What Bedding Should You Choose If You Are Allergic to Dust Mites?

When you suffer from a dust mite allergy, choosing the right bedding can make a real difference in your everyday life. But do you really need to buy specially treated “anti-dust-mite” bedding?

Not necessarily.

The most important thing is much simpler: bedding that can be washed regularly at 60°C, made from a sufficiently dense fabric and without unnecessary chemical treatments.

Our organic cotton bedding is designed with this in mind. Both percale and satin can be washed at 60°C. Our percale is also GOTS certified.

In summary

• 60°C is the number one criterion for bedding intended for people with dust mite allergies.
• A densely woven fabric can help limit the passage of particles.
• Percale and organic cotton satin bedding can both be washed at 60°C.
• Percale is GOTS certified, which ensures that the textile supply chain is controlled according to certain criteria, including the use of harmful substances.
• Your pillowcase deserves particular attention, as it is in direct contact with your face throughout the night.
• A chemical “anti-dust-mite” treatment is not essential.

Why wash bedding at 60°C?

Dust mites do not primarily live in your bed linen. They are mainly found in mattresses, pillows and other textiles where they can find warmth, moisture and food.

However, bedding accumulates what comes with them: skin flakes, moisture and dust mite residues. These residues in particular can trigger reactions in people who are allergic.

Washing at 30 or 40°C will of course clean your bedding. But to eliminate dust mites and their residues effectively, 60°C is the temperature to aim for.

This is therefore the first thing to check when choosing a duvet cover, fitted sheet or pillowcase for someone with an allergy: can it be washed at 60°C?

Our percale and satin bedding can be washed at this temperature.

A small compromise to keep in mind

Regularly washing cotton at 60°C causes more wear than washing it at 40°C. This is not specific to our bedding: it is simply the result of hotter and more frequent washing.

If you wash your bedding every week, having two sets to alternate is therefore a good idea. It also helps prevent a single set from being subjected to too many washes.

A dense fabric rather than an anti-dust-mite treatment

Washing temperature is the first criterion. The second concerns the fabric itself.

The more densely a textile is woven, the more difficult it is for particles to pass through. This is why thread count can also be worth considering when choosing bedding for people with allergies.

Our organic cotton percale

With a thread count of 220 and a weight of 132 g/m², our percale is a dense, matte and breathable fabric. It is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Our organic cotton satin

With a thread count of 276 and a weight of 120 g/m², our satin is even more densely woven. Its feel is smoother and silkier than percale.

Both fabrics can be washed at 60°C.

And most importantly, neither fabric receives a chemical anti-dust-mite treatment.

Should you choose “anti-dust-mite” bedding?

The term may sound reassuring, but it is important to look at what it actually means.

Some textiles are treated with substances designed to act against dust mites. These treatments are generally based on biocides and their effectiveness can decrease over time with repeated washing.

For someone with sensitive skin, adding a chemical treatment to the textile may not necessarily be desirable.

There is another option: a dense fabric that can be washed at 60°C and has no anti-dust-mite treatment.

This is the approach we prefer.

What does GOTS certification mean?

GOTS, or Global Organic Textile Standard, is an international certification that regulates the production and processing of organic fibres as well as various aspects of the textile supply chain.

Our percale bedding is GOTS certified.

For someone with allergies or sensitive skin, one benefit is knowing that the production chain is subject to controls concerning certain harmful substances, from the fibre through to the finished product.

However, it is important to note that GOTS is not an allergy label and does not mean “anti-dust-mite”.

The certification therefore does not guarantee that a textile will prevent a dust mite allergy. It provides information about other criteria related to the production and processing of the textile.

Percale or satin: which should you choose if you have allergies?

Both are suitable if you are looking for bedding that can be washed at 60°C.

The choice therefore mainly depends on your personal preferences.

Do you tend to feel hot or sweat at night? Percale, with its cool feel and good breathability, can be particularly comfortable.

Do you prefer a smooth and silky fabric, particularly because you have sensitive skin? Satin may be the better choice.

In both cases, you get organic cotton bedding that can be washed at 60°C.

You can find both fabrics in duvet covers and satin duvet covers, as well as pillowcases and fitted sheets, all manufactured in Portugal.

Pay particular attention to your pillowcase

Of all your bedding, your pillowcase is the one that comes into the most direct contact with your skin.

Your face rests on it for several hours every night. It is also right next to your eyes and airways.

If you do not want to change all of your bedding at the same frequency, you can therefore start by changing your pillowcase more regularly, followed by your fitted sheet.

Bedding does not replace an anti-dust-mite cover

There is, however, an important distinction to make.

Good bedding is not an anti-dust-mite cover, also known as an encasing. These are two different products with different purposes.

An anti-dust-mite cover is specifically designed to surround a mattress, pillow or duvet and limit contact with allergens. In cases of diagnosed and significant dust mite allergies, it may be recommended in addition to other measures.

Bedding has a simpler purpose: to stay clean, breathable and washable at a high temperature, while avoiding unnecessary chemical treatments.

We do not manufacture anti-dust-mite covers and do not claim that our bedding can replace them.

What about the duvet?

Bedding is only one part of your sleeping environment.

Your choice of duvet and pillow also matters. A Swisswool duvet, for example, helps regulate moisture in the filling. Dust mites, on the other hand, thrive in warm and humid environments.

You can find out more about our wool products and their properties on our wool pillow and allergy information page.

So, what bedding should you choose if you are allergic?

There is no need to look for bedding with the most treatments or the most impressive promises.

Start with three simple criteria:

1. It should be washable at 60°C.

This is the most important criterion.

2. The fabric should be sufficiently dense.

A tight weave can help limit the passage of particles.

3. It is better to avoid unnecessary chemical treatments.

A comfortable textile that can be washed at 60°C does not need to be treated with a biocide to be suitable for someone with an allergy.

Percale and organic cotton satin bedding meet these criteria. You can then choose according to your preferences for feel and breathability.

All Zizzz products can be tested free of charge for 30 nights, with free delivery.

Frequently asked questions

What bedding should you choose if you are allergic to dust mites?

Choose cotton bedding with a dense weave that can be washed at 60°C and without chemical anti-dust-mite treatment. Percale and organic cotton satin bedding meet these criteria.

At what temperature should you wash bedding if you are allergic to dust mites?

It is recommended to wash bedding at 60°C. This temperature allows dust mites and their residues to be eliminated more effectively than washing at 30 or 40°C.

How often should you change your bedding if you are allergic?

People with allergies may benefit from changing their bedding more frequently. Your pillowcase in particular can be changed more often because it is in direct contact with your face throughout the night.

Is organic cotton better for people with allergies?

Organic cotton is not “anti-dust-mite” in itself. Its benefits include the conditions under which it is produced and, when it is GOTS certified, the controls applied throughout the textile supply chain. For sensitive skin, this can be an interesting criterion.

Percale or satin for people with allergies?

Both are suitable and can be washed at 60°C. Percale feels cooler and more breathable, while satin offers a smoother and silkier feel.

Should you buy bedding specifically treated against dust mites?

Not necessarily. Dense bedding that can be washed at 60°C can be a simple solution without using a biocide treatment. In cases of severe allergy, a specific anti-dust-mite cover may nevertheless be considered as an additional measure.

Is GOTS an allergy label?

No. GOTS is a certification that covers organic fibres, textile processing, certain harmful substances and social criteria, among other things. It is not an anti-dust-mite certification and does not constitute proof of effectiveness against allergies.

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