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

[phoenix]

Hi Franco,

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.

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”.

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?

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.

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.

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