Need recommendation for mattress topper (non-toxic)

Hi Folks,

This website has been so helpful in learning and hearing feedback on what’s best to buy and stay away from. Thanks to all who contribute their thoughts and ideas. :slight_smile:

I recently purchased an extremely firm mattress that hurts to sleep on. I’m trying to find a soft topper that is non-toxic and not dunlop. It’s actually really challenging to find a safe all-natural memory foam, but I found one from PlushBeds and wondered if anyone here has tried that one or has feedback? It’s certi-PUR and greenguard gold certified. Here is the one I’m considering:

Also I already have a 2inch wool topper that is soft, but not really giving me a plush, sinking in feeling that my old Sealy Posturepedic bed, once offered.

I don’t want dunlop as I had a bad reaction to the Avocado mattress/topper of that brand and don’t want to chance it again. I have heard talalay is different and the extra rinsing/washes it goes thru eliminates the proteins which make someone allergic if that is true, please verify that as I’m still learning about talalay. I do like the Vita Talalay product as its cradle to cradle gold standard that Savvy Rests sells but they are a little too pricey for me right now and don’t offer a return policy if i did have some sort of reaction similar to dunlop.

Any other recommendations?

Thanks

Hi Serenitystar80.

To take a page right out of Phoenix’s book…

A latex toper can be a comfortable choice to provide a bit of extra plushness, but also something that provides a bit of support. Latex has an unusual combination of surface softness and deeper firmness/support that comes from its elasticity, it’s point elasticity (ability to conform to the shape of a body) and its compression modulus (the ability to get firmer faster with deeper compression than other types of foam). This means that it can enhance the pressure relieving layers above it because of its surface softness and point elasticity but it is also very supportive and can “stop” the heavier parts of the body from sinking in too deeply. It is also very resilient (it returns a high percentage of the energy of compression instead of absorbing it like memory foam which has very low resilience) so it can enhance the “feel” of the mattress by making it more responsive and more adaptable to different body profiles and sleeping positions rather than the less responsive feeling of memory foam or the stiffer and less adaptable characteristics of polyfoam. Latex is also a very durable material (it’s the most durable of all the foam types) so it can add to the durability of a mattress compared to other materials but the deeper layers of a mattress have less effect on mattress durability (a mattress will soften and break down from the top down) and more of an effect on performance and support/alignment so this would be less of a factor in its use. Whether or not you would like the feel of a latex topper of course would ultimately come down to your own personal testing, as the overall comfort will be determined by the topper along with the mattress upon which it is placed.

There is an excellent post about toppers, including a few posts that it links to, in post #2 here.

There is also a post here listing some of the toppers of which I am aware that can be returned.

With regards to latex allergies you may find this detailed thread useful/informative!

NikkiTMU

Brentwood home also makes greenguard gold polyfoam/ memory foam toppers. Tuft & needle also makes a greenguard gold memory foam topper.

Magniflex I believe uses oeko-tex certified memory, not sure if they have a topper. The tuft & needle one is PU foam not memory foam.

Thanks Mr Yabo.

Yes I saw that one from Brentwood home, in fact I’m now leaning toward that one.

Can someone help me understand density between these two choices.

Topper 1: is 3 inches thick and 3.2lbs per cubic foot vs Topper 2: is 2inches thick but 4.1 lbs per cubic foot. Would they both be soft, sinking in feeling? I’m a side sleeper and want to sink a bit into the topper for comfort.

Hey Serenitystar80,

Nice to see you again! Congrats on your new topper shopping journey :slight_smile: . Thanks To NikkiTMU for the excellent support and to @MrYabo for your suggestions. It appears that your interests are in a soft, non-toxic, non-dunlop latex topper option and in memory foam.

The short answer to your question is “Yes, they both could be soft and sinking in feeling”; that is the nature of memory foam. However, as only you can “feel” what you feel on a mattress, it is impossible to predict how your body would personally perceive memory foam’s feel and response as opposed to someone else.

Memory foam’s responsiveness is mostly independent of its density. However, density is directly related to durability. Foam Density is the weight per cubic foot of a foam. Good quality Memory Foam is usually over 5 lbs per cu. ft., and HR polyfoam is 2.5 lbs per cu. ft. or higher. The higher the density, the more material is used, the slower the response time is, and the longer the memory foam will last. Memory foam’s slow response naturecan make it difficult to control how far you sink into a memory foam layer, as it can soften over the course of the night and what started out as correct spinal alignment could turn into a “hammock” position and a backache by morning. You may consider using the minimum thickness that is suitable for your needs and preferences. This Phoenix postoffers more insight regarding memory foam’s unique nature and response.

Do you have access to local COVID-safe showrooms for testing memory foam toppers? If you don’t have a point of reference for its unique “hug-like” feeling, you may find mattress testing helpful for deciding whether this type topper will improve the comfort feel of your mattress. Hope this helps some and let us know which topper you decide on :wink: .

Sensei

HI Sensei,

I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. The first link you shared was helpful but also made me question if getting a memory foam topper is safe (because of the off-gassing component) I’m just not sure what to do. I think the Talalay topper from Savvy Rest is very soft and would work but it’s very expensive and because I had a bad reaction to Avocado dunlop, maybe I would react the same to talalay as well?

Is a memory foam topper that is certi-pur and green-guard gold certified considered safe enough to use without a risk to my health? I will say I have no problem or react to my Serta recliner or loveseat or even previous couches that had poly foam. Is poly foam safer than memory foam?

Sorry for all the questions I just don’t want to buy something worth a few hundred dollars and it not be a smart investment.

The memory foam topper Mr Yabo shared from Brentwood home above, sounds really nice and I really would like to know if it is safe to use?

Hey Serenitystar80,

Thanks for your reply :slight_smile: .

For other consumers who may be following your post, the link referenced above is one of Phoenix’s articles discussing memory foam’s qualities, one being its off-gassing nature. To summarize Phoenix’s concerns on the topic:

“make sure that you are choosing a high quality memory foam made by a reputable manufacturer that meets 3rd party testing standards and publishes that they have done so. There are many of these who produce high quality memory foam for a very reasonable price and it is not necessary to purchase either overpriced memory foam to get good quality or to purchase questionable qualities of memory foam which have not been subjected to testing.”

In other words, memory foam and polyfoams are safe for use when properly tested and are both popular and widely available. Look for products with the CertiPUR-US certification, a testing standard that tests for harmful substances and VOC’s but is used for polyurethane and memory foam materials.

I’m sorry to hear that you suffered a bad reaction with Dunlop latex use, Serenitystar80; that must have been frightening. What type response did you experience? Before going too far down this path, please know that TMU moderators do not give any medical advice and it would be impossible to predict through a forum whether you would have the same reaction with Talalay latex, only your Dr. could help you there. Here is a brief overview of Talalay latex that you could share with your health care provider: Talalay latex rubber is hypoallergenic and does not off-gas. During the production process, latex cores go through a five-stage fresh water washing process, removing the latex proteins, soaps, and curing agents involved in its manufacturing. Regarding Savvy Rest’s latex sourcing, Vita Talalay’s products are Oekotex 100 Class 1 certified, and Natural Vita Talalay has the Cradle to Cradle Gold and the Eco-Institut certification. Additionally, the latex is usually placed in an encasement of some type before consumer use, whether it be a simple FR sock or as a component inside the mattress cover, separating direct contact with it and the user. It is highly unlikely that a reaction would occur but again, that would depend on the sensitivities of the user.

CertiPUR-US and Greenguard certifications will ensure that the memory foam has been tested for VOC’s. You may find this Phoenix post helpful for better understanding the many certifications used for ensuring product safety; they range from organic testing standards to textiles to foams. Polyfoam and memory foam are both synthetic, man-made materials, the only difference being that polyfoam does not have the added chemicals that make it soften under pressure or heat that memory foam does. Also, memory foam is a much denser material than polyfoam, meaning there is more of it when comparing the two foams of a same size. The polyfoams used in furniture are basically the same as those used in some mattresses, only of different densities for furniture’s different functionality.

No worries on the questions; you are wise to ask them and they are valid concerns, Serenity. Brentwood Home’s memory foam topper carries both CertiPUR-US and GreenGuard Gold certifications, so it should be safe to use. According to their site, their American-made memory foam is a proprietary charcoal-infused BioFoam that “provides a better, eco-friendly alternative” to traditional memory foam. Whether or not it presents any initial off-gassing that would trigger any symptoms for you is a question t I cannot answer. I am familiar with both Brentwood Home and their parent company Avocado Green Brands and know that their company culture supports Natural and Sustainability. They do offer a one year sleep guarantee for their toppers, so if you do have problems there is a remedy. Hopefully, this helps some… :wink: .

Sensei

This is great info Sensei :slight_smile:

Sensei,

What you said makes a lot of sense, thanks for easing my worries. :slight_smile:

I’m not sure how I’d react to talalay, but in case anyway is wondering about Savvy Rest latex foam too, I just found that they offer samples for $5 that can be mailed to your home to test out their product safely. I think this is a smart way to see if there is a reaction, before purchasing the whole topper or mattress.

My reaction to the Avocado dunlop latex foam topper I tried was immediate. First the smell was intense and never went away and I found it overpowering to the point I couldn’t be in the same room for long, when I laid on the topper to test it out within minutes my throat felt scratchy and my heart beat fast. I don’t know that that means, but I tried over the course of several hours to see if airing it out would help and each time I reacted that way. So I won’t be experimenting with dunlop latex again.

I think that Brentwood home is trying to create healthier products and it is 3rd party certified so I think I’ll give it a try.

Thanks again!! )

Hey Serenitystar80,

Thanks for your reply :slight_smile: .

Selling latex samples is a nice service for Savvy Rest to offer. It would be great if more latex mattress brands offered purchase of samples to consumers, but that isn’t as easy a program to implement as it would seem, latex is costly to produce and demand for sample pieces is low. It is, however, a good way of spending some quality time experimenting with a small latex piece rather than an entire mattress product before finding out that it isn’t a good match for you.

I am sorry to hear that you experienced such an intense reaction to the Avocado topper and hope that you reported it to their customer support team for review. Yes, do listen to your body when it tells you that certain materials are not in your best interest and try something else.

Happy to hear that Mr yabo’s Brentwood recommendation may work out well for you. Thank you, @Mryabo for your consumer support and your kind words on the post; both are appreciated :wink: . Serenity, let us know how your new memory foam topper works out after you’ve given it a sleep trial period and good luck!

Sensei

Just thought I’d update on the Brentwood Home memory foam topper. As soon as I opened a small area of the plastic, the chemical smell was so strong I chose not to fully unwrap it and just sealed it back up and returned. I can’t imagine how bad that topper smells, fully unwrapped from the plastic.

I just decided to buy another mattress all together. I still have my wool topper, but no mattress. Sleeping on the couch is awful, but I’m not willing to experiment on products anymore… it’s too costly and time consuming to mail back.

Still regretting getting rid of my 14 year-old mattress, never thought it would be so difficult to purchase a comfortable, toxic free mattress that wasn’t outrageously priced.

I hear you, SS80! This endless pursuit of simply trying to find a mattress brand that does not seem hell bent on killing its customers is ludicrous and more importantly newer. 15 years ago, the internet still existed, yet NO comments/feedback of mattresses smelling like chemical fires. This points to something new in the processing/manufacturing cycle of mattresses. Lord how I miss concerns simply about the support structures.