Beneath the Sheets: How to Choose a Quality and Natural Latex Mattress

Mattress manufacturers never run out of flowery buzzwords to say that their products are the best on the market. You might see phrases like “Chemical-free” and “100 percent natural”—it all sounds the same to consumers by now, leading many to assume that all are equal and the same. When it comes to “green” mattresses, latex seems to be the top choice.

Latex mattresses are sold widely in Sacramento and all over the U.S. due to the public’s growing concern on the harmful effects on health and the environment of synthetically made mattresses. It’s a jungle out there for buyers in the market for the right kind of bed, but there are a few ways to make it all less confusing and help you make the best decision.

Look at the Labels

Manufacturers can’t just claim that their products are really green without backing it up with some legitimate credentials. If you don’t find eco-label on that mattress on display, it probably isn’t as all-natural as it claims. One certification that has managed to impress the experts across the board is the Oeko-Tex 100.

The company behind this was specifically founded to provide a trustworthy product label and a safety standard for harmful substances. Only products that don’t have any brominated flame retardants, toluene, benzene, formaldehyde, pesticides, extractable heavy metals, phthalates, AZO dyes, chlorinated phenols, carcinogenic and allergy-inducing dyes, volatile components, and organotin compounds are permitted to brandish the Okeo-Tex 100 label. If you see this on that mattress you are eyeing, it’s definitely a good find.

Trust Your Senses

If the labels aren’t doing it for you, you could always just rely on your senses to tell you if you are making the right choice. Aside from finding reputable eco-labels, you should also be looking at the details of materials and ingredients on the product. All those details should be listed clearly for you to find and judge for yourself.

This way, if you are allergic to a certain material, you would have been forewarned. Synthetic mattresses also give off a strong chemical smell due to the harmful compounds used for their production. It’s best to steer clear of those and just stick to the ones that use organic materials instead.

Your mattress should not be the thing that’s keeping you up at night both for health and environmental reasons. Make the switch and buy from well-known establishments like The Healthy Bed Store that carry natural latex mattress and other related products.

Sources:

Count Sheep, Not Harmful Synthetics: How to Find an Eco-Friendly Mattress, Oprah

What’s Really ‘Green’? A Look at Mattresses, Part II, Triple Pundit

What’s Really ‘Green’? A Look at Mattresses, Part III, Triple Pundit