Good evening, we are moving our son into a full size bed in the next month or so and have dug deep into the mattress world but still can’t seem to find what is going to be best (maybe we have and just don’t know it). We are looking for something that our son can grow with. Full size, non toxic, durable, under $500 if at all possible. We are open to latex, foam, etc but really can’t figure out which will best. I would appreciate any suggestions! We have looked at Casper, tuft and needle and a few others.
Inquires similar to yours have been posted here before on the site, so to make it easy for you (and to make it easier for me to type 
) I thought I’d just copy here for you some of the responses germane to your question:
[i]“Toxic” is a term for poisonous substances produced within living cells or organisms, although the term is often used in the mattress industry (and often part of some “fear-mongering” campaigns), but I think I understand your point. Most people that are looking for “non-toxic” (toxicity is dose-dependent) materials are usually concerned most with “safety”.
As there is quite a bit of confusing information available online about toxicity, safety and organic, there is more about the different types of organic and safety certifications such as Oeko-tex, Eco-Institut, Greenguard Gold, C2C, and CertiPUR-US in post #2 here, and more about some of the differences between organic and safety certifications in post #2 here and there are also some comments in post #42 here that can help you decide whether an organic certification is important to you for environmental, social, or personal reasons, or whether a “safety” certification is enough, and what those certifications can mean to determine whether the contents of any particular mattress are “safe enough” for you.
The only reliable way to assess the “safety” of different materials in more general terms is based on lab tests and the certifications they have for harmful substances and VOCs (regardless of whether they are organic or natural or synthetic) so that you have some assurance than the VOCs are below the testing limits for the certification. If the materials in a mattress or the mattress itself has a reliable “safety” certification then for most people they would certainly be “safe enough” … regardless of the type of material or the name of the manufacturer on the label.
You may have read this already but just in case you haven’t … there is more information in post #2 here and the topics it links to about mattresses and children and “suitable” and “safe” materials including a link to some general guidelines for children in post #2 here. It also includes a number of links to the better forum posts and topics about mattress and children as well which have more information about many good options children which would be well worth considering.[/i]
Generally, for growing children you want something more in the “medium” to “medium-firm” range, due to their epiphyseal plate and postural formation. If you’re looking for something using polyurethane foam, I’d want at least CertiPUR-US certification for the foam. You’ll tend to find your best price with traditional innerspring style mattresses for this particular application. If you desire something more “natural”, but want to keep the cost as low as possible, you could do something like this or this. There are of course other options out there, but I’m familiar with these two as I’ve seen them before here on the site.
I hope that information is helpful!
Jeff Scheuer, The Beducator
Beducation / Mattress To Go
[color=black]Good Morning Kpaciga,
Here at FloBeds we get this question very often. As your young kid(s) start getting older, their bodies will grow accordingly. This has to be reflected when you purchase a mattress. Of course, it doesn’t mean that you need to buy a new one every year. You need to account for that growth, and if you make the right call, a good bed could easily last for 10 to 20 years. One of the great things about our design is the mattress can evolve with your child, and the firmness/density can be changed at any point. It is highly likely that the mattress that is “just right” for your toddler will not be the same mattress that is “just right” for your future teenager.
While our most commonly sold Latex Mattress for folks looking for a non toxic mattress to take there little ones from just out of the crib, all the way to college is much more than your hoping to spend, it would be an investment and the only bed purchase you’d make for your child. You would of course apply your 5% TMU discount to the purchase. We generally recommend a Medium over a Firm with our latex design, this would allow you to open up the mattress and change the setup to firm over medium once your child becomes a teenager and needs a little more support. High-quality sleep is undoubtedly one of the most important factors to consider for your kid’s health. Investing in a premium mattress made out of quality materials is something we strongly recommend. It will eliminate the need to change it every few years, and it’s much better for health and posture. Many people think that the weight of there child would mean they need a very soft mattress, we never recommend a “soft” core layer, as the support of the mattress relates to the capability to correctly align the spine. It is quite important that your kid can grow up sleeping with the perfect support, as this will ensure normal health and growth of the spine.
Along with proper spinal alignment, of course, apart from the bed, you also have to take into account the pillow and how they sleep. You can instruct your kid to avoid using more than one pillow to prevent any malformations. Additionally, sleeping on your side with your knees bent towards your chest could often reduce pressure. This is also a very natural sleeping position for a child, known as the “fetal” position.
In this day and age, with the boom of mattress companies sprouting up all over the Internet, we have more freedom to choose what we like and what’s good for our specific needs, however this choice is also made very difficult by all the options out there.
You have narrowed your cast into the vast sea of mattresses by wanting something non - toxic and durable, and even further narrowed things by looking for something in the $500 price range.
High-quality sleep is undoubtedly one of the most important factors to consider for your kid’s health. Investing in a premium mattress made out of quality materials is something we strongly recommend. It will eliminate the need to change it every few years, and it’s much better for health and posture.
For non - toxic materials in the bedding industry I think you’ve got to go with latex, or a natural fiber such as cotton or wool. An entire mattress made of cotton/wool will be rather firm, but will fit the non-toxic mold. For durable, non-toxic, and comfort, I believe a latex mattress is a fantastic choice. Many of the trusted members on this site sell latex.
Thank you so much for reaching out, if you have any further questions or concerns, or would like to reach out to me directly, feel free.
Dewey Turner
1-800-356-2337
FloBeds Latex Mattress
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