton tends to compress, providing a firmer feeling pillow than wool.
•    Wool:  Naturally flame resistant and also offers excellent moisture absorbency, allowing the pillow fill to breath. Wool is naturally bacteria and dust mite resistant. Try to find wool fill pillows sourced from organically raised sheep, or recycled wool.
•    Feather and Down Fill:  Made from duck or goose feathers.  The higher the down content, the softer the pillow will be.
•    Buckwheat Hull Fill:  This conforms to the contours of your head and neck without "pushing back" as some fibers do. It has excellent insulation properties for both summer and winter.  It is very durable and also naturally resistant to breakage, deterioration, and burning.
•    Kapok:  The fiber is derived from the kapok tree seedpod.  Most plantations naturally harvest the pods once they have dropped to the ground. The fibers are similar to down, hold excellent moisture resistant properties and have excellent anti-allergy properties.

Fabric:
The best filling won't mean much if the fabric it is encased in is synthetic and treated with chemicals.  Here are some great options when considering pillow and cushion casings and covers.
•    Organic cotton:  It should be 100% cotton, uncolored and unbleached.  Conventional cotton and cotton/polyester blends are usually treated with a multitude of chemicals like chlorine, stay press, moisture resistance, stain resistance etc.
•    Bamboo:  Bamboo is anti-microbial, and bamboo forests are naturally sustainable.  However, many companies treat it with lye and carbon disulphide (which are dangerous to people and difficult to dispose of safely).  When buying bamboo textiles, ask about how it was processed. If it is a 'chemical' process, then it isn't very green.  Chemically manufactured bamboo is sometimes called bamboo rayon.  If the process is 'mechanical,' it's like the eco-friendly manufacturing process used to produce flax or hemp linen fabric.  Bamboo fabric made from this process is sometimes called bamboo linen.  
•    Hemp:  100% natural hemp is a highly breathable fabric. Certified organic hemp is available that is farmed without pesticides and fertilizers or with any chemical additives, colorings or treatments during the manufacturing process.
•    Silk:  Organic silk bed sheets are soft and breathable. Silk has excellent anti-allergy properties, too. Look for vegetables dyes and silk fibers that have been cleaned without chemicals during manufacturing.
 
There are a lot of great options for eco-friendly pillows and cushions, making it easy to add some comfort and style to your greener home.