We’re very happy to announce a new giveaway of two natural latex pillows courtesy of SleepOnLatex.com. If you’re looking for a comfy, natural latex pillow this is for you. For the purposes of our Tried and True Green Product Review SleepOnLatex.com gave us 2 free, natural latex foam pillows to test. Tough assignment. Well, we slept on it and here’s what we think.

These lightweight and puffy pillows are great. They easily conform to the contours of an individual’s head. Made from 100% Natural Talalay Latex Foam (basically rubber tree sap), they cushion and provide a lot of support, so you’re really comfortable. My husband used to sleep with two stacked pillows, but these are so high he only needs one.

The pinhole design of the foam allows air to flow through the pillow – it’s more breathable than memory foam – so now my darling hot-headed hub doesn’t sweat at night. And it’s perfect for anyone, like me, who suffers from allergies – it’s hypoallergenic and dust-mite resistant – as well as mold & mildew-proof. To top it off, they come encased in a cool zippered bamboo cover.

Rest easy knowing they’re made from a renewable, toxic-free material.

Giveaway: So here’s your chance to win 2 beautiful new Queen Size 100% Natural Talalay Latex Pillows from SleepOnLatex.com. (Full retail value: $198 plus free shipping to anywhere in the USA & Canada).

To Enter – simply do one or both of the following:

• Like SleepOnLatex on Facebook.
• Post this contest to your favorite social media site, ie Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Blog… & leave a comment on this post (with a link).

Want more ways to enter?

Optional ways to enter – receive an additional entry for each comment you leave:

• Follow SleepOnLatex on Twitter, & tweet about the giveaway (no more than once per day), be sure to include @SleepOnLatex
• Follow us on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway (no more than once per day), be sure to refer to @altCon
• Like Alternative Consumer on Facebook

For prize notification be sure to add the following to your email address book: m at AlternativeConsumer.com.

Giveaway is open to residents in USA and Canada. Contest ends Monday June 3, 2013 at 11:59pm PT. Winner will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email on Wednesday, June 5. Winner has 24 hours to claim their prize, or the offer is null and void. Winner’s first name will be included in this post.

As always, we will not share your email or contact info with anyone. Good luck!

more about SleepOnLatex.com

Prior to launching Chicago-based, SleepOnLatex.com, the company founders were selling natural latex foam online for 5 years through ebay. Knowledgeable and focused on providing a superior product and excellent customer service, they offer a wide array of natural latex-based items such as: mattresses, pillows, toppers, cores and covers.

For more giveaways, check out CashNetSweepstakes.com

If your bedroom is currently looking a bit stale and dreary, leaving you feeling flat and uninspired, it’s time to banish those bedroom blues and go eco with an economically upcycled room makeover! It’s a fantastic opportunity to let your imagination run wild and easily add some vitality and natural character to your sleeping environment, whilst helping you do your bit for the environment. Read on for a few ideas to get you started re-crafting your exciting, eco and purse-friendly bedroom:

Vintage advantage:
Just think of how much valuable Rainforest is lost every day due to trees being chopped down for new furniture (240 square miles!). So re-use any old furniture you own for the bedroom before you head to the shops. A quick coat of non-toxic paint or wood oils, and it’ll be as good as new!

Material world:
Spring has sprung and we can finally banish those bulky jumpers for another year. If you have any you no longer like, chop off the sleeves and separate the front and backs. Stitch several square pieces together to create a snug patchwork floor rug, which can help warm up your room and toes.

Blooming marvelous:
A fresh bunch of flowers will not only make a bedroom look nice, but smell nice too. Put old glass bottles and jars to good use, instead of chucking them out, to contain your fancy floral arrangements. Old waste paper bins also make good flower holders, as long as they’re water tight!

Beddy buys:
However, some things can be beyond salvaging, so if your mattress has lost its’ spring, and is sagging and uncomfortable, it’s time to invest in a new eco bed. Mattress Online provides a wide range of brand new mattresses, with several made from organic cotton and wool. Natural mattress materials last much longer than processed, synthetic mattresses, without the need for harmful chemicals in their production. With Mattress Online offering up to 70% off usual prices, you can save money whilst still being eco in your mattress style choice.

Don’t worry about how to get rid of your old mattress. Instead of sending it to landfill, consider getting it recycled, or donating it to worthy causes, such as Homeless shelters or pet charities. It can continue to be used, even though it no longer has any benefit for you. So you can feel good whilst helping others and the planet, whilst ensuring you always get a good night’s sleep!

The Australian furniture maker GHIFY – Gorgeous Home Interiors For You – makes sustainable, handmade home furnishing from reclaimed materials. The pieces featured in the ‘Mint Edition’ line – above and below – are made entirely from scrap hardwood timber salvaged from old Queenslander houses. The pieces – an elegant dressing table and stool, media unit / console and hall table – have angular, minimalist tapered legs, Florentine brass hinges and understated, modern drawer handles.

The pieces are the definition of ‘rustic modern’. Raw materials include salvaged old floorboard, ceiling beams and battens … all given a second life as modern rustic furniture. Each plank is sanded and painted with care to reveal the timber’s inherent, original grain structure, but retains all the historical character – including the original nail holes, knots and imperfections – of the reclaimed timber.

This set is available as individual pieces and also comes in a distressed gray/blue color.

GHIFY ships internationally via Fedex. Find more of their fine handcrafted furniture at the GHIFY Etsy shop.

full disclosure: we received a free lumbar pillow for the purposes of this Tried and True Green Product Review.

I’m a linen lover … everything from tablecloths and napkins to bed-linens, placemats, table runners and decorative pillows. Cricket Radio is a Vermont-based company hand-printing pre-washed and pre-shrunk linens in their own home-grown studio. They use eco-friendly, water-based inks to silk-screen their unique Indonesia batik meets vintage Americana designs onto sustainable, 100 percent Italian linen. When we opened the box, what did we think?

(above) Just one touch, and I knew I would absolutely adore this sweet new pillow. There’s nothing better than lovely linen for a touch of luxury in the home, right? In aqua & white, the Ship’s Wheel nautical theme totally livens up my den. The lumbar shape is comfy, practical and versatile – it can support the back, head or arm – or simply look smart.

Bonus points – it’s part of their Montauk collection (ahhh Montauk – where I’ve spent many a summer and fall – a beautiful spot to explore, relax and be one with the sea). Makes me daydream about mouth-watering lobster rolls, tall grassy dunes and tangerine skies. (more…)

LED lighting is becoming a more popular addition to regular homes and with such great benefits for the environment, and your pocket, it’s easy to see why: LEDs use around 80% less energy than halogen lights and can last years longer than regular bulbs. They also emit less heat than other types of lighting. At the moment they are bit more expensive to buy than other types of lighting but evidence is emerging that domestic consumers can reap huge savings in the long run when it comes to their final energy bills. (more…)

full disclosure: the folks at buygreen.com provided us a complimentary queen size comforter for the purposes of our Tried and True Green Product Review.

It’s been three nights of testing our wool-filled and cotton comforter, and the hub and I are happy to report that we’re getting a great night’s sleep. The comforter feels light as air – the fill is tropical weight, which is perfect for our Florida weather right now. We’re sleeping soundly – feeling warm and cozy, not hot and sweaty. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that this creamy white comforter is comprised of 100 percent virgin wool-fill, and covered in 100 percent unbleached 230 thread count cotton muslin.

As you know, wool-fill is derived from sheep – it’s naturally renewable, a self-replenishing resource … sheared sheep are not harmed or killed for their wool. Wool is naturally non-allergenic; it naturally resists dust mites, moisture, mold and mildew, and is naturally flame resistant. Wool fibers tend to keep skin drier, but here’s an extra perk you may not be aware of: Wool-fill comforters can actually lower one’s heart rate – creating a deep, relaxed state, according to a study by the Polytechnic Institute of Wales, (source).

If you ask me, wool trumps poly (derived from petroleum), or down (goose and duck feathers cause allergies for some; and the actual process of plumage plucking is quite painful and cruel for the birds — Alicia Silverstone helps to uncover the cruelty of down on Youtube).

Visit buygreen.com and discover a world of sustainable, green products for you, your family and your home. Be sure to check out their green product standards – a very unique and comprehensive system for how they rate the “green-ness” of each and every one of their product offerings. Details: link for care and pricing info regarding the 100% wool-filled and cotton comforter.

By the way, now’s the perfect time to enter BuyGreen’s own Go Green Giveaway for your chance to win one of 5 gift certificates, ranging from $25 – $100/each. GIVEAWAY ENDS midnight Friday, April 26th.

(photo credit: The Alternative Consumer)