Our 30 Year Journey

Our 30 Year Journey

Cayla Zelanis
Share:

1991

First brand to offer 100% organic cotton bedding - Coyuchi's Origin

Christine Nielson was working on a community development project in Oaxaca, Mexico when she first came across the word “coyuchi”. Derived from Nahuatl—the language spoken by the Aztecs—coyuchi refers to the naturally occurring, brownish color of cotton.

In 1991, Christine combined her love for Oaxaca’s hand-woven fabrics with her commitment to sustainable, pesticide-free agriculture to create the Coyuchi we know today.

1994 

United Nations Environment Programme Award

Coyuchi was awarded the United Nations Environment Programme Award for growing colored cotton made without dyes and chemicals.

1999

Continuing Partnership with Earthsake

As fellow pioneers of the organic home industry, a partnership with the organic mattress and bedding retailer Earthsake made perfect sense. The local Northern California brand sold Coyuchi sheets at all 7 of their stores, beginning with Percale, and expanding their selection as Coyuchi grew. Our two companies continue to enjoy a close relationship today.

2003

Launched our best-selling Air Weight® Organic Towels

2006

Began working with Chetna Organic Farm Cooperative

The Chetna Coalition is a pioneering ethical textile group who supports sustainable farming communities in India. Led by a team of women, the CHETNA organization includes academic and research experts in the fields of health, nutrition, education, communication, and gender—with a special focus on the well-being of women, children, and young people. 

2008

First Retail Store in Point Reyes Station

This flagship store in Point Reyes Station, CA would make its mark as the first company to market high quality, organic cotton bedding.

2011

Launch of coyuchi.com

With the launch of coyuchi.com, our products became more accessible to our customers nationwide. 

2012

Launched Rippled Stripe Organic Duvet Cover

Became a member of Textile Exchange

Textile Exchange is a global non-profit organization that works with retailers and suppliers to identify the best practices for environmental accountability. Farming, materials, processing, traceability, and end-of-life plans all factor into their plans for supply chains that make a positive impact on the environment

2013

Launched Organic Mattress PadBegan phasing out plastic packaging and replacing it with fabric bags

GOTS Certified

We choose the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) because it is the highest standard in the world. As the leading textile processing authority for organic fibers, this certification provides transparency into every step of the supply chain—taking into account not just the immediate safety of the end product, but the impact of its creation on the people and ecosystems it touches along the way.

2014 

Fair Trade USA

Our Fair Trade Certified™️ products support the well-being of our working communities and their natural resources, helping to reduce poverty, increase opportunity, and improve the quality of life for these people and their families. Coyuchi has contributed over $48,000 to cotton farmers, factory workers, and their supported projects since 2014.

2016

Became a member of OTA Fiber Board

2017

Became a member of 1% For The Planet

Partnered with The Renewal Workshop, Launch of Renewed Pilot Program

Our ongoing partnership with The Renewal Workshop began with the launch of a pilot program at our retail store in Point Reyes Station in 2017.  This circularity program focused on the recycling and upcycling of the returned items. Our partners at the Renewal Workshop take great care to clean these returned items, check for flaws, and repair them to be resold at our Point Reyes Store.

2018

Became a MADE SAFE partner

Began using miDori processes from Beyond Surface Technologies (BST) 

We’re proud to be the first bedding company in North America to use this 100% plant-based finishing process that uses zero toxic chemicals. We have always chosen the strictest standards for environmental and social welfare to create the safest sheets possible for you, your family and the planet.

Joined Climate Beneficial Wool Program

Our donations to 1% for the Planet go directly to our partners at Fibershed, an organization that works to support regional farms and ranches to implement carbon farming practices — like The Jensen Ranch and Stemple Creek Ranch from which our Climate Beneficial Wool collection is sourced.

2019

GOLS Certified

Like GOTS, the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) ensures that all certified latex products are at least 95% organic in origin, and follow a traceable path of environmentally and ethically sound practices from beginning to end. Starting at the farm and continuing all the way throughout processing, handling, packing, and labelling, extensive records are kept at each stop in the supply chain and are subject to annual audits by an independent third party.

2nd Home Take Back Program Launched

What began as a pilot program that focused on the recycling and upcycling of the returned items, has now evolved into our 2nd Home Take Back program. Our 2nd Home Take Back program makes it easy for all customers to send their old Coyuchi linens back to us—so you can switch out your linens without the guilt of sending them to a landfill.   

2nd Home Renewed Site Launched

Originally our 2nd Home Take Back items were only sold at our Point Reyes Store. In 2020 we launched our 2nd Home Renewed site at renewed.coyuchi.com to make our organic products more accessible to everyone! Our rotating selection of renewed products are sold at 35% off retail—making it difficult to keep these items in stock!

Full Circle Recycled Blanket

The small percentage of 2nd Home Take Back™ products that can’t be renewed can be recycled into fiber, which we use to make our Full Circle Recycled Cotton Blanket. This first-of-its-kind recycled blanket (also available in a throw size) blends 52% of this recycled Coyuchi cotton with 48% organically grown material to create the home industry's first ever fully circular product—made from the product that our own customers sent back to us.

Joined Prana's Responsible Packaging Movement

We care about the environmental impact of our production and lasting effects of textile waste. Striving to decrease our plastic waste and reduce our impact on the environment, we encourage reuse by using 100% organic fabric bags to package all of our sheeting, quilts, and duvet covers. Additionally, we’ve reduced the size of our polybags by up to 59%, and introduced polybags made from 100% recycled pre-consumer waste for multiple products. We aim to be plastic-free by 2022.

Our Partnership with White Buffalo Land Trust

 At Coyuchi, we see regenerative agriculture as the next step for organic farming. Like the carbon farming efforts made by our partners at Fibershed, the White Buffalo Land Trust works to fight climate change by promoting the many benefits of regenerative agriculture. Their farming methods focus on the biodiversity and health of our soil and waterways, encouraging the land to thrive in its most natural form—favoring ecological processes and cycles over human input. To support their work, the Coyuchi trust proudly donated $50k toward their purchase of the Jalama Canyon Ranch, where they plan to purchase 1,000 acres along the California coast to expand their efforts. We also worked with their team to create our White Buffalo Land Trust Bandana Napkin, whose proceeds benefit the Campaign For Jalama.

2021

Coyuchi celebrates 30 years 

Our first 30 years have challenged the way we think about textile creation—from organic farming and sustainable processing to GOTS, MadeSafe, and Fair Trade certifications, then onto industry-leading circularity initiatives. Looking forward to our next 30 years and beyond, Coyuchi will continue to push the organic textile space. Coyuchi is moving onward, and staying true to our origins along the way.