I personally tried 6 organic weighted blankets and made notes on how comfortable, breathable, and calming they are — so you can relax.
Sometimes it’s hard to relax. Anxiety, stress, overthinking, tension — they all can make it difficult to find ease and get the quality rest our bodies need (and deserve!). If you’re like me, sometimes I feel restless and overstimulated too, which only makes it more difficult to relax at the end of the day and when I’m trying to fall asleep.
Thankfully, weighted blankets are a really simple and effective way to address these concerns. They can help promote better sleep, alleviate stress and anxiety, relieve pain, help with sensory overload, and more. Wrapping yourself in a soft, sustainable, and organic weighted blanket feels like a warm hug, and all you have to do to receive the benefits is put on the blanket.
What are the benefits of organic weighted blankets?
Today, many medical practitioners are suggesting weighted blankets as an effective way to promote rest through the release of serotonin (and its byproduct melatonin), which in turn reduces cortisol levels and leaves us feeling calmer and more content as we try to relax or sleep. Pressure from weighted blankets also puts our autonomic nervous systems into “rest” mode, reducing symptoms of anxiety and lowering our heart rate and breathing. It helps our body feel regulated and calm.
Organic weighted blankets are important for both comfort and nontoxic safety. Choosing an organic option means you’re ditching the synthetic chemicals — things like pesticides, allergens, PFAs, and flame retardants — and instead opting for blankets made with natural materials that are free from harm and safe for both you and the environment. So not only are you getting the benefits of weighted blankets, but you’re also able to rest easy knowing your blanket is harm-free.
What weight should I choose?
It is recommended that for weighted blankets to be most effective, you should choose one that weighs 8-12% of your body weight, with the general rule being around 10% of your body weight — so if you weigh 150 pounds, you’ll probably want to opt for a 15 lb blanket. If it’s your first time using a weighted blanket or if you’re between two weight sizes, it’s recommended that you start with a lighter blanket.
It’s also important to consider what position you sleep in when choosing a weight. Side sleepers should go for a lighter option, whereas back or stomach sleepers can go a bit heavier if they’d like.
Generally, if you’re pregnant you can use a weighted blanket — and it can even have great benefits for pregnant people, like relieving insomnia and anxiety. Just be sure to consult your doctor and don’t use a blanket over 10% of your body weight. And kids can use them too! Some brands have blankets designed specifically for kids, and some studies actually recommend higher weights for kids ranging from 15-20% of their body weight.
They can especially help kids with ADHD, anxiety, and autism. Note that babies and toddlers under the age of 4 should never use weighted blankets. And even with older children, adult supervision is recommended and you should always make sure your child is able to remove the blanket with their own strength. And when in doubt if your child should use a weighted blanket, talk to their pediatrician.
Other people who should not use weighted blankets are people with medical conditions, diabetes, difficulty breathing, blood pressure issues, or claustrophobia. If you have another health condition and you’re not sure if you should use a weighted blanket, definitely consult your doctor before trying one out!
Our criteria and methodology:
sanablogs editors hand-selected these organic weighted blankets from trusted brands and I personally tried each of them in the comfort of my own home.
I slept with every blanket and noted in the morning how my sleep was and how comfortable the blanket felt throughout the night. I also noted the texture and overall feel of the blankets both before and while I slept. We’ll continue to update this guide as we discover emerging favorites that meet the criteria below.
- ORGANIC & SUSTAINABLE | All brands on this list use organic materials and sustainable production methods, so they’re better for the environment and you.
- BREATHABLE | Having a breathable blanket is important because it allows for better regulation of your body temperature. I judged this by recording how warm I felt using the blankets: Did I wake up feeling overheated? Did I feel cool and airy throughout the night?
- EFFECTIVE | Weighted blankets are meant to help you feel calmer and more relaxed. I determined whether these blankets were effective in doing this by how rested and calm I felt after sleeping with them.
While you’re revamping your bedtime routine, check out our guides to organic sheets, snuggly & sustainable pajamas, soft comforters, and organic mattresses.
1. Baloo
Best For | All-around option for blankets and comfortersMaterials | Organic cotton, lead-free glass microbeads
Weights | 12 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, 25 lbs
Sizes Available | Throw, Full/Queen, King
Price Range | $190–$260
Baloo’s machine-washable weighted blankets are made from soft organic cotton and lab-tested lead-free glass microbeads. The blankets come in three sizes, four weight options, and four to five color options (depending on the size), all shipping in compostable, plastic-free packaging. The company is carbon-neutral and ocean-positive — they partner with Sea Trees to plant trees and restore habitats to support endangered species. Baloo also partners with the nonprofit Pajama Program, which promotes equitable access to healthy sleep for children; each purchase goes toward supporting this mission, through providing bedtime materials like books and pajamas and sleep health education. Sleeping with Baloo’s weighted blanket is a dream; it was easily my favorite of the blankets I tested. I tried the 12 lb throw, and it’s soft, provides a great distribution of the weight, and fits to your body. It is also really breathable for a non-knit blanket, making it a great option for warm sleepers or the warmer months. It also folds up the smallest out of all the blankets, making it a good option for those living in smaller spaces. Looking for something a little more permanent for your bed? They also have weighted comforters.
2. Bearaby
Materials | Organic cotton
Weights | 10 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, 25 lbs
Sizes Available | Throw, Queen, King
Price Range | $200–$280
Bearaby’s chunky hand-knit weighted blankets are made from sustainably and responsibly sourced cotton and are machine washable. They offer Cotton, TENCEL, and Velvet Napper options, and each comes in several weights, sizes, and colors. Plus, they’re hypoallergenic too. The zero waste company is certified Fair Trade and partners with several organizations, including Ocean Conservancy, Ecomatcher, One Tree Planted, and rePurpose Global to give back to the planet. I loved sleeping with Bearaby’s Cotton Napper 15 lb weighted blanket—the knit design allowed for a lot of airflow yet still provided a comforting pressure and plenty of warmth. The stretch of the knit allowed for the blanket to form to my body, but it was also durable and didn’t feel like it was stretching too much if I moved in my sleep. It has a really high-quality feel to it, and I found that quality to be reflected in my sleep as well.
3. Silk & Snow
Materials | Natural cotton
Weights | 8 lbs, 12 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, 25 lbs
Sizes Available | Throw
Price Range | $190–$320
Consciously made in Canada, the weighted blankets from Silk & Snow are hand-knit, machine washable, and made entirely out of natural cotton. The weight in the blankets isn’t from beads — it comes from the knitted fabric construction, which is quieter than blankets with beads while still providing the weighted effect. The natural cotton blanket comes in five weight options, and you can choose from eight different colors. Silk & Snow not only sources their materials responsibly and uses manufacturers who care about the environment, but they also partner with Veritree to plant trees. The company is also working with True North Aid on A Good Night’s Sleep Project, which gives mattresses and bedding to Indigenous communities in northern Canada. I personally tested the Silk & Snow 15 lb woven weighted blanket, and it was extremely soft and flexible, molding to my body while I slept. It was breathable, yet weighted, making it very calming to sleep with. The holes are a bit looser than the other knit options, and when I moved around or when part of the blanket fell off the bed, it stretched a bit, but it didn’t bother me or my sleep. This is also the largest throw blanket I tested.
4. Brooklinen
Best For | Quilted design
Materials | Cotton, glass beads, spandex crepe
Weights | 12 lbs
Sizes Available | Throw
Price Range | $170
Brooklinen is well-known for its bedding and linens. Their weighted blanket is made from 99% cotton and has a quilted design on one side and a soft-washed cotton texture on the other. Inside, there are glass beads! The blankets are available in one size and weight, and there are two color options to choose from, making it a simple shopping (or gifting!) process. Brooklinen partners with to distribute returns to donation centers across the country, and they also work with New York City-based Animal Haven, giving them bedsheets to create makeshift beds for the animals in their shelters. My sleep with Brooklinen’s weighted blanket was great. The quilted look does make it look nice in my space, no duvet needed. I loved the consistent pressure this blanket provided, and the weight was really well-distributed. My sleep was really deep using this blanket.
5. Luxome
Materials | Bamboo lyocell, Minky, lead-free glass beads, cotton
Weights | 8lbs, 15 lbs, 18 lbs, 25 lbs
Sizes Available | Throw
Price Range | $155–$230
Luxome’s weighted blankets are hypoallergenic and made from high-quality materials and lead-free glass beads. They offer both removable and integrated cover options, as well as a choice of a soft Minky material, bamboo lyocell, or a combination of both. They’re all machine washable and come in a carrying tote. Luxome uses bamboo to make its blankets because it uses less water to grow, regenerates by itself, and does not require fertilizer or pesticides, making it a more environmentally friendly fabric option. For my test, I slept with a 15 lb Bamboo Lyocell and Minky blanket, the one with the removable cover. Of all the blankets I tested, this one was the “fuzziest” material, making it very cozy to cuddle up with in bed and making it one of the warmer options. It was also one of the heavier blankets I tried, even though on paper it was the same weight as several of the other ones. So if you’re looking for deeper pressure or a fuzzy blanket, this is definitely a great choice for you.
6. Quince
Materials | Recycled polyester
Weights | 15 lbs
Sizes Available | Throw
Price Range | $150
Quince is known for its price transparency and factory-direct model — and it’s the most affordable option on our list. The chunky knit blankets are made from recycled polyester jersey and come in one size and weight, with five color options. The blanket is the chunkiest knit of all the blankets I tested. Because of that, it doesn’t form to your body as much and it takes up a bit more storage space. But, its chunky design is also a plus if you’re looking for a statement blanket for your bed. Sleeping with Quince’s weighted blanket, I noticed it didn’t feel as heavy as some of the other 15 lb blankets. That being said, I still slept really well with it, so if you’re looking for a weighted blanket that doesn’t feel like it’s weighing you down, this is a good option. One other thing to note about Quince’s blanket is that it’s much more tightly bound than the other knit blanket options in this guide, and because of that, it didn’t mold to my body as much while I was sleeping.
Brianna Schubert is a writer and editor living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she’s not writing about books, lifestyle, and culture, you can find her cooking up a new recipe, reading and recommending books, or finding hidden gems at vintage and thrift stores. Say hi on Instagram!
