There is a small retailer here in BC, Canada that carries a line of latex mattresses I have never heard of before.
This is their website:
The claim to be manufacturers of Organic Dunlop. Has anyone else heard of this company?
Thank you,
Laura
Hi geesahn,
[quote]There is a small retailer here in BC, Canada that carries a line of latex mattresses I have never heard of before.
This is their website:
The claim to be manufacturers of Organic Dunlop. Has anyone else heard of this company?[/quote]
I’m not familiar with them and they appear to have very little presence on the internet.
They are connected to several other websites (see here) including Plasmabed and both the Bodyworks mattresses and the Plasmabeds mattresses are apparently part of the Sensaya Group (which also has little to no web presence) and are being sold at http://sleepmart.com/ which are probably connected to them as well. A forum search on plasmabed (you can just click the link) will bring up a few comments about them and a google search will bring up more information about plasmabed as well.
They wouldn’t be manufacturing organic Dunlop latex themselves but they could be using organic Dunlop latex in their mattresses.
There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists (based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you).
Outside of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) … the most important part of a mattress purchase is the durability and useful life of the mattress and in terms of durability a mattress is only as good as the quality and durability of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label so I would always focus more on the they type and quality of the materials and components in a mattress than on the brand label. I would always make sure that you can find out all the information listed in this article so you can confirm the type and quality of all the layers and materials in any mattress you are considering and make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in the mattress.
If they are also claiming that any of the materials and components in their mattress are organic then they should also be able to show you the organic certification for the specific layers or components in their mattresses that have an organic certification (see post #2 here).
With any mattress purchase I would also want to have confidence that I was dealing with a knowledgeable and reputable manufacturer or retailer that has some history behind them and that will provide you with all the information that you need about their mattresses to make an informed choice.
Phoenix
Just an update. I spoke with the owner/manager of SleepMart and he promised me that the Bodyworks YogaFit Organic Dunlop Latex mattress was made only with Dunlop Latex. He assured me that their supplier is one of the 5 manufacturers of Organic Dunlop. I asked how thick the mattress was, he confirmed it was 8 inches. I asked if it was a 6 inch firm latex core with a 2 inch latex topper, he said yes that’s right.
Also in the store the mattress is displayed with one of those white bamboo covers that say organic on them. It says on the website that the mattress features organic dunlop latex and a natural bamboo cover.
I purchased two mattress for my children. The mattresses arrived today and the cover is completely different than the one in the store. It says bodyworks not organic and the label says 43% polyester, 28% viscose, 21%polypropolene and 8% bamboo.
I could smell the chemicals coming off the mattress when I opened the plastic and the mattress was also very light for latex. The cover was removable with a zipper and I opened it and had a look and discovered that the mattress was in fact a 6 inch piece of foam, with a 2 inch latex topper.
I phoned the company and complained, he said he was only referring to the latex in the mattress being organic dunlop and that he is under no obligation to tell anyone that there is also foam in the mattress.
The bodyworks website markets the whole line as 100% organic beds.
He agreed to allow me to return the mattresses but keep a 15% restocking fee as well as the delivery and pick up charges so at the end of the day I am out $450 plus a massive blow to my spirit.
Buyer Beware!
Hi geesahn,
Thanks for the update and for sharing your experiences.
If an organic certification is important to you for personal or lifestyle reasons then they should also be able to show you the organic certification for the Dunlop layers in the mattress.
There are many covers that are used in the industry that have the word “organic” on the cover but some of these only use a percentage of organic fibers blended with other types of non organic fibers as well. If the cover is bamboo then it wouldn’t be organic since rayon that is derived from bamboo is a semi synthetic fiber (see here).
I’m sorry to hear about your experience which is really unfortunate.
This is one of the reasons that I would always make sure to find out all the information in this article about any mattress you are considering and I would avoid any retailer or manufacturers that either can’t or won’t provide you with all the information you need to make an informed choice.
If you were specifically told that the mattress you purchased contained “only latex” and it didn’t then it would be a “your word against theirs” situation but it may also be worthwhile letting them know that you intend to make a complaint to the better business bureau and to Consumer Protection BC unless you receive a full refund.
In many if not most cases … the knowledge, experience, transparency, and guidance of the retailer or manufacturer you purchase from can be one of the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase.
Thanks again for sharing your experience and hopefully other forum members that are considering a purchase from the same manufacturer/retailer will see your post and take your experience into account when they make their choice.
Phoenix