Hi KAycee22.
I am glad to hear that you’ve found the resources on our site useful in your research so far! It is always rewarding to see how one by one consumers become more educated and able to make an informed mattress purchase. Days of sleeping on “hand-me-down and cheap thrift store mattresses” are better left behind as they can definitely throw a wrench in the works when it comes to your general wellbeing and the quality of your sleep.
As Mattrebuild noted, poly and memory foams are chemical-based and may continue to off-gas for some time yet.
The off-gassing issue is common with memory foam and polyfoam mattresses. In general, CertiPUR does have high standards for testing (see post #2 with info about some of the more reliable “safety” certifications, including in-depth CertiPUR info). where you can be reasonably sure that the smell or off-gassing that you may notice has been tested for any potential harm it may cause you (within the limits of the test). This said all memory foams and polyurethane foams in general use some “nasty” materials in their chemical formulations. However, some of the foams have more of this material left in them by the time you sleep on them than others.
For those that are sensitive to VOC off-gassing, this can lead to issues ranging from a reaction to the unpleasant smell itself all the way to respiratory issues caused by the vapors regardless of foams certification. People with certain medical issues such as MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities) may be much more sensitive to some materials that the large majority of people would be fine with
More natural materials used in mattresses such as different fibers and good quality latex foam (which may also have a less unpleasant odor for a short time and is usually tested as well) are usually considered to be superior in this area. In the case of Certipur certification, the foam will also have been tested to some degree for durability and so is less likely to lose its beneficial qualities in a few months after purchase but the density of the memory foam would still be a much more important durability factor than any limited durability testing done by CertiPur.
Off-gassing from your spring unit would be an unlikely source of any chemical irritation you may experience from a mattress. L&P’s pockets are ultrasonically welded and the springs are sealed inside an individual encasement. The only adhesive used is applied with a glue head to bond the strands together. Many suppliers are now moving away from the use of glue as this makes recycling difficult. The glue is used sparingly and it is water-based (no solvents) but I’d need to double-check on this. Texas Pocket Springs has a glueless Quadcoil module that uses only ultrasonic welding. Innerspring supplier Agro, Bad, Germany, also uses horizontal ultrasonic welding, instead of glue, to seal the spring pockets—a technique it uses on taller units for vertical welds. Cortec, Another German company Spinks at Interzum Cologne, Germany also has a glueless wrapped-coil Cortec
My only concern is that I am a side sleeper and usually experience pressure in my hips ( female, 5’4", 150 pounds) and it seems like the more natural mattresses are all rated fairly firm.
Generally speaking, side sleepers tend to need softer and/or thicker comfort layers than those who sleep on their backs or stomachs. A good starting point for a good comfort layer for a side sleeper is 3" and then depending on weight, body shape, preferences, and the firmness of the support layers, to go up or down from there. Most side sleepers will fall in the range of from 2" - 4". You are correct that natural fibers in a mattress may tend to compact rather than soften and may change their feel and become firmer over time but this is relative to each individual. However, tufting and precompression may greatly mitigate this.
Latex on the other hand is a natural material that has the lowest levels of off-gassing from all types of foams. The smell isn’t harmful and it tends to dissipate within days. Talalay latex tends to have a sweeter smell and Dunlop tends to have a more rubbery smell but neither are harmful and both have been tested to Oeko-Tex standard 100 class 1 (safe for babies) standards. Both will dissipate to levels below normal detection but the rubbery smell can last longer than the sweeter
Because of your VOC sensitivity and needing more comfort for your side sleeping I’ll make a case for using latex if you decide you like the feel of it. It may be that a lower ILD softer Talalay latex will give you a different comfort experience, as it has comparable pressure relieving qualities to memory foam due to its ability to form itself to the exact shape of your body profile while you are sleeping and to do this instantly as you change positions. Latex and memory foam share this ability to form a pressure relieving cradle more than other more commonly used materials.
Generally, latex is more durable in any layer, more point elastic (takes on the shape of the body better which provides more even support and aids in better pressure relief), has a higher support factor (gets firmer faster with deeper compression which helps with deep support), is more breathable (regulating humidity and temperature), has higher resilience, elasticity, and “liveliness” which provides for a better “feel” for most people, is more natural than polyfoam for those who prefer more natural materials, has fewer complaints about off-gassing and odor, is biodegradable, is less flammable, and is overall a much superior material in any layer … but as you know is also more costly.
Because even in the softer versions it has a higher resilience and is more “supportive” than other foams, it will also help support the more recessed areas of your body, such as the lumbar, that need “filling in” and are not in close contact with the firmer support layers underneath and because of its resilience it less motion restricting than memory foam and changing positions and another movement on the mattress easier. This also makes thicker, and in some cases, more pressure relieving, comfort layers possible when needed or preferable without the same degree of risk that a thicker “pillowtop” or “eurotop” comfort layer will put your spine out of alignment.
As you narrow down your options and start to move forward in making a decision as to the mattress type of your preference and the materials within it. I’d also browse our Trusted Members you will come across many who offer fully latex beds or latex hybrids. Here are few I pulled out with a quick scan through them:
The Natural Escape by My Green Mattress
The Select Sleep Hybrid by Sleep EZ
Latex Mattress Factory’s Luxerion Hybrid
The Certified Organic Latex Hybrid by Nest Bedding
I hope this gives you a springboard to get started as you move forward. Please do not hesitate to reach out with more questions.
Phoenix