I am hoping to get your opinion on cover options for a latex mattress. In terms of protecting the latex from degradation due to sunlight, UVs, etc. would thicker wool covers like the ones from sleeponlatex’s puregreen mattresses or sleepez’s select sleep lineup provide better protection than stretch cotton covers sold by sleepez, thelatexmattressfactory, or the 4 way stretch cover sold by mattresses247? Ultimately, I would like to know if these types of stretch cotton covers would be durable enough to use as a latex mattress cover. In general, for use as a latex mattress cover, what are the benefits and drawbacks of these two cover types. Thank you for the forum and your always speedy responses.
Latex can oxidize faster with greater exposure to air and ozone and ultraviolet light along with other substances that can damage it (see here) and this will happen more slowly with a thicker cover than with a thinner cover. There is more in post #3 here and post #3 here that will give you some sense of the effect of different types of covers on latex.
Even though a thinner cover can lead to slightly faster oxidation over the long term … I wouldn’t have any concern with any good quality mattress cover that was designed to tightly enclose latex layers and my preferred feel and the performance of the cover would override any durability concerns.
There is more about the pros and cons of a quilted cover vs a more stretchy knit cover in post #12 here.
If one did not have any particular preferences would a wool cover be a safer option? Would the slightly faster oxidation rate for a thinner cover likely lead to a measurable decrease in the life of the latex?
I’m not clear what you mean by “safe”. Neither one of them would be an “unsafe” choice and the choice between them really is a preference choice not a “better/worse” choice.
I suppose that in some cases it would be possible “in theory” but in more practical terms and based on a more normal mattress life it’s unlikely that it would be the weakest link in terms of the durability and useful life of the mattress.
By “safer” I simply meant more durable. Correct me if I am wrong but, in a practical sense, you are saying that the type of cover when the options are either stretch cotton or wool would be unlikely to have a measurable impact on the useful life of the mattress.
It would probably be “measurable” in some way but it’s unlikely that it would have a meaningful impact on the durability or useful life of the mattress in more practical or “real life” terms.