* Choosing a Latex Mattress : Nature's Embrace - SnugSleep Latex Gold - Ironman Natural 1.0 +++

I want to start off by saying that this site is a blessing and I’m very grateful that I found it. I’ve spent a lot of time reading what seems to be a never-ending amount of valuable information. Struggling with retention :huh:

Initially I was rather overwhelmed but with a little more time I’m confident I will be caught up and comfortable with what mattress I ultimately choose to buy.

I’m actually helping someone with their mattress purchase in Vancouver, BC. We were thinking about memory foam (Magnaflex) at first but then switched to latex. Organic latex is not necessary nor is a particular brand name. We’re not looking for the cheapest or most expensive, just a fair price for what the mattress of a certain quality should be.

I realize “I” can only do so much because of the PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) of the actual persons who will be sleeping on this mattress. Were not there yet. First, I’d like to look at some brands/companies that are preferred/respected in regards to the quality of their materials and fair.

Here are some mattresses we’ve started to look at to get the ball rolling:

Nature’s Embrace Unison- (I have read Phoenix that your daughter purchased one of their mattresses and that you think highly of Renelle)
USDA Certified Organic Latex
Quilted European Style 100% Certified Organic Cotton Cover
4.5lbs of 100%Pure Virgin Wool (Queen Size)
Proprietary Multi Zone Construction
12/25 Warranty

SnugSleep Latex Gold Mattress - (I’ve also read about a member’s positive experience with Don)
100% natural dunlop rubber latex
100% virgin New Zealand wool
Zipped-on certified organic cotton covers
Available in 5 densities (firmness levels) and comes in 1", 2", 3" or 6" layers

Ironman Natural 1.0 -
Celliant Cotton Cover
Pure Wool Quilting
Cellitex Recovery Latex
Recovery Latex Firm
Recovery Latex Core
Medium/Firm

All of the above are not cheap…some are in fact quite expensive. There are so many choices although I’ve listed only a few, and I’m struggling with narrowing down what brand/company to consider. I’m open to all suggestions.

Thank you B)

Hi Franco,

Both the Nature’s Embrace Unison and the Snugsleep Latex Gold mattresses use only latex in the mattress so neither one has any lower quality materials or weak links in the design.

I would make sure that you confirm all the specifics of the Ironman Natural 1.0 to make sure that the materials that they listed are the only materials in their mattress as well (see this article). The law tag will also show if there is any other material besides latex in their mattress.

I’m guessing you’ve probably seen this but just in case the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the Vancouver area are listed in post #2 here.

Post #13 here also has more information about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase that can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

Thank you for all of the advice and recommendations. I am in the process of researching further and I’ll update you with my progress.

Thank you

Hi Franco,

I talked with WR Mattress Gallery and confirmed that the Ironman Natural line doesn’t have any polyfoam so there wouldn’t be any weak links in these mattresses either.

The only Ironman mattresses I would be hesitant about is the Original series which currently uses 1.5 lb polyfoam in the base layers (they used to use 1.8 lb polyfoam but they lowered the specs recently) but they are apparently talking with the manufacturer to change the density back to a higher quality/density material.

I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding … and of course any other comments or questions you may have along the way.

Phoenix

I’m still researching and I’ve learned a lot over the last couple of weeks. I’m not ready to make a purchase, but I’m getting much closer and eager to do so. I do however have some questions which I have researched the answers to, but I’m not 100% certain I’ve found the full answers.

  1. Does color make a difference when comparing Dunlop latex samples from different suppliers? Some samples were darker than others. All samples were organic; one may have been organic core and plantation certified but I’llI have to verify, another was German certified.

  2. To be certain, is there a difference in Dunlop latex that comes from Malaysia , Sri Lanka and other countries? Are certain organic Dunlop latex certifications better than others?

  3. I’m also still trying to weigh out the pros/cons of whether a 6" core is best left as a single piece for an 8" mattress or possibly do two layers of 3" for example.

Thanks

Hi Franco,

Natural latex can vary in color but this or minor imperfections or darker spots that are normal for natural latex doesn’t make any difference.

The 100% natural Dunlop latex cores that are made by different manufacturers and that come from different countries are all closely comparable

While there are a number of “safety” certifications for latex (the most common being Oeko-Tex and Eco-Institut) … there is only one organic certification for latex which is GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) there is more about organic latex in post #2 here and the posts it links to.

There is more about the pros and cons of a single 6" core vs two 3" layers in post #2 here.

Phoenix

The color can be a result of the manner/type of latex collected from the rubber tree, such as cuplump, treelace, smallholders’ lump or earth scrap. Cuplump would be the norm for most latex in mattresses. As Phoenix mentioned, some color variation is normal and not a reason for concern.

Hi Phoenix,

Thanks again for your response. It took me a while to go through them because once you click on one link and ends up with another five links and another 10 links etc… :blink: I’m getting there though.

I have a couple of questions pertaining to wool. (Keep in mind that I’m looking at a queen size 8" dunlop latex mattress)

a) Is there a preferred/better way to place the wool in the mattress. For example should it be placed on top of the latex or is it better to have it quilted into the cotton cover?

b) What amount or thickness is recommended? For example on Nature’s Embrace website, they state that the use 4.5 pounds of wool in their queen size Unison mattress.

Thank you

Hi Franco,

Sometimes some “seemingly” simple questions can have more complex answers that have a lot of “it depends” in the answers but the simple answer to your first question is “very little” (assuming that both of them were 100% natural Dunlop), the simple answer to your second question is also “very little” and the simple answer to your third question is “it would be a preference depending on how you feel about having more options to fine tune or customize your mattress”.

In general having wool that is quilted into a cover can prevent it from shifting more than having loose batting under the cover (unless it is also tufted or glued to prevent it from shifting). There is more about wool quilted covers in post #6 here.

You can also add wool as a topper to any mattress (which is usually wool batting inside a cotton cover) and there is more about wool toppers in post #8 here and the posts it links to.

4.5 lbs of wool in a queen size is about 2.2 oz/sq ft which would be in an “average” range and wouldn’t be unusually thick (this is also in the range that will pass the fire retardancy tests in the US).

Thicker layers of wool either in a cover or as a topper will be more prone to impressions but if you sleep on different areas of the mattress over time the impressions will tend to even out and they won’t generally affect the comfort or support of the mattress because wool gets firmer as it compresses unlike foam which gets softer over time as it breaks down. With layers of wool that are significantly thicker than “average” there can be an advantage to using a topper so that you can replace the wool without having to replace the entire mattress.

The amount and thickness of wool in a quilted cover or in a topper would be a personal preference and would depend on how all the layers and components in a mattress feel and perform for you “as a whole” in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). Some people love the feel of sleeping on thicker layers of wool while others prefer thinner layers that are just enough to regulate temperature or pass the fire regulations but not enough to have as significant an effect on the feel of the mattress as thicker layers would have.

The only way to know how much wool would be “best for you” in combination with the other layers and components of a particular mattress would be based on your own personal testing or sleeping experience because each person can have very different preferences.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

The education and time spent here has been invaluable. I’m in the final stages with a few questions remaining:

a) If I opt for Latex Green certified natural organic dunlop latex, how can I tell if the latex I select is indeed organic dunlop or the standard 100% natural dunlop (non-organic)? Is there an imprint in the actual latex that I can see? Will this information be on a label? Are certificates issued for organic latex mattresses purchased?

b) If I choose to purchase a dunlop latex king size mattress, is it better to keep the 6" core one piece or split it in half. Does it make it a difference? Someone suggested splitting it in half makes it easier to carry and manage because of the weight and is common to do so.

Thank you,
Happy Easter

Hi Franco,

The latex cores would have a sticker identifying it as organic. A manufacturer should also be able to show you a copy of their organic certification but it would only apply to the material in general and isn’t a certification for a specific mattress. If a manufacturer purchased a full 6" core and slit it into thinner layers then an individual layer may or may not have the sticker that identifies it as organic. In the end you would be dependent on the integrity and reputation of the manufacturer because if they wanted to “fool” their customers then they certainly could but no reputable manufacturer would take the chance of harming (or losing) their business or their reputation by knowingly deceiving their customers for the sake of a relatively small increase in their profit.

A split 6" core is certainly easier to handle and move (or ship) and this is a common construction for a component latex mattress. If there is a solid layer on top of the split core or if the top layer is also split and the mattress has a tight fitting quilted cover then you won’t feel the split and there really isn’t any disadvantage to splitting the core. A split core can also be used for a mattress that has a different firmness level on each side of the mattress if a manufacturer offers this as an option.

Phoenix