I am looking for a new mattress that is affordable with non toxic or even better organic materials. There is a store called "the futon shop’ that is having a 50-60% off sale only through today. Problem is they are located in california and I am in tennessee. I am very hesitant to buy a mattress sight unseen and unfelt. They have awesome deals on a wool and latex mattress though. It’s dunlop latex and wool batting. I have only seen a few reviews. The company’s delivery and satifaction rate is spotty. I would love to have a mattress at this price that is made in usa and ecofriendly. Here is a link. Anyone
have any experience with them?http://www.thefutonshop.com/All-Natural-Wool-Latex-Mattress-Futon-Chemical-Free-EcoPure/p/685/6652
Hi Northcountryfire,
There is 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” or “how organic is organic enough for me” so you can decide on the types of materials you are most comfortable having in your mattress. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.
Hopefully some of the members here that have purchased the same futon as you are considering will see your post and share their comments but in the meantime a forum search on thefutonshop (you can just click the link) will bring up more comments and feedback about them as well.
There is also more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress (or a futon) purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses. While there are no lower quality materials or weak links in the futon you are considering in terms of durability … how well a mattress or a futon matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) and how well you will sleep on it is the most important part of the “value” of a mattress or futon purchase and if you can’t test a mattress in person or are uncertain whether it would be a good match for you in terms of PPP then I would make sure that you are comfortable with the return or exchange policies and the costs involved just in case you make a choice that doesn’t work out as well as you hoped for and the mattress isn’t suitable for you to sleep on.
I would also make sure that you’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
The tutorial also includes several links to lists of some of the better online options I’m aware of as well (in the optional online step) and some of the better lower budget options I’m aware of are listed in post #4 here as well.
I would also be very cautious about “fake sales” that are only designed to create a false sense of urgency based on a “fear of loss” because they normally aren’t real (see post #5 here about fake sales) and as you can see from listing on the wayback for the same mattress on March 30th, 2015 here and for August 26th, 2014 here their 60% discount or at least a similar discount is really their regular price.
If you let me know your city or zip code in Tennessee I’d also be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area as well.
Phoenix
Thanks! I have read the mAttress tutorial! I have read through this site a lot too.
You’ re answers are always so knowlegable and in depth. Another mattress i was considering was a brentwood either the sbed or 13" memory foam. Decided against the 13". I found a wholesale retailer in cleaveland tn that I’m gojng to. I was originally going to buy a bed boss visco elite. My daughter has one that i sleep on quite frequently. I feel like it is a good compromise. Hate that it is now made in china though. Still it is from a reputable company. Im located in greater Chattanoogaarea tn. Thanks
Hi Northcountryfire,
You would have to set aside your organic or even any natural criteria to purchase either one of these or any mattress that contained memory foam or polyfoam.
The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around Chattanooga (subject to the quality/value guidelines in my last reply) are listed in post #2 here.
Phoenix
I do realize that. I just dont have the funds for all organic or mostly green.
I would love to buy a 1600 dollar dunlop latex mattress topped with organics wool. However, i just dont have that kind of cash-cash to spend. Bed boss elite doesnt have pc e and low vocs. And certified non toxic. Whatever that means. Maybe ill get a latex or wool topper
Hi Northcountryfire,
Once you have read through the post I linked about “safe”, natural, and organic materials you will be in a better position to decide on which types of materials you are comfortable having in your mattress which will make your choices simpler and if you are considering an online choice then you can look through the online lists in the tutorial or the lower budget options in the post I linked in my previous reply to see which mattress is the best “match” for your criteria, your budget range, and the return/exchange options that you are comfortable with.
Phoenix
Thanks for all the insight! The tufted needle mattress looks promising. At least it is made in the US
It ate the whole rest of my paragraph… I dont see how the tuft and needle is much greener than the bed boss. They seem to be very similar. The dream sleep or whatever has super spotty reviews. The only reason i was stuck on bed boss is because i have slept on one and know it is a comfortable mattress that wears well. I love my daughter’s! Any other advice is much appreciated!
Are ( were ) you ever a mattress salesperson? What inspired you to learn and start this site? Just curious. Maybe you should start your own mattress company!
Hi Northcountryfire,
I suppose that would depend on how you define and measure “green”. One difference would be that all the foams that are in the Tuft & Needle and the mattress itself are made in the US while the foams that are in the Bed Boss mattresses and the mattresses themselves are made in China and shipped overseas to the US so there would certainly be a difference between them in terms of the amount of fuel used in transportation but I don’t think that I would call either one of them a “green” mattress. There is more about green manufacturing in post #4 here.
Of course the Tuft & Needle is also a very different design and type of mattress from the Bed Boss memory foam mattresses. You can read a little more about the materials in the Tuft & Needle mattresses in posts #2 and #6 here.
You can read about some of the reasons why I started the site in post #404 here and some of the history behind it in post #4 here.
I have never been a mattress salesperson and when I started this site I was an “outsider” in the industry 
Phoenix
Interesting story you have there. So I think I may have an idea for what we can do. My original thought was to buy a latex topper for my mattress nos. however I would like to be done with the metal completely. Who wants EMF fields being conducted into them right?! So i think i might get a latex topper and cotton futon or topper and sleep on thAt. I think that will be the most natural and cost efficient thing i can do as of now? Do you have a better suggestion? Or know where you can do a DIY mattress?
Hi Northcountryfire,
This is a very controversial subject and there are certainly some people that believe this and while I have seen many of these types of comments about innersprings being a “safety” issue because of electromagnetic fields … I have never seen any specific evidence that this is the case other than some very non specific anecdotal stories that don’t provide any clear evidence that would directly relate to innersprings or metal frames. I would personally be more cautious with “active” electromagnetic fields (such as living close to high tension wires, holding a cell phone too close to your head, or sleeping near active electrical fields or wiring as examples) … but I personally wouldn’t have any issues with sleeping on an innerspring in terms of safety (although there would certainly be others that have a different opinion).
I would tend to avoid buying a mattress or futon with the intention of buying an additional topper where you can’t test the combination in person to make sure that it’s a good match for you in terms of PPP unless you have no other options available because of the additional uncertainty and risk involved (see post #2 here) compared to buying a mattress that doesn’t need a topper that you can test in person.
If you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own mattress out of separate components and a separate cover then the first place I would start is by reading option 3 in post #15 here and the posts it links to (and option #1 and #2 as well) so that you have more realistic expectations and that you are comfortable with the learning curve, uncertainty, trial and error, or in some cases the higher costs that may be involved in the DIY process. While it can certainly be a rewarding project … the best approach to a DIY mattress is a “spirit of adventure” where what you learn and the satisfaction that comes from the process itself is more important than any cost savings you may realize (which may or may not happen).
If you decide to take on the challenge then I would either use the specs (if they are available) of a mattress that you have tested and confirmed is a good match for you in terms of PPP as a reference point (the same type and blend of latex in the same thickness and firmness levels and a very similar cover which can also make a significant difference to the feel and performance of a mattress) or use a “bottom up” approach (see post #2 here).
Phoenix