Whether you're trying to live more eco-consciously — or simply want super soft sheets to climb into at night — buying organic bedding can help you sleep a little easier. That's because the best organic sheets are not only luxuriously comfortable for you, but they're good for the planet too.
The most important thing to look for when shopping for organic bedding is to make sure it has a GOTS-certified label on it. GOTS stands for 'Global Organic Textile Standard' and is recognized the world over as the gold standard when it comes to guaranteeing a textile is truly organic.
Only products containing at least 95 percent organic fibers can be called 'GOTS-certified organic,' and only products made with a minimum of 70 percent organic fibers can earn a "made with organic" GOTS-certification. Both levels of certification require that all inputs (dyes, auxiliary materials, etc.) meet environmental and toxicological criteria. What's more, socially responsible practices, like fair wages and safe working conditions, are required all along the textile supply chain.
The cotton sheet sets below are all specifically GOTS-certified organic (i.e. 95% organic fibers). Some of them also have an OKEO-Tex Standard 100 certification, which means that all of the materials used, from the sewing threads to the woven fabrics to the buttons, are non-toxic and chemical-free.
In compiling this list, thread count was also a factor. Typically, the higher the thread count, the more expensive the sheets are, so a variety of price points were considered. However, it's important to understand that a higher thread count doesn't necessarily translate to better, just that the fabric is denser, according to Missy Tannen, co-founder of Boll & Branch, in an interview with Wirecutter. So, if you're looking for sheets with good air flow, a higher thread count might not necessarily be what you're looking for.