Do you know how to spot a genuine organic cotton comforter from a fake one? It is easy nowadays to promote cotton products using terms like organic, eco-friendly, natural, and non-toxic. Read on to know if your comforter is made from genuine organic cotton.
This article will cover the following topics:
Harm from a fake organic comforter is a big deal
Look for GOTS certified organic cotton
Conduct a price comparison of the best organic comforters available online
Read the details of their product description
What’s the big deal with fake organic bedding?
Here is a good question: What is the big deal with knowing if the organic comforter you bought is genuine? What if the mattress covers, comforters, and blankets you bought made your bed look like royalty but is giving you a sweaty sleep? It always makes sense to know whether the organic comforter you bought is fake or not.
Harm from a fake organic comforter is a big deal
From a moral and ethical standpoint, companies and brands must show integrity because whatever you buy from can change your life. Mattresses, comforters, duvets, covers, and other beddings should have no chemicals because you use it for almost a third of your day, for sleep and rest.
The impact of beddings on your health cannot be undermined
What if you bought a mattress, thinking it is an excellent eco-friendly and healthy brand, but is actually toxic? You bought the product because at the company store the description says it is high-grade cotton and quality tested. Yet, after doing more research in online communities, you found user reviews saying the manufacturer combines the natural fiber with synthetic material.
It was a eureka moment - the answer to why you suddenly became sneezy and itchy while on bed with your comforter. But what will you feel knowing you were cheated?
Sources of fake organic comforters harm the environment
Buying fake products is not just a threat to your health and a waste of money. Another big deal with comforters containing regular cotton is its harm on ecosystems around the world. Here is a picture comparing natural cotton seeds with those treated with agrochemicals.
Traditional farmers use agrochemicals to protect seeds from harmful bugs and insects from the moment they are planted up to their harvest. These toxic materials harm the ecosystem. They kill organisms present in the soil and on the plants that are needed to sustain the cycle of nutrients. But once these chemicals wipe away large populations of insects, animals and birds depending on these for their food are harmed as well.
Fake organic comforters harm farmers
Farmers in cotton farms are mainly affected by pesticides. Farmers are the ones mixing, loading, and spraying the pesticides. As a result, they experience first-hand exposure to these harmful chemicals, making them vulnerable to diseases affecting the skin, eyes, and lungs.
Fibers produced through natural methods, on the other hand, is eco-friendly. Because these farmers use natural methods, from planting seeds to harvesting, the fiber they produce are genuinely organic. At the same time, when brands selling comforters only use genuine natural fiber, the items they sell in the market are guaranteed hypoallergenic, healthy, and sustainable.
Fake organic products are a massive problem in the market.
Counterfeit products affect consumers. Two years ago, sellers in India were cited for using Raw Cotton Transaction Certificates (TCs) in their fiber. The investigation, led by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), found that roughly 20 metric tons of textile produced from these sellers were actually nonorganic fiber.
Unfortunately, the GOTS does not say how long these farmers have been falsifying organic certificates. Nonetheless, reports like this can make anyone worried the organic product they bought may not be eco-friendly and genuinely safe after all.
Three ways to identify genuine organic cotton products
Manufacturers never divulge all the ingredients and processes they use to make their products. But you can still tell if an organic product is genuine or not. Here are three ways to do it.
Look for GOTS certified organic cotton
The first way is checking if there is a GOTS certification attached to the product. GOTS is the international standard used to distinguish natural fiber from those that are not. It helps consumers know if the items they buy use materials from farmers and manufacturers that follow organic farming standards. Part of the GOTS requirement is safe working conditions for farmers.
The GOTS label should be visible on the comforter you are about to buy. It means the fiber it contains was responsibly sourced. This is how the tag looks on our cotton comforter.
Conduct a price comparison of the best organic comforters available online
The second way to know if a product is organic or not is by checking prices on the internet. You can easily buy a cotton comforter at Walmart for $70 or less. But the average price of organic cotton must be higher than those containing cotton from traditional farms and those made from synthetic material.
Organic comforters are more expensive than other comforters for many reasons. But the price difference is mainly because it takes more time and effort to produce them. Look at this image.
The easiest way to produce cotton is through agrichemicals and GMOs because it quickly eliminates the threat of pests. Organic farms, on the other hand, follow natural planting, keeping, and harvesting methods that require more time and resources. Thus, organic farms would normally charge higher for their fiber to cover the costs of their operations.
Consequently, an eco-friendly comforter made from pure organic cotton would be priced higher than those made from non-organic materials. Our Organic Cotton Comforter (Ivory Color), for example, is priced right now at $215.90. It is quite expensive than those made from regular cotton because it is 100% GOTS organic cotton. It is not mixed with any non-organic substance. That is why our customers affirm that this comforter is breathable, soft, gives extra warmth, and does not give them skin irritations and allergies.
Read the details of their product description
The third way to know what's in your comforter is to check the seller’s website for any reference to their sources of fiber. A brand may claim to buy cotton from farms practicing sustainable methods. But this does not mean their source of fiber is organic.
The truth is sustainable farming is not always safe. In fact, sustainability is a relative word with no precise way to measure what is sustainable and what is not. Also, what is sustainable to one person or group may not be the same for others. A textile company, for example, can claim their products are sustainable because they source their fiber from organic farms. But if they mix those fibers with synthetic materials or dye it with chemicals to achieve a preferred color, then that is no longer sustainable for the consumer.
Genuine organic material is the selling point of organic brands
If the company is honest, it will state that its product is not made from organic cotton. This is why brands using GOTS-certified cotton take pride in telling everyone how organically pure their products are.
On our website, for example, we indicate that the cotton comforter is “100% Organic GOTS Certified Cotton” and that this “hypoallergenic comforter” is “not dyed or bleached, and has a beautiful natural color, making it ideal for sensitive skin.” We ensure that buyers know we are confident in our product’s safety and quality.
Conclusion
Buying genuine organic cotton is a big deal. No one wants to pay for something claiming to be organic but is actually fake or secretly combined with synthetic materials. You deserve better. Always look for the GOTS certification, check the price, and read the product description thoroughly. That is why our GOTS-certified comforter is 100% organic cotton. We want you to enjoy your good night's sleep and have year-round comfort.