The Earth's Pajamas

Whether you prefer cozy cottons, slinky silks or smooth satins, the lure of comfortable pajamas is unavoidable. But getting your hands on soft and environmentally safe sleepwear can pose a challenge for green consumers. Cotton alone accounts for 25 percent of all insecticides applied globally, and the Environmental Protection Agency has identified seven of the top 15 pesticides used on U.S. cotton crops as potential or known human carcinogens. And while silk feels fabulous, its production can be inhumane. "Most silk is produced commercially, and during production, caterpillars are killed, either by baking or drowning, once the cocoon is made" to prevent silk threads from breaking, says Cheryl Kolander, author of A Silkworker's Notebook (1985, Interweave Press, $80; www.aurorasilk.com).

Humane alternatives to silk aren't widely available yet, but fortunately, other earth-friendly natural fibers are. Look for organic cotton, pesticide-free hemp and fast-growing bamboo.

Product picks
PJs: Rondure organic cotton tank top and shorts for women by Chandler & Greene ($40; www.chandlergreene.com, 866-49-EARTH); women's 100 percent bamboo pajamas from Hammacher Schlemmer ($59.95; www.hammacher.com, 800-321-1484); Eco-Wise organic cotton sleep tank for women ($24; www.ecowise.com, 512-326-4474); Spauldinghill Organics "bgreen" organic cotton T-shirt ($15.99) and pants for men ($27.99; www.spauldinghillorganics.com, 408-225-8101); unisex organic cotton fleece sweatpants by Tomorrow's World ($49; www.tomorrowsworld.com, 800-229-7571).

Robes: VivaTerra women's bamboo/organic cotton spa robe ($169; www.vivaterra.com, 800-233-6011); Rawganique 65 percent hemp/35 percent organic cotton unisex bathrobes ($179; www.rawganique.com, 877-RAW-HEMP).

Underwear: Organic Avenue organic cotton/spandex "bgreen" bra ($29) and matching low-rise boy short ($10; www.organicavenue.com, 212-334-4593); silky, organic cotton camisoles from A Happy Planet ($16; www.ahappyplanet.com, 888-424-2779); Ecolution hemp boxers for men ($30; www.downbound.com); organic cotton boxer briefs by Alternative Undies ($32/2, www.grassrootsnaturalgoods.com).

For Kids: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requires that all children's sleepwear be flame resistant and self-extinguishing. Because the material is fire resistant, very few polyester garments require additional chemicals, says Arlene Flecha, CPSC spokesperson, "but many parents would rather have children in natural fibers. Tight-fitting cotton sleepwear is an option for natural fibers, but cotton or cotton/polyester-blend nightgowns and other loose garments would have to be treated with flame retardant chemicals." When choosing untreated sleepwear, choose garments that are close-fitting all the way through, tapered at the waist, wrists, and ankles and free of lengthy trim such as lace, like the CPSC-compliant, untreated organic cotton Garden Kids blue sea stripe PJs for boys ($34) or candy stripe summer PJs for girls ($29; www.gardenkidsclothing.com, 541-465-4544).