ISO: a better night’s sleep.

March 26, 2019
in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

This post is sponsored by Buffy, the comforter that’s softer than a cloud.

What’s the secret to a better night’s sleep?

Curtains that keep out the yellow glow of the street lamp?

Less time scrolling through your phone before bed?

More time reading?

The perfect blend of essential oils?

Children who never have to wake up to pee?

Or climb into your bed?

Or ask for a glass of water?

Neighbors who don’t listen to music after 9 pm?

Or slam the door?

Or host parties?

A refrigerator that doesn’t buzz?

A faucet that doesn’t drip?

A nose that’s not stuffed?

Or a bank account that is?

A post-dinner fast?

A midnight snack?

A lucky nightgown?

No nightgown at all?

A really great comforter?

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

If there were definitive answers to these questions, we wouldn’t still be asking them. There’s no dream life or dream product that can deliver a perfect night’s sleep every day of the week, but there are certainly things that contribute to a better one. Is a really great comforter one of those things? Sure can be.

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

In the past few years, our bed and our sleeping habits have become the subjects of a fair amount of intrigue. For one thing, we’re a family of four living in a small one-bedroom apartment. Folks want to talk logistics. (Our bed has been smack in the middle of our apartment since James and I relinquished the rights to our bedroom when Faye was just a toddler.) For another thing, our children are two and four. Folks want to commiserate. (If there’s a topic of conversation that’s overshadowed any other in the past four years, it’s been sleep. How much sleep we’re getting, how much sleep they’re getting, how we’re getting them to sleep at all.)

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

Readers who catch glimpses of our bed in pictures want to know where we got our headboard (it was abandoned in the attic of my childhood house before my parents bought the property!), and if I painted it (twice!). And I’m frequently asked for suggestions for a cruelty-free alternative to the down comforter we top our bed with in the winter. Something soft and cozy, but minus the allergens and the goose feathers. I understand the hunt, but until now, I haven’t had a great recommendation. When Buffy reached out asking if I’d like to try their new comforter, I was eager to see what they’ve been up to.

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

I’m a bedtime enthusiast. I love everything about the ritual of pulling back the covers on a neatly made bed and climbing in. I relish the moment of turning off the light, and rolling over, settling myself into sleep like a puppy who’s finally found the comfiest spot to curl up. Most nights I fall asleep quickly, and before children I’d stay asleep straight on through morning. (Sob.)

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

I’m glad I can report that the Buffy Cloud Comforter has passed my rigorous testing. We took the Buffy for a spin in our home at the very perfect time of year—our steam pipes are still keeping our apartment abundantly toasty despite the weather outside warming up, and the comforter is soft but impressively light and breathable.

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

The Buffy is filled with a down-alternative spun from recycled BPA-free PET water bottles. By using recycled polyester instead of the virgin polyester found most often in down alternatives, each Buffy comforter keeps 50 plastic water bottles out of the waste stream.

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

The outer shell of the Buffy comforter is made out of fiber spun from eucalyptus trees and it’s produced in a non-toxic, closed-loop manufacturing process that reuses 99 percent of the solvents needed to take the eucalyptus from tree to thread. Eucalyptus fiber is smoother than cotton and gentle against the skin. It’s even touted for anti-inflammatory properties and it’s naturally resistant to common allergens and bacteria.

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

I can’t guarantee you’ll sleep better under it, but you wouldn’t be wrong to give it a try. Use the code RMTL to take $20 off. Buffy is currently shipping in the US only.

in search of a better night's sleep with a buffy comforter | reading my tea leaves

This post was sponsored by Buffy. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Reading My Tea Leaves.

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28 Comments

  • Reply kim m March 26, 2019 at 12:41 pm

    OK… but where is your sleep shirt from????

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 26, 2019 at 12:50 pm

      Ha! It’s from a beautiful little local shop called Layla!

      1
  • Reply Tim March 26, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    I think I spy linen sheets as well? Those were totally game changers for us and I can def see a Buffy with a linen duvet because the dream! (pun totally intended)

    And why aren’t there more vegans talking about down clothing, pillows, and comforters? Sure, the often are a bi-product of other animal-based industries but still, the $$$ go to support animal cruelty in a sense, non?

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 26, 2019 at 1:26 pm

      Oh, believe me, there are vegans a plenty talking to me about down! In these photos we have linen pillow cases and a percale sheet, but right this minute we’ve got the Buffy on our bed wrapped up in a linen duvet. It’s really lovely!

      2
  • Reply Jen March 26, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    Ooh how timely! I’ve been looking to replace our holey, inexpensive old comforter but had a hard time finding an ethical version that wasn’t $500 for our king bed. I think I’ll be ordering a Buffy (fingers crossed it fits our linen duvet cover)! Love that it’s recycled poly too!

    1
  • Reply Allie March 26, 2019 at 1:41 pm

    Love this! Any chance you have suggestions for where to recycle old down comforters? I’m eager to change out our decade-old down one, but can’t stomach the thought of throwing it in the trash 🙁

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 26, 2019 at 1:55 pm

      I’ve heard folks can often donate old bedding, and comforters especially, to animal shelters. I’d make a phone call in advance to be sure, but that might be a good bet!

    • Reply Rita March 26, 2019 at 2:38 pm

      There aren’t? I think that’s one of the things I get to see vegans ir cruelty free advocates discuss the most. Cruelty free outwear and homewear exists. Almost anything that has feathers the birds were plucked alive. It’s not a pretty image 🙁

      • Reply Tess March 26, 2019 at 11:12 pm

        Love this post and am so happy to see it – we just so happen to be in the market for some new bedding! But my next question is – any good pillow recommendations?

        1
        • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 27, 2019 at 1:47 pm

          Ha! Maybe Buffy has some pillows in the works!? We have down pillows from Coyuchi and Pacific Coast Down. Not sure if you’re hoping for a down alternative though!

    • Reply Allegra March 27, 2019 at 1:34 pm

      Hi Allie, I don’t know where you live and if there is industrial composting available in your town or city, but in my city you can cut open down pillows and comforters and put the feathers in the compost bin. It does create a fluffy swirl of feathers as you do it – and I was only composting a pillow’s worth of feathers 🙂 , but maybe an option! Check with your local waste manager and they should know. Or perhaps if you’re in a rural area you could compost in your own or a neighbor’s backyard bin?

  • Reply MissEm March 26, 2019 at 1:47 pm

    My question, after the “where did it come from”, is what do I do with it after? I mean, hopefully the Buffy has great longevity, but…when it eventually is beyond its life span, well, don’t those plastic water bottles end up back in landfills? I love stretching the life of them in this useful way, I’m all for what they’re doing and I think it’s the right thing to do, but this is always in my mind. Right now, we are shifting from a queen to a king bed (after 12 years in a queen and three children who like a good snuggle, we are devoting our tiny bedroom fully to Bed!), and so I’m thinking about what to do with our queen size down comforter and linen cover. My plan is to make down pillows for the kids’ beds, use the linen as the pillow covers, and use the rest of the linen for clothing and maybe a baby blanket. But I feel like – even though there are So Many Problems with down – it has a longevity of use that I haven’t found yet in synthetic alternatives, and then, of course, it can biodegrade. That said, I’m definitely going to look into Buffy with a lot of optimism and hope as I consider new bed coverings!

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 26, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      I hear you! It’s so hard to weigh all of these factors and dig a little deeper in any direction and it feel easy to feel like for every positive step we make in one direction, we make a not so great step in another one. I don’t have a solid answer on how the fill in the Buffy would hold up in a longevity test against down, but I can’t think of a good reason why it wouldn’t last just as long!

      1
    • Reply Sophia March 28, 2019 at 12:49 pm

      I have exactly the same reservations about this type of product. I definitely agree with extending the life cycle of non biodegradable items but then in the end they have to end up somewhere, it’s so hard to work it all out. I would actually really recommend wool duvets/comforters (I’m in the UK). Both my sons have them, I have bought them from a small ethical manufacturer in the UK and they have the added benefit that they will be biodegradable once we have finished with them. They are also totally natural (obviously) and wonderful for temperature regulation. x x

      • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 28, 2019 at 1:21 pm

        I love wool, too, for all of these reasons! I also get lots of questions from folks looking for vegan alternatives. This is one!

  • Reply Monica Mulhern March 26, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    Hi- I live in Phoenix AZ and we have recycling bins that actually use all types of clothing and bedding for building materials, might be worth a peek in your town as to how to recycle old comforters!

    3
  • Reply JLS March 26, 2019 at 9:35 pm

    I recently donated all of my extra sheets, blankets, and comforters to the local domestic violence shelter. The bedding was still in good shape, and I was honored to be able to help in a small way. Maybe call around within your community to see if any organizations (domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, etc.) accept gently used bedding?

    1
  • Reply Lee March 27, 2019 at 9:21 am

    On donating bedding and towels: I donate old bedding and towels in good shape to the local shelter that re-homes people. Any holey or stained bedding or towels get donated to the local animal shelter. I recently went to animal shelter for a volunteer event and noticed one of my donated towels in use. : ) [For reference: I live in DC and donate to So Others May Eat and the Humane Rescue Alliance.]

    1
  • Reply Kellyn March 27, 2019 at 2:44 pm

    If anyone has any basic skills on a sewing machine – you can use old sheets to make crib sheets, changing pad covers, pillow cases, or anything really. Old sheets are a great resource for fabric…!

    1
  • Reply Jamie March 27, 2019 at 4:45 pm

    We use our old sheets with holes that are not repairable to cut up into linen napkins. My question is- if we are really concerned with sustainable practices- why would we need to replace old bedding and towels that are only very gently used?

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 27, 2019 at 5:02 pm

      Folks on this thread seem to be talking about changes in bedding needs as a result of new bed sizes or downsizing mostly. There are so many ways to care about sustainability and so many ways to be fallible humans. I imagine it’s possible that folks might end up with gently used bedding by way of a regretful purchase, or being given something new that they prefer, and in other cases I’m sure folks find themselves with with bedding that feels soiled or torn beyond repair and a second life as rags or a comfy spot for a dog in a shelter is also a nice alternative.

      2
  • Reply Christina March 27, 2019 at 5:48 pm

    Are you still using your buckwheat pillow? Looking to replace ours and wondering how that’s held up for you or if you’d still recommend it?

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 27, 2019 at 6:27 pm

      I was never able to sleep on ours comfortably! Have only ever used it for a support pillow!

  • Reply Rachel March 27, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    As a volunteer at an animal shelter, yes to donating old sheets, towels and duvet covers. No to down comforters and pillows. There are dogs and cats that like to chew and rip bedding to shreds, then eat those feathers. The feathers can get lodged in an animal’s throat, wrapped around organs, and may get stuck in an animal’s intestine as it passes waste. It costs the vets, techs, and shelter staff time and money to operate on an animal, time for the animal to heal in isolation, require special food and medicine, and then finally be moved to adoptions.

    Please, no down bedding or pillows at shelters!

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE March 27, 2019 at 6:25 pm

      Great to know! Thanks for sharing!

  • Reply Maddison April 11, 2019 at 7:25 am

    Hi Erin, quick question. We have the Buffy comforter and I was about to order a Parachute linen duvet cover but noticed the sizing was off quite a bit. I think you have both; do they fit snuggly? Insert filling out the cover all the way to the corners/edges? We just upgraded our bed and had a poorly fitting duvet/insert situation that drove me crazy for years. Trying to avoid it again! Thanks 🙂

    • Reply ERIN BOYLE April 11, 2019 at 8:13 am

      Hi! So interesting! Since the Parachute duvet cover was what we already had, I never checked the measurements, and have been totally pleased with the fit. The Buffy comforter is definitely less lofty than the feather duvet we also had from Parachute—a welcome change in an apartment that tends to run very hot—and I suppose it fits *less* snuggly than the Parachute duvet, but not so much that it bothers me (and this is definitely something that would bother me…ha!). The Buffy has corner tabs for tying the cover on and everything’s stay pleasantly in place! Hope that helps some!

  • Reply Jen April 18, 2019 at 2:55 pm

    Thanks for this post. I tried the Buffy and found it to be much too hot for me, but their customer service was great and I was able to donate the comforter to a local homeless shelter.

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