Back when I was redesigning our master bedroom, I had a hard time answering a kind of silly question. Do I want a duvet? Now, is it important whether we fall asleep beneath a duvet, a quilt, a comforter, or a pile of dirty clothing? No. Of course not. What’s important is that we fall asleep in a warm home in a safe neighbourhood where our biggest problem is what type of bedding to buy. I know this. However, there is a dark side to everything – even blankets. Impossible, you say?
I wish it were true.
To skip directly to my vegan bedding recommendations click here. To learn more about the dark side of traditional duvet materials such as down, silk and wool – read on.
Note that this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on a link and make a purchase a small percentage of the sale goes to yours truly. Please know that I strive to only feature eco-conscious products and brands.
The Not So Fluffy Side of Down
While the down industry claims the majority of down is a by-product of the meat industry (meaning it was plucked from already dead birds), website Care 2 reveals that 50%-80% of down still comes from live birds. Plus, according to Peta, “undercover video footage shows employees on goose farms pulling fistfuls of feathers out of live birds, often causing bloody wounds as the animals shriek in terror.” That mental image alone should be enough to convince anyway to say “no thank you” to down bedding.
How Silk is Made is Much Creepier Than the Worms
Silk bedding is often pitched as an excellent alternative to down duvets due to its hypoallergenic properties. But, just as with down – the production of silk has a disturbing side. According to Earth Divas, the silkworms used in the production of human goods have now been farmed for so long they can no longer exist in the wild. If allowed, a silkworm would follow the natural stages of metamorphosis. However, the majority of silkworms are boiled alive or gassed inside their cocoons before they can further mature.
Wool: A “Natural” Alternative?
Once upon a time, sheep grew only enough wool to protect themselves from weather. Humans would then collect the wool the sheep would molt and use this to make clothing. However, as so many consumer products today – a high demand meant the development of highly questionable practices to maximize output and profit. Many sheep are now bred to continuously produce wool and live in flocks that number in the thousands, which limits their individual care. As PETA reports, it’s considered “normal” for four percent of lambs to die every spring due to malnutrition. And while there certainly are those in the wool industry dedicated to humanely producing what is considered a natural material, separating the humane from the inhumane isn’t always easy.
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Vegan Bedding Option 1: Bamboo Duvet
Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet, meaning it’s not only a great vegan bedding option, it’s also super sustainable. Most bamboo duvets are filled with bamboo from viscose, which is essentially the wood pulp from a bamboo tree, or a similar bamboo-fibre filling. Bamboo is also naturally anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and odour resistant.
Vegan Bedding Option 2: Microfiber Duvet
Microfiber duvets are usually made from synthetic fabrics like polyester or rayon. Synthetic fabrics often come with their own set of issues (i.e.: formaldehyde is used to keep fabrics wrinkle-free and moisture-resistant). However, microfiber tends to be the most affordable vegan duvet option, which is important when you’re on a tight budget. Sometimes you have to weigh the pros against the cons and make the best choice for you!
Vegan Bedding Option 3: Microgel Duvet
There are also microgel duvets, which is what I myself finally ended up getting. Like microfibre duvets, microgel duvets are often made from a man-made fabric. However, you can also find ones that are made from cotton. Even better if you can find a microgel duvet that is Oeko-Tex certified. Then, you can rest assured beneath a duvet that contains no harmful substances – and was produced in an environmentally friendly manner.
Vegan Mattress
If you’re also in the market for a new mattress, don’t forget to veganize it! The carbon neutral company Avocado Mattress has a vegan mattress option made with certified organic cotton instead of wool. Plus, Avocado’s mattresses are made without the use of toxic chemicals or petroleum-based foam. A win for vegans and for planet earth! Avocado also carries vegan pillows made from kapok and organic cotton sheets.
Sustainable Duvet Covers and Sheets
It doesn’t make sense to invest in a cruelty-free, eco-friendly duvet and not pair it with a sustainable cover and sheets. Aside from Avocado, there are some really cool, earth-conscious companies out there I definitely recommend checking out. Some, such as EarthHero and Made Trade sell a whole range of eco-items including bedding, while others like Delilah Home and Grund focus solely on textiles.
Here are a few of my favourite items from the aforementioned companies!
Shop Secondhand
And finally, don’t forget to check out your local secondhand shop for gently used bedding. Depending on your stance, you might be okay with purchasing a down, silk or wool filled duvet as long as it isn’t new.
Phew. That was a lot of talk about blankets. I think I’ll go take a nap…
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Posted on January 19, 2015 (Last Updated on March 18, 2020)
The ethical treatment of the creatures we harvest for food is very important to me. When it comes to using creatures for our goods (duvets, silks, paper, ect.) I even find it to be impractical these days. Almost everything can be made synthetic now, so why brutally tear out goose feathers for bedding… Skin animals for fur… Why?
I also hope silk worms are treated well… And also that we don’t end up learning silk actually comes from genetically modified goats who secrete spider silk.
The thing about synthetics though is that nasty chemicals may be used in the creation process. Also, the companies that make said products may test on the very animals you’re trying to protect by purchasing these so-called “alternatives.” Now I sound like a conspiracy theorist… which I kind of am.
The only earth sustaining product I can think of right now that we own are some toys that are made of recycled materials as well as the little about of packaging it comes in (as opposed to a lot of the toys where the packaging has a million wires, ties, plastic pieces, etc.). I haven’t researched the process of these toys, so I cannot say for sure.
And speaking of bras, some days I don’t even put one on. Nothing more earth sustaining than au naturale!
You always open my eyes with all your facts Larissa!!
Thanks for the comment Leo! Yes – no bra equals saving the world, I totally agree. As for toys – yikes. I fear they are sometimes the worst. Especially, as you say, the packaging. It’s like childproof wrapping on a child’s toy. Crazy.
Poor silk worms, I had no idea of their sad fate:( I may continue to smell my way through the silk garments hanging in the clothing boutiques, old habits are hard to break, but will now, armed with new information, check the label for the harvesting friendly peace silk label.
PS… Are they sure the bamboo doesn’t feel a thing?
I suppose we can’t be sure about the poor bamboo… perhaps we should ask it?
Hmmm an interesting question. I bought bamboo socks the other day and I love them! Does that count? c.
Yes bamboo socks count!
Hi, I hope you don’t mind me asking but did you purchase the microgel duvet from the company whose link you have posted on Amazon and if so, how is it. Does it specify on the duvet that ot is OEKO-Tex Certified?
I don’t mind you asking at all! I got something very similar from a store in my hometown. It’s very lightweight, but still warm. The only thing that bothers me about it is it did end up getting a little lumpy, which is why I was hesitant to get a duvet in the first place. That only impacts the look of it though, not the comfort. The packaging said that it is Oeko-Tex certified, but the tag does not. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
We do not want our bedding or clothing plucked from a duck or goose. We could not live with ourselves knowing we caused crulity to any animal. Is the comforters that say Downs Alternative, actually mean feather free? We have tried to research and are confused.
Thank you for your time in this matter.
Steve & Marti
Hello Steve and Marti and thanks for commenting! Yes, if something is called a “down alternative” that means it was not made using down/feathers and instead was made of another material such as bamboo, cotton or a synthetic fabric.
That being said, always take a look at what the duvet is actually made of either in the description if you’re buying online or on the packaging/tag if you’re buying in a store. For example, you’d want to look for materials such as “100% bamboo,” “100% cotton” or “100% polyester.”
Another option is to look for a duvet at secondhand stores. If you found something that did include goose feathers secondhand, buying it wouldn’t be telling the duvet industry that they need to make more down-filled duvets like it would if you were to buy a brand new down duvet. It’s kind of like buying something leather that is secondhand versus buying something new.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I don’t know what country you are from, but here in the UK, secondhand shops, aka charity shops will not take in used duvets.
I have enjoyed reading your interesting article so much I have pinned to my Pinterest for others to read and share.
Thanks Tiffany!
Yes, but whilst microfiber and organic cotton may be cruelty free, isn’t it true that they are not ecologically sound? I have not heard of the micro gel option, but that sounds like manmade plastics to me. Surely the only ecological and cruelty free option is the bamboo? Please enlighten me if I am wrong? I spent all day yesterday researching this, unfortunately bamboo duvets are wildly overpriced, I don’t know why they cost so much, when, as you say, bamboo is the world’s fastest growing grass plant.. I’ve found a double, all bamboo duvet for £65 on eBay, it even has the Oeko-tex label on it, but I’m suspicious of the product as it is half the price of a, ‘Panda Cloud’ duvet which is 50% bamboo and 50% nano microfiber! As the saying goes, ” if something is too good too be true, it probably is,’ what do you think? I am thinking of waiting until this years Black Friday event to see if I can get a reduced Bamboo duvet, but if I wait, I’ll miss out on the seemingly impossible ebay bargain, as they have only 20 left to sell? I’m on a fixed budget, so it’s a real quandary!
Boy! I’ve just read that the majority of bamboo is processed chemically, and the majority is manufactured in China, so most supposed eco-friendly bamboo products is false, it’s just as bad as producing cotton! Only mechanically produced bamboo is echo friendly, but it is labour intensive, and I guess that’s why the right kind of bamboo fabric and duvet filling is so expensive! And even with the mechanically produced bamboo fabric, you have to consider the milk are it takes to transport it. Apparently Sweden produces some, but only a fraction of the world’s production! It is a mine field out there! So basically if you are buying bamboo fabrics, you should ask if it has been mechanically or chemically produced. There is some hope, I am now going to investigate linen fabric made from flax or hemp! I still am no wiser on which duvet to purchase?
I ment miles it takes to transport bamboo, not milk! Should have checked before posting!
All very good and thoughtful observations! Unfortunately in the realm of sustainability, there isn’t always a clear answer. But the fact that you have been looking into it so deeply is truly inspiring. If everyone took the time to consider how what they purchase impacts the environment the world would be a different place. I’ve seen bedsheets made of hemp. They’re very pricey as well, but the truth is that inexpensive things are usually priced that way for a reason – because of material and production shortcuts and labor issues. Let me know if you find a linen or hemp duvet and I’ll add it to my post.