Best Non-Toxic Mattress 2025 Shopping Guide

Maia James
Best Non-Toxic Mattress 2025 Shopping Guide
929 comments

Finding the best non-toxic mattress is super important because this purchase is a big financial investment. If you buy the right mattress, it can last you for decades! Mattresses are also a major source of toxin-exposure in most American homes. This is a purchase you really want to get right, which is why we wrote this guide.

This post will provide all the information you need to feel confident that you’re purchasing the best non-toxic mattress, whether you’re shopping for your kids or yourself.

The 4 Best Non-Toxic Mattress Brands

This guide includes reviews of the 40 (!) mattress brands you’ve asked about most. But the TLDR here is that the four companies in the graphic below are the very best non-toxic mattress brands. They’re all equally toxin-free and earth-friendly–two values we believe are essential. They also all receive high marks for comfort.

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Best Mattress Guide

1

2

3

4

1. Soaring Heart

2. Happsy

3. Naturepedic

4. Obasan

Best Stuff

Happsy

Happsy is the best non-toxic mattress-in-a-box option on the market, and comes with a 120-day trial period. Happsy is manufactured by Naturepedic, but is a more affordable option, while still getting high marks for comfort. When it’s time to replace my kids’ mattresses, this is the brand I plan to purchase.

Happsy is certified by GOTS, GOLS, and GreenGuard. Queens go for $1,399.

Use code GIMME15 for 15% off sitewide when you shop on Happsy.com. (With this discount, Happsy is the most affordable Best Stuff mattress.)

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Happsy

Naturepedic

Naturepedic was founded by a grandfather named Barry when he could not find a non-toxic mattress for his grandson.

Naturepedic non-toxic mattresses are made of certified-organic cotton and a steel innerspring. They don’t use any flame-retardant chemicals or barrier ingredients. Naturepedic includes a layer of polylactide, which is derived from sugarcane, in all of their mattresses to ensure they pass flammability tests.

Since all Naturepedic mattresses are GOTS-certified, you can rest assured that the polylactide they use also passes GOTS standards. Polylactide is also Greenguard Gold certified.

The waterproof, crib mattress options use food-grade polyethylene for their outer layer (it acts as a moisture and vapor barrier). Adult mattresses mostly run in the $3,000 range, and crib mattresses from $259 to $399. Use code gimme15 for 15% off everything on Naturepedic’s site. (The top-of-the-line mattress is the EOS.)

We offer Naturepedic crib mattresses and children’s mattresses in our online store, and always appreciate your support!

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Naturepedic

Obasan

Handcrafted in Canada, Obasan mattresses have all of the top-level certifications we look for, including GOTS and GOLS.

With a unique multi-zone system, Obasan mattresses get high marks for their comfort and come with a 180-day comfort exchange policy and 20-year warranty.

If you live in Canada, this is the best non-toxic mattress, for sure. Queens start at around $3,200 USD.

Get two complimentary pillows with the purchase of any adult mattress with code GIMMETHEGOODSTUFF.

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Obasan

Soaring Heart

Based out of Seattle and in operation for almost 30 years, Soaring Heart hand-crafts most of their mattresses on-site and is one of the most transparent brands we’ve ever investigated.

Soaring Heart’s latex mattresses are made of 100% organic latex. They have both GOLS and GOTS certifications, written to Soaring Heart itself.

Soaring Heart mattresses contain no chemical fire retardants. Their latex passes flammability tests by using a combination of a tightly woven, organic-cotton fabric encasement, and is then wrapped in organic, felted wool.

Soaring Heart offers organic crib mattresses and dog beds, too.

We loved Soaring Heart so much that we asked them if we could sell their mattresses! You can now buy Soaring Heart mattresses through our online store, and they ship free anywhere in the United States.

I sleep on a Soaring Heart Zoned Mattress, my parents on a Soaring Heart Organic Latex Shikibuton, and we both have toppers. We are basically obsessed with these mattresses, and happy to talk you through their options. Just email John for help choosing.

Soaring Heart

Best Non-Toxic Mattress Coupons

Please enjoy the following exclusive Gimme the Good Stuff mattress discounts on some of the safest mattresses we’ve found.

Obasan: Get two complimentary pillows with the purchase of any adult mattress with code GIMMETHEGOODSTUFF.
Plush Beds: $100 extra off, in addition to whatever other deals they’re running. Use code GIMME100.
Naturepedic: 15% off site-wide. Use code GIMME15.
Happsy: 15% off sitewide. Use code GIMME15. (With this discount, Happsy is the most affordable of the bunch.)

Best Stuff Vs. Good Stuff

Thanks to consumer demand, more mattress manufacturers have taken the steps to make truly non-toxic mattresses with top-level certifications. This means that you have more choices when searching for the best non-toxic mattress. And our Best Stuff and Good Stuff categories have grown to include more brands than ever before.

In this guide, we give special attention to the brands that manufacture only toxin-free mattresses. Several mattress companies now have the proper certifications, but they are owned by other entities that make conventional (toxic) mattresses.

Our updated Best Stuff category includes only the brands that:

  • have the top certifications that guarantee the mattresses they sell are free of all toxins
    AND
  • aren’t owned by parent companies that pollute the environment by manufacturing toxic mattresses.

In other words, we choose to promote mattress manufacturers who demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to non-toxic, Earth-friendly living in EVERYTHING they produce.

This video is several years old, but everything in it still holds true. The only change is that Happsy and Obasan have been added to our Best Stuff list!

My Own Non-Toxic Mattress Choices: What Is the Healthiest Mattress?

When I was pregnant for the first time, we decided to upgrade to a king-sized bed in anticipation of co-sleeping with our newborn.

Of course, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t agonize and research before deciding what mattress to buy. There was plenty to agonize over when it came to finding the best non-toxic mattress!

At the time of writing this updated post, I have a 10-year-old and a 14-year-old, one of whom still spends a lot of time in our bed. I’m so glad I feel comfortable with (and comfortable on) the non-toxic mattresses we chose, which is the Soaring Heart Zoned. (If you’d like to sleep on this mattress, email me with “Soaring Heart” in the subject line and I can give you a small discount, since we now carry it in our store.)

Why a Non-Toxic Mattress Matters

I often tell my private consulting clients that their mattress is the very first thing they should upgrade when detoxing their homes.

The reason I feel so strongly about sleeping on a non-toxic mattress? Well, for one thing, babies and kids spend a lot of time sleeping, and even busy, night-owl grownups spend about a third of our lives in bed.

Moreover, studies show that your immune system works hardest at night, and the body generally repairs itself at night. It therefore seems reasonable to make your sleeping environment as toxin-free as possible.

Toxins in Mattresses

Unfortunately, mattresses can be loaded with noxious chemicals, including:

  • Various petrochemicals make up the majority of the materials in conventional mattresses.
  • Polyurethane foam is the main ingredient in most mattresses. It’s composed of polyol and diisocyanate, both of which are derived from petroleum. Polyurethane is not environmentally friendly and is dangerous for workers during manufacturing.
  • Flame-retardant chemicals are needed in part because polyurethane is so flammable. There is, however, some good news on the flame-retardant front – more on that in a minute!
  • Soybean foam is a Sneaky ingredient that sounds non-toxic. Unfortunately, the majority of this type of foam is still mostly polyurethane.
  • Synthetic latex is usually made from styrene, which is a human carcinogen.
  • Adhesives that may contain formaldehyde are used to glue mattresses. The best non-toxic mattress manufacturers skip the glues all together and opt for safer methods like stitching, clips, or heat.

This chemical cocktail releases VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are linked to a host of health problems, from respiratory irritation to cancer.

Mattresses

Obasan – two complimentary pillows with code: GIMMETHEGOODSTUFF

Naturepedic – code GIMME15 for 15% off

Kids Mattresses

Happsy – 15% off sitewide. Use code GIMME15

White Lotus

Fire “Safety” in Mattresses

Mattresses are required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to meet flammability laws. This previously meant that they were almost always treated with bromated or chlorinated flame-retardant chemicals, typically one of the first three on this list:

  • Polybrominated diphenyl ethers. PBDEs are associated with hormone-disruption and neurodevelopmental delays, including lowered IQ. The European Union has banned the use of PBDEs in electronic devices. Studies show that children in the United States have higher levels of PBDEs than adults do. Oh, and here’s the kicker: they don’t even work very well at stopping fires!
  • Firemaster 550. This nasty chemical cocktail is made with bis (2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH). Yes, you saw that word in there: phthalate. TBPH is nearly identical to DEHP, the phthalate banned in children’s products (including mattresses!!) due to evidence of carcinogenicity and developmental toxicity.
  • Chlorinated tris. This is the notorious chemical that was removed from children’s pajamas in the 1970s because it was shown to cause cancer.
  • Halogen-free flame retardants. This newer class of chemicals (such as ammonium polyphosphate, aluminium diethyl phosphinate, and melamine polyphosphate) is believed to be much less likely to bioaccumulate than bromated flame retardants. I still prefer my mattresses to be free of even these.

In addition to these notoriously toxic flame retardants, companies may use some of the following ingredients to pass flammability tests: boric acid, silica, melamine, vinylidene chloride, and fiberglass.

The Importance of Fiberglass-Free Mattresses

Fiberglass isn’t a chemical flame retardant, but it can still come with some serious health risks.

Here’s just two reasons that buying mattresses without fiberglass is important:

  • No more itchy nights. Fiberglass particles can easily escape from mattress covers. This can cause itching, redness, and respiratory issues like coughing and wheezing. This is especially concerning for children and those with sensitive skin or allergies.
  • Better indoor air quality. Fiberglass dust can also float around, potentially triggering coughs, wheezing, and generally messing with your respiratory system.

A Myth About Off-Gassing

Many of my clients think that their mattresses are okay if they are old because they have “already off-gassed.” Unfortunately, this is not true in the case of foam mattresses. In fact, as the foam degrades, more PBDEs (hormone-disrupting flame retardants) may be released.

Are Mattress Coils Dangerous?

There has been a lot of online chatter in recent years regarding metal coils in mattresses. We paid close attention to this and did some research, and we arrived at the conclusion that steel springs present no established danger.

We simply cannot find any credible evidence showing that metal coils can act like an antenna and concentrate EMFs into our sleeping bodies. Phew–one less thing to worry about!

What Is the Least Toxic Mattress Material?

A toxin-free mattress will likely contain some combination of the following materials:

  • Organic wool (untreated) is naturally flame- and mildew/dust mite-resistant.
  • 100% natural latex (made from rubber trees) is safer than latex blends. The latter may contain petroleum-based polyurethane. It’s important to note that no latex foam mattress can be 100% natural or organic. Turning latex rubber to foam necessitates the use of chemicals, period. Certified latex mattresses simply have less chemical content.
  • Organic cotton (grown in untreated soil, without pesticides) can be used for batting or mattress wrapping. There is a robust debate about whether or not the herbicides and pesticides used on cotton crops will wash/bleach out as the cotton is processed. Most studies show that it does, but some folks believe that a residue remains. We believe that the risk of sleeping on a mattress or sheets made from conventionally grown cotton is tiny. Still, for the good of the planet, we should all choose organically-grown cotton whenever possible.
  • Trusted certifications from third-party certifying bodies mean that some ingredients in the mattress have been vetted by organizations committed to improving air quality. This also means a safer sleeping surface for you. However, all certifications are not created equally, as you’ll learn below.

Dunlop Versus Talalay Latex in the Best Non-Toxic Mattress Brands

You’ll probably read a lot about Talalay versus Dunlop latex in your search for the best organic mattress. In terms of comfort, Dunlop is firmer and Talalay is lighter and softer. If you’re looking for a GOLS-certified mattress (more on this below), you’ll need to choose a mattress made of Dunlop latex.

Don’t Be Fooled By…

The mattress industry is full of greenwashing. Here are just a few claims that should alert you that a brand may be Sneaky Stuff.

  • “Natural latex.” Petroleum comes from the earth, so petroleum-based mattresses can be “natural.” A “natural latex mattress” may only contain only 50% natural latex and may be blended with polyurethane foam and treated with various VOCs. Look for mattresses that specify that they are made from only 100% natural latex.
  • “All-natural wool,” “pure wool” or “eco-wool.” Unless wool is certified organic, it is likely processed conventionally with a variety of chemicals. You may or may not be okay with this (I feel that the flame retardants are more concerning). In some cases, a wool producer may not bother with organic certification, despite organic practices.
  • Biofoam. Soy- or plant-foam is still made of mostly polyurethane. Biofoam mattresses typically contain less than 20% plant material.
  • Certifications. Oftentimes, these certifications apply only to certain parts of the mattress, not necessarily the mattress as a whole. In some cases, the mattress company creates its own certification. You will read more about these certifications in a moment.

Bottom line: There is a lot of deceptive marketing in the mattress world. It is not illegal to throw around terms like “natural,” “green,” and even “organic” without actually having to prove anything.

What to Know About Mattress Certifications

Sorting through mattress certifications is maddening. Here’s just some of why that is:

  1. First of all, not all certifications are created equal. Some offer great assurance that your new mattress will be non-toxic, while others are essentially meaningless.
  2. What’s more, just because a company shows a certification doesn’t mean all of the material in that mattress is certified. One of our readers wrote to us about a mattress that contained Oeko-Tex 100 certified wool, but the company wouldn’t confirm that they solely purchase the wool from this source. Thus, in this case, it would be impossible to know if the mattress you’re purchasing contains the certified wool or not, to say nothing of the other materials in this mattress.
  3. Sometimes, a mattress will claim to have a certification that they don’t really have. One of the most common deceptive practices is when a manufacturer claims to have GOLS certification for their latex mattress, and even display the GOLS logo on their website. They might even show an actual copy of it on their website, complete with date and signatures. If, however, the certificate is not written to the same name as the manufacturer, it is not particularly meaningful. They are commonly written to a latex supplier out of Sri Lanka, India or South America. Such a certification shows only that the latex was certified up to that point on its journey to becoming someone’s bed. Between Sri Lanka and your bedroom, all sorts of things can happen to the latex to cause it to be more toxic than the certification implies.

So, how do you know if a mattress is non-toxic?

Best Non-Toxic Mattress Certifications

The two certifications to look for in your mattress are GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) and GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).

(And again, the best non-toxic mattress brands have these certifications written directly to the mattress manufacturer.)

To obtain a GOTS certification, at least 95% of the mattress must be made of certified-organic materials. Certain chemistries are prohibited entirely, even for that other 5%. A GOTS certification on a mattress means that the entire manufacturing and distribution process is environmentally safe and socially responsible.

Prohibited materials and contaminants in a GOTS-certified mattress include:

  • Polyurethane foam
  • Heavy metals
  • Formaldehyde
  • The fire retardants listed above

One thing we love about GOTS certification is that in order to obtain it, a mattress must be produced in a facility that is also certified. In fact, GOTS certifiers visit production facilities as part of the certification process. (If you are curious about a brand that we don’t review in this guide, you can check for GOTS certification in the GOTS database.)

Similar to GOTS, a GOLS certification means that the mattress is made of at least 95% organic latex. This means that 5% of the latex can be made of synthetic materials, although these are still restricted in some important ways). A GOLS certification requires third-party testing and inspections by certifiers.

Good Non-Toxic Mattress Certifications

While OEKO-TEX Standard 100 doesn’t require any organic materials to be used in a mattress, it does set limits for VOC emissions (such as formaldehyde). It also prohibits the use of dangerous flame-retardants and dyes. When looking at mattresses, the highest level of OEKO-TEX certification is Class 1.

Greenguard-certified mattresses have been tested for, and are within limits of, several hundred VOCs, including formaldehyde. Greenguard Gold has stricter standards than plain old Greenguard, but they are not testing for flame retardants or PFAS.

Okay Non-Toxic Mattress Certifications

Organic Content Standard 100 just means that some of the ingredients are organic. This certification doesn’t ban flame-retardants or other harmful chemicals.

CertiPUR was developed “by members of the global foam industry,” although it does ban the use of some chemicals, such as PBDE flame-retardants and formaldehyde. It’s important to know that CertiPUR does not certify an entire mattress, only the foam portion.

A Sneaky Mattress Certification

NAOMI (National Association of Organic Mattress Industry) was created by Pure Rest Organics, which is a mattress company. Obviously this means that a NAOMI certification no way independent or third-party

The Bottom Line on Non-Toxic Mattress Certifications

When it comes to mattress certifications, most are of SOME value, but they can be used sneakily by mattress manufacturers.

You really need to ask to see the actual signed certification, keeping in mind that if it’s out of date, it’s worthless. You also want to make sure that the entire factory that produces your mattress is certified to be free of toxins, particularly flame retardants. This will guarantee that you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination and mattress health issues.

If You Can’t Afford the Best Non-Toxic Mattress

Maybe you’ve looked all the way down to our Okay Stuff category and checked out the coupons (top of this page), and you simply don’t have it in your budget to upgrade to a safe mattress right now.

Readers often ask: “How do I protect myself from a toxic mattress?”

Unfortunately, there’s no way to wrap a mattress to protect yourself from VOCs. However, running a robust air filter will go a long way towards purifying your indoor air. I have the Austin HealthMate PLUS Air Purification System in my bedroom because while I do have a toxin-free mattress, I also have other furniture and rugs that aren’t as clean. I love knowing that the air filter is mitigating the damage!

You also might consider a futon as an alternative to an expensive, non-toxic mattress. They are much more comfortable than they were in your childhood, and I love the ones by Soaring Heart in particular. (Conventional or Sneaky futons will be loaded with all the same scary chemicals as mattresses.)

Here’s where I explain the difference between a mattress and a futon:

Good Stuff

Avocado

We are now recommending Avocado mattress since they now have the EWG verified mark for all their adult, kids and crib mattresses.

  • Boasts certifications from EWG, GOTS, GOLS, Greenguard, and Made Safe. 
  • Tested for PFAS chemicals. 
  • Crafted with certified organic cotton, wool, and latex.
  • Not Best Stuff because Avocado is a subsidiary of Brentwood Home, which manufactures conventional mattresses.
  • There was a lawsuit accusing Avocado of falsely advertising its latex as “natural 100% GOLS organic certified” after lab tests showed that Avocado latex contains a variety of chemicals. The suit was dismissed.

Buy from Avocado
Avocado

Bella Sera

This tiny company has some good certifications, namely GOLS, but unfortunately, it’s not written directly to the company.

Bella Sera uses wool as a flame retardant, which makes them Good Stuff rather than Okay Stuff.

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Bella Sera

CozyPure

CozyPure’s mattresses skip all the flame retardants in favor of wool, which is significant. Unfortunately, their GOLS certification isn’t written directly to them, so I can’t call this brand the Best Stuff.

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CozyPure

Eco Terra

Eco Terra has OEKO-TEX certifications for their wool and Talalay latex. They don’t use scary flame-retardants, just hydrated-silica. Eco Terra now has an up-to-date GOTS certificate, and we consider this a safe mattress choice.

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Eco Terra

Holy Lamb Organics

While Holy Lamb only qualifies as Good Stuff based on our criteria, we do consider this brand one of the best non-toxic mattresses out there. Because Holy Lamb is such a small business, they do not yet have GOLS certification, but they do have GOTS – and we will move them to Best Stuff as soon as the GOLS comes through.

Holy Lamb Organics

Plush Beds

PlushBeds recently became fully certified with top-level certifications, including GOTS, GOLS, GreenGuard Gold, and Oeko-Tex Standard 100.

PlushBed’s Botanical Bliss and Luxury Bliss mattresses have all of the above certifications. Their Natural Bliss and Eco Bliss don’t have GOLS certification, but are more affordable.

The only reason Plush is in our Good Stuff rather than Best Stuff category is because they make more conventional mattresses in addition to their fully-certified latex models.

Nevertheless, Plush Beds’ memory foam is the first to be certified by GreenGuard Gold, so if you must have a memory foam mattress (and we know a lot of you must!), then this is the way to go. Overall, everything Plush makes is reasonably toxin-free.

Use code GIMME100 to receive $100 off every order, in addition to whatever other deals are running.

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Plush Beds

Savvy Rest

Savvy Rest is the non-toxic mattress we bought when I was pregnant, and we slept on it for six comfortable years.

The latex used by Savvy Rest is 100% natural, and other materials used include certified organic wool (which serves as flame-retardant) and cotton. Note that the Dunlop latex is organic, while the Talalay is not.

Savvy Rest mattresses have Oeko-Tex certification. (It’s important to note that these certifications are for specific materials within the mattress, rather than the mattress itself; you can read more about this above.) Savvy Rest’s GOTS certification is written in their name, and their GOLs certifications are written to their latex supplier.

Visit Savvy Rest’s website to see their wide array of mattresses and learn more about all the materials they use. Our king-sized mattress costs around $3,500, but prices depend on which model you choose, in addition to the size you want.

Buy from Savvy Rest
Savvy Rest

White Lotus

White Lotus sent along a big box of samples of all of their sumptuous, natural materials when I first reviewed them. They are one of our favorite brands to work with, and they have demonstrated a clear commitment to producing non-toxic mattresses.

White Lotus has a GOTS certification for their mattress materials, and they use some cool ingredients in their products, including:

  • Kapok to stuff their mattresses. The “harvesting of the kapok pods provides jobs to indigenous people and helps maintain this vanishing ecosystem,” according to the White Lotus website.
  • Wholesale green cotton, which is totally unprocessed once harvested from the bolls – no bleaches, dyes, or fungicides.
  • Wool, which is 100%-virgin, lamb’s wool.
  • Organic buckwheat hulls (for pillows).
  • 100% natural latex (from rubber trees).

When I decided to get toddler Felix a new twin-sized, non-toxic mattress, I went with this White Lotus futon.

I do recommend that you avoid the Evergreen Foam used by White Lotus, which is a blend of “natural, oil-based foam” and conventional polyol, an alcohol used in the production of polyurethane. While off-gassing is heavily reduced and the environmental impact better than conventional foam, I don’t consider this truly natural, toxin-free foam.

We have gotten to know the folks at White Lotus quite well, and we really trust the owner. Because White Lotus does not have GOLS certification written in its name, we classify it as Good Stuff rather than Best Stuff.

We now carry White Lotus mattresses and futons in our online store!

Please note that we do not carry any White Lotus products with any of the questionable ingredients listed above – if you see it in our store, you know it’s free of borate, toxic foam, and other synthetics.

White Lotus

Okay Stuff

Awara

While Awara does not have GOLS or GOTS certifications, they do have CertiPUR, Greenguard Gold, and OEKO-TEX.

Note that Awara is made by the same parent company as Nectar mattresses, which we consider Sneaky.

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Awara

Brooklyn Bedding

This company claims to have OEKO-TEX certification, but failed to present proof to us of this. They do have CertiPUR certification (meaning at least the very worst flame-retardants won’t be present in these mattresses).

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Brooklyn Bedding

Coco-Mat

This brand uses all the right buzzwords to describe their mattresses (“non-toxic,” “sustainable,” etc.). Unfortunately, they are lacking somewhat in the certification department – although with digging we discovered they do carry the Oeko-Tex 100 certification. The big question mark for us is the “natural rubber” they use, which doesn’t have any certification. Still, that Oeko-Tex 100 certification means something, and they don’t use PBDE flame retardants.

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Coco-Mat

Essentia

We field a ton of questions about Essentia from people who love memory foam and want a safer option. Standard memory foam (made of petroleum derivatives) is decidedly toxic, and I’ve long suspected Essentia of being Sneaky Stuff.

After researching Essentia thoroughly for a client, I came away (still reluctantly!) calling them Okay Stuff, although I do still have a few reservations. Essentia uses a proprietary flame retardant in their foam, which involves Kevlar – a material that is not remotely natural, but appears to be non-toxic. Kevlar is a type of plastic, however, and you probably know, I don’t love plastic, period!

I spoke to the people at Essentia, and they sent me the independent-testing results for their mattresses — I saw no red flags and everything checked out as non-toxic. They also have a number of certifications, some of which are more legit than others. There is always a chance that sneaky manufacturers might hide things under the “trade secret” laws, but I didn’t learn anything from Essentia that suggests that they are doing so.

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Essentia

SleepOnLatex

This brand does not have GOLS certification, but does have Oeko-Tex, and doesn’t use the most dangerous flame retardants.

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SleepOnLatex

Tuft & Needle

The certifications for these mattresses fall short of Good Stuff – they have GreenGuard Gold, OEKO-TEX, and CertiPUR.

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Tuft & Needle

Bad Stuff

It’s safe to assume that all conventional mattresses contain petrochemicals and that many are treated with toxic flame retardants of one kind or another. 

IKEA mattresses are tempting because they are cheap. But they have no certifications of any kind. They had this to say about the use of fire-retardant chemicals:

“In our adult mattresses, mattress pads, and mattress sets a fiber fire-barrier made of rayon/polyester-batting is used that has an inherently fire-resistant property. Flame-retardant chemicals (phosphorous-based inorganic salts) are only used for some stitch-bond and zippers. IKEA children’s mattresses sold in the U.S. have a fiber-mix barrier as described above. The fiber-batting is quilted into the mattress cover and is not treated with any flame-retardant chemicals.”

(So the crib mattresses are at least free of all fire retardants!).

Joybed is a brand that a lot of you have asked about. Unfortunately, it has no certifications of any kind and therefore can’t be considered for our recommendation.

Newton Wovenair. The polymer this mattress is made from appears to be fine, but the cover is made of polyester (this doesn’t pose a real health risk, but is not environmentally friendly and a form of plastic). Newton uses phosphate flame-retardants. This is better than bromated or chlorinated, but still should be avoided if possible.

Sealy mattresses contain vinyl, undisclosed fire retardants (“trade secret”), polyurethane, polyethylene, and nanoparticles. This includes the mattresses they make for children.

Serta mattresses have actually come a long way, but we still cannot call them even Okay Stuff. Here’s why.

Simmons is the same as Sealy. They use the same problematic materials and hide behind trade secrets.

Tempur-Pedic mattresses are wildly popular. Unfortunately, memory foam is made of inexpensive polyurethane, and you’ll notice that a brand-new Tempur-Pedic is smellier than most other mattresses. This is your clue that it’s off-gassing more. The fire retardant used on Tempur-Pedics is not PBDE, but they do not disclose what it is. The EPA has also raised concerns about emissions formed during the production of polyurethane foam products, which include methylene chloride and other hazardous chemicals.

Sneaky Stuff

Casper. These popular, inexpensive mattresses contain a top latex layer that is Oeko-Tex certified, but I’m not crazy about the memory foam component (which is not certified and contains polyurethane).

The flame retardants seem pretty safe:

“A fire-retardant, knit-sock covers the foam before the outer cover is placed on the mattress. The knit sock is made from a proprietary yarn with a silica core and a polyester/acrylic/nylon/rayon outer wrap. The knit-sock is made without any toxic chemicals and each component is OEKO-TEX® certified.”

However, the latex in the lower layers is not 100%-natural, but rather a blend, and synthetic latex can be very toxic when made from carcinogenic styrene. Readers who have purchased a Casper mattress have complained of the smell and sore throats.

Colgate’s “eco” crib mattresses claim to be made of “the finest non-toxic materials in the marketplace.” In reality, Colgate mattresses contain vinyl and polyurethane.

Eco Dream mattresses are basically just memory foam mattresses that don’t even make claims of non-toxicity!

IntelliBED claims to be non-toxic, and is heavily promoted by natural parenting bloggers. The only certification they have received is the dubious CertiPUR. They claim that they use soy-based foam, but companies can make this claim when the mattress contains only a small percentage of soy foam (the rest being petroleum-derived polyurethane).

And IntelliBED gives no specifics about their foam. IntelliBED makes mattresses from a number of materials that immediately disqualify them from our list of Good Stuff. They use memory foam, various “gels” and foams, and unknown materials with names like “Titanium Infused Energex” (whatever that is). IntelliBED also seems to carry zero independent certifications regarding the safety of the materials they use

Keetsa mattresses (which are manufactured in China), are described by many retailers as “natural” or “green.”

The company is, in fact, pretty transparent, and clearly states that, “Keetsa’s mission is to deliver a comfortable, affordable, and durable mattress in an eco-friendly manner. We are not producing organic or natural mattresses. By replacing some of the petroleum product with cedar oil and introducing green tea extract into the mixture, we have created a foam that is less toxic and has a less-offensive odor than traditional foam. We also utilize sustainable materials, such as bamboo, in our cover materials.”

Layla, like so many others, is a memory foam mattress with only a CertiPUR certification.

Moonlight Slumber set off an alarm for me right away with their bogus certification: “Green Safety Shield” is their own certification, and is not third (or even second!) party. They do have testing that shows no VOCs from their mattresses, but that’s only one issue of concern. I’m more worried about their “Visco foam,” whatever that is!

They do have a CertiPUR certification, but this is from a polyurethane industry group. Finally, their flame retardant is proprietary, although they claim it’s natural and free of chemicals.

Natura mattresses may contain (depending on the model you select) boric acid and fiberglass flame-retardants, petroleum-derived latex (as in, not the kind from rubber trees), and nanoparticles.

Nectar has CertiPUR certification and is free of PBDEs. In other words, nothing about this mattress is particularly non-toxic, but it’s better than a standard mattress.

Nest Bedding says that they are an “Organic, Natural, and Certified Bedding and Mattress Company,” but they, too, rely on only CertiPUR certification.

Purple mattresses don’t have any of the certifications we look for even for our Okay Stuff category. Purple has CertiPUR, but nothing more. So if you’re wondering, “Are Purple mattresses non-toxic?” the answer is unfortunately, no.

Saatva and their sister company Loom & Leaf are memory foam mattresses with only CertiPUR certifications. They use only about 30% “plant-based foams.” The rest is petroleum-based.

The Sealy Naturalis mattress has an organic cotton layer; unfortunately, it is surrounded by a vinyl cover.

Swiss Dreams mattresses appear to have exactly zero certifications, making it impossible to back up any of their claims of non-toxicity.

YogaBed doesn’t even really make any claims of non-toxicity, but I’m calling it Sneaky Stuff. Anything with “yoga” in the name is trying to project a green image, don’t you think?

ZenHaven is just another mattress company jumping on the greenwashing bandwagon, and they have no certifications. This is not a non-toxic mattress.

Whew! We appreciate that this is a ton of information, but hope it helps you choose the best non-toxic mattress. If you have questions about other mattresses, please comment below.

Stay sane,
Author's Signature

Author's Signature

Maia, Founder & CEO

Note: This article contains affiliate links or sponsored content, which means that if you make a purchase, we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that meet our strict standards for non-toxicity and that we use (or want to use!) ourselves. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Good Stuff! 

Tags:Furniture & Decor, Home & Kitchen

929 comments

Maia James

Hi there-
We would consider that bed Bad Stuff, unfortunately. Soaring Heart does offer a nice zoned support bed that is incredibly comfortable. Please feel free to email john@gimmethegoodstuff.com for more help choosing the right mattress!

Madeline

Hi! I was wondering if you had heard of Avocado Green Mattresses? They are a new company and I just ordered one for our new bed and I’m wondering what you think. They claim to be a company in response to all of the false “organic” and affordable mattress certifications out there and are made with “natural latex rubber, wool and GOTS organic cotton”. Any info you have would be helpful! Thank you!

I found them here: https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com/

maurice dudeley

When shopping for a mattress, look for one that’s free from latex, soy based foam, and chemical retardants, and look for one that uses materials like wool, cotton, and all natural rubber instead.
www.memoryfoamdoctor.com/memory-foam-mattress/best-memory-foam-mattress/

John Goss

Hi Ryan,
John here…Unfortunately Sleep Number is a long way from being “Good Stuff”. They are way at the other end of the spectrum. “Nontoxic” is simply not their thing. Feel free to contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.com and I’ll be happy to help you find a truly nontoxic mattress.

Thanks

Ryan

Have you done any research on SleepNumber beds? Our family of 4 wants to upgrade to a king mattress and I don’t see sleepjumber anywhere on this page. Sleepnumber uses air pressure/air chambers to adjust the firmness. Specifically thinking about the C3, C4 or P5 mattress. Thank you so much!

Maia James

Hi there! Soaring Heart is definitely our top pick. For more help choosing the right mattress for your specific needs, you can email john@gimmethegoodstuff.com.

Maia James

HI there-
I don’t know the Purple mattress, but if you look under The Sneaky Stuff, you’ll see our thoughts on Intellibed. Thanks!
-M

Glenn Burns

Hello – I am interested in purchasing the intelliBed or the Purple mattress and wanted to know if they are, “non-toxic” beds like they claim. I really appreciate your time.

Kind Regards, Glenn

Kasey E

Thank you so much for your reviews, whenever I’m curious about a product I look on your site.
I am curious if you know anything about the newton rest crib mattress? It seems to be a good product, but I can never be to sure! Thanks for your time!
https://www.newtonbaby.com/

Joanna

Hi!
Thank you for such a helpful and informative site/discussion!
I am vegan so I want to avoid wool but I still want a non-toxic mattress.
I have narrowed my search down to three options.
I know your thought about Soaring Heart but can you please give me your opinion about the other two options?
Thank you!
1. Soaring Heart- latex (no wool with Dr. prescription)
2. Seattle Natural mattress
3. Ergovea – Madera Latex Mattress

Jessica Htay

I regularly refer to your site and greatly appreciate all the research that goes into your guides.
I am looking at Sleep On Latex out of Chicago. They list Oeko-Tex certification as well as Eco Institut. Any insights? Thank you!
https://sleeponlatex.com/blogs/news/34341957-health-and-environmental-certifications

Mireya Sandoval

Hi guys!
Absolutely love your site! Any updates on the Nook Pure?

Warm wishes, Mireya

Silvana

Great information! Thank you so much!
My daughter and son- in- law after much research, purchased a customized Obasan, made in Canada (local for us). Very expensive, but health issues were a priority. There was a reference to this company earlier but I didn’t see a response. We are in the market for a new mattress and I would be interested to know what your thoughts are.
Thank you

cathy

I’m looking forward to your updated mattress guide! Can you review sleep on latex? It got high remarks in consumer reports and the website says it’s natural latex/organic cotton. Families that can’t afford thousands for new beds need some options too. Thank you for your awesome guides!

Karen

I notice that you have rarely mentioned OMI Organicpedic and Organicpedic Earth mattresses. Someone else asked you about this brand in an earlier comment but there was no reply. They seem to have all the correct certifications and I like the feel of them more than the Savvy Rest. I am worried that I may be overlooking something. Do you have any thoughts on this manufacturer or either line of their products? Thank you so much for all the helpful information!

Dina

What did you end up going with? I am looking at that brand now too.

Bérénice L.

Hi, Nice article, very helpful to navigate what is important and how to look for it!

Did you look into Sleep on Latex? They look legit (GOTS organic cotton, Oeko-Tex and ECO natural latex, GreenGuard Gold mattress), and they are the cheapest I could find for 100% natural latex mattress … I am curious to know what you think! What about Sleeping Organic? Thanks!

John Goss

Hi Rachel,
My Green Mattress does not qualify as “Good Stuff”. There is a lot of deceptive marketing in the industry and it’s worth taking a closer look. Feel free to contact me directly… john@gimmethegoodstuff.com I’ll be happy to help you figure things out.

Thanks,

Rachel

This is so helpful! Thank you.

Have you looked into My Green Mattress at all? They seem like a good, affordable option.

Mallory

I’m wondering about this company too. It seems like a really good option. I’m having a hard time finding a downside

Mom

Update on our 2 month ordeal with Vivetique/The Natural Bedroom: after a month of sleeping on the wrong mattress Natural Bedroom/Vivetique had delivered us, they finally exchanged the mattress, but for something even cheaper! At that point, they owed us a few hundred dollars in refunds—though Steve Carwile (the owner) kept promising a refund in the difference but would not process the transaction. The 2nd mattress he delivered to us was so cheap that my husband refused to sleep on it. By this time, 1.5 months had gone by since we bought our mattress from Vivetique, and they still had not refunded the difference between the mattress we had bought and the less expensive mattress they had delivered. We had enough of their lies and returned everything and were promised a full refund after the items had been picked up (defective box-springs, mattress and toppers). Vivetique’s delivery guy picked up everything, but we were never issued a refund. After days of waiting for a refund confirmation from Steve Carwile, we finally disputed the transaction with our credit card company. However, a month later, Steve Carwile told the credit card company that he had never received the returned merchandise back at this store, therefore being unable to issue a refund. I contacted his delivery guy, who confirmed all items had in fact been returned to the store and he had signed documentation to prove it. Thank goodness, we won the dispute and received a full refund of approximately $3,000, never having to deal with such crooks ever again!
FYI: Several months later and my lower back is still in pain from having slept on Vivetiques defective and cheap mattresses—I’m getting chiropractic adjustments to deal with the pain.

Janice

hi.
I’m wondering if you can provide some feedback on some Canadian based mattress companies that sell “good Stuff” everything I seem to find is U.S and cost way over my budget. We had to upgrade to a king and ended up getting a toxic bed and hate it.

Jen

We bought a king and twin organic cotton futon mattress from Cotton Cloud and now I am curious about your thoughts, too… Thank you!

alissa o'connor-rottingen

Thank you Maia. Will do. I look forward to your latest guide.

alissa o'connor-rottingen

Thank you, Maia. Will do.

Maia James

Hi there! If you shoot an email to john@gimmethegoodstuff.com he can answer all your questions and help you find the right mattress:).

Alissa O'Connor Rottingen

Love your site.
While I would love a mattress, I may only be able to afford a futon. Is there a futon with latex and cotton, but not wool? I may have a sensitivity to wool. If a wool sweater makes my neck itch, would the wool inside the mattress be an issue?
If I do go with a futon, would you recommend a topper (latex) for more support/cushion?

Need to purchase a new mattress asap. It’s too bad that living toxin free isn’t a luxury everyone can afford.

Fenny

Hi John,

What about Healthy Choice Organic Mattress? http://hcmattress.com/index.aspx They are in the Real Simple magazine. Please let me know since they have a President’s Day Sale and I need to replace my mattress this month. Thanks!

joanna

hi I found this site called sleepez.com that claims to you use all natural latex. In addition they say they do not use flame retardants to treat or any pdbes or harmful plastics. Seems way cheaper then your other recommendations. Have you ever heard of this company or think their claims are Legitimate?

thank you

John Goss

Hi Folks,
John here…. I do research for our website (Gimme the Good Stuff) Occasionally a mattress manufacturer will jump into this conversation, as we see in the above post. We welcome their input. We can all learn.

The above rep, Bradley Bonic, Director of Marketing for My Green Mattress, would like for you to consider buying their products and is likely concerned that they do not get a “Good Stuff” rating from us. Brad says, “…our latex is 100% natural Dunlop latex”. Brad likely knows as well as I do that the term “natural” has no legal meaning and is tossed around a lot. Marketers like Brad know that the term “natural” is often good enough to lead us to believe that the product is safe, or good for us, or nontoxic. A stroll through any supermarket aisle will prove the flaws with that belief. Many mattress manufacturers use that term, but from our perspective they need to be able to back that up with GOOD independent 3rd party certifications. The term “natural” is essentially meaningless. Poison Ivy is “natural”, as is plutonium. I don’t think we want to sleep on those things. Brad also says their latex “is Oeko-Tex Certified”. I could not find an image of the actual signed/dated document with the name “MY Green Mattress” shown that would back this claim up, so I went to the Oeko-Tex website and conducted a database search to see if My Green Mattress was listed as a certified manufacturer. The results?…“No results for this query.” In other words, it does not appear that My Green Mattress actually holds an Oeko-Tex certification. An Oeko-Tex logo displayed on a website has plenty of marketing value, but oddly, I don’t see it used on the My Green Mattress site. And even if they use the logo, that in itself does not mean that the manufacturer is properly certified. You need to see the actual certificate with the manufacturers name and a valid date on it. Brad also claims that they will soon have GreenGuard Gold certification. That may be true, I don’t know, "but GreenGuard, by measuring only emitting chemicals, is significant for what it does not measure: It does not measure any of the heavy metals (lead, mercury, copper, etc.) It does not measure PVC, which is a polymer and therefore not volatile It does not measure phthalates (except in the Children and Schools certification).” Finally, (and this is the biggest problem) I cannot find what sort of flame retardants are used in their latex mattresses. Without knowing that, everything else seems petty! All of the above is far too common in the world of mattress manufacturers. I see it every day. If there is something I’ve missed I invite Brad to correct me. We are just a few weeks away from publishing our new, updated safe mattress guide. There are some changes. Look for it soon. It’s a confusing world. Buyer beware. Best, John

Brad

Hello everyone. I wanted to provide some updates on our products after reading some of your concerns. My Green Mattress uses all natural wool sourced from California that contains no polyester fibers and is not treated with any harsh chemicals. Our cotton is GOTS certified organic and our latex is 100% natural Dunlop latex, which is Oeko-Tex Certified. We also recently obtained our GreenGuard Gold certification and will have that live on our website as soon as possible. If you have any other questions or concerns please do call us directly; we love talking about our products.

Maia James

We have an updated guide in the works that should be ready this month! We appreciate your patience. :)

Deserae

avocado does show a GOTS certification and eco institut
are those what we should be looking for?

Randy

Any update to Lifekind.com if they are in the good or bad listing since their mattresses are listed as organic natural rubber with the Greenguard , GOTS and GOLS certification?

Olya

Hello:)
Thank you so much for all this helpful information. I wanted to ask what you thought about the Naturepedic No Comprimise organic cotton classic lightweight crib mattress? You guys sell the classic 150 organic one… do u think it’s safer/healthier than te lightweight one? Thank you so much! Olya

Mark J

We’re also looking at a White Lotus mattress for our kid. Curious why you went with the Green Cotton instead of an Organic Cotton mattress. The salesperson said they can’t guarantee the farms where they source the green cotton don’t use pesticides. The green cotton is significantly cheaper, so I’m just looking to weigh the pros and cons. Thanks for your in-depth review!

Ashley

Could you guys do an updated guide? Please!

Madeline

Hello
Thank you so much for all this amazing info! I want my daughter to have the safest mattress! Unfortunately my budget is very tight! I was curious how your felt about the tuft and needle mattresses? I know it’s. It the best because it is foam but wondering if it’s not too bad? I’ve been trying to do some research but it’s confusing! I was going to get the White Lotus Green Cotton & Wool Dreamton Futon but is sooo expensive!but No returns That’s a lot of money to have no idea how it feels!

Would love your opinion Thank you

Rachel

Hi, thanks so much for your website. Is there any chance that you have ever looked into Room & Board’s mattresses? They claim to be flame retardant free … would love to know what you think of their mattresses.

Thanks so much in advance!

John Goss

John here…

Spindle does not make our list of “Good Stuff”. Their certifications are dubious.

Fenny

What about Spindle Mattress that doesn’t cost $$$$. Anyone purchase Spindle Mattress? Spindlemattress.com

John Goss

John here…

Avacado shows zero certifications on their site. They simply claim that their latex is “Natural”. The term “Natural” has no legal meaning and is commonly used by many manufacturers who are hoping that “Natural” will be enough to convince us that their product is less toxic. There is a lot of deceptive marketing in the industry. It is worth asking questions. Best,

John Goss

Hi KBW,
John here…

Thanks for the question. We regularly help our neighbors to the north. :) Contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.com and I’ll be happy to help. Best

John Goss

Hi Anne,
Casper mattresses do not make our list of “Good Stuff”.

I can help further. Contact me at john@gimmethegoodstuff.com Best

John Goss

…ooops! I forgot to mention that we work with 2 manufacturers who can make you all-wool, nontoxic mattresses.

Please contact me at: john@gimmethegoodstuff.com and I can get you details. Best, John john@gimmethegoodstuff.com

John Goss

Hi Kate,
John here…
Thank you for the kind words about our site. I’m glad we can help.

We have taken a look at WaveSupport and although we are generally not fans of plastics, it appears to be a good stuff. It tests well. Thanks for the heads up re: frames. I tend to think of bed frames as being made of wood, but you correctly point out that some are made from metal. Best

John Goss

Hi Cathy,

John here… Brentwood Home appears to have no independent 3rd party testing or certifications. As such they would not be considered “Good Stuff”. There is too much misleading marketing in the mattress industry. Feel free contact me directly at: john@gimmethegoodstuff.com Let me know what sizes you are looking for.

Nika

I would also like to know about newton mattresses as well. My sister and brother in law want to gift it to us but I don’t know much about it. Please help. Thank you in advance!!!

Cathy

Have you researched Brentwood Home beds…looking at the Coronado on sale at Costco. Their website looks good and says they are non toxic. I want to replace my 3 teen children’s beds and mine with healthier beds (our old ones are older Sealy) so I can’t spend a fortune. Thank you!

Kate

Hello Maia,

I was looking to purchase mattresses from your store and I noticed that you don’t carry all wool mattresses. Is there any reasons for that? I was leaning towards all wool mattress and was recommended the futon shop. Any thoughts on that company? Also I need a crib mattress and the Naturepedic light version seems good but i just wanted to make sure that the wavesupport technology doesn’t off gass or emit anything? As far as I understand it’s a new technology so I’m worried if enough testing have been done to prove it safe. Also you forgot to mention that it’s not just coil mattresses that produce EMF but also bed frames. The same article is featured on Dr. Mercola site and he talks about bed frames as well: " …bed frames and box springs are made of metal, and the length of a bed is exactly half the wavelength of FM and TV transmissions. The maximum strength of the field develops 75 centimeters above the mattress,…" Any suggestions on cribs brands without metal frames? I haven’t seen any that wouldn’t have a metal support for the mattress. Best regards and thank you for the great work you do!

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