ESSENTIA MATTRESS PURCHASE REGRET- HELP PLEASE

Hello Everyone!

I THANK GOD I FOUND THIS SITE - WONDERFUL INFO - THANK YOU!

I am laying on an Aerobed typing this - I am really in a bad situation and would greatly appreciate any help/feedback…

I bought an Essentia mattress about a couple years ago. I bought their top of the line - Dormuese Fior. It cost about $4,000 for the full size I bought. I bought it after seeing it promoted by Dr. Oz.

I am disabled due to a severe nerve injury and must lay in bed most of the day (yes, it sucks!!). After getting injured I eventually became severely chemically sensitive as a result of the injury. I wanted to get the best mattress possible and thought it was worth going into debt to buy this mattress to try to better myself.

Since using the mattress I have experienced unexplained rashes that I have never had before. I saw the allergist and she said she has seen the kind of rashes I have but does not know what they are from. I never mentioned it could be from my mattress. That of course is my main complaint but I have a few more. I really do not recommend this mattress!

After buying the mattress, I read on your mattress forum about how they got in trouble with the FTC and the other posts and I got a little dizzy trying to understand all of it. I am very angry. I thought I was spending all that money to get the most natural possible mattress and I would feel better.

I wanted to return my mattress and get my money back. I tried to contact the supervisor via phone in customer service for a long time and she never answers the phone. She does eventually call back and we did phone tag for so long I eventually gave up.

Does anyone know anyone who has gotten their money back and was able to return the mattress this long afterwards? Would it help if I got an attorney? Do you know anyone to recommend to help me? I do not have money to get a new mattress and this Aerobed is making my pain worse.

Again, I appreciate ANY help/feedback.

Thank You,!!
Kristen

Hi Kristen,

I’m sorry to hear about your unfortunate experiences with your Essentia mattress :frowning:

There is more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how natural is natural enough for me” or “how safe is safe enough for me” so you can make more “fact based” choices on the types of materials you are most comfortable having in your mattress. These types of issues can be complex though and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices and can have more to do with your specific sensitivities than with your mattress.

While I agree with you that the claims that Essentia makes on their site are questionable at best and misleading or even deceptive at worst … it doesn’t sound like you have any certainty that you are reacting to the materials in their mattress and it’s possible that there could be other reasons for your symptoms. The only reliable way to assess the “safety” of the materials in a mattress are based on lab testing for harmful substances and VOC’s but unfortunately in some cases there are some people that may be more sensitive than the testing limits that would be “safe” for most other people so even with testing there is no absolute certainty that a particular person won’t be sensitive to a specific substance in a specific material.

I don’t know of anyone that has received a refund in circumstances similar to yours but of course that doesn’t mean that there haven’t been. I’m also not a lawyer so I can’t provide any legal advice and it would be much better to contact a lawyer in your area to ask for a legal opinion about whether you would have any recourse in your specific circumstances but after 2 years I would “guess” that it’s unlikely that you would be able to receive a refund unless they were willing to make an exception for “goodwill” reasons.

Before I went to the expense of hiring a lawyer though I would keep on trying to connect with them and explain your circumstances and let them know what you are planning to to do and see if they are willing to offer any suggestions that may help you. It may be worthwhile to pursue your request as far up the line of management as possible to see if someone with the authority to do so can make an exception to their policies. I would take a firm, insistent, and “assumptive” tone but maintain a respectful and polite approach since you are looking for an exception and not for them to do something that they really would have have any obligation to do.

I would also follow up with your doctor to find out if they can provide any guidance about whether your symptoms may be related to your mattress and see if they have any suggestions or tests available that could help you identify whether your mattress is the cause.

I wish I could provide some specific suggestions that are more helpful but outside of Essentia being willing to make an exception to their policy or you finding out what you are reacting to for certain I don’t know of any way that you could resolve the issue. I would also keep in mind that your Aerobed would include more synthetic materials that you could also be sensitive to than your Essentia mattress so it may not be an issue with “synthetic” materials themselves but with a specific substance that is used in the formulation of the materials in your mattress.

If you are able to confirm that your mattress is the cause of your symptoms (or even if you aren’t) then the last two suggestions in post #3 here may also be helpful to see if there is any change in your symptoms when your mattress is enclosed with a material that doesn’t allow any VOC’s in your mattress to affect you.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

Thank you so much for your time for such an informative post and hellpful advice.!! I greatly appreciate it. I felt lost in what to do.

I will do exactly what you said and will report back here what happens, hopefully this week.

After I posted I thought to look at the BBB site to see if there had been any complaints against Essentia and I could not find any. I know they have many locations and I did not look at them all. This surprised me. I did go the FTC site (see below) where it says a person can file a complaint there, it seems obvious the FTC has gotten complaints about them.

Phoenix, I hope report back that Essentia management and I worked things out very well. Like I said in my post above, the problem with the rashes is just one of the negative Essentia issues (the most important one). Unfortunately, I had problems with the delivery, the salesperson that sold it to me, and customer service. afterwards. Plus, this mattress is unbelievably heavy. Moving it, especially up or down stairs is super difficult!

[b]“A second lawsuit challenged statements in ads by Quebec-based Essentia Natural Memory Foam Company, which has retail stores in six U.S. cities. The FTC charged that Essentia didn’t have appropriate proof to back up claims that its mattresses are VOC-free, have “[n]o chemical off-gassing or odor,” and — unlike other memory foam mattresses that “can emit up to 61 chemicals” — are “free from all those harmful VOCs.” In addition, the complaint disputes Essentia’s claims that its memory foam mattresses are chemical-free, contain no formaldehyde, don’t emit chemical fumes and odors, and are “made with 100% natural materials.” The FTC also challenged the truthfulness of Essentia’s assurance that testing confirms that its memory foam mattresses are VOC- and formaldehyde-free.”

[/b]
FTC to mattress companies: Don’t pad your green claims

By: Lesley Fair | Jul 25, 2013 11:08AM
TAGS: Clothing and Textiles Consumer Protection Advertising and Marketing Environmental Marketing Health Claims Endorsements

If you or your clients make environmental marketing claims, don’t sleep on three actions the FTC just announcedagainst companies that sell mattresses. What’s more, the pleadings in one case offer insights into a course of conduct advertisers should avoid in the use of seals and certifications.
According the FTC’s lawsuit against Relief-Mart, based in Westlake Village, California, the company advertised its Biogreen memory foam mattresses without having its claims tucked in. Relief-Mart, which markets through its tempflow.com site, said the products don’t contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have no VOC off-gassing, and don’t have the smell consumers often associate with memory foam. One aroma the FTC detected from Relief-Mart’s representations was the whiff of deception, which is why the complaint charged that the company didn’t have a reasonable basis for its claims.
A second lawsuit challenged statements in ads by Quebec-based Essentia Natural Memory Foam Company, which has retail stores in six U.S. cities. The FTC charged that Essentia didn’t have appropriate proof to back up claims that its mattresses are VOC-free, have “[n]o chemical off-gassing or odor,” and — unlike other memory foam mattresses that “can emit up to 61 chemicals” — are “free from all those harmful VOCs.” In addition, the complaint disputes Essentia’s claims that its memory foam mattresses are chemical-free, contain no formaldehyde, don’t emit chemical fumes and odors, and are “made with 100% natural materials.” The FTC also challenged the truthfulness of Essentia’s assurance that testing confirms that its memory foam mattresses are VOC- and formaldehyde-free.
(An aside about “smell” claims: The FTC doesn’t normally challenge subjective representations like smell. What’s different here is that consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances are likely to interpret a claim that a mattress doesn’t have that memory foam smell to mean that it’s VOC-free.)
In a third action, the FTC alleged that San Diego-based Ecobaby Organics short-sheeted the truth in how it marketed its latex mattresses. Through its purerest.com site, Ecobaby touted its mattresses as “chemical free,” with no formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, VOCs, or toxic substances. The company also said its products contained fewer contaminants and chemicals than competitors’ memory foam or latex mattresses and that it had sound testing to back up its chemical-, formaldehyde-, and VOC-free claims. Not so, said the FTC, which alleged that Ecobaby didn’t have appropriate testing to support those statements.
What about the certification angle? Ecobaby’s promotional materials prominently featured the seal of NAOMI, the National Association of Organic Mattress Industry. The FTC says the ads conveyed to consumers that NAOMI was an independent certifying organization with appropriate expertise that grants its seal based on objective standards. The truth, says the FTC, is that NAOMI is run by Ecobaby and is really an alter ego of the company. Thus, the company awarded its own seal to its own products without applying objective standards, a practice that (surprise, surprise) ran afoul of Section 5.
Proposed settlements with the three companies should put misleading representations to rest. You’ll want to read the orders for the details, but savvy green marketers will pay close attention to provisions addressing VOC-free claims. The orders prohibit the companies from making VOC-free claims unless the emission level is zero micrograms per cubic meter or if they have competent and reliable scientific evidence that the products in question contain no more than a “trace level” of VOCs. The “trace level” standard comes from the FTC’s Green Guides’guidance on making “free of” claims. As the Green Guides explain, companies meet the “trace level” test if:
The level of the ingredient is less than what would be found as a background level in the ambient air;

The presence of the ingredient doesn’t cause the harm consumers typically associate with it, including harm to the environment or health; and

The ingredient hasn’t been intentionally added to the product.
The orders also bar a host of unsubstantiated environmental benefit or attribute claims and prohibit certain health claims without appropriate scientific evidence.
In addition, the settlements address particular forms of deception challenged in the individual complaints. For example, the Essentia and Ecobaby settlements ban claims that products covered by the orders are “free of chemicals” and prohibits misrepresentations about tests, studies, or research. The Essentia order bars unsubstantiated “natural” claims. And under the Ecobaby settlement, the company can’t make “non-toxic” claims unless it has scientific evidence to back them up. Addressing the deceptve use of the NAOMI seal, the Ecobaby order puts a provision in place to end misrepresentations about certifications.
You have until August 26, 2013, to file an online comment about the proposed Relief-Mart, Essentia, or Ecobaby Organics settlements. Looking for more resources about keeping your green claims compliant? Bookmark the BCP Business Center’s Environmental Marketing page. Today’s cases also offer a timely reminder to take a fresh look at the FTC’s revised Green Guides if you haven’t reviewed them recently.

Hi Kristen,

I hope that things turn out as well as possible for you and that you have the chance to let us know what happens.

These other issues would be unlikely to have any bearing on your current situation or on the decision they make after 2 years because they would likely point out that if they were a significant enough cause of concern to return the mattress then they would have been covered under their 60 day return/refund policy.

I would stay focused on the most important reason you are trying to return the mattress and I would also do whatever is possible to confirm that the mattress is the cause of the “symptoms” you are experiencing.

Phoenix

Thank you again, Phoenix!

The other issues I had were addressed with them at the time I got the mattress. Long story…

I would put up with most anything if I thought I was getting the safest (chemically speaking) and best mattress for my pain condition (meaning aligning my body correctly, etc.)… I am a reasonable person.

I had not been to the Essentia site since I got the mattress (October 2013). I just went there to see if I could find a name in upper management to contact, no luck that way. I then read about the mattresses. The wording about this mattress makes it seem like it really is the BEST thing you can possibly buy (from a chemical standpoint) and comfort. They really have good marketing.

The “rashes” I referred to that I never had before until using this mattress are strange in that they are scratches. I googled “unexplained scratches” and saw other people’s pics of similar rash. When I showed my allergist she said that she has seen this kind of “scratch” rash before but did not know what it is from exactly. I finally got on an Aerobed a few weeks ago and it is so uncomfortable and bad for my pain. At least it is air inside the plastic and so far no rashes.

I will need to get a new mattress. Phoenix, can you please give me a recommendation for my situation?

I am 46 years old. I have nerve damage to my low back and pelvis. which causes severe chronic pain. The type of pain I have is called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) - the previous name for it was RSD. This type of pain reaction to an injury is thought to be a severe autoimmnune disorder. Which explains why being around any chemcial smell drives me crazy and I have severe reactions to allergens such as mold.

I like memory foam because they are comfortable and align the body properly. But from what I read at your site, it is not possible to get chemical free memory foam.

So, am I right to assume that one needs to sacrifice chemical exposure to get a mattress that is good for your body? For example, a person could probably find an organic cotton mattress but that would not be comfortable and align the body very well.

Phoenix, please let me know your thoughts an some brand names you suggest for my situation? If you need any more information from me before saying anything, please ask, I have no problem sharing anything.

Thank you - so grateful for your help!!

Kristen

Hi Kristen,

The “best” suggestion I can make would be to follow the steps in the mattress shopping tutorial which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability, durability, and value.

I don’t make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or materials because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own careful testing (using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I can certainly help you to narrow down your options, help you focus on better quality/value choices that are available to you either locally or online, help you identify any lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you may be considering, act as a fact check, answer any specific questions you may have along the way that I am able to help with, and help with “how” to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress is the best match for you based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

While it’s not possible to find memory foam that doesn’t include “chemicals” … I would keep in mind that not all chemicals are harmful either in general terms or for a specific person. Even water and salt are “chemicals” for example (see here) and the individual constituents of a chemical can be harmful even if the chemical combination itself isn’t.

I certainly wouldn’t make the assumptions you are making no because it would depend on the specific chemicals that you are hoping to avoid exposure to and the amount of exposure that would be harmful to you out of the thousands of chemicals that you are exposed to in some amount every day. Since most people that are concerned with “chemicals” are really concerned with “safety” … there is more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how safe is safe enough for me” or “how organic is organic enough for me” so you can decide on the types of materials you are most comfortable having in your mattress. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.

The only way to know whether any specific material contains substances that may be harmful to you (memory foam or otherwise) would be based on lab testing and certifications that include the chemicals you are hoping to avoid. There is more about some of the different certifications that may be helpful in post #2 here. There are hundreds of different types of memory foam (and other types of foam as well) and it’s possible that you may be sensitive to some of them and not to others.

There are also hundreds if not thousands of different types of memory foam mattresses and while some of them may be a good “match” for you in terms of PPP … others may be completely unsuitable for you to sleep on. The same would be true about any type of mattress or combination of materials. The choice of materials or the type of mattress that is “best” for you in terms of PPP depends on the specific design of the mattress … not on the types of materials or which mattress category it belongs in. The choice of materials is more of a preference choice than a “better/worse” choice.

I would also be very cautious about brand shopping because you are buying a specific mattress not the brand and all manufacturers have access to the same or similar components and materials. Most of the more heavily advertised and most commonly available brands that you would recognize are the ones I would avoid anyway (see the guidelines here) and many of the better manufacturers are smaller and are only available locally or regionally (or online). The name of the manufacturer on the label also won’t tell you anything about whether a specific mattress would be a suitable choice for you in terms of PPP or whether there are any lower quality materials or weak links in the design that would affect the durability and useful life of the mattress. There is more about the risks of brand shopping in post #5 here and post #12 here. Outside of careful testing for PPP (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) or a more detailed conversation with a manufacturer or retailer about whether a mattress would be suitable for you if you can’t test a mattress in person … I would focus much more on the type and quality/durability of the materials inside a mattress (which are important to know anyway) than I would on the name of the manufacturer on the label.

Phoenix

Thank you again Phoenix! My guess would be you do not realize how much of an impact this site and your posts have on people. Just know you are greatly appreciated!!

I bought the Essentia mattress without trying it out because there was not a store in my area. I live in Minnesota, near downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul. I am NOT making that mistake again, I think it is so important to try out a mattress, see the quality, know it if seems worth the asking price, etc.

Do you have any suggestions of mattress places in MN or near 55446 or 55119? I am willing to drive a ways.

Also, is $4000, like what I spent at Essentia average for a good mattress? I hope to not have to spend that kind of money again. Can you just give me an “average” price you would spend or is necessary to spend on a good mattress?

Interesting sidenote about mattress stores:: I was in the local Sleep Number bed store with a friend (he wanted a pilllow - I am not interested in their beds) and I mentioned I had a latex bed. The store manager said that Sleep Number will NOT put latex in their beds due to latex allergy issues.

Hope you are doing well! :slight_smile:

Kristen

Hi Kristen,

There is more about some of the factors that can affect the price of a mattress relative to different manufacturers or retailers in post #14 here but two of the biggest factors are the type, amount, and quality of the materials inside it and the size of the mattress as well (bigger sizes are more costly than smaller sizes). Having said that … you certainly don’t need to spend $4000 to purchase a high quality mattress (see this article) and there are many high quality mattresses that are available at substantially less than that.

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the area around Minneapolis/St Paul (subject to the quality/value guidelines I linked in my last reply) are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

Update:

I was told who to talk to at Essentia who has authority for my issue. Turns out it is the same woman I talked to when I had the initial problems getting the mattress. She has since been promoted. We emailed and set up a time to talk on the phone Monday. She was very kind and reasonable when I worked with her in the past. I feel hopeful. I will let you know how it goes after I talk to her.

I cannot thank you enough for all your wonderful help and advice, Phoenix! Hope you have a good weekend!

Kristen :slight_smile:

Hi Kristen,

Good luck with your conversation on Monday. I hope it goes well and I’m looking forward to finding out what they say.

Phoenix

Essential mattress is made from latex , they are not very upfront about that .there really isn’t any such thing as natural memory foam… you are in luck…almost every state has very strong consumer protection laws -your state will indicate there is an implied warranty regardless of the companies policy… I suggest you contact your states attorney generals office and consumer protection division, you will find that once they get a letter from them, they will take back that mattress… Best regards…

Hi barrysomgpark250,

You can read some comments about Essentia and some of the misleading claims they make and some forum discussions with them (as well as some of the FTC issues they have had about their claims) in this thread and this thread and posts #3 and #4 here). I certainly wouldn’t treat the information on their website as a reliable source of “fact based” information.

While they are clear that their mattress support cores are made from natural latex … as you can see from the posts I linked … I don’t believe that their “natural memory foam” contains any significant amount of latex.

Phoenix

With all do respect … I assure you that it is made of Latex… and they are just calling it memory foam… …

Hi barrysongpark250,

If you take the time to read the information in the posts I linked (including the lab tests and their patent information) it’s not very likely that you will continue to believe that it’s latex.

Phoenix