The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Natural Latex Mattress

Instead of using traditional bedding technology like springs or air, latex mattresses are made using the sap of a rubber tree. These mattresses are considered extremely helpful when it comes to soothing back pain.

It’s also worth mentioning that latex mattresses are the healthiest and most eco-friendly that you can find on the market today because of their hypoallergenic organic material. Of course, this also means that they are the perfect choice for those suffering from allergies.

 

Three Types of Latex Mattresses

Before you decide to buy a latex mattress, you should do your research on what type of latex would be more ideal for you. There are three different types of latex mattresses – natural, synthetic, and blended.

Natural latex mattresses are without a doubt the most popular choice out of the three. It is made of processed tree sap, a milky fluid that can be found in a rubber tree. Although there are many different natural latex mattresses that you can choose from, it’s actually very hard to find a 100% natural latex mattress. In most cases, you’ll find a mattress which consists of 95% natural latex. This is because a small amount of additives is always involved in their production.

Synthetic latex mattresses are made from a man-made materials instead of a natural ones. Of course, synthetic latex mattresses still behave and respond to pressure the same way organic latex mattresses do. Synthetic are less expensive that natural but not as firm and durable.

Blended latex mattresses consist of a blend of synthetic and natural latex. For example 80/10, 70/30 or 60/40 (synthetic/natural). The more natural you have the more expensive. They have a bit longer durability than synthetic mattresses.

Even though any of the above mentioned types of mattresses are better than regular ones, natural organic latex mattresses are without a doubt the best choice.

 

Other Considerations

People often compare latex to memory foam, which doesn’t come as a surprise seeing as how these two materials are huge competitors. However, they’re quite different from one another. If you’re an active sleeper, then you will surely enjoy the added elasticity, responsiveness, and bounce that you can experience on a latex mattress. On the other hand, memory foam mattresses are more for sleepers that are looking for pressure relief and a slower response time.

Based on the processing methods used for the latex that makes up the inner core, latex mattresses are divided into two different types – Dunlop and Talalay.

Dunlop refers to a traditional processing method that people have been using since the 1920’s. This method involves pouring the extracted sap into a mold and then heating it until it reaches a solid state. The cooled lump that gets removed from the mold is what makes up the inner core of the mattress.

The Talalay process is similar to the Dunlop, but it has two additional steps. Upon pouring the liquid into the mold, the mold gets sealed and a vacuum gets created to disperse the liquid. The liquid then gets flash-frozen before it gets baked.

By using the Dunlop process, manufacturers create a much firmer piece of latex. On the other hand, the Talalay process ensures that the end product is a lot softer.

Now that you know the characteristics of different latex mattress types, it will be easier to find the one that’s right for your needs.

 

Sources:

 

Latex Mattress Review, TheMattressBuyerGuide.com

Talalay Vs Dunlop Latex Mattresses, TheSleepJudge.com