Choosing Allergy-Friendly Beddings and Pillows

Filed in archive Gadgets and Tools Against Allergies , Hay Fever , Insect Allergies , Living with Allergies on November 22, 2006

If you have asthma or indoor allergies, particularly to dust mites, and are considering getting new beddings and pillows, you might want to wait a couple of weeks until the Allergy Standards Ltd releases their list of certified asthma-friendly beddings and pillows.

Allergy Standards Ltd has recently certified some high performance allergen-avoidance bedding as asthma friendly® and they will be available in stores in December.

If you can't, or won't, wait here are some pointers to consider when shopping for hypoallergenic bedroom linen and pillows:

• avoid allergen barrier encasings for mattresses, pillows or duvets made of hot, noisy fabrics, with plastic membranes, or with poor vapor transmissibility ('breathability')


• Choose fabrics that are unbleached, undyed and free of chemical irritants.


• Choose products that can be washed frequently at high temperatures in order to keep allergen levels low.


• Select products that have been thoroughly tested by an independent laboratory or that has a third party certification mark.

The AsthmaFriendly website also lists certified asthma-friendly soft toys and will also soon certify other allergy products such as vacuum cleaners, floorings, and air filtration devices. I'll keep you updated when the lists are up!