Royal Pedics (prescription) Organic Cotton Mattress Review

So, I’ve been sleeping on this mattress for over a week now and so far, no allergic reactions or any type of side effects.

– Brief History –
After dumping my 10+ year old mattress, I purchased 3 mattress that all had to go back to the merchant due to a strange / weird reaction from the Poly Foam. (foggy brain, headache, eczema on legs and thighs, and numbness on the side of my head after the 3rd night)

First bed was a cheap one. Cause I didn’t know any better. A Beautyrest from US-Mattress. I lost 75% of what I paid for it returning this mattress. Supposedly shipping cost $250.00. The Pillow-top Beautyrest was very comfortable. Felt like sleeping on clouds. Would have kept it, if it wasn’t for the side-effects.

2nd bed was an Organic Cotton mattress by Cannon Sleep / Pleasant Mattress Co. with a (soy based) foam. Same smell, same negative reactions. The smell was so bad, that even after 2 months sitting in the garage, it was still off-gassing. This mattress wasn’t comfortable at all. I basically sank into the mattress and the mattress slept hot. This was their Platinum series.

3rd mattress was a Saatva (Also manufactured by Cannon Sleep). (my review here) A “certiPUR-US” mattress with an Organic cotton cover and a “soy based foam”. Was just like the 2nd mattress, was a marketing gimmick. It was 20% soy and 80% toxic poly foam with the same off gassing.

Getting sick and tired of sleeping on the floor and not wanting to go through it all over, I went with a 100% cotton innerspring mattress by Royal Pedics. Supposedly organic cotton, chemical free mattress. Picked up a matching box-spring to go with it too.

After a week of sleeping on it, I am happy to report that I no longer have any strange reactions / side effects. Eczema Rash is also clearing up.

Comfort: The mattress is a super stiff, but not as stiff as sleeping on the floor so I am use to it now. So for anyone looking for an Natural alternative with no chemical off-gassing, the Organic Cotton Mattress is a good alternative.

Aesthetic wise, the mattress isn’t as pretty as the previous 3. No “organic cotton marking”, simple beige color and a tag". That’s it. Nothing fancy in this “fancy price tag” mattress. But hey, we didn’t buy a mattress to just look at it.

Smell: There is virtually no smell to it. Early on, there was a hint of something from the box spring. Can’t really explain it. Doesn’t smell like cotton. Maybe some type of sweat smell? But it went away after 1 night.

Negative: There is some type of hard plastic top on the depression. That I could feel with my hands when sleeping on it. Also, the mattress I got doesn’t look as “fluffy” as the pictures from Royal Pedics. So the hard plastic cap can be felt since the mattress is so flat. (pic below)

They also have a few with wool, and pillowtops version. And they also sell Latex toppers. But price can get out of hand.

The mattress / boxspring I got was their prescription all Cotton innerspring mattress. (no wool, no latex). Which I purchased separately and ended up spending a lot more than buying it as a package.

ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: royalpedic.com/RPOC.asp

Hi incognito,

Thanks fort taking the time to share your comments and feedback about your Royal-Pedic mattress … I appreciate it :slight_smile:

After your previous experiences it’s good to hear that it’s working out well for you.

Phoenix

Hi, I want to purchase one of these beds. What kind of doctor did you go to in order to get the prescription? What did the doctor write on the prescription? Something to the effect that you absolutely needed this type of mattress with no chemicals or wool in it? I see the mattress with the wool in it is over $1200 more. I called into my GP’s office to see if he will do it. Please let me know. Thank you.

Best Regards,
Brian

Hi bbunney13,

I would keep in mind that most mattresses don’t use chemical fire barriers and some even use natural materials such as wool to pass the fire regulations. There is more about “safe” fire barriers in this article and post #2 here and the posts it links to at the end.

If you wish to purchase a mattress that has no fire barrier at all (which means it hasn’t passed the fire regulations) … then any licensed health professional can write a prescription that will allow you to purchase one. In most states it can also save you the state taxes (see post #6 here). Many manufacturers can also make their “regular” mattresses without the fire barrier.

Most manufacturers that are willing to make a non compliant mattress without a fire barrier will provide you with a form that includes the wording that you just need to have signed by your doctor or licensed health professional but in most cases it’s as simple as a prescription that says something like “this patient requires a mattress without fire retardants”.

Phoenix

Thank you Phoenix for the response and the links. I’m having a difficult time finding a doctor that will write a prescription for a bed that doesn’t meet fire retardant guidelines. I realize that most organic beds use wool to act as a fire retardant so I need to find a Dr to test me if I’m allergic to wool or not and it so to write me a prescription to bypass the fire retardant requirement. I know I’m not allergic to latex or cotton.

Hi bbunney13,

Any licensed health professional such as a chiropractor or naturopathic doctor can write you a prescription if you need it.

Phoenix

I went to an allergist and got tested for latex and wool allergies and don’t have them so I’m good there. However, the Royal Pedic mattress I’m interested is an innerspring mattress and the foundation is as well. So I have seen it mentioned that all this metal in the mattress and box spring can act as a giant antenna and emit a lot of EMFs. I understand that other devices such as cell phones and wifi routers emit a lot of EMFs as well. Do I need to be concerned about the EMFs a bed like this could be emitting? Royal Pedic claims they have more coil that other mattresses. Archived Article Notice

Hi bbunney,

I’m certainly not a health professional or an expert in electromagnetic fields but EMF fields from mattress innersprings are a very controversial subject and there are certainly some people that believe they are harmful although I’m not one of them. I have seen and read the article you linked and others that include many of these types of comments about innersprings being a “health” issue because of electromagnetic fields … but I have never seen any specific evidence that is compelling to me and most of these types of articles use some very non specific anecdotal stories or what I would consider to be some questionable correlations 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 health or safety (although I recognize that there are certainly others that have a different opinion).

Phoenix

Even if an EMF (electromagnetic field) is amplified there is really not an substantial evidence to show the harms of this caused to people. Definitely a little bit exaggerated as an issue. The whole planet exists within an enormous EMF, without this field we would be getting destroyed by deadly radiation from space. Would not worry about this at all.

Hi Phoenix,

Thank you for the information. Choosing a mattress has proven to be a very difficult decision due to all of the variables that go into it. I have been trying to select a new mattress over the past two years. In the last year, I have been real interested in the Royal-Pedic Organic Cotton Mattress. But due to it being extra firm only and being an innerspring bed, I’m shying away from it now. I just got tested for latex and wool allergies and I’m not allergic to either one. So now I’m concentrating on an organic all natural latex mattress (not synthetic or blended). So what I’m looking for is a latex mattress that is certified and doesn’t smell. The problem is that there are different certifications like GOTS and FCS.

I live in Las Vegas and I only know of one store there that sells organic mattresses and that’s Las Vegas Luxury Beds. I tried out a Savvy Rest and a couple of other mattresses and liked the Savvy Rest. I was going to go to their Berkeley CA store and try them out until I found out that the latex manufacturer puts fragrances on the latex. I have been to Foam Sweet Foam and liked their mattresses but not the smell and didn’t care for their foundation. I purchased a 3" Latex topper from Arizona Premium Mattress at it really smells even after 1 1/2 years and the cotton cover didn’t even fit right. I spend a lot of time in the Sacramento CA area and there are two highly rated organic mattress stores in Folsom I could go to (The Healthy Bed Store and European Sleep design). The problem is they only deliver locally.

So I have been looking at a couple of online sites in PlushBeds and FloBeds. I have seen your back and forth with FloBed’s Daniel which was very interesting. Now Flobeds is about a 4 hour drive from Sacramento so I could go visit their showroom. However, I’m not real sure I need 6 zones and 13+ firmness variations to play with and I don’t need a split queen mattress either since I’m the only one that will be sleeping on it. Seems like a lot of pieces of latex to me. I would rather have the layers go completely across the mattress. I don’t want to have to re-align the layers either although I did read your post on that subject so it doesn’t sound as bad as I have read about but still, I really don’t want to be bothered with mattress maintenance of that kind. I will talk to either Daniel or Dave and see if they can give me some warm fuzzies about their mattresses. So enter in PlushBeds. The similar mattress that they have (without all the zones and firmness settings is about $1000 less. They claim to use certified pure organic latex and cotton plus they have a natural fire barrier option other than wool. The 6" core is sewn together (no glue) so that just leaves the comfort layer which can be changed out. Customer satisfaction and reviews are a little higher for FloBeds over PlushBeds and I’m a little concerned that PlushBeds has 5 BBB complaints against them which seems higher than their competition and they claim to have a BBB A+ rating… FloBeds has none. I’m leaning towards PlushBeds because it is cheaper and simpler to me but I guess I can’t tweak their bed as much if I have with pressure point issues.

I miss the good old days when I would go down to Sears, pick out a mattress and was done with it. Now I have to worry about certifications, ILD and delivery/setup.

Hi bbunney13,

It’s good to hear that you don’t have any allergies that can reduce the number of options for you to choose from.

Most (although not all) people that are looking for an “organic” mattress are usually concerned more with “safety” than whether the latex has an organic certification. There is more information about the different levels of organic certifications in post #2 here and some of the benefits of an organic certification in post #3 here and there is more about the different types of organic and safety certifications in post #2 here and more about some of the differences between organic and safety certifications in post #2 here that can help you decide whether an organic certification is important to you or whether a “safety” certification is enough.

There is also more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here. All of 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 safety certification such as Oeko-Tex, Eco-Institut, or Greenguard Gold 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. If certified organic latex is important to you then some 100% natural Dunlop latex has an organic certification but there isn’t any 100% natural Talalay latex that has an organic certification. There is more about organic certified Dunlop latex in post #6 here.

All latex will have a smell and there is more about the smell of latex in post #2 here.

Like any natural material … different types and batches of latex can vary in terms of the strength of the smell or how long the smell will last and different people can be more or less sensitive to the smell of latex as well. In most cases it should dissipate and diminish to levels that aren’t objectionable or even noticeable to most people over the course of the first few weeks but for those that are more sensitive to the smell of latex they may notice the smell for much longer (especially if they put their nose close to or right into the latex).

The mattress shopping tutorial also includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online and many of them also sell latex and latex hybrid mattresses that use different types and blends of latex (including 100% natural Talalay and Dunlop and certified organic Dunlop) that have a wide range of different designs, options, features, return and exchange policies, and prices that that would be well worth considering. Post #3 here also includes a list of the ones that sell component latex mattresses and many of these are very similar to Savvy Rest mattresses except of course they are in much lower budget ranges.

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in the Las Vegas area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets your criteria and the quality/value guidelines here) are listed in post #2 here. There is also a list for the San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland areas in post #2 here and a list for the Sacramento area in post #5 here.

As you know Flobeds is one of the members of this site which means that I think very highly of them and I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency. They have some unique designs and offer a choice of either blended Talalay or 100% natural Talalay in their non zoned component mattresses and their design is a little different than either Savvy Rest or Plushbeds. As you mentioned they also have their vZone mattress as well. A forum search on Flobeds (you can just click this link as well) will also bring up many more comments and feedback about them as well.

Zoning systems can sometimes be useful and worth considering for people that have more difficulty finding a mattress with the right “balance” between comfort/pressure relief (under the shoulders especially) and support/alignment (under the hips/pelvis especially) or who have more challenging circumstances or sensitivities, body types that are more difficult to “match” to a mattress, more complex medical issues, or who have a history of having more difficulty in finding a mattress that works well for them. There is more about zoning in this article and in post #11 here and the additional posts it links to.

There is also more about Flobeds vZone in post #4 here. Once you have found the configuration that is best for you (with either the component layers and/or the zones) then you wouldn’t need to do any further rearranging and there wouldn’t be any ongoing maintenance.

You can see some comments about Plushbeds in post #2 here and a forum search on Plushbeds (you can just click the link) will bring up much more information and comments/feedback about them as well. They use good quality and durable materials in their mattresses (natural or organic Dunlop and Talalay latex) and they would certainly be a “better than average” choice compared to most of the mainstream mattresses that most people end up buying. They do a lot of internet advertising so they do attract a lot of online attention for those that are looking for a latex mattress. They are also in a higher budget range than many other similar mattresses and have less options available to customize their mattress so I would make some careful “value comparisons” with some of the other component latex options that are also available to you (including some of the members of this site).

I’m not sure where you read that they would be $1000 less than Flobeds because if you are comparing mattresses that are as close as possible to an “apples to apples” comparison then this certainly wouldn’t be the case. For example the Plushbeds 12" Botanical Bliss includes a 6" certified organic Dunlop core, a 3" 100% natural Talalay transition layer, and then a 2" top layer (for a total of 11" of latex) with a wool quilted cotton cover and sells for $2499 (queen size). The closest comparison would be the Flobeds Natural Deluxe which includes three 3" layers of 100% natural Talalay and their 2" convoluted layer of 100% natural Talalay (also 11" of latex) and also has a wool quilted cotton cover and sells for $2599 (queen size). With the 5% TMU discount they would be just a little less than the Plushbeds even though the 100% natural Talalay latex they use would be a little more costly than the organic Dunlop.

The Flobeds also has two 3" bottom layers and Plushbeds has a single 6" bottom layer and there is more about the pros and cons of a single 6" core vs two separate 3" layers in post #2 here.

You also have quite a number of options that are available to you outside of the ones you have already looked at but once you have narrowed down your options to a list of finalists that are all choices between “good and good” and none of them have any lower quality materials or “weak links” in their design relative to your weight range (which they don’t) and if 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 local testing or mattresses you have slept well on, your more detailed conversations about each of them, your confidence about PPP and the suitability of each one, their prices, your preferences for different types of materials and components, the options you have after a purchase to fine tune the mattress or exchange or return the mattress or individual layers, 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 soooo much for all of the information Phoenix. That’s a lot to go through and I will go through it.

There are a couple of additional questions i have concerning ILD and component mattresses. SInce I basically live in two different areas I obviously have two different beds to sleep on. Both beds are the older traditional innerspring mattresses with box springs. The one in Las Vegas is in the guest room and is a cheap mattress and pretty horrible to sleep on. So I got the 3" topper from Arizona Premium mattress which is at 25 ILD. It helped a lot in terms of sleeping on that bed. It’s hard to tell if 25 ILD is right for me or not. If feels a bit too soft but that might me due to the underlying mattress. The one in Sacramento is a much better mattress and a very firm one so much that it offered great support but no pressure point relief. I added an Organic Textiles 2" natural latex topper rated at 26-28 ILD and that really helped with the pressure point relief and definitely feels a lot firmer than the the 3" 25 ILD topper. So what I don’t know is in terms of ILD and thickness, how much each measure contributes to how soft or firm it is. If there were both 25 ILD with different thicknesses, how much does the thickness contribute to the firmness verses how much the difference of 2-3 ILD can contribute to the differences. This may be comparing apples to oranges here.

The more I look at FloBeds, the more I like them. As I mentioned, I have tried out the Savvy Rest Serenity before and like it. So I guess having the latex split down the middle was okay but I don’t recall being exactly centered on the mattress so I may not have experienced having the split latex layers and what affect that might have on comfort. As you know FloBeds has three natural Organic models, two of which seem to be more like Savvy Rest and then there is the vZone. FloBeds claims it is their most popular mattress with the least number of returns. I understand that gives you ample opportunity to tweak the mattress to your own liking which is great but I can’t help but think that i would notice while laying on the mattress just how segmented the latex layers are. In looking at their video, it appears that the top layer is one piece of latex so that may make a difference. Having a tightly fitted cover may remedy this to some degree. But I will be discussing all of that with them.

Thanks again Phoenix for supplying so much wonderful information.

Hi bbunney13,

ILD/IFD is only one of several specs that makes one material feel softer or firmer than another (see post #4 here) and the ILD or IFD of different materials or even different types of the same material (such as different types and blends of latex) aren’t directly comparable to each other (see post #6 here). The ILD or IFD of a single layer also isn’t particularly meaningful because every layer and component in a mattress or a mattress/topper combination (including the cover) will have an effect on the feel and performance of every other layer and component and on the sleeping system as a whole and putting too much focus on ILD/IFD or thickness or any other single specification (especially if it’s only a single layer) will most often be more misleading than helpful.

In other words … it’s only possible to know whether the sum of all the parts will be a suitable “match” for you in terms of PPP but it’s not possible to assess how much each of the many specifications of each layer or component (such as ILD, layer thickness, compression modulus, point elasticity etc) is responsible for what you feel.

While knowing the specs that can affect the quality and durability of the layers and components in a mattress is always important … unless you have a great deal of knowledge and experience with different types of mattress materials and components and their specs and different layering combinations and mattress designs and how they combine together and can translate them into your own “real life” experience that can be unique to you (which would generally be a very small percentage of people) … I would tend to avoid using complex specs to try and predict how a mattress will feel or perform for you. When you try and choose a mattress based on complex combinations of specs that you may not fully understand or only based on specs for a single layer that may not be as relevant or meaningful as you believe it is then the most common outcome is “information overload” and “paralysis by analysis”. Even the best mattress designers in the industry are often surprised at what a mattress they design “should have felt like” based on the specs when they design it and what it “actually feels like” when they test out their new design.

If you are testing a mattress locally then knowing the ILD’s or other “comfort specs” isn’t important because your body will tell you everything you need to know to decide whether a particular mattress is a suitable choice for you in terms of PPP.

When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed 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 any firmness level options they have to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

Because your own personal experience is the only way to know for certain whether any mattress will be a good “match” for you in terms of PPP … the options you have available after a purchase to “fine tune” the mattress or to exchange or return the mattress (and any costs involved) can also be a more important part of the “value” of an online purchase just in case (and in spite of the “best judgement” of everyone involved) the choice you make or a specific layering combination doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

With the solid top convoluted layer and the tight fitting wool quilted cover it’s very unlikely that you would feel any split in between the individual layers or zones and while you would feel the “effect” of the zones … I haven’t heard of anyone where this has been an issue.

Phoenix

Thank you for the information Phoenix. Always appreciated. I have been researching a lot yesterday and today. I talked to Dewey today at FloBeds and came away impressed. So based upon what you have told me, the links you gave me plus feeling good about FloBeds, I’m planning on purchasing the vZone mattress from them as you and Dewey have put my concerns to rest concerning segmentation of the latex. I know FloBeds customer service is highly rated and having a mattress that I can customize to my own preferences and maybe not even have to ask for replacements (although I can) seems to be the best option for me. According to Dewey, I don’t even need to rotate or flip this mattress which is great as a 12" latex mattress is very heavy.

The only real question I have left is concerning allergen-proof encasings. I have read that with a pure latex mattress that dust mites can’t live and grow in them. Of course they can certainly live and grow in pillows and bedding. Since I will need to get into the vZone mattress on occasion, it doesn’t make sense to get a full mattress encasing as the zippers don’t go all the around the mattress (halfway of less) making it difficult to get at the latex layers inside the mattress. Mission Allergy makes a mattress encasing that goes on like a fitted sheet. Not as effective as one that covers the whole mattress but much easier to take on and off. I figure getting one of those couldn’t hurt.

Hi bbunney13,

Assuming that you decide to pull the trigger … congratulations on your new mattress :slight_smile:

As you know I think you are making a great quality choice and I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback once you’ve reveived it and have had the chance to sleep on it for a bit.

There is more information about dust mites and dust mite allergies in post #2 here and in post #3 here and there is also more information about mattress allergy encasements (that surround the mattress) vs mattress protectors (that are like a fitted sheet and are easier to remove) in post #2 here. There is also more about the pros and cons of different mattress protectors and some examples of each of them in post #89 here.

Mattress allergy encasements are meant to be used on a semi permanent basis and aren’t meant to be easily removed so I would agree that it would make sense to at least hold of with using an encasement (if you feel you need one) until you are confident that you won’t need to rearrange or exchange any layers in your mattress.

Phoenix

I did order the vZone mattress and pine foundation with legs from FloBeds this morning and should be receiving it next Wednesday. I did get the Mattress Underground 5 percent discount on the mattress. What I really like about FloBeds is their willingness to work with you to get the bed suitable to your needs. It’s hard to find a negative review of their products or their customer service. As a software developer, I like their website and the fact that they don’t use fake sales to pressure you into purchasing their products like some other online retailers do. I also liked the videos they have made about their products, Installation and history of the company. I saw how they make their products and already know how to assemble the mattress. The Mattress Underground has played a big part in my selection so thank you for that.

Hi bbunney13,

Thanks for the update and for sharing your comments and feedback about your experiences with Flobeds. It’s always great to hear when a knowledgeable and experienced manufacturer like Flobeds takes the time to help inform and educate their customers instead of just “selling” them and provides the type of guidance that can help them decide on the combination that has the best chance of success.

Again … I’m looking forward to your next update once you’ve had the chance to sleep on it :slight_smile:

Phoenix