By Leslie Billera
San Diego, CA, USA | Tue Mar 17 14:45:00 GMT 2009
Mattress shopping? Pesticides, polyurethane, petroleum-based polyester, and chemical flame retardants are hardly the stuff of pleasant dreams. Most green mattresses, on the other hand, are free of these chemicals and naturally hypoallergenic and dust-mite, mold, and mildew-free.
Need to Know: Dunlop vs. Talalay
Any perspective buyer of a green mattress will soon be hearing the terms 'Dunlop' and 'Talalay' ad nauseam. Both of these terms represent the process by which natural latex is made, not the type of natural latex itself. Green mattress maker Savvy Rest declares both to be of equally high quality, and does a great job of simplifying the differences between them so that you can be an informed, green consumer.
Most of these green mattresses are made to order. Since an investment in a green mattress is typically more expensive than a conventional one, ask whether there is a showroom available where you can test your mattress prior to buying. Swatches of natural latex and other fabric samples are also typically available upon request.
Once you've reviewed this roundup of green mattresses—and you're ready to buy—consider reinventing your old mattress by entering the Discarded Dreams Mattress Competition.
Why We Like It: The individually molded process for the Dormeuse From Essentia creates a completely adhesive- and chemical-free mattress with multiple layers of petroleum-free memory foam. These layers offer targeted support of the lumbar region, as well as spinal and shoulder support.
Eco Factor: Made from 100 percent natural rubber tree Dunlop latex, organic essential oils, and plant extracts, all Essentia mattresses are 100 percent biodegradable (with the exception of the "entry level" Pure mattress, which is 100 percent recyclable). Essentia's manufacturing factory releases no toxic emissions and 80 percent less waste than most mattress manufacturing facilities.
Rest Easy: All mattresses are manufactured out of the company’s Montreal headquarters and Essentia is a member of 1 percent for the Planet and certified by Co-Op America.
Where: Try Essentia's dealer locator.
How Much: From $3,000 to $5,330
Read More: MattressFeature.com
Image courtesy of Essentiadirect.com
Why We Like It: The Euro 100 percent Natural Rubber Mattress From Lifekind is made from pure certified organic cotton, Talalay 100 percent natural rubber, and wool garnered from chemical- and cruelty-free Northern California sheep. Lifekind also has the only organic mattress manufacturing eco factory in North America.
Eco Factor: All materials sourcing and manufacturing are done as close to home as possible: Both the organic cotton and the latex rubber cores are produced in the U.S.
Rest Easy: Company president Walter Bader penned Toxic Bedrooms: Your Guide to a Safe Night's Sleep and the company offers a 90-day comfort exchange.
Where: Lifekind
How Much: From $1,000 to $2,000
Read More: Earth Friendly Shopping
Image courtesy of Lifekind
Why We Like It: Green media darling Danny Seo's collaboration with bedding giant Simmons means you get all the eco-goodness combined with hearty corporate guarantees like the 20-year limited warranty with New Hope.
Eco Factor: Natural Care's natural latex is derived from the milk sap of rubber trees grown on sustainable and protected plantations. The soy-enhanced base foam and wood foundation are sourced from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
Rest Easy: It was named one of the Fabulous Products of the Future on Good Morning America and several components are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified, including the natural latex.
Where: JC Penney
How Much: From $1,300 to $2,200
Read More: Treehugger
Image courtesy of Simmons Bedding Company
Why We Like It: Each Savvy Rest Organic Serenity mattress is created with individual combinations of soft, medium, or firm layers to create personalized firmness for each sleeper. Don't agree with your partner? The Serenity can also be divided—with a different level of firmness on each side—at no additional charge.
Eco Factor: Organic Serenity is made with Eco-Tek-certified natural Talalay or Dunlop latex, which contains no off-gassing synthetics. Its quilted casing is made of certified organic wool fiber and certified organic cotton fabric, both from American sources.Image courtesy of Savvysleeper.com
Why We Like It: With 350 pinhole cavities per square foot on both sides, the Natural Latex Mattress from Bean Products ensures uniformity and comfort. Bean also features a great alternative to synthetic sleeping bags and bulky futons: Their Floor Mat is filled with 100 percent natural cotton batting with an unbleached cotton shell and can be covered into a twin size fitted sheet. Carrying straps and ties make it easy to roll up and store.
Eco Factor: This simple mattress features six inches of medium to firm natural rubber tree latex topped with 2-inch organic cotton top sheeting.
Rest Easy: Founder Chuck Blumenthal lays claim to creating the first body pillow in 1987; other home furnishing products include pure hemp, organic cotton, recycled poly fiber from soda bottles, buckwheat hulls, natural latex foam rubber and recycled bean bag fills.
Where: Bean Products
How Much: From $945 to $1,645; Floor Mat is $150
Read More: Lake Magazine
Image courtesy of Bean Products, Inc.
Why We Like It: The key ingredient in all Naturepedic mattresses is certified organic cotton filling and fabrics. The company focuses on baby and child mattresses from crib to queen size. All mattresses include nontoxic fire protection and heavy-duty inner springs. Naturepedic's top of the line 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra Baby Crib and Toddler Mattress includes a non-toxic waterproofed organic cotton surface on one side and a quilted organic cotton surface on the other.
Eco Factor: The 2 in 1 Ultra, like all Naturepedic mattresses, contains no polyurethane foam, vinyl, phthalates, PBDEs, or other potentially harmful chemicals.
Rest Easy: It's certified by the Greenguard Environmental Institute and created by a smart eco grandpa: founder Barry A. Cik, a veteran in the field of environmental engineering, couldn't find an acceptable non-toxic mattress for his grandchild, so he created one.
Where: Try Naturepedic's store locator or Amazon.
How Much: The 2 in 1 Ultra begins at $400 for a crib size
Read More: Parenthood.com
Image courtesy of Naturepedic.com
Why We Like It: Pure wool is known for its natural healing qualities: It helps relieve back pains and arthritis, regulates your body temperature, and even helps to calm the body and lower the heart-rate while sleeping. Wool is also naturally mildew resistant, hypo-allergenic, and fire resistant. And the 5" Wool Mattress from Shepherd's Dream is pre-compressed for a life expectancy of 30-50 years.
Eco Factor: The company supports local farmers and all of the materials are biodegradable and produced sustainably, without the use of toxic chemicals.
Rest Easy: Custom mattresses can be made upon request. Do-it-your-selfer? Shepherd's Dream will sell you organic raw materials for your own home projects.
Where: Shepherd's Dream or Woolbed.ca for Canada
How Much: From $1,000 to $1,920
Read More: Treehugger
Image courtesy of Shepherd's Dream
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