This afternoon a package arrived from one of my customers in Sitka, Alaska. It contained all sorts of goodies, like healthy specialty teas, organic hot cocoa mix – and a can of real smoked Chinook Alaska salmon! Everyone gathered ‘round my desk to admire the surprise, marveling at the generous offering.

Although I have not yet had the opportunity to visit Alaska, I can sense the heartfelt spirit of the people who live there. It reminds me why I enjoy being involved with Lifekind. The people I work with are exceptional, generous and attentive to helping others. We all believe strongly in our connection to a more organic lifestyle, drawing experience through Lifekind’s commitment to making an enthusiastic difference in organic, chemical-free bedding. I feel like I’m making a difference, and I sleep better at night.

And when I consider the generous gift package from my new friends in Sitka, Alaska, I sense they’re now sleeping better as well!

Kim, Product Specialist

Organic mattresses aren’t just a fad. Why? Most people are concerned about their health, and it makes sense to avoid unnecessary chemical exposure. After all, we spend about a third of our lives in the bedroom. Why would you want to poison your body with chemicals, flame retardants, other toxic ingredients if you didn’t have to?

Our opinion is that if you’re going to invest in a nontoxic mattress, you should invest in the best. Here at Lifekind®, we’re setting the purity standard for our industry.

No regulations monitor the manufacturing, marketing, and advertising of organic mattresses. This means that an “organic” mattress found on a website may contain a percentage of organic ingredients, but also a plethora of undisclosed synthetic ingredients — Tyvek®, recycled newspaper, polyester, boric acid, and formaldehyde. This tactic is known as “greenwashing.” Even if a mattress does contain mostly organic ingredients, the components can be very low grade. (We’ve dissected quite a few “organic” mattresses to find cotton fibers that look similar to what you’d find in the lint screen of your clothes dryer.)

Lifekind is different. You’ll never find undisclosed ingredients in our mattresses, and our Purity Promise guarantees that if you can find a purer mattress, we’ll give you ours for free.

We hope you’ll take us up on it. Your body will thank you.

Rowena, Product Specialist

I was speaking with a customer today whose five-year-old daughter loves her Lifekind® mattress so much she encouraged her mom to call and tell me.

I am inspired by families who are making the conscious transition into organic, chemical-free bedding and how often their personal stories are deeply motivating and life affirming.

Kim, Product Specialist

Take this quiz. If you get all of the answers correct, call us and we’ll send you a free soap sample with your next order!

True or False:

If there is 10% organic material and 90% synthetic material in a mattress, it can still be called “organic.” (TRUE)

It is possible to make a mattress in which all the materials are organic and yet 100% come from another country. (TRUE)

Lifekind uses certified organic cotton and organically-grown wool that comes from right here in the United States. (TRUE)

How did you do?

Check back for more quizzes and more free samples!

-Sara, Product Specialist

Just 20 years ago, anyone who was into an organic lifestyle was likely to be considered a little odd. Organic choices were limited back then; nowadays they’re everywhere. Now that being “green” is a trend, even major chain stores like Wal-Mart and Target are carrying organic food and bedding.

But what does it mean to truly be organic? The roots of the organic movement stemmed from the early 1900s, when synthetic fertilizers were introduced in the early days of industrial farming. Even after WWI, with more pressure being applied to farmers to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides for a larger yield, ecological farmers, though a minority, stood firm in their beliefs. Pioneers like Rachel Carson helped shed light on the dangers of these newly introduced chemicals. By the 70s and 80s, certification standards for organic food came into effect, thanks to various farming and consumer groups demanding more government regulation.

With organic certification, consumers should feel confident that the goods they desire are truly organic. However, there is an absence of government regulation in the production of non-food items. With the sprawling popularity of organic finished goods, many large corporations are cashing into the “green” market by using some organic materials, yet compromising purity to achieve a lower price. 

In a competitive marketplace where businesses want your money, it can be tough to read between the lines. If you look in the right direction, however, the writing is on the wall: Without government regulation, consumers must rely on third-party scrutiny to assure that finished goods, not just raw materials, are truly organic. Certifying organizations such as Oregon Tilth (OTCO) guarantee that products meet the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and other regulations to ensure that you are getting a truly organic product.   

It’s the only type of assurance that actually means anything. And at Lifekind^®, it’s all we do.

Rowena, Product Specialist

We think it’s important to support American organic farmers and manufacturers – so we do! Lifekind® is dedicated to supporting America’s organics industry and to keeping jobs here in America.

We make our own mattresses right here in the U.S. Our GOTS-certified mattress Eco-Factory™ is located in Yuba City, California – the only mattress facility in North America to be awarded true third-party organic certification.

Our organic raw materials come from sources as close to home as possible. The Naturally Safer® wool and certified organic cotton we use in our mattresses and bedding are U.S. grown, and the natural rubber latex we use in our mattress cores and pillows is also manufactured here in the U.S.

Your commitment to purchasing organic products and supporting America’s environmentally-conscious farmers and businesses helps to ensure the continuing growth of the organics industry in the U.S. Also, you contribute to the reduction of your carbon footprint when you buy products made closer to home.

We are proud to support American organic farmers and to be your “go-to” company for “Made in the USA” items.

Carol Bader, Co-Founder