How to Sleep Better on Van life Trips

Some lucky people are blessed with the ability to fall asleep the moment their head hits the pillow, only waking up in the morning feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready for the day. AH, life is good, they think, as they start their day with ease.

And then there are the rest of us—the ones who, for whatever reason, didn’t get as many sleep-related gifts from the universe. Maybe those sleep blessings got scooped up by group number one instead.

Anyone who struggles with sleep knows that when your usual routine is disrupted or conditions change, there’s always that nagging worry: Will I be able to sleep at all?

A Sleepless Start with Vanlife

One of us here at IVAN falls into that less fortunate sleeping category.

Some of you may already know that Hanna’s van life journey started somewhat… reluctantly. Over a decade ago, Jarno had a sudden and irresistible urge to haul a three-month-old baby and his wife into the deep Finnish wilderness in a leaky old caravan.

"Over my dead body will I go," Hanna declared.

And yet, somehow, she found herself on that first trip anyway (apparently, death glares weren’t powerful enough to change Jarno’s plan).

Maybe it was those glares, or maybe it was the weather gods, but that first trip was rough. The front wall of the caravan leaked, and since it rained the entire time, the ancient foam mattress and bedding became an absolute nightmare.

We survived, but no love songs were written about that maiden voyage.

In a campervan or an RV, temperature and moisture conditions vary. And usually the bed is the last thing that warms up!

Cotton sheets in the van = a cold, damp and dank nightmare

Over the years, adapting to caravan life became easier—even fun—but one thing remained a constant source of frustration, discomfort, and downright disgust.

Cold, damp, slimy-feeling cotton bedding in the van. No living being should have to crawl into a bed that gives you full-body shivers of disgust. (And let’s not even start on the horrors of campervan and caravan mattresses—that’s a rant for another time. For now, let’s stick to the topic of sheets.)

The gross feeling of cotton sheets only gets worse as the trip goes on—especially if you’re moving around a lot, experiencing hot weather, or unable to take proper showers.

Nighttime sweating, tossing and turning on the edge of sleep, all while cotton sheets soak up every drop of sweat and grime? Not exactly dreamy. After a few days, it starts feeling like your sheets might develop enough nutrients and life force to crawl out of bed on their own.

Simply put—YUCK. (Extra gross-points if your travel sheets also have holes in them!) Frustrated, Hanna had pretty much resigned herself to the idea that good sleep was impossible in van life conditions.


Merino Wool, Organic Cotton, and Wooden Buttons. No Plastic in These Sheets.

Towards better sleep in a campervan - first-in-the-world merino wool bed linen

Since we like to focus on solutions instead of problems, we decided enough was enough. We started brainstorming: What would the perfect travel bedding feel like? What would be the softest, coziest, driest, and most luxurious option for a van bed?

While visiting a knitting company Orneule in Orivesi, Finland, inspiration struck: Of course—it had to be merino wool!

Merino wool had every quality we were looking for:

• soft against the skin
• non-itchy
• breathable
• easy to care for on the road
• moisture-repellent
• eco-friendly
• responsibly sourced.

Hanna’s fingers flew across Google, searching in disbelief: Had NO ONE really made merino wool bed linens before? Turns out, they hadn’t. So, we became the world's first brand to introduce merino wool bedding—an IVAN original innovation.

Now, as we write this, we’ve been using a merino wool duvet cover as a summer blanket in both our van and home bed. We can confidently say—it works amazingly even in warm weather!

Only during the hottest days of summer does merino feel a bit much, but since it regulates temperature and wicks moisture so well, it still performs better than cotton. That’s because merino naturally repels moisture and dirt while also being antibacterial.

Shooting the First Merino Wool Bedding Photos in Norway, Fall 2023

Merino wool bed linen - better sleep for your body & mind

Hand on heart—our merino wool sheets are the best thing since soft-serve swirl ice cream

No more damp, clammy beds, no more sticky-feeling travel sheets, no more waking up in the night from being too hot or too cold (which feels even worse in a van when fresh air can be limited).

Now, we can keep the van cooler at night, save gas, and sleep like babies in a cloud of dreamy softness.

Another fun fact: The merino duvet cover weighs about 2.5 kg, making it feel like a light weighted blanket. Not heavy enough to be suffocating, but just the right amount of grounding comfort.

We still remember opening the first prototype package at home. The bedding felt so amazing that we lay down on our hard wooden floor under the merino duvet cover—and it was so comfortable we didn’t want to get up!<

Minimalist, sensory-friendly design that feels grounding & safe.

Does merino wool itch or make you sweat?

The merino wool is loop-knit onto an organic cotton warp, creating tiny air pockets between the fabric and your skin.

This means the sheet never sticks to your body—those air pockets provide both insulation and ventilation. No more waking up drenched in sweat! Instead, moisture naturally moves away from your skin, keeping you dry and comfortable.

Worried about itchiness? Don’t be. Hand on heart—these do not itch. Our own highly sensitive family members tested them, and they passed with flying colors.

The merino wool we use is nearly as fine as that used in high-quality underwear, so it’s incredibly gentle on the skin.

How to care for merino wool?

On the road, merino wool sheets are easy to freshen up—just air them out or even roll them in the snow. You don’t need spare sheets because they don’t get dirty like regular cotton ones.

With merino wool bed linen, washing intervals are longer than with regular cotton sheets. When it’s finally time to wash them, just use a wool detergent and run them through a 30°C wool cycle.

Yes, we know—many of us were raised with the idea that sheets must be washed at 60°C. But trust us—this is a completely different material!

You can read more about merino wool bedding care here.

The Ultimate Travel Bedding: Sleep Sack is the all-in-one bed linen solution

Merino wool sleep sacks are the easiest bedding option for travel: they combine a blanket, pillowcase, and fitted sheet in one neat package.

A sleep sack saves both space and time, since making (or remaking) a bed takes only a few seconds – just roll it open, slip the pillow into its pocket, and you’re done!

You can store the rolled-up napsack in a cupboard, or use it as a spare pillow or throw blanket, for example in the awning or when lounging on the sofa.

Merino wool sleep sack is the ultimate all-in-one solution for easy bed-making on the go.

Merinate yourself for a rejuvenating night's sleep, even on the go

Hanna’s final word: I’m never traveling without these again.

I wouldn’t willingly go back to sleeping in regular cotton sheets at home either. The energy in merino wool sheets is just next level, and my sleep quality has noticeably improved.

Beyond van lifers, we’ve also heard glowing reviews from people experiencing night sweats and menopause symptoms—many say they sleep much better with merino wool bedding. Amazing!

Try Merino Wool Yourself—You Won’t Go Back

PS: Long-time van lifers Sanna and Rallu from JustDoMedia tested IVAN’s merino wool sheets and sleep sacks in the Spanish winter. You can watch their first impressions here and their two-month review here (in Finnish, though, but a lot can be seen from their happy faces).

You can find all our merino wool duvet covers, pillowcases, fitted sheets, and sleep sacks in the IVAN webshop.

Oh, and did you know? For every product purchased, we donate a portion to the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation to help protect old-growth forests. Doing good for yourself also means doing good for nature. Win-win!

- Hanna