I’ve been basically driving myself nuts trying to find an affordable (well under 1,000 would be best) full / double mattress and boxspring set that is more eco-friendly and health friendly (not loaded with toxic chemicals, no chemical fire barrier, and whatever else I can get that makes it more natural/sustainable). Of course, it should also be of a good enough quality that isn’t going to fall apart in a year or less. There don’t seem to be any options for me. I am in the South Jersey area. If anyone knows of any secrets to finding a mattress like this, please let me know. Thanks for any and all help.
I’m not an expert but have been on these forums for a little while. While pheonix can provide a list of local retailers/factory direct, one online option I can think of that seems to fit ur criteria is spindle mattress. They use natural Dunlop and wool in their products and are priced very well.
Hi Exhausted,
The first place I would start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices regardless of the criteria that are most important to you … and perhaps most importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Post #2 here also has more information about organic, natural, “safe”, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and materials that may help you decide on the materials that you are most comfortable including in your mattress and can help you narrow down your options to materials that are the best “fit” for your criteria.
There is also more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses.
There isn’t a forum list for the South Jersey area but the closest options and possibilities I’m aware of are listed in the Wilmington/Philadelphia/Trenton list in post #2 here. I did do some research in and around the Glassboro area for another forum member (within about 30 miles or so) a little over a year ago and there was nothing in that area I would consider but if you let me know your city or zip code … I’d be happy to take a look over the course of the next few days (time permitting) to see if I can see anything that may be worth considering that is a little closer to you.
Phoenix
Thank you both for the replies. I will look deeper into them. My zip code is 08093. Thanks for any further help you (or anyone) can add.
Hi Exhausted,
The Philadelphia list I linked in my last reply would include all the better options I’m aware of in your area since you are inside the 50 - 100 mile or so radius I normally use for my research around major cities.
Phoenix
Thanks, I did take a look at that list and checked out most of the links, but I wasn’t clear about the fire barriers of most of them. I guess it’s something you’d have to ask them individually?
Sort of off topic, just have to rant that I hate that avoiding chemicals means you have to pay way more. It’s like only the rich can afford basic decent products. If you’re poor, you just get poisoned. Something very wrong there.
Hi Exhausted,
Yes … you would need to call them and ask. Most of them probably wouldn’t know but the ones that are focused on more natural materials probably will and will often use wool or viscose/silica inherent fabrics as the fire barrier (see post #2 here).
The options that are available to you would depend on which mattresses you are considering and on the types of materials you are comfortable with having in your mattress. If you are looking for a mattress that has no chemicals of any kind (regardless of whether they are safe) then you would be limited to innersprings and natural fibers but if you are also open to latex (either natural or synthetic) then you would have many more safe options.
While it’s certainly true that there are some very high budget “natural” or “organic” mattresses … there are also many others that use the same materials that are in much more reasonable price ranges so when you are looking at these types of mattresses it can be especially important to make some good “value” comparisons with other mattresses that are available to you that use the same or similar materials that are in much lower budget ranges.
Phoenix