one step

From now on, I’m only going for the crème de la crème when it comes to materials for me

A few years ago, I bought the softest-looking sweater online. It was this dreamy cream color, promised to be “buttery soft,” and was on sale—so of course, I clicked buy now.

The first time I wore it, I lasted maybe an hour before feeling like I was wrapped in a static-charged plastic bag. My skin itched, I overheated, and by the end of the day, I was cranky and sweaty. That’s when it hit me: a lot of the things I touched every single day—my clothes, my couch, my bedding—were made from synthetic materials, and they didn’t exactly make me feel good.

That was the start of my slow switch to natural materials. And honestly? It’s been a game-changer.

Your skin knows the difference

Think about the feeling of slipping between fresh cotton sheets or pulling on a linen shirt in the summer. Your skin can breathe. You’re not overheating. You’re not wondering if that weird rash is from your new pajamas. Natural fibers like cotton, linen, silk, and wool just… work with your body. They wick moisture, regulate temperature, and don’t usually come with the chemical baggage of synthetics.

Your home feels fresher

I learned that a lot of synthetic rugs, curtains, and furniture can give off VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. It’s not exactly the home fragrance I was going for. Natural options—like solid wood, wool, or jute—don’t usually do that. Now, when I walk into my home, it smells like, well… home.

They get better with time

One of my favorite surprises was how natural materials age. My linen bedding has gotten softer with every wash. The wooden dining table I bought secondhand has little dings and scratches now, but they tell stories from dinners with friends. These things aren’t just lasting—they’re living with me, changing in the best way.

Comfort you can feel (literally)

Natural textures just feel good. The cool crispness of linen sheets, the weight of a wool blanket, the warm grain of wood under your feet—they add a kind of sensory comfort that makes you want to slow down and enjoy your space.

The planet says thank you

Here’s the other thing: natural materials are often kinder to the planet. They’re renewable, biodegradable, and if sourced responsibly, require fewer resources to produce. No microplastics. No landfill foreverness. Just materials that return to the earth when they’re done.

The bottom line?
Switching to natural materials felt like upgrading my life without adding more stuff. My home is more comfortable, my skin is happier, and my space feels grounded and alive. And now, when I put something new in my home or on my body, I know it’s something I’ll love for years—not just until the next sale

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