Latex Used by Mattress Manufacturers

[Sensei]

Hey sleepyamy,

Good to see you again on TMU and thanks for your question !

I also saw quite a long list of certifications on Vita Talalay’s website, such as C2C, Eco-institut, Oeko-tex, etc. ( 1961, the company has applied its Talalay- Vita Talalay ), while on Talalay Global’s website, I only saw a mention of Oeko-tex certification ( Home | Talalay ). I haven’t looked into the various certifications in details yet, but wondering if the additional certifications make Vita Talalay’s products superior/safer than Talalay Global?

Good question, Amy, and the short answer is No to either more superior or safer. Vita Talalay promotes a “natural” story with their branding, and the certifications they use support that position. Generally speaking, Oeko-Tex, Eco-institut, Greenguard Gold and CertiPUR-US are testing standards for safety, and GOLS, GOTS, and USDA organic are certifications for organic farming methods and/or sustainable production methods, as well as avoiding the use of harmful chemicals in agricultural practices. Cradle2Cradle meets some of the criteria of both safety and sustainability. If the concerns are more about safety, testing standards such as Oeko-Tex and Eco-Institut are the most important certifications for testing the materials that are used in mattresses. All the latex you are likely to encounter (synthetic, natural, or blended) has been tested for harmful substances and VOC’s and certified as “safe” by one of these certifications. Talalay Global’s Talalay latex is Oeko-Tex certified, Class 1, you may read more about what that means here. You may also enjoy this Phoenix post response regarding product certifications, it offers a detailed explanation of what each one is and the uses the certification serves. Hope this helps !

Thanks,
Sensei