Frequently Asked Questions
Where is our linen from?
Our flax linen is grown and harvested entirely in Europe to European Flax® certified standards. This means flax growers and traders follow ethical and sustainable best practices to guarantee traceability and accountability through each stage of production.
Like 90% of linen purchased, our linen is processed in China. Our manufacturers are based in Shenzhen, one hour from Hong Kong. This is where our bedding and some of our loungewear is made. They were once located in Hong Kong until prices forced them to relocate to mainland China. We visit often and dine with them, they treat us like family. They have been in business for 15 years, and their son attended Adelaide university.
The spinning and weaving factories owned by our manufacturers lie side by side in beautiful countryside surrounded by lush green pastures in Jiangsu Province. The spinning and weaving factories employ around 25 staff across both plants.With sustainability being key at Bedtonic, our collection is dyed using non-toxic dyes and we manufacture in small batches to ensure waste is kept to a minimum.
Our shipping bags are made from recycled plastic and are reusable and recyclable. Our linen is premium quality and a dream to sleep in year- round. We call it Natures Wonder Fibre – it keeps you cosy warm in winter and cool in summer.
Where do we source our linen?
Our linen is imported to China by our manufacturers. The linen is French Flax certified and arrives in the form of a hay bale, each bale has its own certification stamp.
Is our linen certified?
Yes! Our linen is now OEKO-TEX® Certified
Linen is different from cotton sustainably. It's an annual crop grown largely in Europe and using very few pesticides and toxins during growth and harvest. It also utilises the higher rainfall in Europe.
The whole flax plant is removed from the ground during harvest, unlike cotton where the green leaves are sprayed with harsh chemicals before harvest to allow the harvesters to strip the cotton bolls off the bush. For this reason, flax is considered to be largely pesticide and toxin free and doesn’t require such strict certification.
Does linen have a thread count?
Not really. Linen quality is measured by its weight rather than a thread count. Gsm (grams per square metre) is what you will see for linen quality. Our bedding is mid-weight at 165gsm.
Lighter weight linen would be 125gsm for example and heavier weight industrial linen for cushions and furniture could be 350+gsm.
Why do they say linen keeps you warm in summer and cool in
winter?
Linen has natural thermos regulating properties largely due to the fact that the fibres are hollow, straw-like. This allows for air to circulate around your body easily but when a layer is added like a blanket or doona in the winter it traps the warmth from your body keeping you warm. Many customers say they no longer use electric blankets now they sleep in linen!
Is transparency in our supply chain important to us?
Absolutely. When I created Bedtonic I wanted to showcase our makers as much as possible. I had always purchased top quality cotton bedding from a popular brand here in Australia but I never knew anything about where the fabric was sourced or made or who were the owners behind the brand – what was their story?
It is so important for me to be able to tell a story and share images from my annual visits to meet my makers.
Why did we choose to manufacture 50% offshore as opposed to making everything in Australia?
Good question! I would have loved to be 100% made in Australia but linen is hard to source in wide lengths required for bedding and the cost of making here would mean customers would pay around $1,000 per set of sheets. So, for me, the option was to find makers offshore who had good working conditions, treated staff well, and had a good reputation. We are now delighted to have increased our made-in WA to 50% for our loungewear. This has always been something I have wanted in my heart and it is a very exciting chapter for the brand to bring more manufacturing to WA and support our local creatives.
How long should we expect our sheets to last?
As with all things we love and adore, they don’t last eternally. The same goes for our linen. We calculate linen on wear time per year.
With a fitted sheet, for example, average days on the bed:
- 300 (allow for holidays and washing)
- Sleep per night 8 hours
- 2400 hours per year.
If you love your Bedtonic linen (and why wouldn’t you) we expect if it is on high rotation then 2 years is fair longevity.
The fitted sheet will be the first to show signs of wear as it is bearing your body weight each night!
What we suggest when you purchase our sheet set is to buy an extra fitted sheet which will give you twice the length of time to enjoy luxury sleep.
What kind of packaging do you use to send your products?
Our drawstring bags are made from linen, sourced from the same manufacturers as our loungewear and our post bags are from EcoEnclose, which are made from 100% recycled material. They can also be recycled once again and are reusable.
Do you use any harmful products or chemicals in your linen?
No! We are OEKO-TEX® Certified. This means not only is our linen 100% free of harmful chemicals, so are all our processes, labels and buttons, the whole lot.
There are over 100 harmful chemicals that get tested during the screening process and since it started in 1992, Oeko-Tex has become recognized as a global leader in eco-labeling.
