Hi! I’m having a hard time finding a budget mattress free of chemical flame retardant or fiberglass. I was looking at buying a zinus mattress until I discovered they use fiberglass and I see that fiberglass is pretty popular in budget mattresses. I had no idea the industry switched to fiberglass! My budget is about $500 for a queen. Unfortunately I don’t know if I will be able to find one that cheap that is also non toxic. Help! Lol. Thanks
Hi Astroaurora.
For starters, if you are working with a more restricted budget, post #4 here and the posts it links to also include many of the better lower budget online options I’m aware of (I’d just take into account the price point increases the mattress industry experienced during covid and shortages). Generally, Zinus or any mattress that uses low-density memory foam mattress and questionable or undisclosed FR solutions would not be on that list. If you have a little time to spare, I’d rather take the DIY approach, research, and ask for some guidance from a trusted, knowledgeable, and experienced manufacturer to ensure that whatever you chose is suitable for your needs and preferences. This may be a longer road but it avoids some of the common pitfalls of trial and error that most uninformed consumers go through and IMO it has the best chance of success especially for people wanting low-budget, safe, and more durable mattress options.
It’s certainly not unusual to see fiberglass in an inherent fire barrier either by itself or in combination with other materials ( see here for an example) and it can be used as part of the quilting in the cover or as a sock that encloses the foam layers in a mattress. There is some fairly detailed and technical information about fiberglass inherent fire barriers in this patent application although this is probably more technical than you may want to know. It is a “non-chemical” fire barrier and for most people, it would be “safe enough” although some people may have issues with the possibility (probably quite low in most mattresses) of some of the very fine fiberglass particles migrating through the mattress and being inhaled.
You can read a bit more about and flame-retardant methods that are “safer” in post #2 here and post #4 here to make sure that you are well informed and able to ask some poignant questions before making a mattress purchase.
Compressed wool, for example, is a very popular method of “natural” compliance and if done right there is no doubt it can be an effective method of complying with the fire code. Wool and other natural fibers are very breathable and provide an excellent microclimate and temperature control but the downside of thick compressed wool used as a fire barrier is that it can significantly add to the firmness of a softer comfort layer and reduce its ability to form a cradle.
Depending on the size of the mattress you are looking at, your specific stats, and particular needs and preferences you may still find products that are lower in budget and using good quality materials and safe FR solutions The smaller mattress companies and businesses that have the consumer’s best interest at heart are typically completely transparent about what is in their mattresses and take much pride in offering safe and time-tested FR solutions and even quality components sometimes in some of their lower budgets.
One of the Trusted members that quickly comes to mind is Arizona Premium that offers a good value/quality twin sloid core latex mattress. You can also apply the TMU discount to reduce the cost. I’d certainly peruse through our Trusted members directory to see what safe low budget mattress options they have. At least you can rest assured that you won’t find “surprises” down the road and they will carefully listen to your criteria for a mattress before making any recommendations.
Overall, the best advice I can offer you before you go down the “rabbit hole” of looking for the “cheapest” mattresses you can find, would be to 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.
We’ll be on standby to answer any questions you may have on your mattress journey.
Phoenix
Thank you for the detailed response. I am coming to the conclusion that my best (most affordable) option will be just to build my own mattress. I am looking at making some variation of a latex mattress. My cheapest option is a 6 inch latex mattress. I am concerned about whether 6 inches is thick enough though. We vary in weight between 130-180 lbs both back and side sleeping. I also could do a 6 inch coil with a 3 inch latex topper or, alternately, a 9 inch latex mattress. But with either of those options my costs also go up. Trying to figure out if I can just get by with the 6 inches. Also, does anyone know if the latex from " the foam factory" is any good? The have the lowest price on a medium (29ild) topper that I’ve come across.
Hi Astroaurora.
The best way to find if you can do well with a 6’ or 7" thick mattress is to look at your BMI your most recent sleep history and any needs you might have regarding the sleep environment. You stated your weight and sleeping positions but not your height or BMI. Some specific reference points such as a mattress feel you have tried and liked would be good indicators too.
To help with your decisions there are some general guidelines here concerning height, weight, and body shape and some guidelines here about sleeping positions that can be a good starting point. The overview here and the more specific pages that follow will also give you some ideas of the effects of the different ways to put layers together.
Latex in general is a good/quality product. This said over time consumers discovered some issues to be cautious re Foam by Mail/ Foam Factory or any of their other websites (USA Fam/Foam Distributing) for some of the reasons mentioned in post #2 here and post #2 here and in this thread I’d keep in mind that their Dunlop page was not updated since 2014, also they are stating on their product page that they sell “100 percent natural Dunlop Latex Foam” Made in Europe" and I’d probably ask for some reliable confirmation of this. They offer a 10-Year Warranty and 30-Day 100% guarantee and if you decide to go this route I’d check their return policy and the “small print” on their customer service page for the details before purchasing anything. The key is to have a great deal of confidence that what you think you are buying is actually what you will receive and keep the written confirmation of anything you are told.
Let us know of your eventual decisions and additional questions as you move forward with your DIY.
Phoenix