Natural Latex vs Certi-Pur foam vs Oeko-Tex manufactured latex?

I am in Atlanta and am looking for new mattresses for my two young children. I’m willing to buy online or locally. My biggest priorities are:

  1. No chemical flame retardants
  2. Minimizing offgassing and chemical exposure
  3. Prefer a medium to maybe a little softer than medium feel mattress .
  4. A mattress that will be durable and not break down quickly

Our budget is <$1,000 per mattress for a full size.

So far I’m considering latex and Certi-Pur certified foam mattresses. I’m wondering if the Certi-Pur mattresses are, even though “cleaner”, still likely to have a chemiical smell and offgas? I would love some insights on that.

For natural latex, I’m looking at

  1. Flexus Comfort
  2. Latex Mattress Factory
  3. Sleep on Latex
  4. My Green Mattress

For Certi-Pur foam mattresses I’m so far considering:

  1. Tuft & Needle
  2. Brooklyn Bedding (this mattress also has manufactured latex, which I don’t know a ton about yet)
  3. Brentwood Home Bamboo Gel (there doesn’t seem to be a ton of specs on this on their website).
    (There seem to be a LOT of choices in this category - Leesa, Casper, etc).

I’d love to know thoughts on the chemical exposure with Certi-Pur foams vs. manufactured latex vs natural latex. (I have chemical sensitivities so that’s important for us.) I’d also appreciate the names of any other manufacturers that may meet our criteria and that I should consider. Thanks so much, in advance, for any insights.

Hi milleraj21,

There is more about “safe” fire barriers in this article and post #2 here and the posts it links to at the end.

The most common method used to pass the fire regulations in the mattress industry is the use of inherent, “non chemical” fire barrier fabrics that are either quilted into the cover or are wrapped around the inner materials of the mattress like a sock and foams that use fire retardant chemicals are much more common in the furniture industry than they are in the mattress industry.

A wool fire barrier or a non chemical inherent fire barrier would certainly be “safe enough” for most people.

[quote]2) Minimizing offgassing and chemical exposure

So far I’m considering latex and Certi-Pur certified foam mattresses. I’m wondering if the Certi-Pur mattresses are, even though “cleaner”, still likely to have a chemiical smell and offgas? I would love some insights on that.[/quote]

The only reliable way to to assess the “safety” of different materials in more general terms is based on lab tests and the certifications they have for harmful substances and VOCs so that you have some assurance than the VOCs are below the testing limits for the certification (see post #2 here for more information about some of the more reliable “safety” certifications). If the materials in a mattress or the mattress itself has a reliable “safety” certification then for most people they would certainly be “safe enough” … regardless of the type of material or the name of the manufacturer on the label.

I would also keep in mind that the smell of a material isn’t an indication of whether it is harmful or not because some harmful VOC’s have no smell at all and some VOC’s that are completely safe can sometimes have a stronger smell (such as some natural rubber, natural wool, or even a rose).

All foam materials will generally have “some” initial smell that will dissipate to levels that most people won’t notice fairly quickly (unless they are very sensitive to that particular smell).

[quote]3) Prefer a medium to maybe a little softer than medium feel mattress .
4) A mattress that will be durable and not break down quickly[/quote]

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

Hopefully you’ve already read the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase 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.

There are also no “standard” definitions or consensus of opinions for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others so a mattress that one manufacturer rates as being a specific firmness could be rated very differently by another manufacturer. Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that feels firm for one person can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else (or vice versa) depending on their body type, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they “rate” a mattress as well (see post #15 here) so different people can also have very different opinions on how two mattresses compare in terms of firmness and some people may rate one mattress as being firmer than another and someone else may rate them the other way around. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science.

When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

An online retailer or manufacturer will generally suggest a mattress that they believe has the best chance of success based on their knowledge and experience and the information you provide them because this is in both your own and their best interests but at the end of the day the only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing or your own personal experience so if you can’t test a specific mattress in person then the options you have available after a purchase to either exchange the mattress or individual layers or components or return the mattress for a refund (and any costs involved) would generally become a more important part of your personal value equation just in case a mattress your purchase doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

Again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress but outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the materials and components to the quality/durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

Assuming that the materials in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the quality/durability guidelines I linked relative to your weight range … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice (see this article). The best way to know which types of materials or mattresses you tend to prefer in general terms will be based on your own local testing or your own personal experience.

[quote]For natural latex, I’m looking at

  1. Flexus Comfort
  2. Latex Mattress Factory
  3. Sleep on Latex
  4. My Green Mattress
    [/quote]

All of these are members of this site which means that I think highly of them and that I believe they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency. All of them use high quality materials and there are no lower quality materials or weak links that would compromise the durability or useful life of any of them.

[quote]For Certi-Pur foam mattresses I’m so far considering:

  1. Tuft & Needle
  2. Brooklyn Bedding (this mattress also has manufactured latex, which I don’t know a ton about yet)[/quote]

Brooklyn Bedding is also a member of this site.

There is more information about both the Tuft & Needle mattress and the Brooklyn Bedding BestMattressEver along with many of the other “simplifed choice” mattresses in post #2 here in the simplified choice mattress topic and post #1 in the same topic would be well worth reading as well. The BME uses higher quality and more durable materials that would be suitable for any weight range although both of them would be suitable for more “average” weight ranges (in lower 200’s or so or less)

The choice between different types and blends of latex is also more of a preference and budget choice rather than a “better/worse” choice and any type or blend of latex is a durable material relative to other types of foam materials. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here and more about how Dunlop compares to Talalay in general in post #7 here but the best way to know which type or blend of latex you tend to prefer will be based on your own testing and/or your own personal experience.

All the latex you are likely to encounter (either Dunlop or Talalay that is made with either natural or synthetic rubber or a blend of both) will have a reliable certification such as Oeko-Tex, Eco-Institut, Greenguard Gold or C2C and based on actual testing I would consider any type or blend of latex to be a very “safe” material in terms of harmful substances and VOC’s (offgassing) as well.

[quote]3) Brentwood Home Bamboo Gel (there doesn’t seem to be a ton of specs on this on their website).
(There seem to be a LOT of choices in this category - Leesa, Casper, etc).[/quote]

The Brentwood Home mattresses don’t contain any information about the quality/density of their foam materials on their website so I can’t make any meaningful comments about their quality or durability but if you can find out the information in this article and post it on the forum I’d be happy to let you know if there are any lower quality materials or weak links that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.

I personally wouldn’t have any concerns with any material that has a reliable safety certification and uses a non chemical inherent fire barrier.

While it may be more information than you are looking for … there is also a lot more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how safe is safe enough for me” and that can help you decide on the type of materials and components you are most comfortable having in your mattress or on the certifications that may be important to you. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.

Once you have narrowed down your options to a list of finalists that are all choices between “good and good” and you have confirmed that none of them have any lower quality materials or “weak links” in their design and if at this point there are no clear winners between them (which is usually a good indication that you have done some good research) then you are in the fortunate position that any of them would likely be a suitable choice and post #2 here can help you make a final choice based on your more detailed conversations with each of them, your personal preferences, your confidence about PPP and the suitability of each one, their prices, the options you have after a purchase to fine tune the mattress or exchange or return the mattress or individual layers and any costs involved, any additional extras that are part of each purchase, and on “informed best judgement” based on all the other objective, subjective, and intangible parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix

Thanks so much for all of the information. I’m still digesting some of it, but did want to respond with some additional information on the Brentwood Home Bamboo Gel 7 mattress for your feedback. I called and the mattress is comprised of:

  1. Bamboo zipper cover
  2. Natural wool layer
  3. 2 inch Gel Memory foam - 4.0lb density
  4. 5 inch therapeutic support base - 1.5lb density.

I’m going to try to the foam density information later today, but would appreciate any feedback on whether or not these densities represent a “weak link” in the construction of the mattress.

Thank you!!

Hi milleraj21,

The 1.5 lb density base layer is a little lower density than I would normally suggest (see the durability guidelines here). I would also tend to avoid memory foam for younger children.

There is a also great deal of information in post #2 here and the topics it links to about mattresses and children and “suitable” and “safe” materials including a link to some general guidelines for children in post #2 here. It also includes a number of links to the better forum posts and topics about mattress and children as well which have more information about many good options for children which would be well worth considering.

I also forgot to link you to the Atlanta list in my previous reply.

Subject to confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets your specific criteria and the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Atlanta, GA area are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix

[color=black]Hi,
I got to try out a friend’s Leesa mattress for a few days and was surprised how comfortable I found it. Until now I thought I was headed for a latex hybrid, thinking I needed some springs. BUT I also wanted to go green/organic. Any ideas what would be comparable to a Leesa from an organic (preferred) or natural (wool flame retardant, etc) build?

I convinced a friend to get the My Green Mattress with springs… but only got to spend a few restless hours on that one and we’re not in touch any more. I definitely noticed the latex was bouncy but wasn’t totally put off by it.

Thanks![/color]

Hi KellyDaniel.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum!:slight_smile:

You can find Lesa mattress specs in post #2 here and a quick search (just click here) will bring some more information including some comments from when it was first launched 4 years ago in post #2 here. I am not sure if you tried the original Leesa bed at your friend’s home or the reworked Leesa bed which replaced the top layer with a softer and less dense gel foam. Overall … with a total of 4" of 3lb memory foams in the comfort layer I would place a caution about buying or trying to replicate the “build” for this mattress. There are other mattresses in this price range that use higher quality and more durable materials in their comfort layers that are in the same or lower price ranges (the comfort layers are generally the weakest link in a mattress in terms of durability). In terms of price you’ll always pay a premium for any natural and organic choices so I’d make sure to read more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here 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 suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for). On a site like this where the consumer members have access to a much larger number of higher quality/value choices and are more informed about how to make more meaningful comparisons … Leesa doesn’t compare well to some of the other options that are available for the same price range.

The bounciness you’ve noticed in the My Green Mattress is probably coming more from the innerspring than the latex. If motion isolation is important to you then you perhaps can look into all foam mattresses or hybrid pocket coil systems.

Aside from this I would make sure to revisit the mattress shopping tutorial here(there is a condensed version of it at the end of that post) which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones. When assessing any product and before making any purchase also be sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here

Phoenix