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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
929 comments
Meg
I just bought a naturepedic mattress for myself and am looking for the best mattress pad to protect it. Naturepedic has some waterproof ones which has a “dry sleep” layer they describe here… http://www.naturepedic.com/info/drysleep
I was unsure about it since they said it uses a polyurethane barrier. Was wondering your thoughts on this or should I just stick to a non waterproof wool or cotton pad?
Ian
I am looking to purchase the kapok pillows on your website. I eventually want to get a new nontoxic bed too, but right now I can only afford the pillows. Is it okay to have nontoxic pillows on a toxic bed..like will the pillows be safe and stay nontoxic, or will they become toxic from the bed? Do you suggest I wait and do it all together? Thank you for your time!
Tia Marten
http://denvermattress.furniturerow.com/dmc/organic
What do you think about these?Christie
I looked at this company too. I am on a limited budget as well. They don’t seem to have any real certifications.
ChristieChristie
Hi John, I sent you an email. Thanks!
ChristieKatharine Roe
I was wondering if you had addressed previously mygreenmattress offerings. The wool they use has 1% polyester.
Looking at their offerings with coils, but again wondering about this polyester content. The price I could handle. I have a very low budget, and need something asap. Thank you, KathyThe site says….
The wool batting is processed with a small amount of polyester fibers that have not been treated with any flame retardants. The purpose of these longer fibers is to give the wool a more consistent weight and feel, and prevents the quilt in our mattresses from feeling lumpy. The total composition of our finished mattress has less than 1% of this polyester fiber. Our wool is bleached using hydrogen peroxide (not sodium hypochlorite which is what you usually buy when you are buying laundry bleach and will damage wool) and this is the same substance that is used in lower dilutions for washing wounds and for oral rinsing.
Louise
I’m looking into buying an Organic mattress for my son. I’ve found this Canadian company that seems to have a great product, do you guys know of these mattresses or have any reviews of them?
thanks for you helphttp://en.memoryfoamcomfort.ca/natural-latex-mattresses.html
Christie
I have never been as overwhelmed with researching something as I am looking for new mattresses. I have a 6 and 8 year old and one on the way. We are looking for three new mattresses. My husband thinks I am crazy wanting to spend $1,700 on a twin mattress.
Is there any information about the next step down? Can there be a happy medium? I was looking at Sleep On Latex as a possibility, but haven’t found much third party information on them. I am so amazed about the different options and types of jargon that I am at a stand still!Kinga
Hi Maia,
http://greenbudsbaby.com/shop/mattress/magnolia-purete-tm-deluxe.html We are sleeping on a Leesa mattress, that I bought a little over a year ago. Their costumer service representative assured me of its non-toxicity. But that was back when I cared a little less about its contents as long as it gave me a good night sleep. Anyway baby sleeps with us a lot lately. I know it’s no good, and Im eager to just throw it away. It is also CertiPUR-US certified which I learned through your website does not mean much. Is Leesa really as bad as I think it is? Best, KingaI bought the Greenbuds Magnolia Purete Deluxe Mattress for my little one back in November after doing tons of research. I would hate to find out that it was’t all that good, but still wondering what you think.
mitch
Hi, do you have any thoughts on the Sopora Ultimate crib mattress? Says it is naturally fire resistant with no added chemicals, make with eco friendly 100% renewable foam, and its certifications include Certi-PUR-US® (which you have some good points against in this post) but it’s also GREENGUARD certified…
Sam
I noticed this, too. Has any further research into them been done?
Tatiana Prisco
I also found that list while looking for a king for us and a toddler mattress for my daughter. I saw the Tuft and Needle mattress and, though they are CertiPur certified… they seem to be ok. This is what the company says:
“The cover is a high quality rayon and polyester performance fabric. It’s designed to be soft to the touch, but also durable over time.”
“Our mattress is tested by CertiPur, a 3rd party foam certifier, to be free from known harmful chemicals and gasses. More specifically, our mattress is tested to be free from ozone depleters, PBDE flame retardants, heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates, and low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million).”
“Our fire barrier is essentially a fabric blend. It’s mostly rayon, blended with small amounts of polyester and silica (very fine-grained sand). When it’s blended like that, it’s inherently flame retardant. This fabric blend fits on the mattress like a sock, underneath the cover, and there are no chemical flame retardants in our foam. Our fire barrier is TB117-2013 compliant.”
“The Tuft & Needle Mattress is a high-quality, high-performance foam mattress made in the USA. Our foam, called T&N Adaptiveâ„¢ Foam, is completely unique to our brand because we actually invented it. It’s neither memory foam nor latex, but better. Our T&N Adaptiveâ„¢ Foam combines pressure relief, support, and breathability, which no other kind of foam offers”
Any thoughts?
Megan
I’m looking at them right now too. Any thoughts?
Jasmin
Aloha! Thank you very much for this info! I stumbled upon your site while researching new mattresses. At first, my primary factor was support since my husband and I are on the heavier side and we’re tired with our sagging innerspring. We used a natural latex mattress topper as a temporary solution but I’m ready for a new mattress. The more I researched, the more my factors grew! Now, I’m looking for a non-toxic, non-innerspring, at least 12" thick (to help with the support) mattress that can also be shipped to Hawaii. I am, however, concerned about the wool component of most of these non-toxic options. My kids and I have a history of eczema and asthma and I’m worried that we’ll be more healthy sleeping on our new non-toxic mattress but be itchy and sneezing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Mahalo!
john
Hi Aaron,
CertiPUR is a "certifying’ entity that is essentially established by the businesses it “certifies”. It’s sort-of like if Coca Cola claimed to be good for you based upon a certification from the American Beverage Association…which is simply a group of folks hired by Coke, Pepsi, etc to lobby for the industry. If you want to be sure you are getting a truly nontoxic mattress, feel free to contact me directly at: john@gimmethegoodstuff.com I’ll help as best I can to find what you want.John here….
Great questions. Loom and Leaf is an offshoot company from Saatva. Saatva does not make our cut. Loom and Leaf makes memory foam and memory foam simply cannot be made without some “interesting” chemistry. Their foam certification is from CertiPUR which is arguably one of the weakest certifications available. It looks like they are trying, but we smell a bit of greenwashing.
Purple is an entirely different technology…made from a “proprietary polymer” (which is code for, “we’re not going to tell you what’s in it”.) They dedicate one sentence to the subject of “nontoxic” but fail to show any certifications.
Nest Bedding says that they are a “Organic, Natural, and Certified Bedding and Mattress Company” but it seems that they too rely on CertiPUR for their certification. Weak at best.
Aaron
Any thoughts on Loom and Leaf or Purple? Loom and Leaf has a plant based memory foam with an organic cotton cover, while Purple has something called hyper-elastic polymer. Also curious about Nest Bedding.
Howie
Stephen I would suggest that any bed should have a good foundation because just like anything else in life if the foundation is crap then you can forget about the rest of it. You can take a look at this website. I like their bed system very much as it has by far the best foundation that I have seen in any bed system http://swissdreambeds.com/
Howie
The by far BEST BED system I have come across so far is this from Swiss Dream Beds (http://swissdreambeds.com/). It an all natural bed system that is designed to relieve and prevent lower back pain. They don’t use synthetics or chemicals in their beds. Also the nice thing about them is that their beds come as a whole set. So all the wood, the flexible slat system, the organic talalay latex mattress and the sheep wool topper come included at a price that is really good. Check it out. I have been sleeping on this for almost 7 years, my bed is like new still and I have never woken up with back pain since.
joann calo
Hello,
If you have time, the stores in my area sell Posh and Lavish mattresses (in addition to OMI) and advertise all their beds as being chemical free.
On Posh and Lavish’s website, it claims the beds have a wool and cotton flame retardant layer as well as OekoTex certified latex.
Would you classify this bed as good stuff? or sneaky stuff? Thanks in advance!
Jess
Hi
Looking to buy our 3 year old a new mattress for his new twin bed. Super confused! Naturepedic? If so which? Or something better like Savvy Heart? What would you go with?
Stephen Wilson
I’ve been doing research on a bed for my wife and I, and 2 others for both my kids. However, my question is regarding a SleepNumber bed. I contacted them via email, but they couldn’t give me any answers. They said the process and certification is on the website, but couldn’t find any info regarding their beds. Also we are going to purchase a twin size bunk, what would recommend for a mattress and should we buy something to have a good foundation for the matresses
Maia James
Hi there-
If you find an affordable mattress that you like, you can ask if they use flame retardant chemicals; this is the most important consideration, and due to relaxed laws, these chemicals are no longer necessary. While I would still recommend a truly nontoxic mattress like the ones listed above (and yes, I know they are frustratingly pricey!), at the very least it would be good to make sure whatever you’re sleeping on is free of fire retardants.
Jol
Thanks for you response John. Yes I couldn’t find the info for flammability standards either. I like this mattress because it claims it is breathable if baby were to roll on tummy during the night. Thank you for looking into it! Any info is greatly appreciated.
Thanks so muchJohn
Hi Jol,
Polymer is a very broad term and could mean any number of things. Our DNA is made from particular polymers. Polymers are also what polystyrene foam and other plastics are made from. It is unclear how they are achieving required flammability standards. They also do not say what the cover is made from. I will look into it. ThanksJohn here…
I am not familiar with Newton but I just took a look at their site.
Their concept is interesting. They say over and over that the mattress is made of a “polymer”.
Sarah D.
Thank you, John for your thorough reply; I really appreciate your time and help!
Jol
Hello I know this post is old. I have been doing some research and I have found a mattress I would like to purchase for my little one. It is from NEWTON and its made from polymer. This is what the website posted “Wovenaire technology was invented in Japan and is now made in the USA. Highest quality food-grade polymer is extruded into a crystal clear pool of water, creating a unique, resilient three-dimensional shape that is 90% air by volume.” Have you heard of this company? Is the kind of mattress safe? It does have many certifications including green guard.
Thank you!Kathy Hendricks
What about a Habitat Pure Latex mattress? They claim 100% purity.
Anneka Werner-Gavrin
Also interested.
John
Hi Sarah,
Generally speaking, “green cotton” means what you’ve suggested it means: no toxic chemicals added after harvest. Of course there is a robust debate about whether or not the herbicides and pesticides used on cotton will wash/bleach out as the cotton is processed. Most studies show that it does but some folks believe that a residue remains. The fact is that certified organic cotton is costly…about 2 times the cost of conventional. This means that the organic cotton product can be 2 times the cost of the conventional one! Many folks simply cannot afford to spend twice as much for an organic futon. This is why we offer the White Lotus Green Cotton Futon. We feel that it offers a much less toxic solution than a typical mattress for folks who want to get away from heavy toxins and flame retardants. Over time the cost of organic crops will come down and more folks will be able to afford the best option, but until then we feel that a “Green Cotton” product is a good first step.John here….
Your questions are very good. Yes…the whole “Green” label is somewhat problematic because there is no official definition of the term “Green”. It means different things to different people.
We have discussed this with mattress manufacturers and they each have a different take.
Sarah D.
Thanks for your response, John! As you may have noted, I e-mailed you when I was unable to figure out how to post, but realized that the website thought I was spam because I had included a web link. The e-mail was the same question as posted here, so you can ignore that.
I do have a different question now, though. I was curious about “green cotton” vs. “organic cotton.”. It seems from White Lotus’ website that green cotton is cotton where nothing is done to it AFTER harvesting. While organic means that it is not treated with pesticides, etc while growing AND nothing is done to it afterward. White Lotus sells beds with both kinds and it seemed from the link I followed in Maia’s post that she purchased a green cotton futon for her son recently. In doing bed research, I came across a blog post on Naturepedic’s website that talked about why conventional cotton batting in mattresses was not good (pesticide residue was the main point) and that organic was really the only good way to go. How do you feel about this? How about conventional cotton that is neither green nor organic? (in beds—I already read Maia’s post re: the importance of organic cotton clothes). Thank you very much!John Goss
https://gimmethegoodstuff.com/?s=clean sleep
John Goss
Hi Sarah,
John here…
Independent 3rd party certifications are important, but they can be mis-used as a marketing tool.
It is important that the certification is given to the same entity that is manufacturing and selling the mattress. A certification written to an entity or person in Sri Lanka or Belgium etc. shows only that the latex was certified up to that point on it’s journey to becoming someone’s bed.
Between Sri Lanka and your bedroom all sorts of things can (and do) happen to the latex to cause it to be more toxic than the certification implies.
The industry is fully of deceptive marketing, all designed to shoot for a lower priced product. This drives sales.
Unfortunately, true organic/nontoxic mattresses are not inexpensive to make. So when you find one that seems like a great deal (1/2 price), it is likely and indication that measures have been taken to reduce costs. These measures usually involve tinkering with the materials or processes. The result can be a mattress that is not what we think it is…or not quite what the manufacturer implies that it is.
When a mattress is certified to the actual entity that manufactures and sells it, you can be reasonably assured that it is what you think it is.
That is the difference between a company like Soaring Heart and some of the many others (who do not carry full certifications.)
You can contact me at john@gimmethegoodstuff.com I’ll be happy to help you find a mattress that works for you.
Maia James
Hi Michelle-
Certainly I would say that the mattress is most important. That said, ideally you’ll choose a bed frame that’s free of plywood/particle board (and is instead solid wood).
Michelle
Hello. We are about to buy my toddler her first “big girl” bed and your post has helped tremendously in selecting a mattress for her (in spite of the fact that we’re in France!). What about the actual bed though? Would a bed from ikea suffice? I feel like we’re splashing out financially in order to get an excellent good stuff mattress and the budget left over for the bed is now looking pretty measly.
Sarah D.
How about the mygreenmattress “Simple Sleep Latex?” It’s different from the one John commented on previously because it has no springs and lists GTOS and OEKO-Tex 100 certifications (their cert. link did cite Sri Lanka—is that any different from say Soaring Heart or Saavy certs?). It’s really the only mattress in my price range. Would you be able to please check it out? Thanks!
Tobi
Any thoughts on Flobeds. They do use Talalay. But they provide links to their manufacturer of it that describes it as being made from 100% pure, natural latex without any artificial additives…and it satisfies the requirements for the Oeko-Tex ® Standard 100 product class 1. They make a good case on their websites as to why their organic product seems non-toxic and hopefully a safe product?
silcominc
You list many organic mattresses and most are very pricey Do you have any suggestions for a chemical free mattress Less concerned about organic than I am about avoiding chemicals and VOC off-gassing. Price is a huge consideration with many of your listings being unaffordable or little more than a potato sack filled with wool and cotton.
John
At first glance, Lifekind/OMI seem legit. I’ll look into it a bit more. Their prices seem a pretty steep.
Feel free to contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff,org I’ll be happy to help you find the right bed.Tuft & Needle are not “Good Stuff” in our book.
The crew here at Gimme the Good Stuff really likes Soaring Heart mattresses. Yes, we are a dealer, (full disclosure), but we are a dealer because their certifications are second-to-none, their quality is outstanding, and their prices are fair and reasonable. They are not the new kid on the block. They’ve been at this for over 35 years!
John
Hi David,
John here…
Thanks for the question. Unfortunately, Plushbeds appears to be just another of dozens of imposters out there. They do what many do…they make claims that they cannot back up. When you click on the “View Certification” button it shows a certification made for someone in Sri Lanka. This is a very common, (and sneaky), tactic. It fools many people. If the certification is not made to the same entity that is selling the mattress, then it is essentially worthless.
There are all sorts of ways that a mattress that is certified to someone in Sri Lanka, or Belgium, or any any other place, can be no longer certifiable, (or organic), once it reaches the end user. Many companies do this same thing. It creates big profits, which would be fine if the product was good…but when this tactic is used to mislead customers, it’s just sad. The worst part is that it is legal!
Please feel free to contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff and I will gladly help you sort this out and find a truly nontoxic mattress.
Angele Torres
Hi! Do you think the Lotus bassinet (and mattress) is non-toxic / safe? I plan to transition to an organic mattress / crib at some point but would like to start off with a bassinet.
When I asked what was in the mattress this is what they said: Our mattress is made from a high-grade, low-voc polyurethane foam, and is covered with polyurethane coated polyester fabric on the top and polyester fabric on the bottom. We do not add chemical flame retardants. The fabric assembly is made from polyester fabric and polyester mesh. The frame is aluminum with nylon plastic parts. All materials are 3rd party tested to ensure they are completely free of Lead, PVC, phthalates, flame retardants, formaldehyde, heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic, etc.), PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) that are commonly known as semi-volatile organic compounds (this includes Flourene, Pyrene, Napthalene and many more). The Lotus Crib and Bassinet have also undergone 3rd party testing for stringent chemical emissions standards and have the GREENGUARD GOLD Certification: http://productguide.ulenvironment.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productID=67423 THANK YOU!http://www.guavafamily.com/products/lotus-bassinet
caroline
We got a Tuft and Needle at the beginning of this month and are sending it back. I am pregnant and have been experiencing terrible headaches since we got it (didn’t have them the first 5 months). It had a very strong smell the first week which has subsided but I can still smell, my partner can’t. A few people complain of this in Amazon reviews and T&N says it is inert. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!
Tierney
I would love to seem OMI and Lifekind covered on your updated post :) I’ve done a looooot of mattress research and so far I think they’re probably the best I’ve found! Somehow they’re the same company. I would also love to hear about Tuft and Needle. I am almost positive they’re not good but everyone keeps trying to convince me otherwise. As far as Nook, I own a Pebble Lite and I had the foam tested and it tested positive for flame retardants. Nook told me when I voiced my concern that “synthetic foam mattresses just contain that chemical.” I think the Pebble Pure is more promising but they won’t disclose a lot about the latex foam they use. Thanks for this amazing resource :) :)
David
Thank you so much for posting extensive information.
I also found much more economical natural latex mattress from plushbeds.com. Not all of their products are natural and organic but they do seem to carry legit certifications for their organic products. If you get a chance, can you make a comment about this company… ? I am almost leaning towards to purchase from them because they offer free returns. Thank you,Maia James
Hi Michele-
Doesn’t look like Yogabed has any certifications or even real claims on nontoxicity.
Michele Mahoney
Any thoughts/reviews on a Yogabed? Seems like a more inexpensive option but I’m weary and would love your thoughts!
Terry
John,
Thanks for the reply. I was leaning toward my green mattress because of the cost and because I wanted a 2 sided mattress and the naturepedic only comes in a 2 sided in which one is waterproof. Good points about the certification. I am also a fan of the naturepedic crib mattress we have. As for the possible inner spring issues, I prefer those to the supposed safe foams and latex materials. My daughter is currently sleeping on a germany made co-sleeper coir mattress (BabyBay) in which the coir is coated in latex and it smells like tires. Even if that smell is “safe” I still don’t want me son breathing in that smell from large mattress made purely of latex. I will stick with the inner spring. If I read something conclusive about the studies, I will swap it out then. I guess Naturepedic it is. Again thanks for your insight.Maia James
Hi Terry,
2) There is some new science emerging that the metal springs found in mattresses and box springs may actually be amplifying ambient electro-magnetic energy (wifi, cell phones, computers, TV’s etc) and focusing it straight into our sleeping bodies! The data is new and more studies are being designed to find out what is going on, but if it is true, it is concerning. I am not an alarmist but over my life I’ve seen so many situations like this turn into something worthy of our attention that I cannot see having beds with springs, especially when there are so many great alternatives. If this is a concern to you, this would of course, eliminate both the Naturepedic and My Green mattresses. For my money, the Soaring Heart Organic Crib Mattress is the best thing going. Yes it costs a few dollars ($31) more than the others you are looking at but, in my estimation it is far superior to the others. http://soaringheart.com/products/organic-crib-mattresses Finally, I am not saying that I know for certain that MY Green is not what they advertise themselves to be. They may well offer a great product, but this industry if fraught with green washing and deceptive marketing practices. Given the choice between Naturepedic and My Green, I’d go with Naturepedic every time. I am certain that my opinion is not shaded by the fact that we sell Naturepedic and do not sell My Green. It is based upon what I can find with a quick look around their website. Without PROPER certification there is simply no way to know if their claims are true…and I’ve seen enough deceptive marketing (that looks a lot like theirs) to be cautious. I hope this helps. If you want to know more, feel free to contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.com I’ll help you find the right mattress even if we don’t sell it. Best,John here…I’m the mattress person around here.
I’m glad you asked. We get questions like this a lot. In your case there a several considerations.
1) My Green Mattress is new to me (new mattress companies are jumping on the bandwagon weekly. They smell the $$$). A quick glance at their website indicates that they have zero 3rd party certifications that can verify the actual content of their products. Words are cheap. They use terms like “organic cotton and natural wool quilted cover, organic cotton batting” but nowhere do they even attempt to prove it. Just so you know how tricky this industry can be, the term “organic” is essentially meaningless. Unless it says, “Certified Organic” or “USDA Certified Organic” it could be anything and just called organic, because they can charge more that way. That practice is actually legal. There is a smoothy cart in Central Park NY with a big sign reading “ORGANIC SMOOTHIES”. When asked if their smoothies are certified organic, the owner answered, “No, that’s just the name of my smoothie company.” They’ve been legally selling non-organic “Organic Smoothies” to New Yorkers and tourists for years. Pretty funny, buyer beware!
Maia James
Hi Lauren-
(the reason being zero plastic and no innerspring coils—which may concentrate EMF radiation, although the jury is out on that).While we offer Naturepedic mattresses in our online store and think they make a great, truly nontoxic product, my go-to suggestion is this Savvy Rest mattress: https://gimmethegoodstuff.com/store/savvy-rest-crib-mattress/
Terry
I have been doing some research and I have narrowed down my son’s first mattress to either a naturepedic or a my green mattress. I am leaning toward the naturepedic because that is the brand his crib mattress is. However the my green mattress is a little cheaper and is dual sided without water proofing. I see you give a good review of the naturepedic. Do you have an information on the my green mattress? I found it on Amazon but had limited reviews. Thanks.
Lauren
What is your go-to recommendation for baby crib mattresses? Naturepedic seem to be widely available at buybuybaby, but they have SEVERAL choices. Thank you!