Currently I am looking for new mattress… I have two Obasan mattresses already but now I a questioning their certifications as organic for their materials… They claim to use all materials certified organic, although up until recently their certificates were not issued to them but their suppliers. When asked about this… the certificate with the company name was shown to me.
WHen asked why their entire beds were not certified, they reiterated that they use three materials that are cert. organic and assured me that their mattresses were too… why then would their entire bed not be certified. and not labled (GOLS,GOTS, ) on the mattresses themselves. They told me “have been informed that the certifying body does not require the labels to be present on the product. With this in mind, the presence of such logos would detract from the style of the products themselves”.
I thought this was interesting and fishy?
Also the certificate. that they had on the site for the GOLS was the identical as the DOrmio, (the one without the company name)… they told me that they make some beds for them so this was the reason for this.
I am wondering if you have any info on this company and the VOC and true certificates, etc??
That’s correct , organic certifications are mostly issued to the manufacturers of the latex and not the retailers. The same goes for organic cotton, the GOTS certificate is issued to the manufacturer of the cotton, so it’s normal that the name of the mattress maker/retailer are not on the organic certificates.
Our organic latex for example, is stamped with the reference number from our chain of custody certificate number (in the form of Transaction Certificates – TC’s) and proves that our latex is organic . TC’s are issued by the certifying agent and prove the latex was produced according to the GOLS standard and that the organic latex was delivered to our address.
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When asked why their entire beds were not certified, they reiterated that they use three materials that are cert. organic and assured me that their mattresses were too… why then would their entire bed not be certified. and not labled (GOLS,GOTS, ) on the mattresses themselves.
[/quote] This is correct, each component is certified organic, but the mattress itself is not. But since all the components of the mattress are certified organic, you can rest assured that your mattress is organic.
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I am wondering if you have any info on this company and the VOC and true certificates, etc??
[/quote] Obasan is 100% legit. They post all their organic certificates on their website, and they’re all up to date. If you buy from them, rest assured that you’re getting a certified organic mattress, hand crafted to the highest standards in the industry.
Just a point to add regarding organic mattress certification which I came across on the Nest Bedding website, and I quote:
“The Nest Bedding Certified Organic Hybrid Latex Mattress designed and hand-crafted in partnership with OMI in OMI’s Eco-Factory™, is the first truly certified organic mattress offered online, compressible and shippable to your doorstep. All materials that go into your new Nest Bedding Certified Organic Hybrid Latex Mattress are carefully and thoughtfully sourced and treated with the utmost care as they are processed in a Certified Organic Mattress Facility in California. Raw materials are sanitized with ozone and the professionals assembling each layer aren’t even able to wear scented deodorants or perfumes.”
So while the components which make up a mattress can be fully certified as organic, apparently there’s another level of certification which can be met as to the organic standards of the manufacturing facility itself as described above. Nest Bedding has most of their mattresses built in the Brooklyn Bedding facility, but for their certified organic model they use another manufacturing facility to meet this higher standard.
Welcome to the TMU Forum ! You’ve had some questions regarding component labeling of Obasan mattresses, I see that Expert member MFC has given good insights regarding the organic certification process.
WHy is Obasan not a member here?? ANd what is the reasoning for them to make mattresses for other companies?
In today’s competitive environment, a quality mattress manufacturer is often approached by other companies to construct mattresses under different brands and names. These manufacturers have the craftsmen, components and expertise for on-demand production, creating the ability to outsource quality mattresses under another company’s brand name while maintaining the same certifications/ standards. While I have no personal knowledge of Obasan’s production relationships, this my general opinion.
With regards to a manufacturer/ retailer membership, the review process starts with a TMU Prospective Business Member Application form, followed by an extensive vetting process. Business membership in The Mattress Underground is not offered lightly, as mattress manufacturers and retailers need to meet our stringent criteria in terms of knowledge, experience, product quality and informed consumer service. Thanks again for your questions.
Not sure if I understand your question or if you didn’t understand my reply to yours. For clarity, here is my response to your earlier question from Obasan Mattresses? post #5:
As a moderator of the TMU forum, I am not privy to, nor would I comment on the status of any manufacturer/ retailer’s membership application. Thanks again for stopping by and let us know what other questions you may have mattress-related .
! You’ve had some questions regarding component labeling of Obasan mattresses, I see that