Yesterday I received an email from a business associate thanking me (again) for giving her the gift of a great night’s sleep.

I was on the phone with Mrs “Tee” last month and we got to talking about her husband’s recent back problems. Under doctor’s orders they had to go out immediately and buy a very firm mattress. The new mattress was an extra firm innerspring support system with conventional compressed padding on the surface. Now this may have been ideal for MR Tee, however Mrs Tee found herself suffering through the night with pressure point pain, tossing and turning, and not feeling very happy the next morning. It wasn’t long before she found herself sleeping in the guest bedroom every night, where the mattress wasn’t quite so firm and uncompromising. As we chatted, she asked if there was anything that could help.

It didn’t take me long to recommend one of our most popular items: the LaNoodle Cuddle-Top

Our LaNoodle Cuddle-Top has a 100% satisfaction rate with our customers and because there’s nothing like it available anywhere it’s a bit difficult to describe the incredible comfort it can bring to your mattress. Even if your mattress is already comfortable (like mine) the Cuddle-Top adds a layer of puffy softness that cuddles you perfectly.

Inside our LaNoodle Cuddle-Top are thousands of little pieces of natural latex (shaped like tiny noodles). They move freely around your curves and create a soft cushion under your body that makes the surface of your mattress delightfully soothing. I call them my nourishing noodles

Mrs Tee was worried that it would take away the firmness her husband needed. I told her that of course there was a chance however since latex has a firm resiliency, the Cuddle-Top usually doesn’t compromise support. Because “firmness” is very subjective, I couldn’t guarantee anything, but I was confident it was the best option for them to try, and hopefully get them sleeping in the same bed again!

When the LaNoodle Cuddle-Top arrived, Mrs Tee wrote me after the first night. She was so excited that she actually slept comfortably on the firm mattress. I asked how Mr Tee liked it but after only one night he wasn’t ready to give the five stars yet.

So yesterday, after a few weeks of use, Mrs Tee sent another email with some BIG LOVE to confirm it’s still incredible for her and for hubby too. She thanked me for giving her great sleep and a better attitude when she wakes up in the morning. Every day we receive emails and phone calls from happy customers and it always makes me smile. I love hearing our products are helping people sleep better and feel better.

May is “Better Sleep Month”… the time of year to think about improvements in your bedroom that will help you sleep better. It could be a new pillow or comforter, a new mattress or simply a mattress topper. If you’re lucky to have the perfect sleep system, then revel in better sleep this month and beyond. If you’re not so lucky, then make a commitment to invest in your sleep health.

There are great days ahead of you… but you need a great night of sleep to get there.

Sleep Well,
Cheryl

Cheryl Hahn is the President and Founder of Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure® organic mattresses and bedding and Tomorrow’s World, one of America’s first green-living stores.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

In this video we show you a popular fabric used on  mattresses that claim to use organic cotton fabric. Stretch knit fabrics are created with three layers: the Top, the Bottom, the Inside Threads — all of them quilted together to make one stretchy fabric.

In 2007 we decided to make all our mattresses using a knit since it enhances the feel of the latex underneath. We contacted various mills to request samples and realized that most fabrics were not 100% organic cotton; instead they were a blend of organic cotton on the top only with conventional polyester threads inside and a polyester backing.

The outside fabric is stamped with the words “organic cotton” and it feels soft to the hand since the top panel is cotton, which is very confusing to the consumer – or perhaps misleading is a better word.

We’re not saying this fabric is bad or cheaply made – it’s just that little details like this make one mattress entirely different from another.  It’s good for consumers to know the subtle differences why mattress #1 may be priced higher than mattress #2 because it’s using more authentic ingredients which cost more.  Unfortunately no one is going to disclose this information (it’s not required to list the fabric on the label) so it’s up to the consumer to feel trust with the brand and feel confident they are knowledgeable in organic and green living products and have a history of using organic materials.

A high-quality mattress made with real organic and natural components will cost you around $1300 starting point for a Queen size. Anything less should raise concern about what’s really inside the mattress. CozyPure® uses only 100% organic cotton fabric because we want this first layer be light, airy and breathable against your skin. When the fabric has a petroleum-polyester blend the benefit of breath-ability is taken down a few notches.

This type of fabric is not exclusive to mattresses – the same blend of materials can often be found in bedding such as pillows or blankets.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

CozyPure® is so much more than simply a “name-only” brand. Since we are the manufacturer, we are NOT exclusive to being only a retailer, instead we’re a “vertical retailer” which means although we do retail our products direct to the consumer, we also have complete control of those products since we are also the manufacturer.

American Apparel operates under the same structure. And just like us, they too use only employees, friends and customers in their photos and advertisements. We also do virtually everything in-house: from concept and design to marketing and branding to production, packaging and shipping. We have found this is really the only way to maintain the integrity of our brand and produce products that deliver quality and value, while also providing health benefits to both people and planet.

We are NOT a private label, which is usually a stock product from a manufacturers line that has a store brand label attached.  We found two websites that state we’re private label, which of course is wrong. Just another reason to be careful what you read out there in cyberspace.

If you visit us you’ll find an abundance of natural and organic raw materials: bolts of certified organic cotton fabric, rolls of both organic cotton and wool batting, natural latex rubber cores, comfort layers, containers of kapok and buckwheat hulls, and of course thousands of LaNoodles.

You’ll notice our bright clean factory with sewing machines and cutting equipment, tufting needles and shears in all sizes, patterns and tape measures, and a floor-to-ceiling shelf packed with prototypes of products-in-the-making.

If you’re really observant you’ll see we have no waste. During patterning we spec our materials for cutting with the least amount of scrap — and even the scrap we spec to tailor towards the manufacture of other products. Waste not want not.

What really makes us unique is the fact that we’re energy-efficient and generate our own renewable energy on-site. Two huge wind turbines in the back and a full array of solar panels on our roof, tie-into our electric meter which runs backwards once we shut down our daily operations.

You can feel confident that we’re a true-green company: from our selection of raw materials, to our manufacturing practices, to our use of renewable energy. We come full-circle start to finish and don’t “just talk” about being green like SO many other manufacturers – we actually “Walk the Talk“.

Manufacturing, specifically in the mattress and bedding industry, is overwhelmingly owned and operated by the male gender; the percentage of women is lower than many other industries. Perhaps that is why some of our competitors claim we’re not manufacturers – they just can’t wrap their heads around the fact that a woman could head-up of the operations of a manufacturing factory. Of course this is only my assumption. But since they assume, I can also assume why they’re assumption is entirely inaccurate.  I wanted to write this post because when these false statements were called to my attention, I felt an obligation to “call them out”.

In case you didn’t see it, we recently made a little video showing our factory operations and posted that < here >.

I wanted to assure our customers that we are in fact the actual manufacturer of our CozyPure® products. It’s a joy for me to research the quality of materials, design with function, practicality, value and aesthetics, to provide organic comfort products that I find suitable for use with my own family. There is much to talk about here so I will save this matter and elaborate more details later since May is BETTER SLEEP MONTH and we’ll be going “under cover” to talk about bedding materials. In the meantime…

If you should have any questions or concerns about our products or our company, please be sure to give us a call during normal business hours at 800.229.7571. It is always our pleasure to serve you.

Thank you for twenty years of support.

Cheryl Hahn is the President and Founder of Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure® organic mattresses and bedding and Tomorrow’s World, one of America’s first green-living stores.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

We had fun making this video and thought we’d start with a quick peek at our renewable energy system. The problem with the video is the footage we took is from “Phase One” – about one year ago….

You may notice when we show the solar roof panels there are only a few panels.  Now we have over fifty full size panels running side-by-side on almost the entire length of our roof building. Plus two wind turbines in our parking lot.

Our factory, offices, warehouse and retail showroom are energy-efficient meaning we don’t use any traditional incandescent light bulbs. We maintain a moderate yet comfortable temperature with our geo-thermal system.  Small on-demand tanks provide instant hot water.  We only use energy-efficient appliances, like our Vestfrost refrigerator – same goes for our washing and drying machines.

It’s critical that you reduce your energy consumption with more modern and efficient means before you attempt to generate your own energy!

We’re a business… and for that reason our electricity is “tied-in” to the grid. If for some unforeseen reason our system should have maintenance problems, our back-up would be conventional electricity. What’s really great is our meter goes backwards once we shut down for the day and power down our machines, lights, computers, etc. That’s when WE get to MAKE the power that we’re NOT using and send it back to the electric company. Cool, huh?

Since we’re “tied-in” we have to “pay” for the privilege of being a “customer” in both fees and taxes. Believe it or not, the customer fees and taxes cost more than the fuel that we use. When we have to use the heat or air conditioning, our energy fuel costs average an additional 10 KW  a month (we produce approx 6,000 KWH per month).

Keep in mind this is for a 7500 sq ft manufacturing factory plus our offices and storefront. What could be better than using 10 KW in the winter? How about this:  Moderate spring-time weather is ZERO $$ – ZERO KW.

That may be why, according to the US Department of Energy, our factory can be considered a “Zero-Energy Building“.

The US Department of Energy defines a zero-energy building as “a residential or commercial building with greatly reduced energy needs through efficiency gains such that the balance of energy needs can be supplied with renewable technologies.”

If we weren’t so busy designing and producing new organic bedding, we’d have time to showcase our renewable energy system a little more to you. It’s something we really love and believe in and it’s something that makes us come fully “true-circle” in our mission of “green bedding” made entirely with our own “green-energy”.

We promise to post more on our solar panels and wind turbines before the year is up! Until then… sleep well.

Cheryl Hahn is the President and Founder of Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure® organic mattresses and bedding and Tomorrow’s World, one of America’s first green-living stores.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

Last night I didn’t get the best sleep. It wasn’t because I was anxious, stressed or worried. It wasn’t because my bed was too hard or too soft.  It was something that told me summer is right around the corner.

I was just too hot. And not in a way that made my husband go “woo woo”.  I suffered from the heat in the bedroom.

So the first thing I did was quickly go over the DOs and DONTs:

• 100% natural blankets – no synthetics? Check.
• 100% natural mattress – no synthetics? Check.
• 100% cotton linens? Check.
• 100% cotton PJs? Check.
• Any medications? Nope.
• Any illness? Nope.
• Time of the month? Nope.

That left only one more thing…

When I checked the thermostat I saw it was 82 degrees. EIGHTY-TWO DEGREES!  Even though it was a nice night outside, our bedroom was not getting any breeze through the open windows. It was pretty stifling. I thought about kicking on the AC but then realized I would have to go into the kids rooms to close their windows.  It was 2am. I couldn’t risk waking them up too. So instead I sweated it out and was grateful for at least having the occasional breeze from the ceiling fan.

The optimum temperature for sleeping is 68 degrees – give or take a few. My bedroom was almost 15 degrees above the ideal so it’s no wonder I was tossing and turning all night. It seems like only yesterday we had the heat on and now we have to put on the AC already?

What happened to the beautiful and comfortable Spring time weather? Did I miss it? Or maybe I slept right through it…

Cheryl Hahn is the President and Founder of Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure® organic mattresses and bedding and Tomorrow’s World, one of America’s first green-living stores.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

UPDATE May 6, 2011:

Congratulations to our winners!
We have contacted you via email so check your messages on how to retrieve your prize!

• Nikolai Lemak
• Nancy Case
• Stephanie Siebert

=========================

Around here, every day is Earth Day, but on April 22nd we always like to do something a little special to celebrate this gorgeous planet we all live on.

For a minute, let’s forget about oil spills and discarded plastic bags floating in our waters. Instead let’s think about the beauty of a majestic mountain side, a quiet walk through a park, or the serenity of an isolated beach. These simple pleasures of nature are worth preserving – I don’t care which political party you’re devoted to… EVERY person needs the planet’s resources to LIVE, and it’s an extra treat to also enjoy her beauty.  Just try to imagine a world with no trees or beaches drenched with oil and debris. Where would we go on vacation?

It’s our simple choices that can make a difference. Little things like taking your own darn bag to the market. Make a commitment to try this for one month – or at least pledge not to use any plastic bags today. Just one day. Come on now, give it a try… you can do it.

To show our appreciation to our customers we’re GIVING AWAY THREE  GIFT CERTIFICATES to use at www.cozypure.com – manufacturers of green organic bedding that’s healthy and made to last. They also generate their own energy to operate their factory.  Organic bedding produced from the power of the wind and sun… How cool is that?

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY simply fill out this form and let us know why you should win. That’s it – We like to keep things simple. We’ll randomly choose three lucky winners and post the names on our facebook wall.

LAST DAY TO SUBMIT AN ENTRY IS APRIL 30, 2011.
If you’re not sure what to write maybe you should sleep on it… with a CozyPure® pillow of course.

• One Winner will receive a $100 Gift Certificate
• Two Winners will receive a $50 Gift Certificate

• 50% OFF selected CozyPure® products – Including the famous LaNoodle Pillow – TODAY ONLY!
• 15% OFF Store-Wide at TomorrowsWorld -including mattresses - ENDS 4/24/11
• CozyPure Facebook Page – Your chance to WIN a Free LaNoodle Pillow every month

Good luck to everyone!
All of us here at Organic Comfort Zone want to wish you a very happy Earth Day. Remember no plastic bags today!!

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

There’s a lot of people that ask that question. They don’t really take the time to think about what’s inside conventional bedding. You know what I’m talking about – those $100 bed-in-a-bag packages. The $499 Plushtop Queen mattress set. The fake softness of a synthetic fleece blanket.

Most all of these types of conventional mattresses and bedding are made with cheap foams or petroleum based polyester batting and fabrics. And many times they’re produced using undisclosed amounts of toxic chemicals.

None of these chemicals, foams, fabrics  or battings are what you could call “earth-friendly”  – they’re not renewable or sustainable. In fact, the majority are made without quality in mind and are designed for planned obsolescence to break down faster, throw it away and buy a replacement. Also not good for the Earth.

So what’s the solution? Well let’s look at bedding made from eco-smart and natural materials like organic cotton, organic wool and natural latex rubber.  All of these components are renewable and sustainable meaning we don’t exhaust our resources to attain these materials. There are no harmful chemicals added during the production process. The quality exceeds modern expectations of conventional bedding which means you get real value because it will actually last you much longer than that so-called “bargain”. In contrast, organic bedding is great for the health of our planet Earth. Hey… did we mention the health benefits to you?

Not to be overlooked are the wonderful advantages organic bedding can provide to the sleeper. You’ll enjoy materials that breathe – just like you do! Temperature regulating wool that’s moisture resistant means you’ll not only sleep more comfortably but it’s also naturally dust-mite resistant. Organic cotton is fine quality cotton at it’s very best with absolutely no chemical treatments or synthetic blends which can contribute to overheating. Natural latex comes from the sap of the rubber tree and contours to your body while providing optimum support – and it’s also breathable and dust-mite resistant.

Organic bedding is simple, classic and timeless. It has tremendous VALUE…. to your health, to the product’s long-term durability and to the Earth as well. Next time you get all cozy with your bed, blankets and pillows – think about what you’re getting cozy with.

CozyPure® organic bedding and mattresses are made in the USA from only ecosmart organic materials. Every item is expertly hand-crafted and ships direct from their factory to consumers nationwide. They’ve been doing it for twenty years and satisfaction is guaranteed.

Cheryl Hahn is the President and Founder of Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure® organic mattresses and bedding and Tomorrow’s World, one of America’s first green-living stores.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

There are lots of ways we can reduce our electricity. Here’s a list of just a few easy steps to take in your everyday lifestyle:

• USAGE. If you’re not using it, turn it off. Pretty easy!
• LIGHTBULBS. If you haven’t “switched” to Compact Fluorescents then put this on your list. Not only do they reduce wattage dramatically, they also don’t need replacing as often so perfect for hard to reach places!
• APPLIANCES. When you need to upgrade your appliances be sure to choose newer models that are energy efficient. The savings in electricity will quickly compensate any additional upfront costs for the purchase.
• HVAC. Take advantage of the rebates and loans available through many state programs to upgrade your HVAC system. Newer units will save you on your monthly utility bill plus the added incentive of refunds makes this a no-brainer. If you want the very best in efficiency, consider geo-thermal. Remember you’re making an investment, so think long-term and ROI regarding the costs involved.
• TEMPERATURE. Invest in a programmable thermostat and don’t set your temperature higher than you need. Also change or clean your HVAC filter at least once a month. And don’t forget to vacuum vents too.
• HOT WATER. Take showers instead of baths. Don’t run the dishwasher for only a few dishes. Wrap your hot water tank with insulation or better yet replace that dinosaur with an on-demand hot water heater. Did we mention low-flow showerheads?

Now if you’re really really serious about claiming your energy independence, you should install solar panels and/or wind turbines which will greatly offset your electricity use -see photo below showing our utility bill to run our offices and factory.

But remember – you must make the simple changes before you generate you own power. If you’re not energy-efficient you would need an entire solar panel just to light one regular incandescent lightbulb. It’s about small steps. Start with the every day basic tips and you’ll find it gets easier and easier to take larger strides towards living green and saving money too!

Our solar panels and wind turbines were installed by our sister-company Sunrise Solar and Wind.
To purchase green-living products, visit our websites at Tomorrow’s World and CozyPure®.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

Earth Day is Friday and it’s always a special holiday celebration for us here at Organic Comfort Zone. Our flagship company, Tomorrow’s World, was one of America’s very first “Green stores” and after 20 years we’re pleased as 100% pure punch we’re still around to offer some great eco-friendly basics.

So many green products are also helpful to the end-user, whether it’s being more healthy, saving you money, or better durability. We like to take it a step further since we manufacture our brand products right here in the USA. We never outsource overseas so we’re keeping it local for our transportation carbon footprint as well doing a small part to keep jobs here in America.

Look for products that can help save you money. Energy and water conservation products will cut on your utility usage. Water filters are a great investment since you’ll not have to purchase bottled water.  Choose quality home products designed to last so you’re not replacing them all the time. Better still, choose quality products made from natural and renewable resources – they’re healthier for you and better for our planet.

If you haven’t seen the “Story of Stuff” put it on your list of things to do this week in honor of Celebrating Earth Day. It’s a wonderful 20 minute short film about planned obsolescence and how most products are actually made to fall apart and break down. How we abuse overseas labor and toxic chemicals to make products cheaper. It’s a very insightful little film that will get you thinking about products before you buy them.

After watching the movie you may find yourself rethinking your buying habits. Cheap disposable products won’t seem as appealing anymore and you’ll want to invest in quality products – like the products we offer. We’re pretty strict on our standards and take pride in the longevity of our products.  Take a peek for yourself and visit CozyPure next time you’re looking for organic bedding. If you need a few green-living basics (like water filters or canvas shopping bags) then visit the www.tomorrowsworld.com website.

In fact- if you hurry -

Tomorrow’s World has a store-wide sale going on right now. 15% off everything even clearance items! The sale ends April 24, 2011 so take a visit over there for some fantastic eco-friendly basics that help you live a green lifestyle while saving a little green in your wallet too.

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure

.
I had this crazy dream….

It was a warm day. Overcast and shady. I was swimming in a long canal. Very relaxed, serene and peaceful. I was unaware of anything except feeling free while I effortlessly enjoyed the water. It truly was magnificent.

Suddenly, the clouds departed and the sun shone brightly.

Down into the depths of the water I was seeing things I didn’t see before.

Broken bottles with sharp edges, ragged aluminum cans, dirty needles, unidentifiable slimy creatures and an assortment of other filthy debris floating all around me in every direction.

I panicked in the realization of this disgusting waste drifting around next to me, under me, smothering me. Fearful of the harm it would cause me. Cutting me open, skin bleeding, open wounds infected.

Now that I could truly see, now that it affected me, I was scared… All I wanted to do was get the hell out of the water.

In desperation, I frantically tried to find the water’s edge so I could climb out…

When I finally reached the safety of the ground, I couldn’t help realize a thought:  “Is ignorance indeed bliss?”

Organic Comfort Zone - the best Organic Mattress, Organic Bedding and Pure Organic Comfort - natural latex mattresses, organic bedding and comfort clothing Organic Comfort Zone is a USA manufacturer of organic mattresses, organic pillows, organic wool comforters and organic cotton clothing. For the very best selection of natural latex organic mattresses be sure to visit CozyPure