45th Street Bedding

Mattress Talk 1) Mattress Selection Process
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Hello, I’m looking for an all-natural materials, king-sized mattress, either all latex or latex-coil hybrid.

We’ve tried out the Harvest Green and 45th street bedding options in-person in Portland. The extra firm 45th street all latex was too firm, but their medium firm all latex or medium firm hybrid mattresses seemed a good feel. We slightly preferred hybrid, but hard to judge without sleeping on them, and for context I like sleeping on a latex/wool shikibuton on a tatami mat, but my wife prefers a bit softer than that and not sleeping on the floor.

New, 45th street bedding mattresses with cover and frame bought in-store will come out to about $4.5k. The Harvest Green were similar in price with cover and frame included. That is doable, but very expensive for us, and we’d prefer to see what’s available for closer to $2k. I’m also not certain about the 45th street bedding cert (eco-Institut) vs the ones you normally hear about (GOLS/GOTS), but my understanding is that most natural latex, if 100% natural, is basically similar (excepting the dunlop vs talalay distinction)? Does anyone know about the veracity of the organic claims of 45th street bedding? Or have any other opinion on them? It’s hard to find online information about them, but from calling them I understand they don’t use any glue, which is good, and that they are all Dunlop, with all wool and cotton coverings and pads, but polyester coil wraps. They are also all two-sided, which I’m not sure about needing. Is that necessary? Because you have to flip latex beds?

The all-natural/organic nature of the bed and its health effects are our top priority. We would prefer no polyester, and especially no polyurethane, at all. I think many organic beds still have polyester coil wraps, but that’s probably fine…Naturepedic uses cotton coil wraps, but they are very expensive. Some organic-advertised beds though may use glues or certain spray-on materials that still emit toxic VOCs? Or may mix artificial with synthetic latex, or have some toxic chemical treatments done on their wool etc…? I’m just not sure how to evaluate online organic claims. Even for the mattress protector we’d prefer a less-than-water proof all-cotton one to a waterproof one with any polyester.

The comfort is secondary, but still very important, and we prefer medium-firm to firm (we’re ok with trying out a mattress topper as well to make adjustments).

I’ve also tried out Naturepedic at their store in Portland, but they are too expensive and more like $5k+ just for the mattress. The Naturepedic firm hybrid beds felt more like the medium->medium-firm 45th street beds, and so also felt good. There’s an Avocado store in Portland as well, but I am not as certain about the quality of Avocado by comparison? I know there was a dismissed lawsuit against them concerning green-washing, but I don’t know if it had any merit. I have not been to that store.

Preferably, I’d be able to try the mattress out in-person in the greater Portland Oregon area, and I could even drive as far as Seattle, but I could still be convinced to try an online-only option as well. There are a few online places recommended here where I can get an all-latex:

or hybrid:

organic king-sized mattress for more like $2k, maybe a bit less. After getting an organic protector from somewhere (100-200) and a bed frame from perhaps KD frames (maybe $200) and whatever shipping costs etc…it might come out to about $2500 (I already have sheets and pillows).

I’ve also considered the DIY route of buying a mattress bag, multiple latex toppers, etc…but for now I’d prefer to try and buy something prebuilt without having to go through the DIY route.

In summary, we want a purely-organic materials, no vox or off-gassing, organic king-sized mattress. $5k+ is too expensive, $4k barely doable, but would greatly prefer closer to $2k (plus a few hundred for incidentals). 45th street is tempting and local, but there’s not much online about them so I don’t know how to compare them to something half the price online-only like an SoL or My Green Mattress. Being able to try in-person is preferable, but an online one with a no-cost or very low-cost generous return policy could also be an option.

Do you have any recommendations or info for me?

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Hello grae553

Welcome to our Mattress Forum :slight_smile:

About 45th Street Bedding:
While they aren’t a Trusted Member here, we’re familiar with their reputation in the Portland area and agree that they seem to be producing quality builds. Smaller, locally-based manufacturers often don’t have the same kind of online footprint or third-party reviews simply due to scale but that doesn’t necessarily indicate a red flag. In fact, there are often advantages to buying local: you get to try before buying, ask questions in person, and support a nearby business.

It’s true that the price point can be higher when purchasing from a small, local maker. Unlike larger manufacturers, they often can’t spread out operational costs or source materials in high-volume bulk. That said, what you’re describing -$4.5k for a full setup (mattress, base, and cover) - is within the expected range for an organic, all-latex or hybrid mattress purchased locally.

Regarding the Eco-Institut certification:
Eco-Institut is a legitimate, well-respected European certification that tests for harmful emissions and substances. It differs a bit from GOLS and GOTS which are full supply-chain organic certifications but many high-quality latex mattresses may carry Eco-Institut certification instead, especially if they’re focused on the finished material testing rather than supply chain traceability. If they are truly using 100% natural Dunlop latex, certified wool and cotton, and no glues, that’s a good sign. And yes, polyester-wrapped coils are fairly common even in many organic builds, because cotton-wrapped coils are more expensive and can be more fragile during assembly. Naturepedic is one of the only brands we know that uses cotton wrapping, but as you saw, that’s reflected in the price.

Do latex mattresses need to be flipped?
Not necessarily. Latex is highly durable, and many well-made one-sided designs hold up for years with simple rotation. But two-sided builds can be a nice value-add depending on the construction, especially for those looking for longevity and lower body impressions. It’s not a requirement, though, and not a reason to rule out other designs.

Now about some lower-cost online options:
Two brands you mentioned Sleep On Latex and My Green Mattress are Trusted Members of our site, which means we’ve vetted them based on transparency, quality of construction, and materials used. They’re known for consistent product integrity and customer support, and we stand by the fact that both offer excellent value in the organic and natural mattress space.

  • My Green Mattress offers the Natural Escape hybrid (organic Dunlop latex, cotton, wool, and coils) at prices closer to your ideal range. It’s a solid, no-gimmicks option with generous return policies.
  • Sleep On Latex makes an all-latex mattress using GOTS and GOLS-certified materials, and their simple construction makes them an excellent choice if you’re aiming to avoid glues or adhesives.

Both offer trial periods and return policies that allow you to try the mattress at home which can help bridge the gap when trying in-person isn’t possible.

TL;DR:
If you’re leaning toward a local build, 45th Street Bedding seems to be a trustworthy, well-intentioned option. They may not list every certification, but they appear to be transparent and materials-focused. If you’d prefer to save a bit and are comfortable with the online route, MGM and SOL are brands we’ve reviewed extensively and feel confident recommending, especially considering your budget and material priorities.

NikkiTMU

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Thank you so much for typing out all of this info! I’m going to go ahead with an online purchase of a king-sized SOL medium firmness + KD frames bed frame (with extra legs for the extra weight). I’ll report back here on how it goes. If we don’t like all-latex, we’ll try out MGM for a hybrid option.

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Hey grae553,

Nikki already gave you some great insight, and I just wanted to add a few thoughts. The truth is, while there are more manufacturers of Dunlop latex in Sri Lanka, there are three or four that are generally considered the top quality producers:

EARTHFOAM, RPNF (ARPICO), LATEXGREEN, and ECO-LATEX.

All of them produce Dunlop foam and may claim to have the perfect formula or a unique edge over the others. But in reality, the fundamentals of latex vulcanization and the chemical processes involved are largely the same across the board. If any of these top manufacturers truly has something special, they should be able to clearly explain what sets them apart, without relying on marketing hype.

They also tend to carry the same certifications: OEKO-TEX, ECO Institut, LGA (for mattresses), GOLS (for raw latex), and so on.

In fact, it’s unlikely that any of them could definitively identify their own foam if it were unmarked.

With that in mind, before committing to an all-latex mattress, it’s worth considering whether you’ll have the flexibility to modify the layers without returning the whole thing. Companies like @Sleep_EZ and @Arizona_Premium offer a wide range of Dunlop options and allow you to swap, rearrange, or replace layers to better fine-tune your comfort.

Sure, SoL might get it right on the first try, but if not, you may end up wishing you had the ability to tweak the configuration rather than being stuck with something that’s just not quite right, that might have been able to be tweaked to get you there.

Just another perspective on the subject.

All the best on whatever you decide.

Maverick

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Hi there! I’m responding since you mentioned Naturepedic. They have sales periodically at 15% - 20% off. That would bring the Serenade pretty close to your price range. You can slightly customize the firmness with the comfort layer too - choosing plush, cushion-firm, or firm, I believe.

If organic is important to you, Naturepedic is a very trustworthy brand - the first to be endorsed by the Environmental Working Group. No glues, no off-gassing - all organic materials, steel is recycled steel, I believe.

You have gotten several good options suggested here - best of luck to you as you compare.

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I strongly suggest DIY for any latex mattress. You can get layers of certified organic latex, either Dunlop, Talalay or a combination of the two, in various densities and thicknesses. The experts (I used Latex Mattress Factory) can help you select components based on your height, weight, sleeping position, health issues, etc. I have three layers of Dunlop in a mattress cover with a Talalay topper in a separate cover (to avoid the “drum” effect). It is on an adjustable base purchased locally. Not only do you get EXACTLY what suits you, but it is very cost-effective as well.

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thanks for this reply (and to everyone else for their replies and info). I may consider DIY if SoL doesn’t work out, I’ll let you know. I think the SoL mattress is a similar cost to buying the same amount of latex + a cover in separate pieces, but I’m not certain.

Out of curiosity, what is the drum effect?

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When layers are encased in a cover, it holds them tight like the skin of a drum. When the topper is separate, it is more able to adapt to your curves and respond to you position changes.

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ok interesting, and this damages the mattress latex over time?

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No, it is just “tight” vs. something that is more able to conform to your curves, like the small of your back.

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DIY will most likely be less expensive than ready-made. It all depends on your configuration, but here’s an example at today’s prices at Latex Mattress Factory: King size 3" firm Dunlop $449.40. medium $399.00, soft $369.00. King 3" medium Talalay $639.00. King 12" quilted mattress case $450.00. All totaled $2,306 for that configuration.You may just want two Dunlop layers and Talalay as your comfort layer for a total of 9", which would, of course, be less. They also have coils if you want to go the hybrid route. Just an example of how cost-effective DIY is, in addition to getting a bed that is “custom comfort” for you.

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thanks, yeah that is a bit more expensive than the $1800 for the sleep on latex all latex medium firm king size:

but that for 8", so comparable if you take one of the LMF layers off, and ofc LMF is custom firmness. I’ll let you know if SoL doesn’t work out for me, it was just delivered today so I’ll try it out tonight ofc.

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Hello again,

Just checking back in here as I’ve been sleeping on the sleep on latex medium firm bed for a few nights now, and it’s great! just the right firmness for my wife and I, lots of room for us and our 3 year old, and the latex/cotton sheets gives no smell or anything. Very pleasant, fresh and natural feeling. I’m finally waking up without pains (even though I weight 250lbs…)!

thanks again for the help everyone.

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Congratulations on finding something that works for you. Check back periodically and let the community know how you are doing.

All the best,

Maverick