MetaEfficient Reviews » Bedding

Finding Inexpensive Non-Toxic Bedding

Justin — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:38:55 +0000

We spend about one third of our lives in bed. It’s a time when our body regenerates itself. We release about 3 liters of water while we sleep, and our bodies go through cycles of cooling down and heating up. We also absorb substances through our skin and through our lungs. So keeping one’s bed toxin-free is optimal.

To create a non-toxic bed we must ensure that the mattress, pillows and sheets are free of toxins. Unfortunately, in the U.S. it is quite difficult to acquire a non-toxic bed without a lot of searching and expense (a recent article in the New York Times explains the tangled situation). So here’s a guide to finding a inexpensive, chemical-free bed:

(more…)

From The Meta-Efficient Labs: Most Optimal Comforter Material: Organic Merino Wool As many of you may have heard — I...
Efficient Jeans: Those Made With Organic Cotton Or Hemp Efficient jeans are still hard to find. Conventionally grown...
The Most Efficient Material For Cold Weather: Merino Wool Merino wool is the most efficient material for cold...

Efficient Folding Beds

Justin — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 00:06:52 +0000

Folding beds have been around at least since the 1920s. The original Murphy Bed Company still exists and is selling beds today. Other companies making contemporary folding beds are: Modern Wall Beds, whose birch bed is pictured here (prices start at $1795). Bonbon in the U.K. makes elegant folding beds, but they are pricey. Others companies offering folding beds are: Regin Sleep System and Rocker Woodworking and Hardware. A long discussion of folding beds can be found on Apartment Therapy. One reader posted a good overview of designer folding beds. She says:

My spouse and I are murphy bed converts. We were both really skeptical at first, & afraid of breaking our bed, but now we wouldn’t go back even if we had the extra space. We love the open space feel & she uses the extra room for yoga, stretching & playtime with our dog.

Plus our dog isn’t able to lay on the bed all day when we are away. The apartment feels a lot fresher too since you can clean “under the bed” with the regular weekly cleaning. In a studio apartment, a murphy can be a relationship saver– it feels like you are getting an extra room because the space the bed normally takes up isn’t wasted during the day. Plus, you can have parties in a studio apartment & feel like you have space for your guests. I like the idea of making a bed into an entertaining space, but not all apartments really work for this space-wise.

For modern design buffs, you can buy the Clei beds mentioned above at Design & Comfort here in New York City- -440 Park Avenue South at the corner of 30th & Park Avenue South. The London-based Clei will be making a queen size wall bed for export to the U.S. in April. We are ordering one for our new place. These really are the most attractive modern-style Murphy beds on the market & they will take a normal real bed mattress. They aren’t the cheapest, however.

Our former Murphy bed was gorgeous with a mirror on the front– it was regularly mistaken for an armoire. We love it, but it is too classic looking for the style of our new place. The worst part of Murphy beds is how ugly they can be in announcing themselves. No one ever knew our Murphy was there, it felt really organic to the space. These folks offer some alternatives & can accommodate an extra deep mattress to make up for not having a box spring: Bedder Way.

Bedder Way use to deliver & do free installation, but have temporary stopped driving to NYC. (FYI- they plan to start again next year). For those who can’t wait, good news is they ship anywhere in the U.S. for $150! These are quality real wood beds from a company in Indiana. You won’t find stuff like this in NYC, most everything is wood veneer that will warp. Plus, they are way, way cheaper than most anything here in the City.

The Best Folding Bikes Of 2008: A Review Folding bikes are useful for anyone interested in taking...
Efficient Building In Seattle Requires No AC This new building in Seattle by Weber + Thompson...
Dahon Jack: An Inexpensive Folding Commuter Bike I’ve been testing a folding commuter bike, the Dahon...

The 12 Drawer Bed

Justin — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 02:34:04 +0000

The designer of this bed wants you to turn the “wasted” space under your bed into a convenient, dust-proof storage with this organizing system. This 12-drawer bed features four drawers on each side, as well as four drawers at the foot of the bed that extend the full length of the bed’s frame. The frame comes in double, queen, and king sizes, and you can use the mattress you already have.

The bed is crafted from knotty pine and is hand-stained. It features tongue-and-groove construction, and each drawer glides on metal ball bearings. The price varies, depending on configurations — available from Amazon or
Stacks and Stacks.

Story via productdose and MetaEfficient

Hand-Crafted Recreational Vehicles Tonke Campers are hand-built RVs that are now being...
The Bardessono Inn: 93% Of Construction Waste Reused In Napa Valley, the newly opened Bardessono Inn and...

Edo Style Japanese Beds

Justin — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 10:16:40 +0000

This bed frame, constructed in Japan, is made in the style of the Edo period, which was known for its simplicity and restrained elegance. On the eco-level, the bed is constructed out of solid mahogany, which is sustainably farmed. The bed can support a futon or a traditional style mattress. One benefit of this type of design is that no box springs are needed. The queen size sells for $649. :: Haiku Designs

Finding Inexpensive Non-Toxic Bedding We spend about one third of our lives in...
Green Roofs – Efficient Design Starts At The Top Green roofs have seen a surge in popularity recently as...

Looolo Cushions and Blankets

Justin — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 18:25:45 +0000

Looolo is one of a handful of innovative companies whose production methods are 100% sustainable. Thus the name Looolo is a visual representation of 100%. They create modern cushions and blankets using methods that have zero environmental impact. Here’s how they achieve that: all the materials used in manufacture are organic (organic buckwheat and cotton for example) and these are dyed with water-based, non-toxic dyes.

It took 5 years to develop the dyes used for the Looolo Textile line. The Climatex Lifecycle yarns are free of all toxic chemicals, yet are still available in a full range of colours.

For their printed material they use water-based inks, recycled paper stock and FSC (forestry stuardship council) approved paper products.

The company is a model of sustainability. There’s no excuse to have cushions stuffed with polyurethane foam.

Looolo

Nikon Introduces Green Binoculars: Ecobins Nikon has introduced some new binoculars called Ecobins with...
Finding Inexpensive Non-Toxic Bedding We spend about one third of our lives in...
Windows That Double As Solar Panels MIT researchers have announced that they have created “organic...

Seaweed Clothing and Bedding: SeaCell

Justin — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 19:43:11 +0000

Want a bit of the ocean in your clothing or in your bed? Seacell is a fabric made out of Lyocell (a 100% wood pulp fiber) and seaweed. The theory is that your skin will absorb nutrients from the seaweed, which is quite mineral- and vitamin-rich. From what I can gather, Seacell incorporates 5% seaweed content. The manufacturer, Zimmer AG, says that the porous, open structure of the Seacell fibers “breath” well and absorb what your skin expels. Seacell is mostly being used in bras and underwear, but it also being used in bedding. REI sells a Seacell travel blanket, for example. Seacell is available from Underwear Options

Finding Inexpensive Non-Toxic Bedding We spend about one third of our lives in...
From The Meta-Efficient Labs: Most Optimal Comforter Material: Organic Merino Wool As many of you may have heard — I...
The Most Efficient Material For Cold Weather: Merino Wool Merino wool is the most efficient material for cold...

Bamboo Fiber Duvet & Sheets

Justin — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 18:27:55 +0000

After trying bamboo fibers shirts, I’m sure sleeping under this bamboo fiber duvet would be great. You can read about the efficiency of bamboo fiber here. Bamboo fiber sheet sets are available from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

ASUS Introduces Bamboo-Cased Computers Bamboo is an ideal material to fashion into gadgets...
Efficient: Bamboo Toys The Contina line by Hape International is said to...
Five Efficient T-Shirts Of 2008 Just a couple years ago, a simple organic cotton...

Unbleached, Naturally Processed Sheets

Justin — Sat, 31 Jul 2004 09:15:05 +0000

Sheets like ones featured here are the healthiest sheets available.

Natural dyes are used for coloring, and the sheets finished without chemical softeners or chlorine. They are made from 100% organic cotton.

Since you come in contact with sheets every night, minimizing chemical residues in your sheets is quite beneficial.

Available from: Real Goods ($25-$65)

Finding Inexpensive Non-Toxic Bedding We spend about one third of our lives in...
Windows That Double As Solar Panels MIT researchers have announced that they have created “organic...