Thank you to the contributors on this forum, and especially to you Phoenix. The information is invaluable!
I’ve been reading information available here to be a more educated consumer, and realize the potential benefits and value of going to smaller sleep stores and local manufacturers. The biggest concern I have though is the prevalence of used mattress parts being used to manufacture “new” mattresses. Link: http://www.cbs46.com/story/14707959/couple-cuts-open-bed-after-watching-dirty-mattress-investigation According to this article, the law allows for the reuse and resale of mattress parts… ICK.
We were first considering going with a ‘brand’ to avoid any potential of this- we aren’t shopping for the low budget range this seems to be most prevalent in, but who can say where it ends? After reading the guides though, I know this goes ‘against the grain’ in terms of value. So that’s where I throw my question to the world- how can we attain the value of smaller sleep shops and local manufacturers but completely eliminate the possibility of used mattress parts? Seems like even higher end shops could easily hide something like this… shudders. Could this also be a potential risk of the online shops? The fear just grows… Help!
This is usually an issue with liquidation or clearance outlets but if a mattress uses used materials inside then it would need to have either a yellow tag or a red tag (depending on the state and on whether it has been sanitized or has used materials inside it) rather than the white law tag that comes with a new mattress (that should show a fairly recent manufacturing date).
Selling a used mattress or a mattress that includes used materials inside it without the appropriate tag is against the law in most states and no reputable manufacturer would risk doing this because the cost of being caught and the damage to their reputation and sales would far outweigh any short term benefits (even though some that are less reputable and are only interested in a quick profit and don’t have a longer term reputation to defend may try it).
There is more about used mattresses or mattresses that contain used materials here and here and here and here and here but for the most part … unless there is an obvious indication that your mattress was used … you are dependent on the reputation and integrity of the retailer or manufacturer you are buying from and on how much you trust the information they provide you.
Thanks so much for replying! Thanks very much for the linked information- will eagerly start reading. I appreciate the advice and feel better knowing to steer towards more reputable and longer-standing shops. I’ve searched the forms for your ATL references and will begin my shopping search there.
Thanks so much for all that you do. We couldn’t sleep well without your guidance! Hopefully will have an update of our favorite member shops soon. Take care!
