I really like the store Green for Bedroom and Baby in Thousand Oaks! It's a bit of a drive for me (and not available for people who live outside of LA), but for all you Angelenos, it's a great place to help make your bedroom the healthiest it can be.

Several years ago, when I was looking to replace my previous (not very eco) mattress of 13+ years, I hunted high and low for an all-natural option. But here was the dilemma I faced: California state law requires that mattresses must be fire retardant, which is super-toxic. On the other hand, the natural alternative was wool - which wasn't an option for me either.

That's when the folks at Green for Bedroom and Baby helped me discover this great organic mattress company named OMI. Now, most of OMI's mattresses are made with wool, and even though they maintain that they only source their wool from providers who treat their sheep humanely, I still felt uneasy about a wool mattress. After all, the sheep are still sent to slaughter at the end of their lives.

But, this is where OMI stepped it up. It turns out that the legal requirement for mattresses does make allowances in cases where a doctor can verify that there's a medical excuse, such as an allergy to wool. A friendly chiropractor wrote me a note, which opened the door for Green for Bedroom and Baby and OMI to create a vegan, all-natural, all-healthy mattress for me (as they can do for anyone who has a doctor's note). I wasn't an unusual case - all of their mattresses are non-toxic, with no VOCs or Kevlar (a synthetic fabric used in everything from mattresses to armor to racing tires). And, with the proper doctor's authorization, they are happy to custom-make the mattress wool-free as well.

I also picked up some amazing pillows at Green for Bedroom and Baby. They're called Kapok pillows and, even though they feel exactly like down (aka feather) pillows, they're actually eco-friendly and cruelty-free (check out PETA's article about why we should avoid down or feather pillows here). Kapok is a fiber extracted from the seedpod of the kapok tree, found in the rainforest, so it's all-natural. I went for the thickest kind, because they squish down pretty quickly and become the softest, yummiest pillows ever!

Recently, my husband and I went back to Green Bedroom and Baby for a new mattress topper. He prefers soft beds, and even though I tend to like harder beds in general, my hips were getting a bit sore towards the end of my pregnancy, so I was open to a softer option. The people at Green for Bedroom and Baby and OMI set us up with a super comfy topper (it's a squishy thing that lays on top of your mattress), again ordered without wool.

So, to all you Southern Californians, I urge you to go check out their store. It's super cute and stocked with all kinds of bedding and baby accessories that are all eco-friendly and healthy. Even though they do sell some wool products, they're willing to help make almost anything without it. Some of their stuff can get a bit pricey, but it's so well-made and sustainable that it just might save money over the long run - and it'll help save the environment, so that new baby of yours will have a better future to grow up to! And of course, it's the healthiest option for you and your baby.

Thank you OMI and Green for Bedroom and Baby!

Do you have a green store for bedroom and baby near you?