Babies spend at least 60 percent of their first year with their heads down, and even your average six-year-old is under the covers for a good part of her life, breathing in whatever is emitted by her mattress, sheets, pillow, comforter, pad, and other accoutrements of the well-made bed. These facts alone have led to the beginning of big changes in the bedding department, with a move toward natural and chemical-free fibers. The byproduct: a healthier environment. Greener bedding could cost you some 50 percent more, but it will wear better and last much longer.

Mattresses
Most of us have survived childhoods spent sleeping on mattresses filled with environmentally unfriendly, offgassing, petrochemical-based synthetics like polyester and polyurethane foam, and treated with stain repellants, flame retardants, and other breathable toxins. Still, if you're planning a green bed for your kid, the mattress gets priority.

The greening Some commercial manufacturers have started using naturally flame-resistant fibers like wool instead of chemicals to create retardant barriers in their mattresses. An added benefit: Wool helps regulate body temperature, making for better sleep. If you want to avoid synthetics altogether, splurge on a true eco-mattress; these are filled either with cotton and wool batting over steel coils, or natural latex from rubber trees. Latex is the firmest option and has anti-allergenic and mold-resistant properties-plus, you could hand down that crib mattress multiple times and then reuse it as a floor pad. That kind of durability makes up for its higher price tag if you've got more children in your future.

Look for a mattress made with environmentally friendly organic cotton and wool-if you see a Pure Grow sign, you'll know the wool production practices emphasized sustainability. Dax Stores has a good selection at reasonable prices.

Linens
Easy-care polyester and poly/cotton blend is totally last century; now everyone wants 100 percent cotton sheets for their babies and children, as well as for themselves. But since cotton's one of the most heavily sprayed and treated crops, and manufacturers often give it a formaldehyde finish to prevent wrinkling, you might want to check out chemical-free linens. You'll find traditional styles on the consumer websites devoted to allergy sufferers; if you're looking for something more stylish than rabbits and bears (or soft pink and blue), visit some of the stores that cater to hip parents-you'll find Boodalee and Kukunest formaldehyde-free cotton sets at Modern Mini, and ducduc's at Piccolini.

The greening Going one step further than chemical-free are the organic lines for babies, which reign on sites specializing in eco-products; the knit variety can be washed in hot water and will still stretch over your thicker-than-vinyl wool "puddle pads." Grow Eco Bedding has pricey modern prints on organic cotton-you can even request color-matching; Stokke organic also has some fresh-looking graphics. You can also buy new lines of stylish organic bedding by young design companies like Argington, Q Collection Junior, and Oeuf-Oeuf's are ultra-green undyed sets.

Look for Chemical-free sheets emblazoned with bright, modern prints. If you're really serious about the planet, check out the new, very affordable BambooBaby sheet sets in supremely breathable, surprisingly soft, naturally antibacterial bamboo jersey, an eco-fave-just don't expect to find a range of cool patterns.

Blankets, pillows, bumpers and pads
A soft cloud of polyester-filled pillow, comforter, and bumper looks great in a crib or on your toddler bed (though the fluffiness tends to vanish after multiple machine washes). The eco-versions aren't as puffy, but they have their own charm-something like your old teddy bear's.

The greening From bumpers filled with organic cotton or wool and pillows stuffed with finely shredded rubber, to recycled fleece-filled comforters, organic felted wool, or cotton-and-rubber puddle pads (at Good Night Naturals and wool or cotton blankets, there's a whole world of green baby options out there. You can even find colorful crib- and twin-size blankets made of old blue jeans and wool sweaters.

Look for easy-wash varieties of the above: wool puddle pads you can throw in the machine and a machine-washable organic cotton bumper pad are brand new to the eco-scene.

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