Top 4 Cotton Pajamas Made with Sustainability in Mind
Picking fantastic clothes for your wardrobe doesn’t just have to be about looking good in public. You also deserve comfortable clothing when you’re simply lounging around at home. Pajamas are no exception; good sleep is an incredibly important part of living healthy, so why wouldn’t you treat yourself to nice sleepwear?
While there’s nothing wrong with sleeping in one of your old t-shirts that has one (or two) too many holes, you may want to invest in some bona fide pajamas. A big part of getting good, restorative sleep is establishing a routine. Changing into pajamas every night—hopefully around the same time—can send signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep. Keep reading for ways to do this with sustainable, non-toxic sleepwear.
What are Cotton Pajamas?
Here’s a tough pill to swallow: even though cotton is a naturally occurring, renewable material, most methods of growing cotton are not good for the environment. It takes a disproportionate amount of fertilizers and insecticides to conventionally grow cotton. Cotton also requires a lot of water.
However, cotton is one of the most popular clothing materials because it feels nice and comfortable. This presents an obvious dilemma for people who want comfortable pajamas but also want to reduce their carbon footprint. The good news? Many companies are committed to making organic cotton products and doing other things to help the environment. We’ll take a look at some of these brands and pajama products below.
Top 4 Cotton Pajamas: How We Chose
Fortunately, we had quite a few companies to choose from when compiling this list. We take a lot of stock in certain certifications, such as the GOTS certification (Global Organic Textile Standard). Being able to see where products were made and how companies reduced their carbon footprint in the process was also a big plus. Comfort was not just an afterthought, either—we’re confident you’ll feel good in each of these products.
Our Picks
All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the author and DGHQ editors. However, Do Good HQ may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.
1. Pact Cool Stretch Cropped Lounge Tank
| Certifications | Fair Trade-certified, GOTS-certified; three lbs of carbon offset |
| Material | 95% organic cotton; 5% elastane |
| Size | XS–XXXL |
| Price | $25 |
Pact’s cotton pajamas are some of the most comfortable sleepwear garments we’ve tried. The company is one of the most trusted when it comes to sustainable cotton clothing. This tank, which is also great for lazy weekend days, is marketed toward women but is great for sleepers of any gender.
Highlights
If you want just one of these tanks, that’s fine. If you really like them, though, you can get a three-pack and save quite a bit of money. We think you’ll like them, especially if you like low necks that don’t feel constricting.
Things to Consider
This tank is truly cropped. We didn’t mind that it came up around our navels when we tested it—they are pajamas, after all—but we recognize that some people want to keep the cropped tank trend back in the 90s.
2. Pact Men’s Cool Stretch Crew Undershirt
| Certifications | Fair Trade-certified, GOTS-certified; 10 lbs of carbon offset |
| Material | 95% organic cotton; 5% elastane |
| Size | S–XL |
| Price | $25 |
We couldn’t include just one Pact product in this article. Their cotton pajamas are just so comfortable, and their line is wide-ranging. This men’s undershirt feels great under the covers and, we think, would look just fine while running errands.
Highlights
Did we already mention that this so-called “undershirt” looks pretty okay in public? You can pick from black, white, heather gray, and French navy heather if you agree with us.
Things to Consider
Pact’s sustainable efforts extend far beyond the materials they use. Because they are Fair Trade-certified, their employees and suppliers enjoy safe working conditions and good pay. Pact also has a program that lets you recycle gently used clothing and send it to worthy charities.
3. MATE the Label’s Tencel Sleep Short
| Certifications | BPA-free; plastic-free; pesticide-free; B-corporation |
| Material | 70% Lyocell from Tencel; 30% organic cotton |
| Size | XS-XL |
| Price | $58 |
Who said organic cotton pajamas can’t have pockets? Probably nobody, but these shorts from MATE the Label do, and we love it. These might as well be unisex, but MATE the Label is run by women and has an extensive line of cotton pajamas for women.
Highlights
Wow, these are really comfortable. We also like how shapely these are. Besides being free of harsh chemicals, the company uses far less water and leaves a smaller carbon footprint during production.
Things to Consider
The price tag for what seems like a simple pair of shorts might seem pretty steep to you. Rest assured that we included this item because we feel the front-end investment will serve you well for a long time.
4. Mightly Long Sleeve Pajamas for Kids
| Certifications | GOTS-certified; Fair Trade-certified; supports marginalized farmers |
| Material | 100% organic cotton |
| Size | 2T–14 |
| Price | $38.95 |
This is one of the many cotton pajama sets for kids we loved on Mightly’s website. The space-themed rib knit two-piece set can have your little ones dreaming of dancing among the stars—and doing so in a very stylish way.
Highlights
While this pajama set is meant to fit snugly, our testers never felt that it was too tight or constricting. Few sleepwear sets use 100% organic cotton, but this one does. It offers breathability and comfort that are simply off the charts. Buying a Mightly set for your child is a great way to start a conversation about caring for the planet and marginalized people.
Things to Consider
Because these 100% organic pajamas are chemical-free, the company does not outfit them with chemical flame retardants. House fires are much rarer than they used to be, and tight-fitting clothes are less likely to catch flame anyway, but it’s worth being a little extra careful with Mightly’s products.
How to Choose Cotton Pajamas
We’d usually tell you to make sure the clothes you buy online feel comfortable, but you can safely bet that your skin will like organic cotton pajamas. You may feel better choosing a brand that lets you return pajamas at no cost or obligation if you don’t like the way they look or feel.
Being able to find a company’s return policies in the first place is a good start, but the more information available online, the better a consumer may feel about purchasing the product. We find transparency is the best policy.
Our hope is that you’ll soon be snoozing in the most comfortable pajama set you’ve ever had. Knowing you picked sleepwear that’s better for the planet may also help you sleep well at night!
Featured image via Pact
