Hi SAFE4KIDS,
There really isn’t much I can add to the links I included in my last reply.
If a material has been certified by CertiPUR (in the case of polfoam) or by Oeko-Tex or Eco-Institut (in the case of latex or natural fibers) then for most people it would be “safe enough” unless you would have a specific reason to choose otherwise. The only material that I would avoid for younger children in general is memory foam.
You can read some of my thoughts about Essentia and some of the misleading claims they make and some forum discussions with them (as well as some of the FTC issues they have had about their claims) in this thread and this thread and posts #3 and #4 here). I certainly wouldn’t treat the information on their website as a reliable source of “fact based” information.
While I do recommend the members here “as a group” and I believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency … I don’t make specific recommendations about either materials, mattresses, or manufacturers because these are primarily preference choices and each person can have their own criteria and beliefs that for them are “right”. My goal is to provide the “fact based” information that can help you understand the pros and cons of your choices so that you can make an informed choice that is best for you … regardless of whether anyone else would make the same choice.
I can certainly help you to narrow down your options, help you focus on better quality/value choices that are available to you either locally or online, help you identify any lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you may be considering, act as a fact check, answer any specific questions you may have along the way that I am able to help with, and help with “how” to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress is the best match for you and your child based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
Unless you have a specific reason that you can clearly identify to avoid certain materials based on your own personal beliefs and lifestyle choices … most people would be fine in terms of safety with materials that have a reliable certification for harmful substances and VOC’s that would be “safe enough” for them.
Phoenix