Spotlight on Hoot: Sustainable Bedding Made from Tencel

At Made Trade, we believe in curating sustainable brands that are not only creating environmentally-friendly goods, but providing a better product as well. Hoot’s TENCEL™ bed sheets are among the most sustainable bedding options out there—and they’re superior in comfort, breathability, and appearance as well.

We’re proud to add Hoot to our collection of ethically elevated goods and share their story with you!

Behind The Brand

Hoot was born as a solution to a problem founders Laura and Chris faced when moving in together and trying to purchase responsibly for their apartment. All the bedding options on the market were made from less sustainable options, and it was incredibly difficult to find information on the sourcing and creation of their fabrics. Hoot’s research also showed that the textile industry is one of the most polluting in the world, and large companies were not taking the necessary steps to address this.

Behind the Fabric

Hoot sources one of the most sustainable fibers in the world and provides full transparency into its supply chain, striving for the highest standards in ethical and quality production.

The sustainable brand works with Lenzing, a manufacturer based in Austria producing man-made cellulose fibers. Lenzing has earned a commendable reputation and numerous awards for their sustainable innovations.

Lenzing’s TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers using REFIBRA™ technology are manufactured through a process that has high resource efficiency and a low environmental impact. The process up-cycles a portion of cotton scraps from clothing production and blends them with eucalyptus wood pulp from FSC-certified farms in Austria and surrounding countries to produce new virgin fibers.

It is referred to as a closed-loop process, meaning that 99% of the solvent used is recycled for another batch, instead of going back into the environment. This REFIBRA™ technology is an exciting and innovative solution contributing to a more circular economy within the textile industry.

Utilizing cotton scraps from already manufactured clothing reduces the need to extract additional raw materials from the earth and lowers the impact on natural resources—contributing to the goal of a circular economy in the textile industry. A number of clothing brands are experimenting with this fiber, such as Patagonia and Levi’s, but there are currently no bedding brands using this fiber.

The Benefits of TENCEL™

Beyond a solution for the landfill, this fiber is a solution for sheets. The fabric created from this fiber is lightweight and is smooth and soft to the touch. Plus, it’s a high-quality, durable material that will remain soft wash after wash.

TENCEL™’s smooth surface also allows the fiber to absorb moisture more efficiently than cotton and allows less moisture to form on its surface for bacteria to grow than polyester and other synthetic fabrics. This efficient absorption makes TENCEL™ a more hygienic and breathable fabric that supports your body’s natural temperature regulating mechanism.

Lenzing fibers also look great. With its sleek surface area, the fabric feels soft and gentle on the skin and gives it a silky, luxurious sheen appearance. The unique properties of TENCEL™ give Hoot’s sheet a distinguishable shine and comfort that’s hard to find in any other fabric.

Hoot’s sustainable sheets feel incredible—and you can feel good sleeping in them, knowing they are made with the environment in mind.

The Mission Behind Hoot

Hoot believes that minimizing individual environmental impact on the world is accomplished through a series of small choices made each day. The sustainable bedding brand strives to provide full transparency on its processes, so customers can get a good—and green night’s sleep.

The founders of Hoot started their company to inspire environmental change, and they encourage their customers to hold them accountable.

To this end, Hoot ensures that all parts of the company are the most sustainable they can be, even if it impacts the bottom line:

• Giving: Hoot is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, an organization that brings dollars and doers together to accelerate smart environmental giving. As a 1% for the Planet member like Made Trade, Hoot has committed to donating 1% of annual sales to approved environmental nonprofits to help save the planet, which means double the impact!
• Transparency: Hoot names all manufacturing partners, so customers can make the most informed decisions.
• Shipping: Shipping is a strain on the environment, so Hoot takes a number of steps to reduce its impact. Hoot sheets are always shipped USPS Ground to encourage people to avoid 2-day shipping by air, and chooses carbon neutral shipping to offset the carbon emissions from all shipments. Additionally, Hoot sources packaging from EcoEnclose that is reusable and made from 100% recycled materials.
• Recycling: Hoot has partnered with Brooklyn-based company Wearable Collections to recycle the old sheets and clothes of NYC customers. Hoot is working on creating a nationwide take-back program where customers can send their old sheets back in Hoot packaging to be recycled. Through this partnership, sheets are repurposed into rags for industrial use, insulation for construction use, or stuffing for furniture.

Hoot is on a mission to change the way customers think about their bedding—one set of sheets at a time.