New organic bedding full of color

By Andrea Lillo -- Home Textiles Today, 9/22/2003 12:00:00 AM

AT THE NEW YORK MARKET —

While the color palette of the typical organic bedding may span various shades of beige, a new company at market looks to jolt the category with color.

Oh! Organic Home, based in San Francisco, does not shy away from strong hues for its inaugural collection of organic bedding, using such colors as citron green, sky blue, deep green, blood orange and deep plum. Patterns are also bold, taking inspiration from nature, architecture and ethnic influences.

"It's all about design; you can have both style and sophistication without the use of toxic chemicals," said Allison Wing, founder and president.

Just because no pesticides, herbicides or heavy metals have been used "doesn't mean that cream is your only option," said Wing. "This is a big market opportunity and something that we feel strongly about."

And though "there's clearly an ecological message, there is also a health message as well," added David Dow, founder and president, pointing out that 40 percent of households have someone who suffers from allergies or asthma.

Dow added that thread count is also less relevant, because the cotton is not stripped down with chemicals. And though its sateen sheets will be about 280-count, the hand will feel much higher.

Oh! Organic Home will introduce eight bedding groups at market, divided into cool and warm collections, which include reversible duvets and shams, pillow envelopes, and fitted and flat sheets. Prints in the warm group include a print of bold stripes and another combining an ironwork design with stripes. On the cool side, patterns include a gingko leaf look. Sizes will range from full to California king.

The wholesale prices of a certified organic cotton queen duvet will range between $160 to $190, though engineered prints will cost $210. Shams will retail between $44 to $49; pillow envelopes, between $19 to $22; and sheets, between $40 to $80.

Bedding will be only the beginning, as the company is already planning its bath line for next market.

"No one wants a clinical solution," said Dow. "Nobody has ever delivered a range of color like this. It's time to take it to the mainstream."

And in order to do so, the company knew that prices would have to be mainstream as well. Because the company works directly with Indian cotton farmers, it is able to keep prices down. The products are then dyed and printed in Germany.

The collection will ship at the end of February to the end of March, and the company, because of its tight control of its supply chain, can produce proprietary product as well.