I just found this store today. Another option for DIY mattress components in Seattle. I’ll report back after I visit them tomorrow~
Hi buttercupbetty,
It will be interesting to see what they carry (they don’t have any information on their site).
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
When I asked about their suppliers (on the phone), they wouldn’t reveal them. Do you think this is a red flag? It does bother me. They are obviously not wanting to make it easy for people to comparison shop…
BB
Hi buttercupbetty,
I personally wouldn’t treat this as a red flag no. There are many foam suppliers that don’t wish to reveal their suppliers for competitive reasons but I would want to make sure that the foam they supply is North American made and/or CertiPur certified. You can still comparison shop by comparing the density or other specs of the foam regardless of the actual foam manufacturer.
Phoenix
Hi Phoenix,
I’m still confused on how to compare densities from various sources of different Dunlop latex. The Friendly Foam Shop (FFS) told me that their 75D topper over an 85D core is TOO SOFT for many people. Even female side sleepers. Since these are the specs of my mattress (Latex Green), I don’t know what density to guess next . FFS says that using their 65D is not recommended (this is also what SleepEZ told me about their 65D).
Can we guess that my 75D is comparable to their 85D in perceived firmness? If so, then ordering their 75D might work well.
I’m feeling hesitant about jumping to 65D (even though dn offered me a great solution). I didn’t realize that this would be so complicated 
Hi buttercupbetty,
I wouldn’t make that assumption no unless your own personal experience indicated that it was a “match”.
Phoenix
They definitely aren’t making this easy for you. The joys of DIY! And as Phoenix says, this is where the science and art of mattress making meet 
Just buy all of the options, and then you don’t need to worry about if you should have bought the other option instead, since you have them all! That’s what I’ve been doing 
A bit more expensive, but it offers peace of mind
The OCD is way easier to live with if you just feed it ;);)
As a second follow up…
Personally, I think they’re wrong. Now understand, I’m totally an amateur when it comes to foam compared to the experts, so take what I say with a huge grain of salt… But, I’ve never read on this forum about someone finding Dunlop latex too soft, and it’s not uncommon to read about people who find their latex is too firm.
But, don’t take my word for it - in fact I recommend you don’t You already have 75D, and once cut in half you can layer the two pieces of it on top of your 85D. Give it a try and decide for yourself, which is really the most important. 6" of 75D will be softer than 3", when put over the same base.
Now, it’s entirely possible that different companies Dunlop, at the same density, has different softness… Either measurable or perceived, but I’m prone to think it’s probably fairly close, and it’s the best / only info you have. Phoenix or other latex retailers on the forum might be able to comment on how consistent the feel/softness of Dunlop is, between different manufacturers, when the latex is the same density (which itself isn’t even a perfect measurement due to natural density/softness variations within each latex bun).
(And for what it’s worth, I suspect some foam retailers overstate the softness of the foams they sell, since it’s typically easier to soften up (ironically by selling you more, in the form of a topper), rather than deal with it being ‘too soft’. And I suspect soft quality Dunlop is harder to buy and potentially more expensive - in any event - if you have the will, I’d be super curious to know if they’re right and indeed their 75D is somehow lots softer than your existing 75D).
Hi dn,
If they are both 100% natural Dunlop then similar densities will have a similar softness/firmness level although there are a few other factors and compounding methods that can make a smaller difference between the same density made by different manufacturers. Outside of accurate ILD testing using the same testing protocol (and molded Dunlop will have variations across the surface as well as from top to bottom) … density is the most effective way to compare firmness levels between molded 100% natural Dunlop cores between manufacturers.
Individual layers that are cut from the same 6" core can have some variation depending on what part of the core they were sliced from (closer to the top or bottom).
Phoenix
buttercupbetty,
I am still trying to decide on a topper for my mattress as well… tried out some softer talalay at a store and didn’t like it. (bouncy feel) I’ve narrowed it down to a 1.5" or 2" blended dunlop. The density is the question. There are 55K dunlop toppers available, mostly synthetic, but continuously poured dunlop. From what you have been advised, this must be extremely soft? 65K seems to sound reasonable, but who knows. I can’t find a store anywhere that has dunlop toppers to try. I need it too be softer and less lively than the top of my mattress, which is an N3 natural latex. I’ve been calling and asking advice from various vendors, but this hasn’t helped. Opinions vary across the board.
Does anyone have this “Invigo” topper? Bed Bath & Beyond | The Best Deals Online: Furniture, Bedding, Rugs, Kitchen Essentials & Moree (The cover looks nice.)
Does Invigo have good quality latex? I will call this company to try to find out the density.
If anyone has any advice about dunlop toppers, densities and ILD’s, for lighter weight individuals, it would be much appreciated.
I am also considering a 1.5" - 2" Puralux topper in a 55K, 18 ILD.
Meanwhile, my too firm mattress is breaking in, and I’m getting used to it. I would just like a little bit more cushioning at the top, under my wool fleece (which I really like).
Diane
Hi Diane,
I haven’t done any research on blended dunlop, since this isn’t something we are considering (personal choice). I do know that there are MANY options~sometimes an overwhelming amount of options!
My new strategy is to stick with something that I can try in person, OR buy something returnable/exchangeable. For that reason, I am considering SleepEZ. They have a “special” on toppers with covers. Dunlop, Talalay or blended latex. Have you checked them out lately?
Good luck!
BB
P.S. Hey Phoenix, should we start a new thread for this? We’ve kind of gotten off topic
Update: I visited this store a couple of days ago. Staff seemed knowledgeable. They told me that their latex is from Sri Lanka, and that their distributor is Canadian.
They have in their “showroom”, SOFT, MED & FIRM cores and toppers to try. Each was individually covered so that we could “play” with different combinations. These are labeled 75D, 85D & 95D (respectively). They discourage going softer or firmer, but they do have the ability to order these other densities.
My impression: 75D felt really soft. When 2" topper was placed on 85D 6" core, I could really sink in. They said this was their most popular for side sleepers. I liked it!
I believe that all items are custom ordered, and that they don’t keep anything in stock (which might mean a second trip to pick-up a week later, for those traveling from out of town.)
Their prices are higher than many online retailers. And they do offer the added value of being able to “try before you buy.” I forgot to ask about their return policy. Ooops!
I forgot to mention that my FAVORITE topper (so far) is 2" of soft latex wrapped in wool. The one I tried was at Soaring Heart Natural Mattress in Seattle. Very comfortable and supportive. Also the most expensive topper across the board, based on my research. (the one I tried was all organic)
It sounds like you’re making great progress! I’m interested to see what you come up with
@ Diane37,
All the latex you are likely to encounter is a good quality material but Invigo is a brand name for DeCourcy. You can see some comments about them and the owner Mark DeCourcy (EDIT: who has now passed away) in post #2 here and in post #4 here. They will give you accurate information about their latex. Comparing the density of blended Dunlop with the density of 100% natural Dunlop wouldn’t be a particularly accurate way of comparing the firmness of the two materials (synthetic rubber is not as dense as natural rubber).
@ buttercupbetty,
I’ll leave that up to you since you are the OP of the thread. I’m not always too strict with this … especially if the OP is involved in the “off topic” conversations but if you want a new thread then I can always split it into a new thread from one post onwards (or even split off individual posts).
Just for clarity … which store did you mean here?
FWIW and for the sake of others that read this (because I think you already know) … SleepEz has a topper like this here.
Phoenix
I was referring to The Friendly Foam Shop in Seattle. They also have stores in Bellevue & Everett, WA.
Hi buttercupbetty,
If their supplier is in Sri Lanka then they would probably be either Latex Green, or Arpico, or Eco Latex.
Phoenix
I’ve actually also been to the Friendly Foam Shop. I can offer a qualitative assessment of their latex in comparison to the 100% natural dunlop toppers from sleeponlatex. I believe sleeponlatex’s distributor is Latexco and that the 100% natural dunlop toppers from sleeponlatex are from Latexgreen. I ordered a 6" 34 ILD from sleeponlatex, which density should be equivalent to 85 kg/m^3. I’d say that the topper I received from sleeponlatex was definitely more firm than the one from Friendly Foam Shop. I’d say it felt closer to the 95 kg/m^3 they offered there, although that’s just a rough feeling. So, I’m not entirely sure the friendly foam shop uses latexgreen 100% natural mattresses. The friendly foam shop also unfortunately wouldn’t give ILD’s for their densities, but I imagine those are a bit softer than the ones from latex green for the same density.
Hi GiantCrab,
Thanks for the feedback
Just to confirm your post … Latexco’s 100% natural Dunlop are from Latex Green but they test the ILD themselves and there are many places that order Latex Green from different suppliers that “rate” their Latex Green cores differently.
With different Dunlop suppliers that both sell 100% natural Dunlop (with no SBR) then the density would be the closest approximation to compare firmness levels if they both don’t have accurate ILD ratings (many Dunlop manufacturers don’t rate their cores for ILD).
Phoenix
Thank you GiantCrab & Phoenix for the additional explanation!
We ended up ordering from SleepEZ. Their SOFT is 20-22ILD. I didn’t ask about the density because I trust Shawn’s judgement. He doesn’t recommend their EXTRA SOFT (it is available only by special order).