Likelihood same Dunlop product is labeled differently (by ILD and "firmness")?

[phoenix]

Hi ehuesman,

First, what do you make of the study by Latex International titled “Talalay Comfort Zone” that is about halfway down on this technical blog page? I know that Talalay is LI’s main product, so they have skin in the game of extolling Talalay’s benefits. It seems LI is extolling the benefits of their Talatech over Dunlop, but it might as be in French because I don’t understand how it translates to a mattress component. Can you translate for me?

I think it is an informative document but a detailed technical commentary on each of its points is outside the scope of the forum (or the time I have available). This information as well as a great deal more research including some lengthy conversations over the years with some very knowledgeable people who have decades of real life experience in how different types of latex last and perform are all part of what I took into account and “translated” when I wrote some of the more detailed posts I have included on the forum about the differences between natural and synthetic rubber and the Dunlop and Talalay process and the differences between different types of latex. Among others … they include post #2 here and post #6 here and post #2 here and post #6 here which would deal with most of the points in the page you linked. Post #28 here also references the graph on the page you linked in a comparison between innerspring support cores and latex support cores.

FWIW, Flobed has some strictly anecdotal evidence of blended Talatech Talalay being more resilient than Dunlop in the long run. Refer to this page. I understand there are a lot of factors that could explain this (4 years stored vs 5 years stored, not too mention conditions of storage).

Yes … I have seen this and commented on it before as well. I don’t believe that Dunlop latex does as well when it is severely compressed over the long term as Talalay would because of its cell structure and I don’t believe this is an accurate reflection of “real life” performance. You can see a video here of a dunlop latex mattress for example that was in use for almost 50 years (and there are many examples like this of both Talalay and Dunlop) which certainly didn’t suffer from these problems. I don’t think that this type of “evidence” reflects real life use or results.

Secondly, Latex International apparently did a study showing a slight benefit in durability when it comes to blended Talalay versus 100% natural. I also found that info on FloBed’s website here. The details are about halfway down.

Yes … this has also been referenced on many occasions on the forum (the common belief in the “superiority” of 100% natural talalay is one of the mistaken beliefs that I have addressed more often than many others on the forum) and I have talked with them as well about this. As you will see from the previous links I believe it would be particularly true in softer ILD’s and not so much in firmer ILD’s. Some of the reasons why this is most likely true is also addressed in the links.

I realize the performance of the blended was only incrementally better, but might that not add up in the long run? Because of this, I am considering going with blended Talalay for the comfort layer…even though the bed I am trying to replicate used 100% natural. If I went in that direction, based only on your knowledge of the products, which blended Talatech ILD (ILD 19 or 24) comes closest to the feel of the 100% natural in the N2 (20-24)?

In Talalay … the ILD’s would be roughly comparable so the closest in terms of ILD would be 24 ILD although it would not be exactly the same. The Talalay GL fast response is also a blended Talalay and has phase change gel added to it and comes in an ILD of 21 which may also be close to the “nominal” value of the N2 that you tested (which could be anywhere in the ILD range that covers N2).

Since you seem pretty passionate about the industry, I’m assuming you don’t consider these questions about small differences as mundane, but I apologize if you do. Thanks again for your help!

The “researcher” hat is among one of many that I wear to develop this site and the information it contains so I certainly do understand how important some of the smaller details can seem although you may find that in “real life” some of the smaller differences you are trying to decipher or translate may not have as quantifiable an answer as you would like and may not be as important or meaningful as you currently believe they are.

Phoenix