Phoenix -
What difference does the mattress cover have in terms of comfort? I have seen some advertisements for “ultra soft cotton”, “bamboo fabrics”, etc. Since most people will immediately put a mattress pad right over it, what difference does it make what the material is used for the cover?
Hi Kai,
A mattress ticking (cover) and quilting can have a substantial effect on the feel and performance of a mattress and also on it’s cost. It is an often overlooked part of the construction of a mattress.
Natural fibers and fabrics tend to be more breathable (sleep cooler) than synthetics and woven fabrics tend to be more stiff than knitted fabrics which are more stretchy and interfere less with the qualities of the foam (create less of a “drum” effect).
In the same way … there are many different types of mattress pads and/or protectors which will also affect the feel and performance of a mattress. Most of the choices here involve a series of tradeoffs between breathability and temperature control, waterproofness, how much they affect the feel of the mattress, and of course the price.
There’s more information about ticking here and quilting materials here and a forum “title search” on covers and protect will bring up lots more information as well.
IMO … a good quality ticking/quilting and or mattress protector/pad is well worth it and part of fine tuning the performance and feel of a mattress.
Phoenix