Dirty Linen: What The Bedsheet Industry Doesn’t Want You To Know
Disclaimer: We intend to offer a perspective on ethical and sustainable sourcing and manufacturing and to encourage readers to consider the environmental impact of their consumer choices.
KNOTTE is a 100% raw organic cotton company devoted to providing the softest and highest quality certified organic cotton bedsheets - unlike other brands, we do not bleach our sheets nor do we use dye during the entire process. Our bedsheets come only in the raw and natural color of the organic cotton textiles. This stems from our commitment to sourcing and manufacturing responsibly and sustainably, with the health of the consumer and environment in mind.
What about the rest of the bedsheet industry? Most bedding products will go through a bleaching process in order to produce vibrant colors that will not fade over time. However, this requires a high amount of water and energy consumption, contributing heavily to water pollution. In fact, it is estimated that textile dyeing and bleaching is responsible for 17%-20% of industrial water pollution. In order to prevent the negative impact that these dyes and bleaches have on the environment, here at KNOTTE we have decided to refrain from using them altogether.
Furthermore, chemical dyes alone are responsible for 200,000 tons of water pollution each year. Beware - brands that use natural dyes have not necessarily chosen a more sustainable alternative. Natural dyes require vast acres of land to grow enough raw materials to dye even just a small amount of cotton; for example, more than 13 acres of land is needed to grow enough raw material to dye one acre of cotton. In addition, many of these dyes cause irritation or inflammation if inhaled or absorbed by the skin. Two of the largest Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce bedsheets brands also produce GOTS certified organic cotton bedsheets but still offer dyed bedsheets, contributing directly to water pollution.
Do not be fooled by large brands that are Oeko Tex Certified and their claims that they are not causing any harm whatsoever. More often than not they are only Standard 100 qualified, which means their sheets don’t contain substances harmful to one’s health but are not necessarily sustainable for the environment. This is particularly true for those brands who are Oeko Tex Certified Standard 100 or choose to not disclose exactly which standard they have been certified for, especially when they have dyed products in their collections.
As a proud producer of 100% certified raw organic cotton bedsheets, KNOTTE only uses cotton that is grown organically and free of any pesticides and insecticides. Once it is ethically harvested, in the manufacturing process only three products are added to the cotton - these are a vegetable-based starch, a water-soluble cleanser, and a biodegradable softener. Unlike other brands that use conventional cotton and offer a range of colours, thereby bleaching and dyeing their bedsheets, KNOTTE does not use any bleaches, dyes, GMOs, harmful solvents, or any other hazardous chemicals. All of this is made in a 100% solar-powered family-run facility dedicated to creating a safe and ethically responsible workplace.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to provide consumers with the most durable, breathable, and softest bed sheets possible, made of only ethically and sustainably sourced 100% raw organic cotton - we hope you enjoy sleeping in them as much as we have enjoyed making them.
JOIN THE RAW ORGANIC BEDSHEET MOVEMENT