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UPDATED: November 2021
Written by Maia & John
Finding a non-toxic mattress is super-important, but also super-confusing to work through. If your head hurts just looking at the length of this page, please feel free to email our Home Health Director, John, for individualized help. You can also call him at 717-413-8182.
This video is several years old (from the last time we updated this guide!), but everything in it still holds true. The only change is that Happsy mattress is also the very Best Stuff!
EXCLUSIVE NON-TOXIC MATTRESS COUPONS
The Best Discounts on our Best Stuff mattresses! We’ve negotiated these discounts for you. (See below, under Best Stuff and Good Stuff for Black Friday deals).
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: $225 off mattresses. Use code GIMME225. (With this discount, Happsy is the most affordable of the bunch.)
I hope these shortcuts are helpful for those of you looking to make a quick decision.
For the rest of you, read on for what to look for in a non-toxic mattress, the confusing world of certifications, and of course, our lists of Best, Good, Okay, Bad, and Sneaky mattress brands.
A Note on This Updated Guide
Thanks to the demands of customers like you, more and more mattress manufacturers have taken the steps to make truly safe mattresses with top-level certifications. This means that consumers have more choices – and our Best Stuff and Good Stuff categories have grown to include more brands than ever before.
We still believe that a fully-certified mattress is of the utmost importance. In this guide, we decided to 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 a) have the top certifications that guarantee the mattresses they sell are free of all toxins, and b) aren’t owned by parent companies that pollute the environment by manufacturing toxic mattresses.
My Own Non-Toxic Mattress Choices
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 making any purchase… and there was plenty to agonize over when it came to finding a non-toxic mattress!
At the time of writing this updated post, I have an 8-year-old and a 11-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.
Our Top Pick for Non-Toxic Mattress
As you’ll see below, there are only three non-toxic mattress brands that qualify as the Best Stuff, thanks to their super-legit certifications and demonstrated commitment to safety and environmental responsibility.
We are both (Maia and John) now sleeping on Soaring Heart mattresses, which happen to also be the most comfortable, luxurious mattresses we’ve found.
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Soaring Heart Organic Zoned Latex Support Mattress$3,250.00 – $3,817.00Quick View
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. This is particularly true when it comes to a crib mattress.
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 at least 25% of their lives in bed.
Moreover, there is evidence that your immune system works hardest at night, so it seems reasonable to make your sleep environment as clean as possible.
Toxins in Mattresses
Unfortunately, mattresses are loaded with noxious chemicals, including:
- Various petrochemicals. Indeed, MOST of what a conventional mattress is made of is petroleum-based.
- 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 who work in its manufacturing.
- Flame-retardant chemicals are needed in part because polyurethane is so flammable. There is 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 polyurethane.
- Synthetic latex, which usually made from styrene, a human carcinogen.
- Adhesives that may contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Some organic manufacturers skip the glues all together–mattresses can be bound with thread, 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.
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.
Fire “Safety”: The Most Dangerous Part of Your Mattress
Mattresses are required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to meet flammability laws, which 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 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.
Are Coils Bad Stuff?
There has been a lot of online chatter in recent years regarding metal coils in beds. We paid close attention to this and did some research, and arrived at the conclusion that steel springs present no known danger.
The bottom line is that there is no reason for concern. We simply cannot find any credible evidence showing that metal coils can act like an antenna and concentrate EMFs into our sleeping bodies.
What to Look for in a Non-Toxic Mattress
Now that you know what can make a mattress toxic, let me tell you about the materials and certifications that make up a non-toxic mattress. They include:
- Organic wool (untreated) is naturally flame- and mildew/dust mite-resistant.
- 100% natural latex (made from rubber trees) is safer than latex blends, which may contain petroleum-based polyurethane. You’ll probably read a lot about Talalay versus Dunlop latex in your search for an 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.
- 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 are tiny. Still, for the good of the planet, we should all choose organically-grown cotton whenever possible. (Sadly, certified organic cotton is costly… about two times the cost of conventional.)
- 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!
If You Can’t Afford a Non-Toxic Mattress
Let’s say that 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. 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. This is the one I have 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!
Non-Toxic 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 they 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 or India or South America. A certification written to an entity or person in Sri Lanka 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 (and do) happen to the latex to cause it to be more toxic than the certification implies.
Best Non-Toxic Mattress Certifications
The two certifications to look for in your mattress are GOLS (for latex) and GOTS (for textiles). It’s worth repeating: the best organic mattress brands that have these certifications have the 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, and certain chemistries are prohibited entirely, even for that other 5%. These include polyurethane foam, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and the fire-retardants listed above. A GOTS certification on a mattress means that the entire manufacturing and distribution process is environmentally-safe and socially-responsible. 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.
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. This gives you extra peace of mind.
Similar to GOTS, a GOLS certification means that the mattress is made of at least 95% organic latex. Once again, the remaining 5% of the materials are also restricted in important ways.
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.
Greenguard-certified mattresses have been tested, and are within limits, of certain VOCS, such as formaldehyde. Greenguard Gold has stricter standards than plain old Greenguard.
Okay Non-Toxic Mattress Certifications
Organic Content Standard 100 just means that some of the ingredients are organic, but 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.
Sneaky Mattress Certification
NAOMI (National Association of Organic Mattress Industry) was created by Pure Rest Organics, which is a mattress company, so, it is in no way independent or third-party, obviously!
The Bottom Line on Non-Toxic Mattress Certifications
Most certifications are of SOME value, but they can be used sneakily by mattress manufacturers. Manufacturers may claim to have a certification that they don’t actually have. So 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 free of toxins (particularly flame retardants), to guarantee that you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination.
The Best Stuff
The following three brands have the top certifications that guarantee that their mattresses are free of all toxins. They also aren’t owned by parent companies that pollute the environment by manufacturing toxic mattresses.
Happsy
Happsy is the best organic mattress-in-a-box 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 $1,400.
Use code GIMME225 for $225 off mattresses. (With this discount, Happsy is the most affordable Best Stuff mattress.)
Naturepedic
Naturepedic was founded by a grandfather named Barry when he could not find a non-toxic mattress for his grandson. These mattresses are now used by over 150 hospitals in the United States.
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).Naturepedic mattresses are available on their website. 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.
We offer Naturepedic crib mattresses and children’s mattresses in our online store, and always appreciate your support!
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 certification, 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.
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Soaring Heart Organic Zoned Latex Support Mattress$3,250.00 – $3,817.00Quick View
If you’re enjoying this guide, to be alerted when we publish or update our Safe Product Guides.
The Good Stuff
The mattresses that we are calling, “The Good Stuff,” make all the claims of safety and non-toxic materials and processes, but don’t have all of the top-level certifications. Of course, this doesn’t mean they actually have questionable materials in them, but simply that we can’t be completely assured of their non-toxicity in the same way that we can for the stuff we have deemed The Best Stuff.
Avocado
This newer brand has recently obtained both GOTS and GOLS certification, both written to Avocado itself. While we feel that Avocado is a great toxin-free mattress, we can’t call it the Best Stuff because it is a subsidiary of Brentwood Home, which manufactures conventional mattresses. It’s worth noting, however, that some of Brentwood’s mattresses do have GOLS certification.
Bella Sera
This tiny company has some good certifications, namely GOLS, but unfortunately it’s not written directly to the company (but rather the foam manufacturer; you can see why this may be problematic by reading the Certifications section above). They use wool as a flame retardant, which makes them Good Stuff rather than Okay Stuff.
CozyPure
CozyPure’s mattresses skip all the flame retardants in favor of wool, which is significant. Unfortunately though, their GOLS certification isn’t written directly to them, so I can’t call this brand the Best Stuff.
Eco Terra
Eco Terra has OEKO-TEX certifications for their Talalay latex and wool. They don’t use scary flame-retardants, just hydrated-silica, about which we have no significant concerns. 2021 update: Eco Terra now has an up-to-date GOTS certificate.
Holy Lamb Organics
We love this brand – it has always produced only toxin-free mattresses. 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. In the meantime, we still enthusiastically recommend this brand.
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Holy Lamb Organics Natural Mattress – Latex 7″$1,100.00 – $3,250.00Quick View
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.
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 (see above for more on certifications).
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 cost around $3,500, but prices depend on which model you choose, in addition to the size you want.
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! If you don’t see the model or size that you want, contact us and we will get it for you. Prices range from $1,100 to $2,490. Crib mattresses run from $470 to $825. 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.
(And here’s a video I made on the difference between a mattress and a futon.)
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White Lotus Organic Cotton & Wool Latex Dreamton Mattress/Futon$971.00 – $5,860.00Quick View
The Okay Stuff
The brands we call “Okay Stuff” may have CertiPUR or other lesser certifications, and/or Talalay latex. Due to new laws, these mattresses probably do not have flame-retardant chemicals.
Awara
While Awara does not have GOLS or GOTS certifications, they do have CertiPUR.
Brooklyn Bedding
This company claims to have OekoTex 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).
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.
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 recent client, I came away (still reluctantly!) recommending them as Okay Stuff, although I do still have a few reservations. They use a proprietary flame retardant in their foam, which involves Kevlar – a material that is not remotely natural, but which appears to be non-toxic, based on current research available. 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. I personally will continue to buy our mattresses from manufacturers who use wool as a flame retardant, but if you want a memory foam mattress, this is your best bet!
Hastens
These super-expensive mattresses are very comfortable and contain no foam; they also carry the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification. The price puts them out of range for most people: starting at $10,000. Hastens mattresses go up to a whopping $99,000! Hastens does use steel springs in their mattresses, which some folks would prefer to avoid for the reasons listed above.
Natural Mat
This brand appears to be made of all the Good Stuff and none of the bad, but doesn’t come with any certifications proving this. They do use wool for flame protection, which is a plus.
Obasan
Obasan does not have the top, independent, third-party certifications for their latex mattress cores.
SleepOnLatex
This brand does not have GOLS certification, but does have Oeko-Tex, and doesn’t use the most dangerous flame retardants.
Tuft & Needle
The certifications for these mattresses fall short of Good Stuff – they have GreenGuard Gold, OEKO TEX, and CertiPUR.
Vivetique
The certifications for these mattresses fall short of Good Stuff – they have GreenGuard Gold, OEKO TEX, and CertiPUR.
The 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, and 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. (Note from Maia: 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.
Simmons is the same as Sealy.
Tempurpedic mattresses are wildly popular… and wildly toxic. “Memory foam” is made of inexpensive polyurethane, and you’ll notice that a brand-new Tempurpedic is smellier than most other mattresses – this is because it’s off-gassing more. The fire retardant used on Tempurpedics is NOT PBDE, but they do not disclose what it is. The Environmental Protection Agency has also raised concerns about emissions formed during the production of polyurethane foam products, which include methylene chloride and other hazardous chemicals.
The 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 a 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 3rd party 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 program, 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 World 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. The organic model may be safe, but I don’t have enough information at this point to know for sure.
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 a “Organic, Natural, and Certified Bedding and Mattress Company,” but they, too, rely on only CertiPUR certification.
Nook crib mattresses fail to show independent certification. I also don’t love that their mattresses contain plastic (PETE, which is among the safer types of plastic, but plastic nonetheless!). They claim to use wool as a flame retardant, but one of our readers had the foam tested in her Pebble Lite model and it tested positive for flame retardants!
Purple mattresses don’t have any of the certifications we look for even for our Okay Stuff category. Purple has CertiPUR, but nothing more.
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.
Don’t Be Fooled By:
- 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 VOCs. Look for mattresses that specify that they are made from 100%-natural latex.
- “All-natural wool” or “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 can read more about this in the section on certifications, above.
- Most of all, remember that there is a lot of deceptive marketing in the mattress world and it is not illegal to throw around terms like “natural,” “green,” and even “organic” without actually having to prove it
Less Expensive Ways to Sleep Safely
Do you want to co-sleep with your baby, but don’t want to buy a new mattress? 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:
895 responses to “Non-Toxic Mattress Guide”
Brooklyn Bedding’s mattresses have fiberglass! They say “non-woven silica” but that’s a greenwashing term used to cover up that fiberglass is made of silica. The company is also super inconsistent — their website says non-woven silica but customer support said they use “hydrated silica.” Then the actual mattress says “blended fiber batting” on the tag. Awfully vague.
I bought a latex topper from them and the tag said “500% polyester”. Um, what? 500%? How?
Helix confirmed their mattresses have fiberglass, and they own Brooklyn Bedding so be extra careful. Beware of any mattresses that say:
– Fiberglass
– Glass fiber
– Glass wool
– Mineral wool
– Silica
– Silicon[e] fiber
– PAN (Polyacrylonitrile) based Carbon
– Fiber batting
– “Do not remove cover”
People say as long as the cover isn’t damaged or removed you should be safe, but it’s not true at all. Fiberglass will leak through over time anyway.
Hi, I just wanted to update that Sleep on latex has GOTS and GOLS certification and is a really great company with a great story. I was more impressed with them than soaring heart (I’m local) and they are far more affordable for the average consumer. I was disappointed that soaring heart didn’t sell the bed you recommend in there store and are not very return friendly.
*their
I also purchased from my green mattress brand in the past after seeing then on the good stuff and it was most affordable. But I don’t see it here anymore, but on the green mattress website they still have all the important certifications. So I’m wondering why? Does gimmethegoodstuff only recommend products if they get commission or is there a problem with the green mattress?
I’m wondering this also.
I am wondering the same… We purchased 3 my green mattress after the recommendation I saw on the site 2 years agoI was going to get another one but no longer see them on here. Is there a reason
What about Birch living mattresses? My head spins with which company to go with!
This guide was useful for outlining potential non-toxic mattress brands to try out and further investigate—thank you!. However, not all are able to be tried out/tested in a show room setting (sadly), but the ones we were able to try out since we live near a major city were Naturepedic, Avocado, and Obasan.
Avocado seemed too expensive for the somewhat sloppy craftsmanship, but were OK (~4k). Great pillows, though.
Naturepedic is awesome, but the bed we felt was most comfortable was wildly expensive (~10k). More affordable was their all latex bed, Trilux (~4k), (I would take it over Avocado offerings any day) but alas it was too firm for me coming off an Essentia (memory foam) mattress, even with wool topper and soft layers.
Obasan (~6k) proved to be the most comfortable (easy to move and customize) and still a bit cheaper than the best Naturepedic bed. However, Obasan is not well loved in this guide. Their website clearly displays their GOTS and GOLS certifications, made out to OBASAN. Unless I am misreading something, Obasan should at least be on Avocado level? Please take a look at these certifications and either explain why they are insufficient in greater detail (because to me it looks identical to Avocado GOLS certificate…), or re-evaluate assessment.
When you refresh this list, check out Ivy Organics – they’ve been around for years but seem to be really changing the game of organic mattresses! I just ordered a King size all latex and am very impressed with commitment to organic. They even sent me the GOTS and GOLS certificates for their factory in LA where they make them. Would love to see what you uncover.
What does the mattress topper do?
A Mattress Topper is used to noticeably change a mattress’ feel and provide extra pressure relief. Toppers can also revitalize an old mattress or lengthen the life of a new one. A mattress pad can make a bed feel slightly more plush, but it won’t alter a mattress’ firmness level.
Hi–Thank you for your time and amazing research! SO helpful.
What are your thoughts on the Bear Mattress? Looking at the Pro. OH! It’s memory foam, not latex…so this won’t make your list.. even with all its certifications. Am I correct?
And the Tuft & Needle (Mint) says it uses foam…so.. does this disqualify the mattress from your list?
Love the info. I can’t afford any of these!!!!
Any thoughts on saatva’s hybrid late?
I’m curious about Bear Mattresses. I’ve seen a couple comments asking about them but I didn’t find any responses… We’re looking for a firm king size mattress and they have come up a couple times in our search within our price point and would love to take advantage of the current Memorial Day sale going on. Thank you for these guides and the information!
Happsy and them right now. I am looking for the best option that is not over 2000. All of the
The by far BEST BED system I have come across so far is this from Swiss Dream Beds (http://www.bdidea24.xyz ). 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.
What are your thoughts on mattresses made by Latex for less? I would like to know since we recently purchased a mattress from there.
Hi everyone ! can anyone recommend where I can buy PlusCBD Oil CBD Softgels Green Blend Full Spectrum 10mg?
This list is very informative, but would be so much more useful with pricing information so I don’t have to click on every single link to figure out what I can afford. Or a “best bet under $100” or something like that.
Sleep On Latex says it is GOTS and GOLS certified but your website says they aren’t. I was thinking of buying one but now I am wondering if their certification is actually valid or if you just made a mistake?
Hi May, I believe the certification is new as of last year. I talked to the company and I did find a copy of all certifications somewhere. I just purchased a mattress for my daughter. I will keep you updated.
Amber
Hello,
Thank you for this amazing guide. I saw Sleep on Latex mentioned several times in the comments. Did you ever decide if they qualify for good or best stuff? I know you were still determining your rating for them, and I see they are still listed under “okay stuff.”
Thanks.
I have a sleep on latex and other of my children do as well. They had no smell upon arrival. I’m also confused by the claim they don’t have GOTS and GOLS. I think the list just needs to be updated.
Id love to know your thoughts on the Endy mattress? Thanks!!
Thoughts on My Green Mattress, specifically Kiwi? Thank you in advance!
Years ago it was under good stuff but I don’t see it anymore. I am
Curious too as I want to buy another one for my other child.
Same here, wondering why My Green Mattress fell off the list?
I actually purchased one for my son 3 years ago after reading this guide. I was surprised to find out it’s not on the list anymore , would be great to know the reason since I was about to purchase another one.
It is apparently still good stuff, but Maia had a weird/bad interaction with the owner and did not feel comfortable listing their brand. This was mentioned in one of her emails if you are on her email list and receive them.
Hi! I’m also curious about the “my green mattress” brand, and wondering if anyone has received a response to their inquiry here? I have two for my kids that I purchased in the past according to the lash guide and I’m looking to purchase another but don’t see it on the updated list.
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I also purchased from my green mattress brand in the past after seeing then on the good stuff and it was most affordable. But I don’t see it here anymore, but on the green mattress website they still have all the important certifications. So I’m wondering why? Does gimmethegoodstuff only recommend products if they get commission or is there a problem with the green mattress?
Hi Leah! We have a My Green Mattress as well in our household. I emailed John and he said it’s still the good stuff! He said they had an unfortunate interaction with them and in turn, cashed them to lose faith in My Green, but they do still have the proper certifications!
Sorry, I meant to say *caused* not cashed
Thank u for ur beautiful information about the mattress.
It appears Obasan does carry current GOTS and GOLS in their name… Maybe your page should now be updated for this?
Honesty – Obasan US
LINK:
obasan.com/pages/honesty
Came here to also say this. Obasan has certificates in their name. So I wanted to know if you could recommend them?
I am wondering about Naturally Nestled. I haven’t seen them mentioned by they seem to have all the required certifications based on the criteria above and price points are reasonable. Any thoughts, Maia?
https://naturallynestled.com/product/nestled-organic-latex-mattress-topper/?gclid=CjwKCAiAhreNBhAYEiwAFGGKPG_uL_WvQY7DdE2j8G6bLRZaz6AJ6wv8eTipIG6s22soipSwJNgjqhoC11MQAvD_BwE
I’m wondering the same thing …after months of research , I feel I’m no closer to a safe topper than I was before (outside of paying $800.00 or more for one). Thought I’d finally found a reputable topper and disappointed that it’s not on any of the lists here.
This is a very informative list. I learned a lot about Non-Toxic Mattress.
Hello, I really appreciate your mission to help us all sleep in a better healthier way! I currently have a 3 inch Organic 100% Dunlop Latex topper from Brooklyn Bedding but due to some arthritis I have started to get hip and shoulder pain at night and would like to try something other than latex for a Topper. I am consdering the wool/alpaca topper from Avocado but I am also considering Dormeo’s Octaspring foam Topper which claims to relieve pressure points. They only have US-CertiPur certification and they say this about their materials:
“Foam Top Layer: The top layer of the Topper is our signature Recovery Foam™. This is a high quality, high-density, US-Certipur certified viscoelastic foam that is free from harmful chemicals, no off gassing or strong odors and perfect for gently cradling even the most sensitive areas of your body without that “sinking, stuck” feeling.
Octaspring Technology Layer: We use US-Certipur certified polyurethane foam in two distinct densities to create a zoned layer of all-foam springs for proper spinal alignment, comfortable cradling and maximum breathability so that the topper does not retain heat and sleep hot. There is no latex in any of our foams.”
I am wondering if you know any more about Dormeo and how safe their materials are? I would appreciate anything you can share with me.
Thank you very much for your help.
I’m looking for a full size mattress for my 5 year old to use and grow with. Does anyone have information on this brand. 5 Little Monkeys?
https://5littlemonkeysbed.com/products/the-sleep-system?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnoqLBhD4ARIsAL5JedIRoJbQzRbNW7hqWtFdF4BYc-7hO6XKitiYO3Nsb7CCHUKIKDLF7mcaApyzEALw_wcB
I am looking at this mattress as well. I’m wonder if this or Nod by Tuft and Needle (sold through Amazon) would be a better option.
Lo normal es que tenga entre 135 y 160 cm. Si no tenéis problemas de espacio en la habitación, incluso podéis plantearos la opción de una cama King size (200 cm x 200 cm). Estas camas son ideales para parejas que se mueven mucho durante la noche o si a tus hijos les gusta dormir contigo en la cama.
This was a very meaningful post, so informative and encouraging information, Thank you for this post.
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What is the status of My Green Mattress? It used to be on the list but is no longer mentioned at all on any of the lists above. are they still good stuff?
Interested to hear as well. I ordered one after reading this list. Now I’m shopping for another mattress. Thank you!
Hello, thank you for this information!
does anyone know if this matress is non toxic? thank you!
https://europe.shopmarriott.com/en/the-marriott-bed/marriott-mattress
Marriott mattresses most definitely would not make our Best Stuff, Good Stuff, or even our OK Stuff list. From what I can gather, toxins are simply not on their radar. Their website does not address the issue. They are priced the same or well above fully certified nontoxic mattresses. Are considering buying one?
Thank you very much for this super helpful guide! I need two 30″ NARROW TWIN mattresses for my sons’ bunk bed, and I was wondering if you could suggest the best brand(s) that offers that size? I’m having a hard time finding non-toxic options. Thank you so much!
Several of the certified manufacturers can custom fabricate whatever size you need. I’ll be happy to help.
What are your thoughts on Harvest Green Mattress? It’s GOTS, GOLS, Oeko-tex certified, and green guard certified?
Harvest Green is ok but certainly does not carry the top-shelf certifications we look for. For about the same price you can get a very similar mattress that has all the best certifications. I’ll be happy to help.
I think harvest green is certified organic for all ingredients. What certification are they lacking that you look for? I have been looking at this mattress also because their basic model is a good price point.
Thank you for creating a list of healthy mattress companies that have received 3rd party testing and qualifies as being a healthy mattress. I do notice that some of the certifications you mention to look for such as: oeko-tex, certi-PUR and green-guard gold are still not meeting the standards for certain mattress companies listed above. I feel this is a contradiction to what your telling consumers to look for. An example would be Brentwood home. On some of their products they list all 3 of these certifications yet you still classify them as not even okay stuff. Why is that? Tuft and Needle is certi-PUR, green-guard gold and
intertek’s clean air certification. Please look over some of these companies you have listed and look over their certifications again, because some are meeting certifications you mention to look for in buying. Lastly, you mention that memory foam is not to be considered but then above its recommended under Plushbeds category for having similar certifications that the two brands I mentioned above have, yet they aren’t considered acceptable…..I don’t see a difference between them. If there is a difference please share what that is. I cannot use latex and am interested in purchasing a safe memory foam topper. I already have a wool topper but it’s not enough. Thanks again!!!
I wanted to update this as I purchased the Brentwood Home memory foam topper and despite its certifications, it smelled very strongly of chemicals. I could not keep it or even fully unwrap it from the plastic, due to the chemical smell. Also I believe Tuft and Needle is owned by Serta Simmon and Bedding and unfortunately they plan on applying a chemical to their mattresses. https://sleepretailer.com/mattress/serta-simmons-bedding-to-develop-u-s-first-antiviral-mattress/
So it makes sense now why you wouldn’t recommend these brands, it’s just soo hard to find a mattress without chemicals, flame retardants or other poor quality materials.
I would also like to hear your take on the various mattresses sold by The Futon Shop. Thanks much!!
Could you please elaborate? The Brentwood Cedar Natural seems to have been updated quite a bit. It does look like all they have all the certifications that you mention here and more. You can even verify it with GOLS etc:
Their sister company Avocado’s Green mattress is also similar in terms of certification and materials. Their coil systems are different.
Could you please describe why they are not in the Best category?
You have updated Avocado info with the news that they have GOTS and GOLS, so is it still not in the BEST category?
Both these companies have been very responsive and forthcoming with any questions that you may have. Brentwood was not on my list until I started looking into them. I’d appreciate any further insights . Thank you.
Thanks for all the great research! Based on an earlier version of this guide I purchased a Metta Bed for my daughter. Was going to buy another of the same for my son who now is out of his crib but I don’t see it on here anymore, are they no longer good stuff?
Just want to give a disclaimer to those looking at the EcoTerra brand… I purchased their mattress topper. The product photos display the topper has a cover. FIVE out of seven photos show a cover on the topper. The mattress topper DOES NOT come with a cover once you open the package. There is no option to add a cover or buy one anywhere on the site. It’s false advertising and even the language of the listing suggests how to care for the cover and the materials used on the cover.
I emailed “customer service” only to be told they don’t sell the cover with the topper anymore and was directed to a separate company to purchase the cover (“latex for less”). Weird but thought maybe is was a sister company. When I went to it, ALL the photos of the separate company are identical, same listings, same site practically. It’s so sketchy. So my friend who was looking for purchase FIVE mattresses for her new beach house called the company to ask a few questions. They were rude, aggressive and ended up hanging up on her, pretended they had never even heard of “latex for ess” even though “Ken” from their customer service directed us to them in the first place. She went to another company to buy her mattresses (Saatva). It seems like the company outsources their “customer service” to another country, but the service is horrendous and I would return this topper if I could. Super sketched out and don’t even know that I received what i was TOLD the product is. I know there’s TONS of comments but hopefully it saves someone from getting duped. Be super careful with this brand, something sketchy is going on for sure.
I am extremely sensitive to chemicals and wanted to share my experience with the OMI wave topper. The store where I purchased it ran it through an “air chamber”- a plastic bag with air forced over it, to remove the rubber smell. This did not work. It has been sitting in a room in my house with open windows and fans for 7 months and the rubber smell is still very strong. I told OMI about this and their response was the smell wasn’t toxic, many people say it is reminiscent of a light rose smell. When I repeated for me it was a rubber smell, they said to rub baking soda into it and vacuum it off to remove the smell. This did not work. I set the topper on a bed to complete the vacuuming process and the smell of rubber seeped into comforter on the bed. After I told them this, I haven’t heard anything else. They are in denial that their topper can smell very bad to some people. As a result, I am recycling a mattress topper that cost $800 because I cannot stand have the smell of the rubber in my home, much less sleep on it. If you have chemical sensitivities, I would recommend not buying OMI latex of any kind. I would also recommend buying from a place where you can return it if it is causing health issues for you.
Hi, do you know anything about Zinus Green Tea mattresses? Would the activcharcoal do anything or is that just a gimmick?
My head is spinning! Does anyone know if a Reviere mattress “sleep system” is toxic?
Also my 5 month old is using a new brand named Bubble Bear that came from China.
They both claim to be non toxic but I am now having serious doubts!
Revere would not make our Best Stuff or Good Stuff list.
This is a wonderful resource, and does a great job explaining what to look for in a mattress and what the certifications mean. I just wanted to note that you should consider adding MADE SAFE® to your list of non-toxic certifications, which we believe is the most stringent standard, screening against more than 6,500 known and even suspected toxins. And it applies to the whole product, rather than just a material, so it is less confusing for customers. As the CMO and a co-founder at Avocado, we have earned GOTS, GOLS, Greenguard and numerous other certification for organic, health and sustainability, all in our brand name, but MADE SAFE® is what we rely on most to validate non-toxic claims related to human and ecological health. I should note that Naturepedic and Happsy also have MADE SAFE®. When you update this article, it would be great to include it for your readers. Keep up the good work.
https://www.madesafe.org/find-products/bedding/
Do you have an opinion on Flexus Comfort mattresses? I am also considering Happsy, but I am worried that the Happsy mattress may be too firm, and I can’t afford the topper. Flexus has two types of latex mattresses: one is GOLS certified %100 organic latex (more expensive) and the other is Oeko-Tex certified %100 natural latex mattresses. I like the fact that you can choose what firmness level you want. My very tight budget needs to keep it under $1800 for a king, so I am feeling a bit torn as to what to order. I have family that love the mattresses that they gotten from Flexus. Thanks for weighing in on how safe they might be. https://www.flexuscomfort.com/mattresses/latex-mattresses/organic-latex-mattress.html
Hi Laura,
Flexus does not have the independent 3rd party certifications we look for in a mattress that would make our “Best Stuff” list.
Take a look at the “Best Stuff” category in our Safe Mattress Guide to see options. I think that 1 or 2 of those options should have a King for $1800
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/safe-product-guides/mattresses/
Is there any type of Water Cooler Type Mattresses? I want a guide & Reviews Thanks
I am unfamiliar with a “water cooler type mattress”. Can you post a link?
Thanks,
What about Safe & Rouged Mattresses?
Is that a brand of mattress?
I just noticed the same thing about mygreenmattress. I rely on your site for both reviews and product purchases. I bought a mattress from them recently, and would hate to think I made a mistake. I’m glad to know I didn’t make it up that it was here. Please help.
My Green does have the proper certifications so don’t worry about your purchase. They are going to be recategorized on our site because we are going to improve a couple aspects of our categories. Your mattress is fine, Do not worry! : )
Oh no, recategorized as bad stuff? My mattress arrived smelling like a barn and had to air it out for a month. They told me it was from the wool…should I be concerned?
When visiting your website before you mentioned MyGreenMattress as being good stuff but when I came back the information was gone. Is MyGreenMattress not good stuff anymore?
see below
What about mygreenmatress?
see below
Hi Maia,
I’m a huge fan of your website and spend so much time reading your posts. My husband and I finally decided to switch out our old mattress and go non-toxic. After reading your reviews and assessing our budget, we went with a king size and two twin size mattresses from my green mattress. We used your code and got a great discount, thank you so much! I was curious as to why they were removed from your product guide. I would hate to find out that they’ve lost certifications or something of that nature after I invested in them. Thank you in advance!
– Stephanie
No, Stephanie, they didn’t lose any certifications. Unfortunately, we’d had an upsetting business interaction with them that’s made me question their integrity. But, we have no reason to believe their mattresses are toxic.
what about Brentwood home?
Brentwood Home does not have the proper certifications to be included on our “Best Stuff” or “Good Stuff” categories.
Could you please mention which certifications are missing? Brentwood Cedar Natural has both GOLS and GOTS made out to them. This Brentwood mattress seems to have the exact same certifications that Avocado has (sister companies). They have been making many updates including removing hydrated silica and relying on wool for natural fire retardant properties.
Could you please describe why Avocado is not in the Best category?
You have updated Avocado info with the news that they have GOTS and GOLS, so is it still not in the BEST category?
i thought this guide used to include LifeKind. Weird that it’s not on here – i thought their safety and certs were straightforward!
*looks horrified at her $gazillion dollar Sleep Number bed!*
Thank you! This is so helpful! Especially the update. Are you familiar with organix bed (https://organixbed.com)? What are your thoughts about it? I’m not finding much information outside of that site. Thanks!
Hello! I’m currently looking at the Awara mattress by Avacado. It looks pretty clean to me. Have you seen anything about this one that concerns you? I didn’t see it mentioned above….
I don’t think Awara and Avocado are the same manufacturer???
Awara is made by Resident, the brand that makes Nectar and Dreamcloud. Avocado is an entirely different company, made in Los Angeles.
Do you know if there is a better mattress that would fit the Lotus Guava bassinet?
Hello! I was interested in hearing more about the Saatva mattress. We bought it a few months ago and I just saw that it’s under the sneaky stuff on your site. Does it have toxic materials? We have a 180 day trial so I think I can still return it. Any help is appreciated!
Thanks so much!
Kristina
Saatva does not have the independent 3rd party certifications we need to see in order to classify them as “Best Stuff”.
Have you dealt with Awara Sleep at all? Their mattress looks like it wouldn’t qualify for ‘The Best Stuff’ without the GOLS/GOTS certifications, but has a lot of other good advertised. Wondering if you happened to have any additional info? Thanks!
Hello!
I know you are probably swamped constantly with questions, especially with a subject as confusing as mattresses, however…
Whenever you get around to it, I would love to know where you would place Harvest Green Mattress. I guess it’s a newer company (2018). It states it has a number of certifications but they are written to the overseas product supplier – which I know you said is worrisome.
Would love to know if it you’d still consider it good stuff, okay? Better than conventional – which we have now.
Thanks so much for the work that you all do!
Will add to our list to do a full review, but yes almost certainly better than conventional:) .But like you said, the oversees certifications are not as good as one that’s written directly to the manufacturer itself.
Good Day … after seemingly days of mattress research – and despite yours and others’ skepticisms -we are considering buying Saatvas’ Classic mattress ( or maybe their healthier Latex Hybrid ?) … What do you think of these regarding toxicity issues ?? Thank You … Tim Deese
I’m confused by the info on the Tuft & Needle mattresses. I am looking at the Mint, and the website says it is Greenguard Gold certified (under “certifications” here: https://www.tuftandneedle.com/mattress/mint/?bvstate=pg:3/ct:r)
This obviously contradicts the info you have above, so how do I verify if their claimed certifications are true?
Yes, they’ve updated their certifications. We are in the process of updating this page to reflect all the recent changes!
Hi Maia! What do you suggest for a bassinet mattress? I’m not finding anything safe!
Hi!
Love your site – you are my go to for non toxic info!
We are looking at a tuft & needle mattress & I was surprised by the updated review in here saying they only have Certi-PUR as they have a few certifications – including GreenGuard Gold on their site. Just wondering if it’s a sneaky certification or if they have updated their certs. Thanks!
They’ve updated their certifications and we are updating this page accordingly:).
Tuft and needle now has GREENGUARD gold, would that change its rating?
Also, curious if you have researched joybeds.com chemical free mattresses?
To save you trouble, I called Awara, and they are not certified with GOTS or GOLS, and instead use Certipure and Rain Forest Alliance certifications.
Correct. Awara does not have the certifications we look for.
Thank you!!
Very good info, however I think you should update it to include more info about fiberglass. I had to buy a mattresses for my kid when she outgrew her crib and I was surprised to learn that many memory foam mattresses have fiberglass in them! The fiberglass is in loose strands and only contained by the manufacturer’s slipcover and after it gets released it goes into hvac systems and people have had to get rid of their homes or have them gutted to get rid of all the fibers! What a nightmare… So to help people I put my research about it on my computer/electronics blog if you want to check out the post at https://www.jsnowcreations.com/?p=1995 and the site where I first learned about the dangers of fiberglass in mattresses is this one https://fiberglassawareness.com/fiberglass/mattresses.htm
We totally agree. Fiberglass in your mattress should definitely be avoided…as should any memory foam mattress.
Hi, thanks so much for this site! In rushing to move into a new place, I just made the mistake of buying an off-gasing mattress at MattressFirm… I didn’t think it was, but it wound up have an inch or 2 layer of foam etc. Now I may be stuck paying a huge restocking fee unless I perhaps exchange for their ONLY organic mattress they sell which is by Awara. But I don’t see Awara here in your list at all. How do they stack up?
can you give me advice on a mattress company called https://www.eightsleep.com?
Thanks.
Do you know anything about the bentwood home cedar luxe mattress?? It says it’s 100% organic gots. Would love any info you might have on it!
Debating between the My green mattress and white lotus for my toddler. I’ve read that steel core/springs make the mattress last 4x longer, but leaning towards the white lotus since they offer 6-8in height versus 9.25-9.5in from My green which I think will be too tall for my toddler’s montessori low bed. Would love your thoughts! Love your guide.
My green mattress also offers the Kiwi Bunk Bed Mattress in twin size which is 8 inches high.
Hi! I went through the reviews and want to get an organic mattress but it seems like all of the best mattresses as far as materials go are firm. I am looking for a softer bed but they all seem to be firm. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Yes I would like to know this as well!
Me too! Would love to know what the softest options are. We bought the Naturepedic EOS Classic with soft coils and soft latex, but it’s not as soft as our old (toxic) mattress that we threw away. Only have a few days to return the Naturepedic, and struggling to find a mattress that will be softer for side sleepers.
Is there any research on 5 little monkeys?
Wow. THANK YOU FOR THIS INFO! I’ve been searching high and low and you’ve made it clear.
Hi Naala,
Thank you for letting us know. We will reach out to them and make sure that we update our site. Sorry that you had this experience with them.
Hi , would love to hear your opinion on Brentwood Homes mattresses’. They have a new hybrid latex mattress I’ve been doing tons of research on.
& I see Plush Beds on the best stuff, does this go for all of plus beds mattresses’? Some of them are not certified “organic”.
Thank you!
Interested in these as well!
I also noticed that In 2018, Avocado Mattress completed a merger with Brentwood Home.
Yes, this is part of the reason we are no longer recommending them.
Hi,
Thank you for all your help and the work that you do.
Have you looked into the Brentwood Cedar Natural Luxe Mattress?
Thanks!
Have you researched anything about purple mattress? And if so where do they fall in the line of best to bad on your list of mattress options.
Silk & Snow – Cdn company shipping for free to Canada and the continental USA! They offer an organic mattress for extremely reasonable price. Can you look into this?
Any feedback on a box spring? I cannot find any that state they are toxin free or certified? Thank you!
Do you have recommendations for mattress protectors to protect these non-toxic mattresses?
You mentioned that Simmons uses vinyl. Can you explain where and how much. i was considering a Beauty Rest but, vinyl concerns me.
SleepOnLatex was listed on your OK list because you stated that they did not have GOLS certification. I checked today and they list their GOLS certification. If they check out, would they qualify as a safe option?
https://sleeponlatex.com/products/natural-latex-mattress
Yes, it looks like their certifications have been updated. We are reaching out to them now and will update our guide accordingly.
Hi, I was wondering if you had any input on the Juniper mattress (Brentwood homes)? We have mygreen mattresses for our kids but need to get a mattress for a trundle in their room which will be used very infrequently. Hence we’d like to spend less… Are there concerns with having a less than “best” mattress in their room even though they are not sleeping on it? Thank you!
Good question… Brentwood Homes has no mattresses that qualify as “Good Stuff”. They do not have the certifications we look for. Trundle mattresses are usually smaller and thinner than standard sizes. This often requires a custom build. Custom builds usually cost a bit more rather than less.
Having said that, we work with a company that has good certifications that makes very nice wool toppers that make great trundle mattresses. We own two and I’ve always maintained that because they are so comfy they would suffice as a mattress! They might be the perfect thing and they will cost far less than a mattress. If you send me your dimensions I can get a price for you. Send to john@gimmethegoodstuff.org
Your thoughts on Zinus brand mattresses.
Zinus makes memory foam mattresses…therefore there is no way they would make our “Best Stuff” or “Good Stuff” lists.
Hello I was hoping to get some input on Joybed mattresses
Where on this list would you put them?
Thank you 🙂
Does anyone have recommendations for a natural mattress for a lightweight side sleeper? It looks like most of them are on the firmer side without a topper.
Hi Rachael, Generally speaking, most mattresses are relatively firm. This is certainly true of nontoxic latex mattresses. A topper is recommended for those who want a softer experience.
Love the updates and this whole article (from when I found it 3 years ago and was pleasantly surprised that many of the brands upgraded) – Thank you so much for this! I was surprised that the OMI brands – OrganicPedic, Lifekind, and Metta – weren’t on here – any opinions on those?
These were Good Stuff last time we checked, but we’ve had communications issues with this brand.
Unfortunately none of the mattresses in the Best and Good stuff categories will work for me and my husband. Brooklyn Mattress meets all my needs but I am wondering if there have been any updates since this was posted? Would you consider this company to be better than some of the other mainstream mattresses out there?
Also, what are the thoughts on Sleep Number and what category they would fall into, particularly as compared to Brooklyn Mattress?
Thank you in advance!
What are your thoughts on Zinus mattresses? Thank you!
Any thoughts on the Live and Sleep eco-friendly memory foam mattress? I haven’t heard much about this company but came across the site after trying to find a super affordable mattress for my sons college apartment. Any suggestions?
Forgive me if you’ve already answered this question, but do you have any thoughts about The Futon Shop? Specifically, I am looking at this product: https://www.thefutonshop.com/organic-latex-wool-mattress-topper-celestia-organic-topper/
And thanks for everything you do! I appreciate the care and effort you all have put into procuring this information and making it available to the rest of us.
Hi
My wife and I use a split king adjustable bed. We are in the market for new mattresses. Does anyone know of a healthy option?
Thanks
Michael
Can you give an evaluation of the puffy lux mattress?
How do you feel about the Uffy Lux matters
Can you review it?
Any opinion on Lifekind and OMI? I have a Lifekind “The Duet” mattress and it is very comfortable. I think it would fall under “the best stuff” but curious on your thoughts. Thanks!
Hi there-I am curious about the SleeponLatex brand. I see you have it rated and reference that they do not use “the most dangerous flame retardants.” From what I can tell from their website they are using wool and nothing else as a flame retardant (their wool is supposed to be GOTS certified) Also, their latex foam is purportedly made without any fillers or synthetic latex and is certified by Oeko-Tex and ecoInstitut. This company appears to meet all of your standards but you still have them rated as “OK” I am curious if you could share with me some more information that I can use to delineate why this product is not on the good stuff list because their certifications are all in their name and their product appears to meet your standards. Thanks!
John,
We have gone back and forth over your statements about our company several times in the past. I remain confused and disappointed by the misinformation that you continually put out about our company. Time and time again, commenters on this page have pointed out that your statements about us are either false or contridictory.
The fact is that we have every single certification that you currently recommend (and more). Below is a list of our certifications (all of these certifications cover our complete mattresses):
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) – License #OT-034423 – Issued Directly to Sleep On Latex
GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) – Certification #C868773GOLS-02.2020 – Issued Directly to Sleep On Latex
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Class 1 – Certification #15.HUS.60646 – Issued Directly to Sleep On Latex
Greenguard Gold by UL – Certification #80101-410 – Issued Directly to Sleep On Latex
Karl Shevick
Founder & CEO
Sleep On Latex
I will take a look and make any appropriate changes.
Wanted to update you here Karl–We are seeing that your mattress now indeed has all the certifications written directly in your name. This is great–we will update our guide:)
Karl-I am going to remove the prior comments where we say that Sleep on Latex does not have the proper certifications in order to avoid confusing our readers.
They appear to have updated their certifications and are now at least Good Stuff, possibly even Best Stuff (we are reaching out to them now to sort out where they belong in our updated guide!).
I am drawn to Saatva because of the organic cotton cover and the fact they are known to give off no odors and I have MCS. They have very little foam in them.
I am leery of latex due to the smell
Saatva does not have the independent 3rd party certifications we look for. Not all latex has an odor.
John, could you please let me know *which* safe latex DOESN’T have the typical natural latex odor? As someone who is sensitive, I dislike the natural latex smell of pillows and mattresses, even if they are certified, etc. If there does in fact exist a natural latex product that has no odor, please let me know. I would be very interested to look into it. Thank you so much.
How do you feel about the awara mattress? I am thinking about getting it.
Unfortunately Awara does not have the 3rd party certifications we look for.
Has anyone found a good thin mattress? I need one that’s only 6″-7″ inches for the top bunks in our room (for safety). Most of these certified ones are more than 8. I’d love some help! If I have to resort to the Modway Avenline one from Amazon with CertiPUR-US Certified Foam, would you get an organic topper to create a layer between mattress and the kids?
Take a look at these. There are 2 versions. Only 4 inches thick. We sleep on the latex one!
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/?s=shikibuton
How do you feel about Latex for Less? They seem to have some good certifications.
Have you reviewed the Montana futon company called Small Wonders? Would they make it on your Best Stuff list?
Thanks for your time and all you do
You used to have Lifekind mattresses on here (I bought one after reading about it here), but it’s no longer on the list. How come?
We’ve been being more health and eco conscious with our purchases. So when it was time to buy a new mattress, we referred to your mattress guide since the choices can be overwhelming. We first bought from EcoTerra. Before buying, I reached out to customer service to make sure we were getting a good fit for our needs. I ordered what was recommended thinking a medium mattress would be somewhere in between soft and firm. It was not. The mattress was thin, super soft, and we rolled off the edge of we got to close. We spent 3 nights on that mattress before bringing our old one back into our room. Each night I slept on it I was in more physical pain: headaches, back ache, neck pain. Any part of my body that touched the mattress was in pain. When I called customer service to discuss my experience, they were rude and said “what did you expect, you ordered a medium mattress and you got soft.” The return policy is 90 days from purchase, but if you return it before 30 days there is a charge. I tried reaching out to a manager thinking that perhaps I just got someone on a bad day, everyone was rude. The manager I spoke to didn’t answer any of my questions, just kept repeating the policy and said there is an adjustment period for any Mattress. When I asked if pain was part of the adjustment, she said yes. When our 30 days was up, I called again and got the same manager. When I said I wanted to return the mattress she kept offering me everything but the opportunity to return it and got short when I kept repeating that I wanted to return the mattress. The mattress was picked up by a 3rd party company. They said they’ve been collecting lots of these mattresses and that everyone has the same complaints about it being an awful mattress that causes pain. Unfortunately there is no place to file a complaint and the website only posts positive reviews.
I hope you consider removing them from the list
We went back to the list and went with a plush bed. The customer service is great, the bed is so comfortable and well made and mattress purchases comes with free stuff. We were super happy with our overall experience and purchase from plush beds
What about Birch mattresses? I don’t see this listed. Thanks so much!
Hi! I have a Brentwood Home mattress right now, I do not see this company anywhere on your list. I’m sure it’s “sneaky” which is upsetting because I tried so hard trying to find a nontoxic mattress since my room is right next to my son’s. I’m about to get rid of it after only a year and a half. I emailed them about the strong odor after it arrived. They assured me it was nontoxic and gave a list. I should have listened to my gut I’m sure. Out of your top/best list, which is the most comfortable? I have back issues and the one I have now is making them worse. I laid on my friends nectar and almost thought about getting one (suuuuper comfy), but I was sad to see it isn’t a good one toxic wise. I read where you guys use a topper.. is that because it’s not very comfortable? I don’t want to spend 3k+ on a mattress and it not be comfortable.
Thanks!!
Thank you for the post. Although I cannot prove it I believe I started having issues with my mattress purchase 2 years ago. I have been sleeping on the couch and am ready to find a healthy sleeping environment. I would have pulled the plug on PlushBeds but I did not like the terms of their trial period. It doesn’t make sense to gift a mattress protector that you can’t use because if you use the required 30 days and want to return it has to returned new in package. Also, if returned which I doubt would happen I would have to find a way to box it. I will take a serious look at your other much appreciated suggestions. Thank you again.
Anyone have info on the Ecocloud mattress by Winkbeds?
Oh, I was going to buy Layla because of this review https://wisepick.org/best-mattress-under-1000/ Thank God I found your site. Going to order Plush Beds one. I will write feedback after I got it!
What do you think about the Zinus Green Tea 12-inch Memory Foam Mattress? A relative just gave us one they’re not using anymore, it’s about 3 years old, barely used. It looks like the mattress is polyurethane foam, which I’m a little nervous about. It has the CertiPur certificate, which I see means little. I’m a little concerned about the glass fiber in the mattress cover (I think this acts as a fire sock). I didn’t think to look into what the mattress was made of until we accepted it and already gave away our old one. We have a baby and preschooler and they both end up in our bed a lot of the time. I have a naturepedic crib mattress for the baby. I’m wondering if it would be okay for us to sleep on this Zinus mattress for a few years or if this is something I really need to look at replacing much sooner.
Google fiberglass coming out of these beds, that is what turned me off from buying one.
Have you done any research on 5 little monkeys sleep system? I’m SAHM with 3.5 and 5.5 year old about to purchase twin/full mattresses for their new bunk bed. HELP! I’m going nuts.
Tuft & Needle’s website mentions that they are GREENGUARD Gold certified. What are your thoughts?
Hi,
I have a question about boric acid. When a mattress is treated with boric acid and you cover it with a non toxic mattress protector, will you protect yourself from inhaling this boric acid? I look forward to your response as I was not able to find any information on the net about it. Thanks for putting together this information, and thanks for your sharing your research!
Hello Maia-
I so appreciated all your “research” & info re the good & bad in mattresses. Thank you! Following close to 2 weeks of my researching any info I could find online, including yours, I was very close to placing an order. I actually had a Queen sized mattress in the “Shopping Cart” on Plushbeds site. At that point, I was quite exhausted & something kept “nagging” at me, keeping me from hitting the “checkout” key. Then, off of their site, I googled “reviews” on them. Up came Consumer Affairs site, with many astounding reviews, sharing what so many customers had gone through over the past few years. Very stressful, almost “horror” stories! I’m not well, but struggle with chronic pain and need to keep my stress at a minimum. After reading all those “honest” reviews, I quickly deleted my selection and got off the PlushBeds site. Before that, when I kept going back over their various Certifications, I noticed they seemed to be under different names, but had PushBeds stamped across them. I was so excited that this company was offering a “SALE” but quickly learned (just checked it again myself on their site), the use a ton of false advertising. It’s not really a sale; all they do is keep changing the date! Also, so many reviewers revealed that the “Free” sheets, pillows & cover came without legitimate tags on them. These customers went through so much stress & turmoil with this company! They found the same pillows, etc., for sale on Amazon (made in China) for a much lesser price. PLUS, you cannot even open the “Free” items because then you cannot return them. You HAVE to keep the Mattress for at least 30 days, return fees are involved, etc., etc.
Please tell me, would YOU want to take the chance of going through all this by placing an order with this company?
I just want & need a truly “healthy” mattress (cannot afford thousands of dollars), now I’m starting over with all the research, etc. I’m just not sure where to turn at this point.
Thank you very much for reading this long message. I was so impressed with your writing and wanted to get your thoughts on all this.
Thank you again, and please stay safe during this very difficult time in our Country!
Curious your thoughts on Brentwood homes juniper mattress?
what do you think about “Brentwood” They have a mattress called “Cedar” that seems to be fairly certified. GOLS GOTS greenguard gold, etc.
Hello- I’ve been looking at PranaSleep – which has an organic line using 100% natural latex and organic cotton. I have asked for their certifications and cannot find any on their website. Do you have certification info for this company? Thank you!!
I am looking at a Joybed right now as we are searching for a new bed. The price is similar to My Green Mattress, but it is coil spring with wool and cotton. Have you seen this brand?
Hi,
I live in Canada, so it’s nearly impossible to get these mattresses. Either I have to pay exorbitant duty and don’t get the option to test it. Or I have to pay the duty, test it and the lose the 100’s I spent on the duty.
SO… I’m trying to find a mattress that ships from WITHIN Canada. Do you know anything about Silk & Snow, or Haven mattresses? I see they don’t have all the certifications, but I’m not sure why. I know Essentia is on the list (and they ship within), but they charge you to return it if you don’t like it. Which is just poor service in my opinion.
Thanks for making this list!
Hi Gwen,
Have you looked at Obasan? Their organic mattresses are made in Canada. I have one and couldn’t be happier with it.
Just looking, 3/2020. Anything new since this article? TYSM
But which is most comfortable?
Thanks for the post. I wanted to share that I have an Avocado pillow. While it is a great texture (both the inside and the material of the cover), it gets really hot to sleep with. I’m so glad I didn’t purchase a mattress. I’d love to know more on these safe materials that are also not overheating. I realize that’s not the focus of the site but I think it’s worth mentioning.
Have you hear of the sleep EZ mattresses?
I would like to see a comment on this from the Maia as well, since I am considering SleepEz and would like her take.
I am a little skeptical of SleepEz at this point–their sales associates really seem as if they don’t understand the products. For example: Three weeks ago, I called the company to ask from where they sourced their latex. I mentioned that I currently have a Savvy Rest, and have been happy with it, but am looking for a new mattress for my bedroom, and the SavvyRest will go into the guest room. The gentleman on the line immediately said, “We source our latex from the exact same company that Savvy Rest does, so if you like your Savvy Rest, you’ll like our mattress.”
I called Savvy Rest, and discovered that they source their latex from Radium Foam from the Netherlands. The Savvy Rest rep told me they used to get their latex from Latex International ,but that company had horrible distribution issues and filed for bankruptcy.
I then returned to SleepEz’s website and read: “We source our latex from the top 4 global latex suppliers who we have worked with for decades. Our close relationships mean we get the best latex at the best price, and pass along the savings to you.”
Huh? Four suppliers? Why four? Who are they? I thought SleepEx sources from the same folks as SavvyRest–which only uses ONE supplier.
I emailed the company to find out.
This time, the gentleman who responded told me they source their latex from both Radium and Talalay Global. When I asked how I would know which source my latex came from, should I order a bed, he said, “Well, right now we’re out of Radium, so you would get a Latex International mattress.” I asked about Latex International going bankrupt, and he quoted a website called the “Mattress Underground” that indicates Latex International is now Talalay Global. (Why would he need to quote an external website? Shouldn’t HE know that info?)
A few days later I had other questions, so I emailed SleepEz to ask about the composition of the their talalay. (Talalay isn’t organic, and in their process, they need to add some other element such as clay.) I asked, “What is the percentage breakdown of your blended talalay? In other words, what percentage is natural latex and what percentage is fillers? His response: “Their (Talalay Global’s) ration of man-made rubber to natural rubber is 30% natural rubber and 70% man-made rubber. The finished product ends up consisting of 98% rubber, with the remaining 2% of ingredients being things like natural fatty acids, natural soaps, and natural reinforcing agents needed for manufacturing.”
Their products have multiple certifications, which you can read here: https://sleepez.com/pages/sleep-ez-latex-mattress-certifications/
Although their customer service seems to be exceptional, I am still just a little uneasy about the company. Maybe it’s nothing, but the whole confusion over their suppliers left me hesitant. No one ever did tell me who all four suppliers are–only two.
Do you know anything about the Prana organic mattresses?
There are so few companies that make “mini crib” mattresses. Naturepedic discontinued their “portable crib pad” version. I’ve seen Bundleof Dreams pop up in my search, but can’t tell whether they are just another “sneaky stuff” brand. Any insights?
Hi! Wondering if you ever heard of the Chiromatic mattress. https://www.shop.chiromatic.com.
Excellent post
May I add for those that live in the Southern Hemisphere, there are stores like
Organature
Blessed Earth
Which make chemical-free mattress that essentially use only two materials- cotton and steel. You need to care differently for these matress as they need to breathe more, and even avoid contact with a bedbasr that has such wood as treated pine, but it is well worth the investment , it’s trasnformed my life.
Naturepedic makes several certified organic mattress options with no latex (and, of course, no foam). These meet the most stringent standards for being free of toxins, VOCs, flame retardants, etc.
I am looking for a foam/latex free no voc mattress. So far the only one I have found is Joybed. Does anyone have any experience with this mattress? Comments about it’s toxicity level? Other alternative brands? Thanks!
What do you think of Shepherd’s Dream wool mattresses/futons https://shepherdsdream.com/?
Hi! What are your thoughts on Brentwood home mattresses? My husband bought the mattress about a month ago and we can still smell the “off-gassing.” I haven’t been able to sleep on the mattress and feel the smell has taken over the bedroom. We’ve tried everything from baking soda to leaving the fan and widow opened. Because I’m pregnant, I’m scared of the off gassing and chemicals. According to reviews etc…Brentwood home is non toxic. The smell however is intolerable. It’s been over a month and the smell is still there. Please help! Thank you!
Hi. I bought a adjustable bed and I was going to get a Casper memory foam mattress but reading your reviews I am not sure what to buy anymore…I know it cannot be a regular mattress it has to be able to move flexible with the different bed positions please what ca I buy the it would be safe and will work with my adjustable bed? Thank you so much.
Hello- what are your thoughts on the Purple mattress?
Hello, appreciate all of your research here! Wondering about Bear mattresses?
Thank you!
Hi, Thank you so much for a great research! I’m struggling to find the plushest option possible as my mattress is super firm. I really like the feel of memory foam and wondering if any of the “green” companies stating there is no offgasing or VOCs are actually true?
Specifically, https://www.saatva.com/bedding/mattress-topper
or https://www.keetsa.com/collections/mattress-toppers/products/keetsa-3-luxurious-topper
Also, what are your thoughts about featherbeds ( https://www.scandiahome.com/down-pillowtop-featherbed?quantity=1&color=68) in terms of toxicity?
which option would you recommend?
Very important and concerning information. Saatca materials is listed under “sneaky” does the matters have PBDEs? Its our matters where we let the kids sleep with us on weekends.
typo above should read Saatva
What’s your view on waterproof covers for mattresses? We have a new soaring heart bed with a flannel cover and our dog peed in our bed yesterday. It leaked thru the flannel protector and onto our wool topper… not sure what to do here. Thanks for all of your helpful insight!
No this mattress does not have PBDEs.
Hi!
You are my go to for all natural and organics in my house! I was wondering if you are doing a mattress PROTECTOR guide or in your own person experience have you found a good option?
Thanks so much!
I will also add that the Tuft and Needle hold OEKO TEX posted here —
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170623005095/en/Tuft-Needle-Complete-Mattress-System-Earn-STANDARD
I have to disagree with you on Tuft+Needle. It says on their site: Our Mint and Original T&N mattress fire barriers are made of a woven fabric blend that passes burn tests WITHOUT adding chemical flame retardants.
Also–you failed to mention they hold GreenGuard as well. We’ve had this mattress for 2 years, and it’s been great. It’s a great option for families on a budget.
We have 2 Lifekind mattress and several more pillows and bedding. We love their products. Their owner wrote a book about Toxic Bedrooms called “Sleep Safe in a Toxic World” Book by Walter Bader, President/CEO of Lifekind. I love their products and believe they are the tops of organic natural pure bedding products. Mattresses can be different amounts of hardness or softness. We have toppers from them as well as comforters. Thank you for your great assessment and guide to safe mattresses. Namasté.
Hi! I was wondering if you knew anything about Happsy mattresses? Thanks!
Happsy makes the most certified organic mattresses. Certifications include GOTS, GOLS, MADE SAFE, Zero Toxics Product Registry, GREENGUARD GOLD, UL Formaldehyde Free, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Rainforest Alliance. Happsy is recommended and advocates along with 1% For The Planet, Green America, Women’s Voices For The Earth, American Sustainable Business Council, and Sustainable Furnishings Council (Gold), Happsy Certified Organic Mattresses use certified organic cotton fabric, certified organic cotton batting, certified organic wool, certified organic latex, and encased coils. Happsy products do not contain polyurethane foam, flame retardants, formaldehyde, pesticides, GMOs, glues/adhesives, etc.
Best STuff:) See above for coupon codes.
What about Purple? They say right on their website:
“How can you know which mattresses are really organic and eco-friendly? Look for these organic and low-environmental impact certifications: the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), CertiPUR US, GreenGuard, and the OEKO-TEX Standard 100.”
But then they only state that they use Certipur foam. The do say their flame barrier is GreenGuard Gold certified.
https://purple.com/blog/mattress-materials-safest-sleepers
Just wanted to drop a note to say that John was amazing in helping me sort through my mattress dilemma. I appreciate the time you put in to educate and help others. He asked me to write him an email about the choice I made but I dont have an email so please tell him that Yogi from San Diego ended up purchasing the ‘Pure Echo” GOTS certified cotton and coil from my green mattress since it was their ‘firmest’. Once we receive it, I can will see if a 1 inch dunlop topper is needed. Thank you once again!!!
Hi! what are your thoughts on the Happsy brand organic mattresses?
It did for me just now (11.30.2019). It is for the standard size only.
I’m confused about your recommendation of My Green Mattress in your best list. When I look at the certifications on their website, IF they even appear, they are outdated and/or for Sri Lanka. None of the certifications are for My Green Mattress themselves. I’d love to take advantage of holiday savings, but am so confused by this recommendation and hesitant to proceed. Could you please elaborate or explain why? I see your note about them recently being certified in their own name – so is this article outdated or possibly incorrect or is the manufacturer website incorrect? Thank you!
Exactly… but I see no answers here to ANY questions.
Do you have any reviews on the Saatva mattress classic line
What about Serta matresses? I am assuming they are under “the bad”? I am buying a new mattress now and am getting stressed out because I have the awareness level yet not the funds to get one of “the best” ones ?
Any thoughts on the Awara mattress?
I would also like to know
I really appreciate your work on doing this research. I have been looking at mattresses and toppers and have run across OMI and Royal Pedic – but don’t see them mentioned in your writings. I really like the Soaring Heart company, and they connected me to a dealer for OMI for a topper.
I would appreciate if you have any feedback.
Thanks,
Janice
Have you researched the Happsi mattress company?
Thanks for this awesome review! I know you can’t write about every single brand/company but I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on the Purple mattress? I see a LOT of marketing these days on it! I know their certification comes from CertiPUR-US® (which is one of the sneaky ones) but still wondered if you had additional thoughts?
Thanks!
Any reviews on the Obasan mattresses?
AVACADO publicly claims to have GOTS and GOLS certification – they have responded with that assertion in emails when I inquired about their websites ,on their websites and in instagram posts.
After reading your post, I am wondering if we need to call the organization that provides GOLS certification.
Also curious about Brentwood Home mattresses, in large part because of their affordable price points.
Flormeldahyde I ment to say
I’m allergic to rubber which I believe is latex and I’m also allergic to lower Mills at Hyde so which mattress would you suggest?
Oops flormeldahyde
What about the Endy mattress?
What are your thoughts on Brentwood Home mattresses?
I bought their Juniper twin mattress a few years ago. Now I need to buy another twin, and wondering if I should purchase from there again. It was much less expensive than a lot of other “green” brands.
Hi there,
Thanks for the wonderful guide, it’s really been useful in shopping for a number of new mattresses, for our whole family.
Perhaps at the time of writing, it was different, but isn’t the Metta Bed mattress GOLS certified via their parent company OMI?
I’m looking at the GOLS and GOT certifications area at the bottom of the page at:
https://www.mettabed.com/products/the-metta-bed-mattress?variant=6256504471591
GOLS Registration No.: 82430
If so, would that move it from The Good Stuff to The Best Stuff category?
I was recently shopping for a memory foam mattress and got concerned when I saw reviews on Amazon about fiberglass all over peoples’ homes.
So I did what any normal person does and I contacted 24 memory foam and latex mattress providers on Amazon and asked them these questions: Do any of your memory foam mattresses contain fiberglass, modacrylic, or silica in the covers or any other part of the mattress? What countries are your memory foam mattresses made in? ?
Then I compiled the answers into an Excel spreedsheet to help me make a decision. After it was all said and done I decided to share my findings so I published the Excel spreedsheet in table form on my non-mattress/fiberglass related website just in case it could help others. I also included snippets of the replies I received. Here’s the link if anyone is interested: https://www.jsnowcreations.com/reviews/which-memory-foam-mattresses-do-not-contain-fiberglass/
with multiple sensitivities and arthritis and fibro, a soft mattress with yielding support is necessary for me to get any sleep. I have spent too much on various mattresses with terrible results. I am sending a new Saatva plush mattress back, as it is hard and already showing sinking where I sleep. No smell, but the lift that I also bought and cannot return smelled awful for weeks.
I have used a thick organic cotton futon on top of mattresses as a solution, but the benefits of softness and yielding to pressure points is lost, Suggestions needed, as I am sleeping on an older guest room mattress that is soft and comfortable, but the latex in it turns my skin red.
Thank you Maia and John for so much interesting information in one place!
We live and work in South Africa. Our business is importing mattresses from Switzerland that are European Ecolabel certified.
There is so much educating that needs to be done about what lies beneath the covering of mattresses. We will share this with our clients and friends.
I have checked this article, based on my research it’s something missing on this list , which I found in some websites like this one. https://mrsleepingmaster.com/get-rid-bed-bugs-mattress/ as well as https://mattresssafe.com/are-mattress-safe-products-made-in-the-usa/. You should add this missing products. Also, Thank you for making good article…
Anyone use PlushBeds? I hate it and the only thing making me ok with it, was that it is non toxic…or so I thought. I saw their certifications, but could you elaborate on your thoughts on the “foam manufacturer in Sri Lanka, not to PlusBeds directly.” Do you think this means the product they send out isn’t certified?
We’ve had a Botanical Bliss Plush bed for a month and are very unhappy with it. It still smells like a tire shop and sleeps extremely hot. Nothing like advertised. We’re going to return if we can get their customer service to respond.
Hi Joy, John here… The world of “natural” mattresses can be a scary place. Many manufacturers rely on consumer ignorance and confusion. I will be happy to help you find a truly nontoxic mattress. john@gimmethegoodstuff.org
Haven’t heard back from you after sending an email. We are trying to find a replacement bed so that we can return the Botanical Bliss Plush Bed which is still off gassing and sleeps like a furnace.
Can you recommend something else we can try? We had a Tempurpedic prior to the BB which was comfortable, but did off gas a lot originally and had developed dips. I don’t like the uncomfortable edge where the BB zips as it leaves a depression on my knee when sleeping on the edge. Also, we like a smooth surface without any depressions and a bed where you sleep on top and not in a rut. Any ideas for us? We are sleep deprived and desperately want to find another bed.
Thank you for your help.
Thank you for all the great information.
It’s so fantastic that you for all your information and educating customers. Dishonest marketing and misinformation makes it really difficult for the average consumer.
I represent Elite Beds and Sleepwell which are both Swiss brands and certified chemical free with European Eco label and other certifications.
Thanks for this post. There seems to be updates on Zenhaven’s website as well — certified organic cotton, 100% natural latex and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified. Another review (https://www.sleepadvisor.org/zenhaven-mattress-review/) says the organic cotton is GOTS certified. I’m surprised by this list, but doing research to confirm.
https://www.zenhaven.com/eco-purity
I was looking at the avocado website and I see they have the global organic standard logos in their page. Did they get certified after this publication?
What are your thoughts on Brentwood Home mattresses?
I bought their Juniper twin mattress a few years ago. Now I need to buy another twin, and wondering if I should purchase from there again. It was much less expensive than a lot of other “green” brands.
Tuft and Needle claims to “hold the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification on the entire T&N mattress, including the fire barrier.” Not just the CertiPUR.
Hi there,
Great post. I appreciate your overview and in-depth research. Have you hear of Obasan? It is a Canadian Compant, based out of Ottawa. I was just curious if you had any thoughts on their mattresses?
Thanks,
I’m also curious about Obasan mattresses, specifically the crib mattress. Please let us know if there are any concerns or if it would be considered “good stuff,” thank you!
Wow! Thank you so much for this awesome breakdown! I am currently looking into buying an Avocado Green Mattress and it looks like as of 2019, they do now have the GOTS Certification written for their US based production facility? Does this mean that maybe it should belong in the “Best” category now? I want to make sure I’m understanding the certification right. https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com/gots-gols-certified-factory/
Hi Kristen- did you end up buying a mattress from Avocado? I am interested in their Green Mattress, but am unsure because of Maia’s review above. Thanks!
I bought an Avocado mattress as well as the pillows and am very happy with them. Very minor smell when I took the plastic wrap off but that went away quickly, especially since I keep green plants in my bedroom which absorb VOC’s. No smell and quite comfortable.
I was looking at the avocado website and I see they have the global organic standard logos in their page. Maybe the got the certification after this publication…
Do you have any info on the new AWARA mattress? I’d really like to know as I was consider purchasing one of these for the price point and what it claims to offer?
Was also wondering your thoughts on the Purple mattress. They advertise as being non-toxic and safest mattress. Wondering if that’s true. Thanks!
Hey! Have you looked into the purple mattress at all? If so, what is your opinion on their products?
Hi there…thanks for this guide. I found it a bit late… I ordered and received a couple weeks ago the brooklyn aurora. I’m surprised it’s on your okay list because it STINKS!!!!
I aired it out for about 2 weeks and while it’s no longer offensive when I enter the room it still smells. Maybe the remaining smell isn’t off gassing and is just mattress smell but it scares me! What are your thoughts on this? Anything different than what you have written here (since it was written last March)?
Thank you!!!
Hi! I searched what crib mattress I have from my order history and it’s the lullaby earth. I could have sworn it was organic but now I don’t see the word organic in my online receipt. Are you familiar with this brand?
Hello! I’m transitioning my two year old into her own bed – I would purchase the futon you suggested but I am concerned it is not firm enough. At what age did you put your children on this futon? She has been bed sharing with me up to this point on a firm mattress. Thanks!
I’ve been researching non toxic mattresses after 2 weeks of sleeping on a new Casper mattress that seems to be causing recurrent headaches 🙁 what do you think about the Joybed mattress? Is the glue they use in the spring wrapping (less than .01 of the mattress materials) super toxic? Because I love that it is foam free and budget friendly!
Hi, I was wondering if box springs being non toxic are just as important as the mattress? Will it negate my healthy mattress benefits if I have a toxic box spring? Thanks!
Do you have any suggestions when it comes to buying a waterproof mattress protector? Are used to buy a organic cotton top waterproof mattress protector for a bed but then they stop making it. The only things that I have found that are not full of chemicals are very plasticky feeling and lead to a very hot and sweaty night sleep! Any suggestions that are safe and chemical free? Thank you
Latex mattresses are widely known for their luxurious comfort, cushioned support, soothing pressure point relief, resilience and healthy nature. Latex mattresses are also made with customizable layers, so you can adjust the comfort, thickness and firmness, based upon your needs.
Any recs for twin trundle for my child’s bed? I have naturepedic for him – but don’t want to break the bank on one for guests that will be used only occasionally. Also don’t want off-gassing to reach my son if it’s beneath him nightly!
What do you think about Sleeping Organic mattresses? They seem to have all the certifications and all natural latex. https://sleepingorganic.com/
Hello! I just looked into Avocado Mattress, and they hold a GOTS certification in their name. Do you know if this is enough to move them up on your list?
Thanks!
Thank you for this article. I purchased a Casper memory foam mattress approx 2 yrs ago & though I love the comfort of it I suffer with more allergies than ever. I’ve had numerous sinus infections since this purchase & recently have developed vertigo with nausea, brain fog & just a general feeling of not feeling well. I think I just made the connection with not feeling well & memory foam. I’m sleeping on my couch as of now & feeling better. This was not a cheap mattress & very disappointed. Not sure where to go from here.
The Best all natural latex mattress from Morningowl is a comfortable, eco-friendly option for buyers with a higher shopping budget.This mattress is available in three thickness options – 9″, 10″, and 12″ – to accommodate sleepers with different profile preferences.
Hi, just wondering what you think of Joybed. I know they are not completely organic but look fairly safe. I need something that is latex free. I tried my green mattress echo and found it too firm for me as I’m a side sleeper. I’m trying the joy beds plush model and am waiting for it to arrive.
Are The Futon Shop mattresses6s safe?
Thank you so much for the information! Have you heard of birch living mattresses? Here is a link to their website:
https://birchliving.com
I’m considering buying a mattress, and theses seem to be pretty affordable.
Thanks!
Excellent informative article. Now-a-days I am using Bio Sleep Concept organic mattress. They are providing no-toxic healthy mattress. The mattress is pretty good in quality. I have purchased this one https://biosleepconcept.com/amboise-latex-mattress.html
Hi, do you know what awara sleep mattresses fall into?, they say they have GOTS and GOLS materials, the price is pretty affordable so makes me wonder if what they claim is true?, what is your opinion?, thanks!. Here is the link: https://www.awarasleep.com/mattress?utm_source=FB&utm_medium=cm&utm_campaign=mattress&fbclid=IwAR1FSJzAlLZo61b5LgGiVQKACqkxzs27RSg5jpMIUTQfPqmmJkwqpY2SxbQ
Hi! I am in Canada and don’t have access to the majority of what you post (but I love your website). Do you know anything about Endy? Is this safe? I am looking for two twin mattresses so trying to find a safe but affordable option. thank you! ps. I am a scientist so I appreciate very much that you stick to the facts, rather than project non-scientific or non-evidence based information!
Thanks!
All of this information for latex and wool mattresses is all well and good, for those who do not have an allergy to either of these materials. Unfortunately for me, sleeping on latex makes me feel even sicker than on foam, and I am allergic to wool. I came to this conclusion after purchasing the most expensive BioSleep mattress (Amboise), in King size and trying it repeatedly over the span of two years. Every time I slept on it, I would feel ill, with a multitude of symptoms. I finally gave up and sold it. I have also struggled to sleep on most traditional mattresses in the past few years, when visiting hotels and family, they too have made me ill. So I am at a loss. I remain on a 7 year old foam mattress, that has been the lesser of all other evils. The only exception to my mattress experiences has been in one hotel chain, with a Simmon’s Beautyrest, where my body breathes (does not overheat), and I feel well rested and energized in the morning, which I never do at home. But several attempts to purchase such beds for home use, have all had to be returned or donated, as the chemicals in the mattresses made me sick. I thought I would add my commentary, because for some of us, these natural products are not the solution either. And latex bed manufactures will try to tell you that as long as there is no direct contact with the skin, you SHOULD be fine with it. That is misleading information, because I am proof, and I have read stories of others like me, that they too were sick from simply sleeping or being in a room with latex products. I also want to mention that I never had any issues sleeping on any mattress, at home or away, until around 7-8 years ago, and believe that the chemical tampering and flame retardants that are now added to all mattresses, have been the factor that changed this for me and others like me. I am presently considering buying a Magniflex mattress, made in Italy, with Oeko Tex 100 certification on the entire mattress, in hopes that this may finally be my solution. If any one has had similar experiences to mine and found a solution, I welcome hearing about it.
I was looking for a mattress without latex as well. I’ve decided to give Joybed a try. Even though I ordered the plush one that contains wool, they offer one that is completely cotton and springs(no wool) for a decent price. And I know they are not completely organic but I still feel they are a safe choice with natural materials and no flame retardants.
Do you have any recommendations for organic mini crib mattresses?
I actually found one- are you familiar w the organic brand nook? Looks like they have an organic mini crib with multiple certifications backing the product. I’d love to hear your input on this California brand.
I found this website while looking at mattresses for my daughter. Toxicity is something I didn’t think of before. However, the best mattresses you list are above her price range.
I found Latex for Less mattresses. Do you know anything about them?
I purchased a mattress with memory foam. From the very day I brought that thing into my home, I started having more problems with my epilepsy. I had it in a separate room with the door closed, window open, airing out for a month and it still smelled. Luckily I was able to return it. And yes, once it was out of my house, my depression and problems with my epilepsy lessened. Just saying. I wonder how many more health problems come from this and many other products out there. We stopped using scented products of any kind. My husband’s cough went away. My eyes and throat stopped burning. My mom had cancer spots all over her body and wasn’t given much time to live. I finally got her to stop using scented detergent and softener. Guess what? All of her spots went away! She got another 5 years of life! Again, just saying. When 1 out of 2 have cancer in this country, you’ve got to wonder. Just my opinion.
Thank you so much for this great guide. I’ve been looking for a non-toxic mattress for my soon-to-be three-year-old daughter for months. It’s just overwhelming. Among the other things to keep in mind, I have a latex allergy. My mother does too and I worry it might be genetic and my daughter could develop one too. Since it manifests due to exposure, I’d like to limit the amount of latex my daughter has around her. Are there mattresses you would recommend that don’t include latex or are super covered so there’s no way the latex would contact her skin (or my skin)? Thanks in advance!
I know my green mattress makes one without latex. Also all of Joybed’s mattresses are latex free.
I think that you have downplayed the CertiPUR-US certification which is in fact a very good certification, and it is not sneaky. CertiPUR-US claims that they do not certify entire mattresses, instead the foam in the mattresses (which is actually the top offender for toxic materials).
CertiPUR-US certification, while perhaps abused in marketing, is actually very difficult to achieve for a foam supplier. You can read our article for some insight into the CertiPUR-US certification rationale.
https://directbed.ca/certipur-us-foam-can-foam-really-be-toxic/
Hi,
Thank you for this fantastic post. I was set to purchase a tuft and needle for my family, and then came across this post.
You claim that tuft and needle only has certiPUR-US, but their site claims to have greenguard gold and standard 100-oeko TEX. Wondering if that claim is false, or if it’s more recent than your research?
Thanks again!
They indeed got additional certifications and we are updating our guide!
Thank you for the thorough and informative post. What do you think about Happsy? They seem to have all the best certifications made out to Happsy itself, not to the suppliers. Thanks!
Yes, Best Stuff:)
Hi! Have you all looked into the new Parachute mattress?
Thanks so much!!
hey guys do you know anything about sleep essentials. he has serval video on youtube but he is not in my area. was interested in soaring heart but have a hard time spending that much on mattress seeing I can’t lay on one near Nashville.
From the Brentwood Homes website:
The Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) ensures that products contain more than 95% of certified organic raw material based on total weight. The GOLS standard features permissible limits for harmful substances, emission test requirements and polymer and filler percentages. Our factory in Los Angeles is a GOLS certified facility.
Also curious about Brentwood home and Purple mattresses. Will you be updating this article soon, since it’s been a year?
Very interesting and eye opening information! Thank you! I’m curious of your thoughts and findings on Brentwood home mattresses? I’d love something from the Best Stuff category but that’s just not in the budget at this time. Going through your lists trying to find the best yet affordable option.
any thoughts on silica as a flame barrier?
are the “sneaky” mattress companies bad or is there not enough info on some of them to determine where they stand? I bought a nest bedding love and sleep mattress for my 3 year old and was going to purchase another one for my 8 year old when I came across your article. They have the Eco excellence award, green guard Gold, and 2018 national parenting products award. I would love to purchase the “Best mattresses” but they are too expensive for me at this time.
I contacted Avocado and they emailed me these links to their certifications. I was pleasantly surprised to see the certification is to “Avocado” and not some unknown enity in Sri Lanka or India. Since the GOTS certification is on the actual GOTS website, it seems legit.
https://www.global-standard.org/public-database/search/database/search_result/27268.html
http://help.avocadogreenmattress.com/mattress-health-safety-and-sustainability/sustainability/can-i-see-your-current-greenguard-gold-certification-from-ul-environment
Do you think Avocado should now be on the “Best” list?
I inquired about GOLS and Avocado answered that, “Currently, our factories are GOLS certified but our products aren’t. We are planning on getting out products GOLS certified hopefully by mid-2019.
At present, our Dunlop latex is eco-INSTITUT certified.
http://help.avocadogreenmattress.com/mattress-health-safety-and-sustainability/sustainability/can-you-show-me-your-eco-institut-certification ”
I clicked on that link and looked at the certificate and became skeptical. I asked the following questions:
1) So since your factory are GOTS certified, are your entire mattresses GOTS certified or just specific components of the mattress GOTS certified?
2) The Eco-Institut certification is not to Avocado but to Lien A. company in Vietnam. Why is that?
3) Why is the name of the seller whited out for the GOTS certification?
Avocado decided not to answer these questions after asking them multiple times. Guess Avocado might not be that trustworthy after all.
Do your kiddos still sleep on a White Lotus Futon? Wondering if they are sleeping on something else because they are older or if the futon is still right for them.
What about the new Molecule mattress topper? https://www.onmolecule.com/products/mattress-topper
Hi There,
This post is amazing, I am from the UK and only familiar with Casper, do you do a list like you have for UK mattresses or know of someone who has? Or should I import one?
We are looking for new mattress and this is the only impressive comprehensive one we found
Hi Jen,
Thanks for the kind words about our work. Unfortunately Casper does not get anywhere near our standard. They are a very successful (profitable) company but toxins do not seem to be their major concern.
The mattresses you see on our website could be shipped internationally but I fear that the costs may be prohibitive.
Hi,
I was just wondering why Nest in is the “Sneaky” section and not the “Okay” section? Aren’t there some companies in the “okay” section which also rely on Certipur?
Thanks!
hi!!! you didnt rank Obasan? i tried a few floor models at The Clean Bedroom in NYC and they were pretty amazing. thoughts?
Hi Katherine,
Obasan does what many manufacturers do. They have ok products but they do not have the top independent 3rd party certifications for their latex mattress cores. Because the latex is such a high percentage of what a mattress is made of, we prefer to better certifications.
Hello, thank you so much for such a informative article. You gave so many great options, but unfortunately as much as Id like to go with the healthiest or “best” options, I am a mom on a budget that doesn’t allow so. I am looking into the less expensive flood stuff option but it has metal coils and I’m concerned so I just wanted to see if you had a little more concrete answer on metal coil/springs? In the article it seems that you aren’t that concerned about them because their isn’t major evidence that they amplify EMFs but in the comments you seem more concerned about them as if you are advising not to go with any coil options. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Jackie,
I found this blog that might give some clarity on the EMF issue with innersprings.
https://www.healthychild.com/emf-mattress/
Hello,
I have used your site for formula (Holle) and bum cream just for when we have extreme bad diaper rash (we normally use fair-trade, organic coconut oil I buy from a local health food store). I could not be happier and I have shared your site with EVERY mom I know. THANK YOU!
I am so upset. I could cry. I have done extensive research on everything. Formula, bum creams, clothing (we mostly use used/thrift/handmedowns), everything! When it came time to buy my mattress for my first (now 3), I went to my local “eco” baby store that sells great products (even some you do recommend). There was a made in Canada mattress claiming NO VOCs, non-toxic, sheeps’ wool fill, organic cotton top, with NO waterproofing, which is what I wanted. I couldn’t find anything to show me any concern when I did my research, but it appears to be made by Jupiter, FOR Simmons. You have them on the bad list. I am so worried now as my daughter slept on it for 2.5 years and now my 1-year old is sleeping on it. I do also have Polyurethane-backed, organic cotton topped, mattress protectors on them which I got based on this knowledge: https://www.healthychild.com/waterproof-mattress-protectors/ Now I am scared I have screwed them up!
I came down your site again looking for a big girl mattress for my daughter and that’s how I came across the scare of Simmons. This seems to be the only site I can find the mattress that is the closest to what I bought: https://www.amazon.ca/Jupiter-Simmons-Wholesome-Dreams-Mattress/dp/B06ZZ3QXKY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1546264873&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=jupiter+crib+mattress+organic+cotton+wool
I would love your thoughts.
And I am buying one of your recommended mattresses for my daughter, regardless. And I am SO GRATEFUL!
I found a little more on it: it is water and stain resistant, not waterproof; fire retardant without chemicals (which I assume is the wool) and a recycled core made of used water bottles. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I did appreciate the environmental impact. Also… I was able to find the model number. As mentioned, I bought it from an independently run store that was recently bought out (so sad) by Well.ca. Here it is: https://well.ca/products/simmons-health-assure-platinum-30_66219.html. Another, more comprehensive description of it on this site: http://www.betterbabyhealth.ca/simmons-health-assure-platinum-edition-organic-cotton-crib-mattress.html
And I found one more thing to make me feel (reasonably) rest assured (until your reply): Yes, Naturepedic owns Lullaby Earth and that’s a reasonably safe brand. Naturepedic is offering Lullaby Earth as an option for people who cannot afford the Naturepedic brand. Lullaby Earth mattresses are a better alternative to mattresses with PU foam. There is no polyurethane foam or flame retardants in Lullaby Earth mattresses. Are Lullaby Earth mattresses as good as Naturepedic mattresses? No they are not. Naturepedic uses organic cotton and Lullaby Earth uses PET, made from recycled pop bottles. In addition, the polyethylene waterproof surface of the Naturepedic mattresses is now plant-based, made from non-GMO sugar cane. But if you can’t afford a Naturepedic mattress, the best option for safety is Lullaby Earth.
What are your thoughts on a mattress that has a top layer with 2” of 100% GOLS certified natural organic latex and a bottom layer with 6” of CertiPUR foam? I know CertiPUR isn’t considered “good stuff” but I am trying to find a decent twin bed within my price range in Canada.
Thanks
Might have found something better in Naturelle mattresses! Thoughts on them?
Thanks!
Hi! I was wondering about bedding. As long as it is GOTS certified is it safe? Also I use a silk pillowcase is there any that would have a GOTS certification? I couldn’t find any.
On a totally different note I can’t find organic wool dryer balls that are GOTS certified. Is there such a thing?
I just came across a mattress being sold for kids, 5Little Monkeys. Do you have any thoughts on this brand? The price seemed reasonable for a twin and since a lot of parents may be interested in this option figured I would ask 🙂
Thanks so much for all the info! After months of research, I think I’m going to get the Metta Bed mattress, with the Naturepedic latex topper. This seems like a good option for those who want a three-layer latex mattress that ends up being about $2,000. Personally, I felt like the Metta Bed plush would still be too firm, so I’m hoping the topper will help! I’m 5’8″, 150 lbs. Any thoughts? I think I’m going to roll with it. Thanks again!
You have to be very careful while choosing a mattress for your good night sleep because you are spending 1/3 part of your life on sleep. here you mention useful and important information about safe mattress thankyou. keep sharing informative guide like this
Hello, there is no mention of “Coyuchi” on this guide. Is there any input on this company’s mattresses and their bedding products?
Any recommendations on toddler bed number or rails? we went with your list and bought the better mattress but now we can’t seem to find bed toddler bumpers that are non toxic latex. Please help!
Can you explain how the certifications differ versus being written to the company itself? It seems reasonable that each component is certified by its source material (i.e. the new Zealand wool was certified to JohnMarshall & Company in New Zealand…)
Here was response from PlushBeds:
“Please find attached the certifications for the different components for the Botanical Bliss mattress. The certifications are issued to the manufacturer of the individual material. For example for the Dunlop latex. We don’t tap the trees and pour the liquid latex ourselves that is done by Richard Pieris. We use the Dunlop latex to build the mattresses. We are inspected quarterly for our processes and materials used in order to keep our Green Guard status.”
Intellibed shared their toxicity report with Magdalena Wszelaki at http://www.hormonesbalance.com. It shows zero off-gassing. https://hormonesbalance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Mattress-toxicity.png Still trying to decide what route we will go, but I wanted to put that out there.
Hi Rosemary, Thanks for the questions. There is a lot about this report that we don’t know. It is critical to know who conducted the tests, when were they conducted etc. It is also critical that a mattress have the correct truly independent 3rd party certifications. From what I can tell, they do not.
Beyond that, these sorts of tests are conducted with fairly narrow parameters. I am forwarding the results to our friendly helpful inlaw scientist (runs a major stem cell lab in NYC). I will be interested to hear his views on whether or not this test is rigorous enough to tell us much. I’ll report back once I hear his opinion.
Have you looked into the Botanical Bliss mattress by PlushBeds- I read through all the prior posts and it was never really addressed. I have reached out to the company to get copies of their certifications to see who they are written directly to. I am debating between Naturepedic EOS trilux, Lifekind trio and PlushBeds Botanical Bliss. They all seem to have great certifications for a similar structured mattress, at varying price points. I’d love your input. Thank you in advance.
Can you offer any insight on the Brentwood Home Cedar mattress?
Just read your updated article on mattresses – I am looking to buy a twin mattress for my 3.5 year old daughter, Kaliana. After extensive mind-boggling research I had narrowed in on the Obasan Fundy 1.0.
https://obasan.ca/us/shop/fundy-1-0/
I searched your article and all the comments and found 7 different people asked about the Obasan, but none of them got responses from your team. And you don’t mention the brand anywhere on your list, not even in the sneaky stuff. I’m wondering why that is? I hope you can take the time to help me!!
So Obasan’s twin mattress is 100% natural latex and they have the GOTS and GOLS certifications, but now I’m a bit concerned because I looked at the certifications and they aren’t actually made to Obasan themselves, but to companies in other countries. I gather from your article that this can be problematic.
I’d really appreciate if you could help me figure this out and know how you would rate this company.
I’m a single mom and don’t get child support, so price is definitely a factor, and I know you said in the article that coils in the bed doesn’t pose an issue related to EMFs, but our apartment complex has smart meters right downstairs, and I just would feel better if she didn’t have metal in her bed. Some people say it’s a problem, some say it’s not, so I’d rather not take chances. Otherwise I’d go with the Naturepedic in a heartbeat.
I’m now considering the Lifekind, as it’s in the same price point as the Obasan, but I can get a free wool mattress protector with the Obasan, so… that would help. But if Lifekind is truly more pure, then I’ll bite the bullet… In any case, I’d really like to get your input on the Obasan because it seems strange that it’s not on your list when so many people mentioned it.
Thank you so so much!! I hope to hear back from you soon!!
Hi Jennifer,
Obasan makes claims that might lead a consumer to conclude that their products are as nontoxic as possible. They lead us to believe that they have GOLS certification for their latex products.
Here’s what they, and most others, are NOT telling you…
There are two very different versions of GOLS certification. One version is vastly superior to the other. If you go to Obasan’s website you can see the actual GOLS certificate. You might note that it is written to: Lalan Eco-Latex in Sri Lanka. It is NOT written to Obasan. This is a critical distinction for several very important reasons.
Obasan is not alone in using this sort of marketing. Most manufacturers who are courting consumers who desire nontoxic products are using this exact same marketing scheme. Many of them are not even aware that there is a distinction…(certainly their sales people don’t), so I will not say they are intentionally deceiving us. Their “intentions” are beyond my ability to know…but the bottom line is that unless the GOLS certificate is written to the actual manufacturer (rather than a supplier), it is not worth nearly as much as they’d like us to believe.
Hi Kelly,
For a variety of good reasons we would not list Babyletto crib mattresses as Good Stuff.
Reasons include: Polyester, lack of certifications for latex and coir, non-disclosure of what they use to achieve mandatory flame retardant status.
Have you considered any of these?
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/?s=+crib+mattress
If sizing is a problem we have manufacturers that can make any size.
Thanks
Thank you so much John! That makes sense!
The basic naturepedic is the only option in your store that is within my budget but I have seen reviews online about them being too small for many cribs (safety concern) and lots of complaints about sagging after only a few months of use, so I am hesitant.
Also, is polyester a huge concern? I see it is used in the Snuggle Me Organic that you sell.
Thanks again for all the great info! I am learning so much!
Hi there, Just wondering if you could provide any more info on polyester in general and if it considered non toxic. It seems like it is everywhere – in the snuggle me organic, all kinds of kids clothes, bedding, etc. but I do not see it in your glossary or elsewhere mentioned in your site so I am curious! Any advice would be much appreciated!
Hi Kelly,
John here…
We are not fans of polyester and avoid it whenever it is reasonable to do so. This is why we only offer the cotton/wool versions. Snuggle Me also makes a polyester version but we do not offer those on Gimme the Good Stuff.
Hi, can you please tell me if you have reviewed the Babyletto crib mattresses and if you consider them best, good, sneaky, or bad stuff?
After reviewing this list I wonder if I have made mistakes regarding my kids mattresses. After a ridiculous amount of reading I purchased our oldest’s mattress on the positive opinion of an eco mommy blooger and got a Tranquility2 futon from The Futon Shop. Unable to afford this a second time, we got the Juniper Kids Mattress from Costco for our second as the claims were good and it was in our budget. I’m now looking for a crib mattress (and crib) without much luck finding affordable options. The Futon Shop again boasts health and safety in their crib mattresses. Have I been duped or should I go this route again? Thanks!
https://www.thefutonshop.com/wool-mattress-futon-chemical-free-tranquility2/
https://www.costco.com/Juniper-Kids-Mattress—Twin.product.100365853.html
While this futon/mattress would not qualify to be on our list of Best Stuff, from a toxins perspective, it is better than some. I seems that there are no toxic flame retardants. On the downside, their wool and latex both lack the credentials that we look for. They also use polyester in their cover, and elsewhere.
Hi there! Love this article and so grateful for the work that you do. I noticed that this is from about a year ago and wanted to see if you’d still classify all the mattresses reviewed under the same categories? I just connected with someone at Zenhaven Customer Support and asked about their certifications and they replied with the following:
Zenhaven is Oeko-Tex Standard 100, an international textile standard for purity and safety.
Our latex contains no formaldehyde, heavy metals or any toxic chemical. We’re also a member of Sustainable Furnishing Council!
Would very much love to hear your thoughts! A nontoxic mattress is so important to me, but I also need to stick to a budget.
Happsy seems to have good reviews, and most people are saying the mattress is comfortable. It appears to check all the boxes as far as being non-toxic. Is it? How is the quality different than My Green Mattress and other mattresses at approximately the same price point?
Have you looked at Happsy?
Happsy is a marketing company that has Naturepedic “private-label” mattresses for them. They are NOT simply Naturepedic mattresses with a different label. They are not the same quality.
What do you think would be the safer choice overall, Tuft & Needle or Keetsa?
do you know anything about the ikea mattresses? I wanted to get a twin one for my son.
The last time I checked Ikea mattresses did not fit our criteria fro “Good Stuff”.
You can contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org for help finding a mattress.
To all that are interested in Happsy mattresses, today I received copies of Happsy’s GOTS and GOLS certificates. I forwarded the copies I received to john@gimmiethegoodstuff.org so he can look them over. Hopefully their certificates look good!
There price point is really good considering that they have put the effort into obtaining these certifications. I suppose that makes me nervous, however, it really shouldn’t. I guess I should explain why, but it’s a long story.
I worked for a major American automobile manufacturer in the late 80’s , which was when Toyota began to shake up and ultimately dominate the automobile manufacturing market . Toyota’s cars had better safety profiles, were more reliable and back in the day, had a better price point as well. Here is the most interesting part. I went to work for Toyota after leaving my employment at one of the “Big Three” automobile manufacturers.
Toyota treated their average employees to higher wages and better benefits. We also had a shorter work week of only 37 hours versus 40 hours! All this was done will making a better product at a better price point. Much was said and written about the Japanese automobile success story during that time and of course, a confluence of factors contributed to that.
I suspect one of the factors that helped them turn a profit while making good cars and treating employees well was due to their pay difference between those at the the very top and those at the very bottom. The difference was much less pronounced than as it was for the “Big Three’” automobile manufacturer that I had previously worked for.
My takeaway from this life experience is that on occasion , you have to discern whether or not the old adage, “you get what you pay for”, is always true. It’s just too simplistic sometimes. I’m truly hoping that’s the case for the good price point on Happsy’s mattresses!
What were you able to determine about Happsy?
Did you ever hear back or buy a Happsy?
I’ve been battling recurring sudden/severe asthma for 10 months, I’m blaming my hybrid with memory foam BeautyRest mattress. I found Happsy, which appears to be a new, bed-in-a-box, organic choice. I see someone else just asked, too! I was so happy, I purchased right away & im hoping by the time it gets here I’ll know for sure if it’s safe!! Thanks!
I spoke to some at Happsy today and they are going to email me copies of all their certificates! I was very pleased they were so willing to do that for me. They are very reasonably priced as well, so I hope they aren’t too good to be true. I hope your Happsy mattress works out well for you. ?
Soooo, what’s the verdict with Happsy? Love your blog. about to replace all mattress’ in my home as well as sofas.
Hi Kathryn,
You can contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org and I’ll be glad to walk you through it.
Happsy is a marketing company that has Naturepedic “private-label” mattresses for them. They are NOT simply Naturepedic mattresses with a different label. They are not the same quality.
What was determined about Happsy?
I got a Happsy and I thought it was great. My fiance thought he wanted something a little softer so we ended up ordering a Naturepedic. Since we had to wait so long for hte Naturepedic, now he says he doesn’t mind the Happsy so much (figures!). It is a great option especially for the price! I emailed them and they provided me with all the certificates, so they are legit. And their return policies are awesome. You get 120 days to sleep on it and if you aren’t happy, they give you a full refund (and donate the mattress to a local charity/homeless shelter!). I would give them a shot, can’t hurt!
I should also mention that I only liked it with the mattress topper they offer. I found it to be much too firm without it. It is an extra $425 (with the recurring 15% off special they have). You can also use Ebates for even more cash back. If you don’t have ebates yet, it is free to signup: https://www.ebates.com/r/MEGJ41?eeid=28187 . Right now they are giving an extra 4% cash back for Happsy purchases! (It was only 1 or 2% back when I purchased ours)
Hi Maya,
Do you have recommendations for organic comforters for children? I looked into wool filled comforters, but the majority of them are not washable (not practical for us) and Amazon has some shady and confusing products. THank you!
Hi Maya,
Thank you for this post. This topic is so confusing. And this purchase is so expensive!
I wanted to ask if you could comment on the use of boric acid as a flame retardant. One local company in Seattle, Bedrooms and More uses this as their FR on their natural latex mattresses for kids. I am looking at this and trying to make a decision. The cost of the twin is half of the best of choices you show so that is a deciding factor for me. Thanks for your help.
Hi there!
Just wanted to let you know that there is a store in the suburbs of Atlanta that carries Soaring Heart mattresses (among others) in case someone wants to visit a shop in person and lye on one before purchasing.
https://www.naturalmattressmatters.com
Have you found out anything on Happsy? They seem to have a solid product.
Love the guide and the website! I’m wondering if perhaps Zenhaven has changed since you wrote this? They claim 100% plant based latex and oeko-tek certification on the mattress as a whole. Isn’t that one of the better certifications?
Actually it looks like only the foam is oeko Tex certifies for zenhaven. There is also an adhesive used in the mattress that they couldn’t give me any real assurances about….so bad stuff!
I just found this place, for west coaster, this looks great! Small, woman owner, very concerned with chemical free. http://www.holylamborganics.com/ Oakville, WA. They carry a range of high quality organic latex, innerspring, and cotton / wool mattresses including WJ Southard and toppers that they manufacture themselves. Some very good quality here and knowledgeable people. They do on-line sales, but they are small so 3 weeks looks like the lead time. Thanks for having this info all together and great research!
I own Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress and satisfied with it. It consists of several layers of eco-friendly memory foams: https://mattressopedia.com/organic-mattresses-compared/
Hello! I recently bought a very nice organic/non-toxic mattress and I still need to get a mattress pad for it. I was looking at Coyuchi Mattress Pas but its $298. I was wondering if you had any good alternative recommendations that will protect our mattress from spills/liquids/urine but also be nontoxic and safe? If Coyuchi is the one, I will buy it but wanted to check first. Thank you so much!
Hi~
any thoughts on Pranasleep? thanks!
Hi there. Thank you so much for all you do. This site is a life-saver. Could you please list Zinus on the bad list? This brand is horrible. And now they’re everywhere–from Walmart to “best seller” on Amazon. Please check it out and let people know!
I am looking for a new mattress for my self and my toddler.. Every single suggestion you have is for 3000$.. Any option for those who are not wealthy????
I appreciate the thought and research that went into this site. Most of us, though, have to balance many factors in shopping for a mattress. If I only got “six comfortable years” out of a mattress, I wouldn’t consider it “good stuff” at all. I expect more like 15, minimum. After all, one of the most polluting parts of the mattress life cycle is when you go to replace it. If I can get a mattress made of Talalay latex, wool and cotton from “sneaky” Zenhaven for $1899, I’d hesitate to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more just for the satisfaction of GOTS or OEKO-TEX certification. A Queen Savvy Rest Serenity all Talalay mattress in the same (~10″) thickness apparently costs $3,999. It’s hard for me to believe they’re delivering $2100 more quality and purity from basically the same raw materials. So I think they need to narrow that price gap to make certified organic a more realistic alternative.
Hello,
Do you have any insight about the Bundle of Dreams crib mattress? I chatted with a rep and here’s what I found: The bundle fibers that compose the mattress are polyester; the manufacturer is Jasztex. The cover that holds the bundle fiber is a FireFlex FR by Precision Textiles. The mattress cover is organic cotton.
I like the idea of this mattress (similar to Newton), but I’m unsure if I’ll be facing the same awful chemical issues we’re currently having with our baby’s mattress. It’s off-gasssing so badly, her pajamas stink.
Thanks!
Hi Chelsie,
John here…
Thanks for the questions.
Bundle of Dreams mattresses are made from recycled water bottles. Here’s whats in recycled water bottles…
“Dioxin, BPA, Bisphenol B, These products are connected to plastics and that has been associated with a whole host of health issues including birth defects, cancer.”
I do not know what is in Fireflex FR but we are wary of chemical flame retardants applied to fabrics.
We are all for new technolgies but not all are benign.
You can contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org
Thanks
Hi there!
Great post. I looked into Avocado Mattresses and since this post was updated I am wondering if Avocado has changed their information.
I am seeing many things pointing to this being a good mattress but wonder if I am missing something. I’ve now read your post twice and am trying to compare your notes to their website.
They are Greenguard and GOTS certified along with a few others. Also they use Dunlop latex, do not blend along with some other positive things.
I am wondering though if they are “Sneaky”. They have now marketed themselves as experts in quality mattresses and have a Buyers Guide listed on their website of what to watch for in mattresses with their mattress always answering to the best solution.
Thanks for your help!
Ryan
Hi Ryan,
John here…
There is a lot of terminology used by mattress manufacturers to lead us to believe that their products are something that they might not actually be. Words like “green” and “natural” are important marketing tools but have no specific legal definition.
If you go to our Safe Mattress Guide you can read up on it. https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/safe-product-guides/mattresses/ We have a short review of Avocado there. Avocado is doing some things right but they are far from being demonstrably nontoxic. Their latex is not GOLS certified. They have no certifications for their wool. The European Scientific Commission on Consumer Safety has been unable to establish if Hydrated Silica (fire retardant) is harmful to humans or not. So while Avocado products are likely less concerning than some, they are far from the top of our list. You can contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org Thanks-
Do you know anything about the Sleeptek yantra rubber mattress?
Hi Britney,
John here…
Sleeptek’s GOLS certificate is written to a 3rd party in Sri Lanka…not to SleepTek. While their stuff might be better than some, from a toxins point of view they would not rise to our “Best Stuff” level. You can read more about mattress certifications here… https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/safe-product-guides/mattresses/
Feel free to email me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org I’m glad to help.
Hi! Thank you for posting so much valuable information on your site! I did not read the comments to this mattress article in there entirety so I apologize if this is a repeat comment. I highly recommend that you take another look at the metal coils in mattresses. My daughter and I are Electromagnetically sensitive and we can feel the electric shocks in our beds (and couches/chairs with metal springs) coming from the EMF’s in our walls. We’ve only just recently figured out what was going on in our home so we are still in the process of buying EMF blocking filters, re-wiring where needed, etc. but the mattresses definitely do conduct electricity!
Hi Elizabeth,
Wow… Have you used any sort of EMF meter to show an increase in electromagnet energy on the bed vs ambient energy away from the bed?
I would be very interested to see that.
Thanks
Have you looked into the purple mattress?
https://purple.com/blog/mattress-materials-safest-sleepers
We have PALMPRING mattresses for our boys as recommended by the local environmental furniture store – http://www.palmpringusa.com
Any feedback on them?
Thank you!!
Hi. My head is spinning after reading everything! We are looking for a big girl mattress for our 2.5 year old and my husband wants to get an Ikea mattress because of the price. I’ve tried to tell him about my preliminary research into mattresses and he doesn’t want to hear it. Very frustrating. We have a tempurpedic mattress and I’m very concerned about the toxins, but we don’t have the money to replace it, especially if I am going to convince him my daughter needs something more expensive. Sigh. Do you happen to have any feedback on the brand 5 Little Monkeys? It seems to be relatively new. Thanks in advance!
Hi there-
I know it’s been some time since this was published. I was wondering your thoughts on the Happsy mattress? They claim certifications that look good, but idk how to tell if they belong to them or another company and such.
Thanks kindly,
Ralynn
Have you received information? I am interested as well.
H Maia,
Is an all latex mattress considered safe for those with a latex allergy? Or are there any studies about how being exposed to/sleeping on a latex mattress would make one, especially a child, more susceptible to developing a latex allergy? I really want an organic latex mattress for our children and ourselves, but this is one of my concerns given that I know latex can be an allergen and I don’t know how we would react to sleeping on one.
Thank you!
I notice that Savvy Rest’s foam certification is written to a foam manufacturer in India, NOT to Savvy Rest directly. Also, My Green Mattress’ foam certification is written to a foam manufacturer in Sri Lanka and NOT to My Green Mattress directly. Please explain why you would put them in your “Good Stuff” list when you place other companies in your “Okay Stuff” list for this reason? Your categories are very misleading and inaccurate.
Hello. I was wondering if anyone knew of any non toxic affordable roll up or fold up mattresses that could be stored in a closet for guests. Thank you.
Actually, Tuft & Needle does make claims to have GreenGuard Gold and Oeko-Tek certifications, in addition to the CertiPure-US one.
You do have to dig to find that though.
>There are many certifications out there that a company can apply for, and here at Tuft & Needle we sought out the strictest of them. We were the first foam mattress to be certified by three leading independent certification programs.
>This means you can rest assured that you’re not bringing something into your home that hasn’t been through rigorous testing and proven to pass with flying colors. You can read more details about these certifications and the steps we’ve taken to test our mattress here.
>Though we were the first, many other companies have followed suit, making the foam mattress industry as a whole more regulated and standardized than in the the past. Ultimately, the decision between organic and certified foams comes down to your needs, but having a clear understanding is key when you’re shopping.
https://www.tuftandneedle.com/organic-mattress
Thank you for ALL the valuable information!!!! I am in need of a new bed. But my head is spinning trying to find the safest option in a price point we are comfortable with.
I was Wondering how Mettabed made it higher up in your list when it’s company uses words to describe it that you caution us about. …..“All natural latex”. Wool that is not organic . (But the cotton is organic. )
The price point is way more affordable than other options-
So it’s very tempting . But I’m skeptical.
I’m wondering specifically why you rate this company much higher than many other choices like avocado green and plush bed.
What am I missing that makes it such a more safer option?
Thank you!!
This “Mattress Guide” is inaccurate and very misleading. PlushBeds Botanical Bliss is an organic mattress with GOLS certified organic latex, GOTS certified organic cotton cover, and OEKO-TEX and GreenGuard Gold certifications on the mattress. Avocado is a natural mattress with Eco-Institut latex and GreenGuard Gold certifications. All certifications are on both of their websites. Gimme The Good Stuff – please update your guide here and VERIFY information before posting inaccurate information!
Great informational post! What do you know about Botanicore all-natural latex mattresses? They are sold at stores such as Bedrooms and More, which is a big competitor of Soaring Heart for natural bedding, where I live. Bedrooms and More provided certification from eco-INSTITUT label for their natural latex mattresses (certification number ID 0310 – 12246 – 001; test report number 51380-001-002; validity 06/2016). The mattress is amazingly comfortable, but it’s still giving off a faint odor after two months of use.
Thank you for the safety guides, and to choose a non-toxic mattress for babies. It was knowledgeable read for me.
I’m also interested in the Happsy mattress. Any information you have will be helpful.
Thank you
Hi! I was also interested in your thoughts on the brand Happsy? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
I have been using Lifekind mattresses AND pillows for about 8 years now. I am on the West Coast so I could drive up to see their company firsthand myself. The beds last forever! I wanted to mention Coyuchi for bedding and green wave for filtering your dirty electricity in your home. Also opt out of the smart meter. I know the last few are not about mattresses but thought I would share. Thank you for such an incredible incredible site MAIA.
Hi, anything about Samina? How about Dreamcloud, Idlesleep (Latex), or even Helix? Thanks!
Heli has fiberglass in their mattresses, and so does Brooklyn Bedding since they’re owned by Helix. BB’s website says “non-woven silica” and silica is another word for fiberglass.
Hi just thought you should updated Tuft and Needle. They have been awarded with OEKO-TEX certification
I am wondering what your thoughts are on the company Sleep EZ, specifically the “Roma” mattress. I didn’t read through all of the comments but didn’t see them under any of the category tabs.
Any thoughts on indigo mattress?
I recently learned that Eco Terra uses polyurethane foam in their organic cotton topper. When I inquired about it, the rep repeatedly said “Its Greenguard Gold Certified and odor-free” and said it was a plant based foam. Yeah, its still polyurethane! Polyurethane is NOT listed as an ingredient on their website so I feel like these guys are sneaky! They did say that I can call and ask for the mattress to be made without a topper. I would think it would be less comfortable then, and I’d likely end up buying another topper and spending what I would pay if I just went with a different mattress.
“The Eco Terra has a thin internal quilt backing of super soft foam on the organic cotton cover for added comfort. The super soft foam is Greenguard Gold certified and odor-free, yet provides additional pressure relief. If you prefer an Eco Terra mattress without this additional comfort layer, we will be happy to make this for you. Simply contact us and request that it be made without the super-soft foam quilt backing.” It’s nice that they will customize the mattress the way you want it. Most mattress covers come with the soft foam backing and they do not give you this option of having it removed. I personally love this mattress with the soft foam backing. It’s GreenGuard Gold certified and perfectly safe. Also the mattress has Oeko-Tex and GOTS certifications.
The new Eco Terra contains 3″ of 100% natural latex and an individually wrapped, pocketed coil core with an organic cotton cover and a 100% natural wool fire barrier. The mattress contains no polyurethane or hydrated silica. Gimme The Good Stuff – you should update your Mattress Guide!
Hi, I realize this guide hasn’t been updated in sometime, but I’m considering a brand not mentioned above – Happsy. According to their website they appear to have GOTS, GOLS, and Greenguard Gold certifications. The price point is good as well. I have been comparing them to other brands reviewed above and would love your thoughts.
Thanks!
Do you know anything about Lullbed?
Hi –
What can you tell me about the Purple Bed? My husband ordered one of these and I read on the website that their materials are considered non-toxic and safe?
Thank you
I am also interested in a purple mattress.. any thoughts? I
Hi! I’m 7 months pregnant with #2 and despite my close following of Gimme the Good Stuff, I somehow bought a Sealy hybrid mattress this weekend without even thinking about the off gassing. I’ll blame it on baby brain. The mattress is being delivered Saturday, and unfortunately I can’t change my order at this point. I’m horrified and scared by what I could be doing to my unborn baby. Have you done any research on what can be done to mitigate or minimize the off gassing of toxic mattresses? How long should I air it out? Are there natural casings I can buy to help matters? Would love your expertise!
I found a company called the Futon Shop that sells what they claim are wool, organic cotton and no flame retardants or petrochemicals of any kind. Look at this mattress:
https://www.thefutonshop.com/chemical-free-purecomfort-organic-cotton-wool-spring-mattress/
They say their cotton is USDA certified organic cotton and they have a certificate saying so on the above link.
What do you think? And what should I do to protect myself if
I buy from them?
thanks
Hi!
I recently purchased a Savvy Rest (couldn’t test out a Soaring Heart). Can you tell me what you did with the original one that you had? Did you resell it or keep it for another room? We’ve had ours for about 3-4 weeks. I can still smell the latex (I’m very sensitive to scents). Does the smell go away? I’m wondering if I should have gone with the Naturepedic instead, but not sure of my options since the Savvy Rest can’t be returned. Thanks!
Hi Tammy,
I’m sorry about your Savvy Rest! As you know we made the same error about 8 years ago before we had done any in-depth research. We retired that mattress but when we took it apart we found that the latex foam was seriously crumbling…after only 8 years! We threw everything out. It was in no condition to be sold. If yours is essentially new you may find someone on Craigslist etc who might buy it.
We all now sleep on Soaring Heart mattresses and love them. Yes, we had to take the leap of faith because there are no showrooms to try one before buying. The construction of a Soaring Heart is Similar to that of Savvy so perhaps Naturepedic would be a good choice.
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/store/naturepedic-chorus-organic-mattress/
We didn’t keep ours because we had it for nearly ten years; and I have to say that the smell never bothered us!
Hi,
Have you heard of a latex mattress called Milk bed? http://www.milkbed.com. If so, can you share your thoughts on this? Thank you!
Hi John and Maia,
Do you know anything about happsy mattress? I’m trying to get a new mattress for my 2 year old.
They claim to have GOT and GOL certification. Is it too good to be true?
Thanks alot in advance.
I’m interested in happsy as well. Did you ever get any answers?
I know this post is old, but it is the most informational of what I’ve found and was hoping you were still answering comments. We need two twin mattresses and are trying to find the best balance between health and what is in our budget. Any suggestions on what you would do would be so appreciated!
A few questions:
Pillow suggestions/encasements?
Is there any point in trying to seal a lesser mattress with an encasement? Are there any encasements that are even worthwhile for twin sized mattresses?
Washabelle mattress is a new company and the washable feature sounds nice but I don’t know how to tell if they’re worth the price when it comes to chemicals. Do you know anything about them?
Carolyn what did you end up going with? I’m in very same boat.
This is great, thanks so much for all this useful information. So now that we found our safe mattress I was wondering if you had any recommendations on safe bed frames? Haven’t found as many as we were hoping for. Thanks
My husband and I have recently started researching healthy mattress options for our four kids. Sadly this is one area that has largely been overlooked by us. We have managed to research and find healthy options for every other area of our lives but mattresses. Three years ago when I was still pregnant with our fourth child we bought two sets of bunk beds from ikea and four foam mattresses. We were under the impression that a mattress didn’t have to cost a lot of money, especially for children, and that if we covered the mattresses with healthy coverings then all would be well. I should also mention that prior to that we had also upgraded our mattress to a “bed in a box” memory foam mattress, and our crib mattress was also an ikea foam mattress. You can imagine my recent horror finding out now how big of a mistake this all was. I have beat myself up and I seriously feel like the worst parent ever, not to mention the countless hours of sleep deprivation frantically researching healthy options on our budget. For starters the kids bunks and mattresses are out of here this weekend! My four kids will be sleeping on the floor for a period of time until we can manage the high cost of four new healthy mattresses and bunk frames for our tiny home. For my two youngest (and quite possibly the two oldest?) we have decided on the Naturepedic Verse mattress. I noticed that you do not carry this mattress in your store. I would like to know if there is any particular reason you do not carry this mattress or what your thoughts are on it. My only concern is for my almost 14 year old and wondering if she may need something a bit softer. For her I would consider the chorus twin. Again, any thoughts would be much appreciated. I have been in touch with Naturepedic and unfortunately there is no store within 100 miles that we can test out these mattresses. With our current debt situation and me being a SAHM I feel like we are taking a huge risk mail ordering mattresses that can not be returned. My husband and I will also be looking into upgrading our mattress next year.
Hi,
This is very helpful… We are looking to get my daughter her first bed. She had a Purerest crib mattress. Which category would you file this company under? Would you say “sneaky stuff” because of the certification you mention? We were also looking at Nest — not a good option? Do you know if it’s true that kids should sleep on firm mattresses? Thanks for any more info.
I sent John an email about mattress choices but I received no reply. Is there another way to get help?
Do you have a recommendation for a full size mattress for a murphy bed? The mattress may spend a large amount of time in a vertical position when closed up in the wall. Thanks.
Hello ~
Please, have you a comment on the Essentia mattress?
https://www.myessentia.com
Thank you!
You’ll see our thoughts on Essentia mattresses under The Okay Stuff:)
Hi Maia and John,
I love this website and use it all the time for various products, and have purchased multiple times from your shop. I posted a question asking your thoughts on the all organic mattresses at the Futon Shop, but don’t see my question here. I also notice others have posted and asked about the Futon Shop but have not gotten feedback. With no response, I ended up buying a futon mattress from their site for the futon in my office/guest room. I love it. It’s comfortable, no odors. But I’m still wondering how you feel about the certifications on their website and about the product. The link is below. It was on sale and so much less expensive than any other option I’ve seen. I have a Naturepedic in my master bedroom and for my baby’s crib, but just couldn’t see spending so much for the guest bedroom as well. I really look forward to your feedback!!
https://www.thefutonshop.com/catalog/product/view/id/16283/
John states in a comment that Tuft & Needle fall under the sneaky stuff. But yet I see “Greenguard Certified”, “OEKO-Tex Certified”, no PBDEs, and low VOC. Two of those certs are listed in your Okay and Good category. Are these unsubstantiated claims or something as I would think this would push them higher in your ratings?
It doesn’t seem to be cost efficient, but I bought our mattress from Home Of Wool on Etsy and we love it. It looks great, smells great, and most of all is incredibly comfortable. It takes a little muscle power for the first few weeks because you need to rotate it to evenly wear the wool, but after that you’re supposed to flip it monthly, we’re not fantastic about that, but no love lost, this mattress is AMAZING. You can choose a variety of materials for the outer cover, cotton wool, flax, etc and of course the price will shift with each option. And I definitely recommend a cover. Even with the international shipping costs, they beat out every single mattress I looked at either in a local store or online. Rosica, the owner, is extremely helpful and patient answering any and all questions. I highly recommend them and plan to buy another mattress from them in the very near future.
Hi! Super appreciative of your site! I was wondering if you guys had any thoughts on Urban Mattress?
Thanks!!!
Don’t know this brand, but will add to our list for when we update the guide!
We don’t know this brand but will add to the list for when we update the guide!
Hi, since metal coils may be bad stuff, does that mean metal bed frames/headboard are bad stuff as well?
Hello!
The Futon Shop has been mentioned here a few times, but there isn’t a lot of info. I’m considering buying an all organic, chemical free mattress at the Futon Shop (it’s local so I can go test it out), and was wondering if anyone else has more info to share. Are the mattress truly organic and chemical free? The website displays the certifications for the individual components, but it’s not clear to me if the mattress itself is certified. Thanks for the feedback!
Hi- Thanks for all the valuable information posted here. I’m trying to select new mattresses for my family and I’ve tested out Naturepedic, SavvyRest, and SuiteSleep. I’m interested in My Green Mattress as well, they’ve been very helpful when I talk to them too. When reading through the comments it looks like gimmethegoodstuff doesn’t recommend My Green Mattress, but they are also listed under Good Stuff, is that an error?
Also, have you heard of SuiteSleep? This bed was actually my son’s favorite that we tried, I thought it was really comparable to SavvyRest.
Thanks for your help!
Thank you so much Maia and John. The information you give us is so helpful and clear and you are both so kind!!! I have been quite overwhelmed doing research about mattressess and you helped a great deal.
I am ready to buy a latex mattress (since learning I have been sleeping on a toxic one for my entire life =( ). It is a confusing decision! Ideally as inexpensive as possible but not at the expense of health and need enough comfort that I can sleep well on it. I found a few showrooms near me (I live in Brooklyn, NY) and tried a few to feel and see them off line. Helpful. Some way more comfortable than others but some also way more expensive. I lay on an incredibly comfortable bed to then learn was $7,000! Way out of my pricerange (that was OMI which I do not see on your list.) I lay on a much less expensive White Lotus mattress that wa a mix of Latex, Wool and cotton but found it not so comfortable. Seems I would do best with all latex and possible a wool or cotton topper.
So questions are – how important is it that the latex is organic? It would be my preference of course but they are significantly more money (looked at the cozy pure organic and non-organic for example).
Have you looked into Mulligan Mattress? My mother bought one from them in Portland, Oregon.
What have you found the most comfortable mattress? Love to hear from anyone else as well about that!
Thank you again!
Shira
I am looking at CozyPure because looks like the best price for a good (not best) mattress that also seems comfortable. I would love organic but leaning towards non organic as more afforadable. Anyone have experience with them? Or others you like in their price range?
Thank all!!
Shira
Great blog! The analysis of the various materials and health impacts are interesting. I was wondering where the various scientists on the “good stuff” team received their PhDs in Chemistry and/or Biochemistry. Maybe some links to any works published by the team in peer reviewed scientific journals would be helpful as well.
Thanks & keep up the good work!
Has anyone checked out or slept on the OBASAN brand beds
https://obasan.ca/shop/fundy-1-0/
It appears they are certified in GOTS and GOLS (see links below)
I am looking for a bed for my 6 yr old son.
This seems to have “the good stuff” and for a full mattress, it was $1,400.
Not a bad when compared to some of the others.
I am curious if anyone has one and their thoughts on the quality & comfort because they have a strict return policy that does not leave any wiggle room if you do not care for it.
Any feedback would be helpful.
Thanks, Cate
Please take a look at the certifications (It appears that 1 certificate has expired, I will be calling the company to see if they have an updated certification.
file:///home/chronos/u-252102045bdb86465f1b7085389a3af4bb40e0fb/Downloads/gots-certificate-valid-until-20-july-2017%20(1).pdf
file:///home/chronos/u-252102045bdb86465f1b7085389a3af4bb40e0fb/Downloads/Certificado-GOTS-2017%20(2).pdf
file:///home/chronos/u-252102045bdb86465f1b7085389a3af4bb40e0fb/Downloads/GOLS-Arpico%20(2).pdf
If the certification links do not work you can find them easily at the bottom of each page of their website.
I have an OMI king-sized mattress (the Duo) which I am looking to sell. This is certified organic Dunlop latex in firm-soft-soft configuration, and it’s in great condition and we have taken great care of it. I am moving to a smaller bedroom, and we need to downsize to a queen.
Please remove this if this is not appropriate, but I am thinking perhaps another reader of the site will jump at the opportunity to obtain one of the Best Stuff mattresses for a more reasonable price. I am in the Boston area.
Any comments on The Original Mattress Factory? I am not allergic to latex or anything, but I’m trying to avoid it just in case due to potential eczema irritation. (Again, not allergic. Just trying to stay away from anything that would irritate…) The Original Mattress Factory only has one latex bed, so I’m concerned what all is in the other mattresses. Thoughts?
Hi,
What is your opinion on the Balsa mattress offered by Soaring Heart ? I am little skeptical about it’s quality due to the lower price range compared other soaring heart mattresses.
Thank you
Madhu
Hi. Thank you for this very informative mattress guide. I read through the whole article as well as the comments section to gather as much info as I can. The soaring heart mattress from the best stuff category is what I want but WAY out of my budget, unfortunately. So, I was looking in the good stuff category and noticed the The Green Mattress. When I clicked on their site the prices seem more reasonable for my budget. However, after reading through the comments it seems this company was not on the list when this post was first published. Now it is, obviously, but very little review is given. This seems surprising since you taken so much time to comment on every listing thoroughly. so, is the Green Mattress truly a good stuff option? Thanks again.
John, the company is “Spindle”!!! as opposed to “Sprindle” I did a typo on that!!!!
Hi John, Sheila here, the young lady who called this past Sunday, October 8th. I have been researching on here and wanted to know what you thought of the company, “Sprindle”. I am very interested in this company. So far it looks like a winner. I wanted to tell you about them so you can add them for a yay or a nay.
Hoping all is well with the “Gimme The Good Suff Team” . I am strongly at the point of about to purchase a “Latex” mattress and was advised by a luxury mattress dealer out of California( A seller of Vi-Spring, Hastens , Omi, and Hypnos) that latex is not a durable mattress material in the long haul.
Is their validity or truth to his claim and contention? I am strongly considering Soaring Heart purchase
but never having owned a latex mattress in my life ( Have purchased 3 Innerspring mattresses new in my life) . Curious to hear the feedback of others on this one:)
Never got a reply from my post on Sept 20th about the longevity and durability of latex mattresses . From owners of a latex matttess or John , if you would be so kind in sharing real life experience with a latex mattress , it is certainly appreciated.
Hi Steve! Latex mattresses are quite durable and will last as long as any mattress:).
Thank you so much for this safe mattress guide! I knew I wanted an organic mattress for my toddler, but I had no idea where to look. You’re website has become my go to spot and I appreciate all of the hard work you are doing to inform the public!
I absolutely agree with the gentleman who commented on GOTS and GOLS. These are voluntary certifications and they are markedly stricter than the bought and paid for ones out there. I’m thrilled with the Sleep Made to Measure products which are GOLS certified and 100 percent organic latex and covered with organically grown cotton. I have done extensive research into the company and they are top flight, though it did take me some time to get the products from them as they are shipped from Sri Lanka. The company has a full range of products and i’ve gotten the baby play mat, that is really useful for tummy time as well as the pillows made to measure and the bassinet mattress. There are no flame retardants and no additives of any type. I’m curious why companies like this are not featured in your product list. They do have an affiliate program that I just joined. So far as I’m concerned. something that is GOLS certified, green and organic takes the top slot for what I’m looking for in a product line.
Do you have any info on the toxicity of the Nolah Mattress? https://www.nolahmattress.com
Hi Steve,
Unfortunately Nolah has exactly zero certifications that would indicate the lack of toxins. Non-toxic does not seem to be their “thing”.
Feel free to contact me at john@gimmethegoodstuff to learn more.
John
PHEW! After 2 nights I have finally finished reading this entire blog and comment sections. I just have one more thing to add…for John and Maia’s sake (and for the sake of avoiding repetition), hold down “Control” (CTRL) “F” [known as “Control Find”] then type in the search bar what brand you are inquiring about – if you hit the arrow to the right it will search any word or phrase throughout the article, that way you can jump around and see what everyone has said about it!
In closing, I think I have made my choice! I am probably going to go Naturepedic from the “Great Stuff” section, if I can find one that I love and stay in my price range…OR I may go with a Savvy Rest, from the “Good Stuff” section, which I have already fell in love with one from their Serenity line at a Natural Sleep Shop!
Good luck with the mattress shopping – try to stay sane with all the information! Just do your research and trying to make it more about health than money (if you can!).
Best,
Angie
Hi Angie,
John here. You can get a fully certified (from the “Best Stuff” section) mattress from Soaring Heart for about the same price as a Savvy Rest mattress (from the second tier “Good Stuff” section.
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/?s=soaring+heart
Why take second best when the cost is about the same?
https://www.tuftandneedle.com/lp/safety/?gclid=CMiEksnZgdYCFRC4wAodMxYGqg
FYI about Tuft and Needle
They have 3 certifications. CertiPur, Greenguard Gold AND OEKO TEK standard 100 (FIRST Whole Mattress Certified)
While those 3 certifications are negligible-to-ok, they are not in the same league as GOTS and GOLS.
Negligible-to-ok? I’m confused— on your guide it’s listed as
“Good Mattress Certifications”: stating,
“Oeko-Tex Standard 100. While this certification 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”….
I realize it’s not organic– confusing recommendations though
Your article specifically states that Tuft & Needle is not claiming to have any certifications other than CertiPur, which does not seem to be true. And since they say that they were the first foam mattress to seek out those other certifications, it does not seem to ever have been true.
Maybe that could be fixed in your article, therefore.
Lisa- I totally agree. It is/was very confusing on Gimmethegoodstuff’s part
Also looking at Labor Day Sales! I’m leaning towards LifeKind, and I’m wondering if you’ve had any input from people who have tried the mattresses. Sleeping Organic (from South Carolina) looks good, too. Do you have any information about them? Seem to have all the great qualifications and prices are really good. Just wondering if their website is making them to appear better than reality, or if the representation is true. Thank you for all of this research – it’s been really helpful!
Hi Tracy,
Unfortunately Sleeping Organic does not actually have all the certifications that they make it seem like on their site. This is a very common marketing tactic in the industry. Buyer beware!
Hi John,
Why is it that you say Sleeping Organic does not have the certifications they claim to have on their website? I spoke with someone at the company and they told me the certifications they have. I would like to know where you are getting your information so that I can be more informed to make the right purchase decision.
Thanks!
I am trying to make a decision by September 4th (Labor Day Sales)…and boy and I’m overwhelmed! I have converted to an all-organic lifestyle – started with food, then beauty products, and now I am onto the bedding. Your blog is extremely informative, and I appreciate everything that you guys do!
That being said…I have spent sometime in a Natural Sleep Shop (been there about 3 times), which is local to me, and they only sell Savvy Rest and Naturpedic. I really am sold on a Savvy Rest, however, I thought before I make the plunge this weekend I would go online and see if I can find a more affordable, and more/just as organic online mattress.
I did not see anyone mention Obasan (still need to see if they ship in the US) or Sleeping Pure (I have been chatting with an online representative about the product). Do you have any information on these two brands? I apologize if I had missed any mentioning of them, in advance.
I hope this discussion is not dead and that I am not just on here talking to myself, but oh well I need to sort some things out in my brain before being set on a mattress for this Labor Day Weekend sale!!!
OBASAN
I read further through the comments and saw that someone has mentioned them, but did not see that Maia or John commenting further, so I’ll report on this one:
At first glance, they look like a great product with beautiful craftsmanship…I’m actually in love with how they look, but I will not purchase this mattress for the following reasons:
1.) I have dug deeper and cannot definitively tell if they do, in fact, ship to the US (seems Canada-based only?).
2.) More importantly, I viewed their certifications in which they have linked PDFs of, and I appreciate their honesty and all, BUT
– GOLS for Organic Rubber/Latex was issued to Richard Pieris Natural Foams Ltd., Sri Lanka
– GOTS for Organic Wool was issued to Planta Fuhrmann in Argentina
– GOTS for Textile Standard was issued to LAVA bvba in Belgium
:'( How expensive/difficult is it to just get these materials certified to the facility and/or the owner of the companies who manufacture the products? Ugh. Disappointing.
On to the next one…
SLEEPING PURE
I have been in contact with the representatives on their chat, and here is how the conversation went…
Angie: Is there any way to view material certifications?
Angie: I have clicked on the tab labeled as “Materials & Certifications” and I cannot seem to find a link to view them.
Lance: Welcome back, Angie.
Lance: Let me check the details for you.
Angie: Thank you.
Lance: You are welcome!
Lance: Thank you for waiting. Have you already checked this link, https://sleepingpure.com/about/materials-and-certifications/ ?
Angie: Yes, and I see that you have the logos: GOTS and Oeko-Tex Standard 100, however, I do not see a link to view the certificates.
Lance: Alright. I’ll have my product specialist get back to you with the information on that. Your number and email is, ___________ ____________, am I right?
Angie: I have been doing a lot research and I have read that it is best to see that the material is certified to the company/facility in which the mattresses are constructed, rather than certified in the country of which the materials (latex, wool, cotton, etc.) originate, i.e. Sri Lanka, Belgium, etc.
Angie: …because a lot can happen from the place of origin to the facility…and then to the bedrooms of the consumers of which these mattresses will go to, and that worries me. Thank you so much. I will appreciate anymore information on this.
Lance: I really appreciate your concern about certifications.
Lance: I will forward you the information of this inquiry.
I will post the email, if they ever get back to me.
Figured I’d add these to the list!
Best,
Angie
Here is the reply, John and Maia, how would you rate Sleeping Pure?
Hi Angie,
I’ve attached a copy of our GOTS certification for you to see. Our Talalay latex is okeo tex certified but we don’t usually receive a copy of the certificate, I can reach out to them and see if they can send me one. That product is sourced in CT and you can see their website here http://www.talalayglobal.com. Our Dunlop comes from India and is 100% natural. The factory where we purchase it actually uses only organic farms but there is an upcharge for a GOLS certification on the latex and we made the choice not to pay for the certificate and pass the savings on to our customers. I understand your concerns regarding purity, unfortunately there is a lot of green washing that goes on. That is one of the reasons we started our company after working in the organic industry for so many years, we wanted to be able to make healthy mattresses that were more affordable and be completely transparent as to what is inside. If you prefer to have GOLS certified latex I will be happy to refer you to some companies that do offer it. We appreciate your interest in our products!
Sleeping Pure GOTS Certification:
– Body issuing the Cert.:
Control Union – Netherlands
– Seller of Product:
Jacquard Textile (Asia) Limited – Thailand
-Last Processor of the Product:
Jacquard Textile (Asia) Limited – Thailand
-Buyer of the Product(s):
Latex Global – San Ramon, CA
-Country of Dispatch: Thailand
-Consignee of the Product:
Sleeping Pure – California
Still awaiting the Cert. for the Talalay Latex. I find it weird that she said in the email that they “…don’t usually receive a copy of that certificate…” How can they back up any of their claims? This is craziness.
I’d prefer it if a company had the certification, rather than them saving money for the consumers to save money….to me it’s not about the money its about my health, and my family’s health. I am definitely on this bandwagon hard!!!
Hi Angie,
RIGHT ON!! Many manufacturers make claims. Few can back them up.
Claiming that they don’t actually have a copy of the certification is sheer lunacy. They can’t send you a copy because they likely don’t have the certification they claim. It’s common marketing tactic used by many mattress manufacturers.
I know we all have budgets to consider but even a fully certified $3000 mattress only costs about 41 cents per day…far less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks!
Considering the chemistry found in many mattresses, 41 cents per day starts looking like a bargain…AND you don’t need to spend $3000 to get a fully certified mattress!
Are you familiar with Mulligan Mattresses? http://mulliganmattress.com/
They state are 100% natural chemical free latex.
Thanks.
Christine
Hi Christine,
Mulligan displays no certifications on their site. They use the word “natural” a lot. “Natural” has no legal meaning. Poison Ivy is “natural” but I don’t think I want to sleep on it. The commonly used flame retardant, Antimony is “natural” and is a known toxin.
They also claim to have “USDA certified organic natural latex”….but this is confusing because, to my knowledge, the USDA does not offer certifications for mattress cores. Hmmm…
What about Gold Bond American made mattresses? Thank you!
Any insight on ultimatesleep.com or sleeponlatex.com would be greatly appreciated. They both have toppers in reasonable price ranges
Hi there, I contacted Avacado Mattress company to ask them to send me their certifications they claim to have since your mattress guide said it weren’t sure of it’s claims and they sent me two. The GOTS and ECO-Institut. I have no idea what to look for on these certifications. Would love your help.
Thanks!
I believe you look to see if the certification is written to the manufacture of the mattress (which I think includes the entire mattress) OR simply just to a supplier of a material they use in th mattress (llatex, wool, cotton, etc.)
I believe you look to see if the certification is written to the manufacture of the mattress (which I think includes the entire mattress) OR simply just to a supplier of a material they use in the mattress (latex, wool, cotton, etc.)
I contacted a representative from Avocado and here is the conversation:
Angie: Hi I am wondering how i can view your materials’ certificates?
Amy: Hi there and thank you for getting in touch with us 🙂
Amy: At present, our cotton is GOTS certified with organic cotton, and our Dunlop latex is eco-INSTITUT certified.
Amy: We have recently received our Greenguard Gold certification, which tests the mattress overall for emissions, and have passed with flying colors!
Amy: I’d be happy to share the certificates with you if you’d like!
Angie: Yes I would like to see them. Thank you!
She sent me the attachments in the chat and here is what they read:
– Green Guard Gold – Certified to Avocado Green Mattress
– GOTS “Certificate” – Showing a Transaction Certificate for Textiles:
Body issuing the certificate: CU Inspections & Certifications INDIA Private Ltd.
Seller of the Product: RED FLAG – OMG this part is covered with white-out
Last processor of the product(s): Bannari Amman Spinning Mills Ltd. INDIA
Country of dispatch: INDIA
Buyer of the prodcut: KC Tex Inc. Charlotte, NC
Eco Institut Lien – Latex Certificate to LIEN A Co., Ltd. VIETNAM
This seems sketchy. They lost me at the white-out….unless it was to protect the name and address of a silent partner? idk.
Hope this answers questions.
Angie
Hi Angie,
You are doing a great job as a consumer. 🙂
Feel free to contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org and I’ll be happy to help you to the next level!
John
I was looking at the Avocado mattress too. Gosh, why can’t they just be straight forward and honest!
John-
What are your thoughts on the babyletto pure core or coco core mattresses?
Thank you!
What do you think of 5 Little Monkeys mattress?
I have a Simmons Kids® Tranquil Nights Organic Core 2 ‘N’ 1 mattress for my little one and I purchased it at Costco back in April of 2016. Im completely scared now after reading that all Simmons mattresses are treated with “bad stuff”. Even though this is considered “organic” should I still be concerned?? Thank you for taking time to help out all of us health-conscious Mamas!
Because that mattress is no longer made it is difficult to get full info on it but Simmons is not exactly known for their dedication to building nontoxic products. They have zero certifications that would lead me to believe that they make any truly nontoxic products.
I’m struggling to find a mini crib mattress (and don’t have the space for a full-sized crib). Organic Textiles LLC appears to have both GOTS and GOLS certifications, but I don’t see it listed in your guide. The certificates are available on their website, but with some info obscured…not sure if this is something I should be concerned about!
Thanks for any advice you have to offer
Hi Sarah,
John here…
The certification shown on Organic Textiles website is not what we look for. It is not dated and it is not issued to Organic Textiles. Feel free to contact me at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org and I can help you get whatever size crib mattress you want. We know fully certified manufacturers that can make anything. Thanks
How about the Lullaby Earth Crib Matress line created by Naturpedic company? Is it still safe? Thank you for all of your great information!
Still hoping to hear thoughts on Brentwood mattresses. 🙁
Hi Lina,
Brentwood uses a lot of language that would lead us to believe that their products are nontoxic but unfortunately the words and the reality do not always line up.
Feel free to contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org and I can help you find a truly certified mattress.
Thanks
Hi-
Just wondering what your thoughts were on the babyletto crib mattresses?
Thank you!
Or maybe this one? https://www.dreamfoambedding.com/product/ultimate-dreams-latex-mattress/ Ultimate Dreams Latex Mattress
Dreamfoambedding does not have the certifications to make serious claims about nontoxic mattresses.
I’m thinking about purchasing a latex mattress. I want to buy this one https://www.brentwoodhome.com/products/cedar-mattress (Cedar Mattress). “Rest with total peace of mind on layers of eco-friendly and sustainable materials like eco-INSTITUT certified natural latex, GOTS certified organic cotton, and organic coconut husk.” What do you think?
Hi Hasan,
I would recommend reading our updated Safe Mattress Guide before purchasing a mattress.
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/safe-product-guides/mattresses/
Or you can contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org
Any thoughts on this mattress, https://www.dreamfoambedding.com/product/ultimate-dreams-latex-mattress. I read your Safe Mattress Guide and this mattress is OEKO-TEX Certified.
Hi Hasan,
Thanks for the question. It does not appear that dreamfoam has proper certification. They do not display the actual certificates…among other problems.
The sad fact is that when a Queen mattress is offered at $599 it is very unlikely to be nontoxic.
Are “non-toxic” mattresses more susceptible to mold?
We bought OMI crib mattress last fall (it was recommended on the site so we felt good about the purchase) and now it has mold EVERYWHERE. We had used the naturepedic waterproof cover on it but the mattress has been bare since late May (my daughter and I are abroad for the summer and we took the waterproof cover and sheets with us). When my husband found extensive MOLD on the OMI mattress a couple days ago and we were in total shock. He ventilates the room AND the AC is on at all times. No other furniture in the nursery OR mattresses (temperpedic, sealy; so “toxic” mattresses) in the other rooms have mold…
When I contacted the company, they said mold isn’t covered by warranty (even though it’s less than one year old!) and told me not to use waterproof cover. Except when we left, the mattress was perfectly fine. Somehow in the last couple of months when the mattress was NOT covered and NOT in use, the mold had been growing.
OMI said Live Enzyme Cleaner should do the job but we aren’t sure if that’s gonna get rid of everything. Have you had any experience with mold issues in the “non-toxic” mattresses? It’s not a big deal if we have to get a new mattress but not sure if we will go back to OMI….
Hello, this blog has been supremely helpful as I shop for mattresses for my children’s rooms. I found ‘Sleep on Latex’ to have more affordable options than any of the other makes. I know this brand is currently listed under ‘Okay Stuff,’ but I was wondering if you’ve had a chance to update your findings on them? The product claims are: 100% natural latex, organic cotton, organic wool…
I’m close to making a purchase decision and wanted to get your input! Thank you very much!
This is one of the best mattress reviews I’ve read. So much great information. Too many people are confused about off-gassing, so it was great you cleared that up!
Hello,
I recently purchased a Magniflex made in Italy. It claims to be organic cover, and chemical free. They have the good certifications you list. I have some time to test it out. What are your thoughts?
https://www.magniflex.com/international/en/toscana/27-cotton-caresse-dual-10.html
Thank you!
I just asked Avocado about their certifications (if they were GOTS and GOLS) and their response:
“At present, our cotton is GOTS certified with organic cotton, and our Dunlop latex is eco-INSTITUT certified. We made a decision early on that if we ensured the purity / quality of our latex (i.e. via the eco-INSTITUT testing standard) that it would have a significant benefit in terms of cost that we pass through to our customers, while ensuring zero off-gassing or negative implications. GOLS certified latex would be much pricier, which would force us to raise our prices rather significantly, so we opted for this route as we’re seeking a balance of true greenness and affordability. We have also received our Greenguard Gold certification as well, which we are very happy to share with you!
In short, we test for chemicals and the purity of the latex. It doesn’t come from a certified organic farm which is the main difference. But similarly it’s tested for any chemicals or emissions, and its 100% natural latex so in terms of integrity and durability it’s the same :)”
what do you think? what does this mean?
Hi Melissa,
First off…”Natural” is essentially a meaningless term. It is a necessary word for marketing but, Poison Ivy and Plutonium are “natural”. I don’t want to sleep on those.
While Eco-Institut and Greenguard certifications are better than no certifications…they are far from the best certification which is a GOLS certificate written to the exact same company you are buying from…not a 3rd party in Sri Lanka or Indonesia etc.
There can be a lot of deceptive marketing in the industry. It’s worth sorting these things out before investing in a mattress.
You can contact me directly at 717 869 6968 and I’ll be happy to discuss it. Or email me at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org
Thanks,
John
Hi Maia,
I was reading your non-toxic make-up routine and saw this non-toxic mattress guide underneath. I recently purchased a 100% natural latex mattress from a company which you have listed under “Okay Stuff.” I absolutely love my mattress! I want you to know that I did a lot of research before I made this purchase and I know for a fact that this company is 100% better than a few companies that I see in your “Good Stuff” category. Not only are they a manufacturer, but they have all certifications which the others do not have! I wonder if they are aware of your article here. Maia, please explain what your “rules” are for placing a company in “Okay Stuff” v. “Good Stuff.” It is very confusing and misleading to your readers and I wonder if the proper research was done before posting this article. Thank you. Jana G.
Hi Maia,
We have 100% organic latex mattresses made by Habitat Furnishings. Are you familiar with this company? If so, do you recommend? We spent a good amount of money on our mattresses from Habitat, so I’m really hoping they are certifiable.
Thank you,
Brian
Maia or John,
Would you be able to respond to the last few questions since June if you have the time?
Thanks so much,
Hello,
We are looking to purchase a mattress for our murphy bed and would like it to be as non-toxic as possible. Unfortunately, although we would normally look into a latex mattress, we are only able to use an innerspring or coil mattress with the murphy bed. Can you make a recommendation?
Thank you
Do you have any details on the Happsy mattress?
Thank you.
What do you think of Lullaby Earth?
Hi! Is the “sneaky stuff” category considered to be worse than the “bad stuff”?? Or are they just particular sneaky details, and the bad stuff is the worst category in your ranking? Thanks!
As a general rule, Bad Stuff is the worst category. We call things Sneaky rather than Bad when they make claims about being natural/organic/nontoxic but use ingredients or materials that suggest otherwise.
Hi
Thanks so much for all your guides. They’re amazing. I’m looking for a crib mattress but I live in Canada. Any of your options ship here?
Thanks
Seems like everyone is on vacation. No replies!
Have you heard about Surround Ewe mattresses? I wish I knew how their wool was treated.
Hello Maia and team.
Thanks for providing all of these amazing resources. I struggle with physical pain and sleep. I was encourage by Mommypotamus’s review of IntelliGEL beds, but I know that the bed isn’t good for the environment when it’s time to toss it, and I’m guessing that the gel probably contains a lot of chemicals. In your review of this bed, it sounds like the main negative is that the foam used is likely to contain polyurethane chemicals. Since the foam makes up less than 10% of the bed, I’m wondering how serious this might be when compared with others? In other sneaky mattresses or mattresses in general with toxic foam, what % is used? 10% 20%? I believe mommypotamus said one could order talalay latex instead of the foam. I understand from your info that talalay is not organic, but is it very toxic? Also, do you find a problem with the gel? The gel seems to make up a large % of the overall mattress materials. I’m really curious about the fire-blocker of course. Mommypotamus said that one could order the mattress without the fire-blocker if a doctor gives a prescription. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated and thanks for the GREAT blog!!!!
I bought a memory foam mattress from WalMart without thinking anything about it.
4 years later I decided I should wash the outer cover, it’s generally covered, but I figured I should give it a clean. The inner cover, composed of 100% glass fiber, had degraded over the years from where I slept. I think noticed clumps of loose glass fibers and lots of loose small ones everywhere.
I wondered if the outer cover, which is made of a thin fabric, had been able to contain those little glass fibers from escaping. The answer was no. I found them on my pillow, my sheets, my electric blanket, my sleeping clothes, and basically anything else that had touched my bed or shared the same area. I’ve found tiny glass fibers on my tv screen across my room for example. They are literally everywhere. I tossed the mattress out along with all my bedding and a good chunk of my clothes to get rid of all the reservoirs of the fibers and I’m currently vacuuming every square inch of my room with a brush attachment to try getting rid of as much of the fibers and particles as I can.
I was wondering, can you speak on the safety of the glass fibers used in these mattresses that’s used as a fire barrier. How safe can that material be to breath in over years as the tiny particles escape the mattress? I actually can’t seem to find much information about this and I find that pretty shocking.
Interesting site with a lot of good information.
Thanks.
Hi John & Mia,
Could you please let me know your thought on the brand Kidicomfort and greenbuds? Specifically the PURE crub mattres from Kidicomfort and the Greenbuds Magnolia Pureté 2-in-1 Deluxe Crib Mattress?
http://www.kidicomfort.com/en/products/prestige-collection-usa
https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/greenbuds-magnolia-puret-trade-2-in-1-deluxe-crib-mattress/1045403491?categoryId=32620
Also looking Newton mattress but concerned about the phosphates they call “salt” used for flame retardant as well as the cover. The mattress looks really good but it is listed in your “bad” category and every review I read people are in love with it.
I originally purchase a naturepedic ultra 2 in 1 but the size does not fit in my crib as they say it does so had to return.
Thanks so much!!
Greg
I had a Brooklyn Bedding. I asked them for their certifications and they were unable to provide it for me. They lied to me saying they had been certified for years and didn’t need to get re-certified. Since they were caught in a lie, I demanded a refund and got one (and returned the bed).
I just bought this, doesn’t it sound good? I’m going to be so sad.
How is Zenhaven constructed?
From the top down, Zenhaven consists of a quilt package with an organic cotton cover; a flame-retardant layer of natural 100% organic New Zealand wool; a 1.5” comfort layer of 100% Talalay latex featuring our proprietary 5-zone design; and a 6” base layer, also of 100% Talalay latex. (Please refer to our Mattress page)
Was really hoping Brentwood Home mattresses would be in your latest review but didn’t see them. I debated between them and My Green Mattress when I purchased my son’s twin size bed recently. I finally decided on Brentwood and I hope I didn’t make the wrong choice! Now I’m second guessing it since I don’t see them on your list, but I do see My Green Mattress under Good Stuff. And too late to return I think 🙁
I’ve slept on a Simmons Beautyrest 14” Full SurfaceCool Gel Memory Foam but found it too soft. This is what I tried and did not like it. https://www.costco.com/Simmons-Beautyrest-14%E2%80%9D-Full-SurfaceCool-Gel-Memory-Foam-Mattress-.product.100316014.html
I’m looking for an adult full size, non-toxic, no coil, firmer mattress but a futon might be another option. Any suggestions?
Hi Brian,
John here…
Your best bet would be:
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/store/soaring-heart-organic-latex-support-mattress/
You can select between firm and extra firm. Almost everyone opts for “firm” rather than extra firm…
Feel free to contact me directly at john@gimmethegoodstuff.org
If you could please give your thoughts on the Spindle 100% Natural Latex Mattress. It claims to use organic cotton and organic wool but only has Oeko-Tex 100… No GOLS or GOTS certifications. I’m between this mattress and an Essentia. So would really love to hear your advice.
https://spindlemattress.com/faq-items/wool-inside-latex-mattress/
our opinion is that Spindle is just Okay Stuff.
Was curious if LifeKind was reviewed in the most recent update? I know others have asked about their mattresses, which interests me too, but their sheets seem reasonably priced too. Thanks!
Hello-
Thank you for all your work putting this information together. I would love to know your thoughts on the Avacado green mattress?
Thank you so much!
Trisha
Hi Trisha,
Avocado makes a lot of claims but fails to make our cut.
I will be happy to help you find a truly nontoxic mattress that suits your needs. Let me know any particulars…size, back problems etc. and I’ll make some recommendations.
john@gimmethegoodstuff.org
Hi Trisha,
I recently reached out to Avocado regarding their current certifications and to see if they pursued GOTS/GOLS. Here is what the customer representative had to say:
“At present, our cotton is GOTS certified with organic cotton, and our Dunlop latex is eco-INSTITUT certified. We made a decision early on that if we ensured the purity / quality of our latex (i.e. via the eco-INSTITUT testing standard) that it would have a significant benefit in terms of cost that we pass through to our customers, while ensuring zero off-gassing or negative implications. GOLS certified latex would be much pricier, which would force us to raise our prices rather significantly, so we opted for this route as we’re seeking a balance of true greenness and affordability. We have also received our Greenguard Gold certification as well, which we are very happy to share with you!
In short, we test for chemicals and the purity of the latex. It doesn’t come from a certified organic farm which is the main difference. But similarly it’s tested for any chemicals or emissions, and its 100% natural latex so in terms of integrity and durability it’s the same :)”
I believe that they are an honest and transparent company but for my own home if I am paying 1,000 or more, I’d rather spend slightly more to get one that is certified safe. Hope this helps!
Hello! Wondering what you think of Essentia mattresses? They seem to be conscientious and non-toxic. They make a crib mattress that I am looking into purchasing. Thank you! [Also, we have a Lifekind mattress for us (with wool topper, pillows, and al