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Organic mattresses are a cozy way to improve your health
Photograph by George Mayer/istockphoto
Your bedroom is your oasis, your haven, your sanctuary. But what if that sanctuary is tainted by off-gassing and toxic chemicals? To ensure a restful slumber, invest in an organic mattress and bedding.
Why not conventional?
Most conventional mattresses have the potential to cause a variety of health concerns. They are made with synthetic materials derived from petrochemicals, including polyester and polyurethane foam. Another concern is the use of formaldehyde and chemical fire retardants, which are suspected of causing serious health and environmental repercussions. (The most commonly used retardant, known as PBDE, has been banned in Europe and a large portion of the United States.) Children’s mattresses are often encased in vinyl covers, which add to their toxic load.
According to a 2008 article by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an advocacy group dedicated to protecting public health and the environment, “laboratory tests conducted on fire retardants found that in 19 of 20 U.S. families, concentrations of…PBDE were significantly higher in 1.5- to 4-year-old children than in their mothers.”
Many mattress manufacturers have stopped using PBDE, replacing the fire retardant with other chemicals. But this may create another set of problems. Bridget Biscotti Bradley, author and owner of Reclaim, an eco-friendly home store in Menlo Park, cautions that “many of these non-PBDE chemicals that are now being used haven't been tested and we don't really know how humans react to them, especially in conjunction with other chemicals.”
Healthful options
Healthier mattress alternatives do exist. Organic mattresses typically come in two varieties: natural latex/rubber or innerspring. Natural latex mattresses use latex as their core, enveloped in layers of organic cotton and organic wool. Innerspring mattresses are comparable in feel to conventional mattresses, as they are constructed similarly with innerspring coils surrounded by organic cotton batting and organic wool quilting.
Certification
A number of certifications exist that limit harmful substances in consumer goods—Greenguard, SKAL, and Oeko-Tex, to name a few. Still, there is no government regulation of mattress labeling. As a result, consumers must ask questions to ascertain whether a mattress is truly organic, or just being hyped as such. According to Sonya Lunder, Senior Analyst at EWG, "the term ‘organic’ often just refers to the use of organic-certified cotton or wool in a product, but doesn't imply that other green criteria are met.” Which means an “organic” mattress may be manufactured with polyurethane foam, covered with organic cotton, and cleverly marketed as an organic product.
The cost factor
Although pricing for organic mattresses tends to run higher than for conventional ones, the benefits are greater. When faced with an expensive purchase, I employ my “cost per wear” equation—in this case, cost per use—to help make my decision. When applied to a mattress, let’s assume an initial outlay of $1,800. As most natural latex mattresses have 20-year warranties, the cost per use averages out to about $90 per year, or a mere 25 cents per day. Which means that whether you choose a natural latex or innerspring mattress, you can rest assured that your investment in your bed—and your health—will be worthwhile.
Local organic mattress resources
• Savvy Rest Natural Latex Tranquility Queen Mattress with Organic Cotton and Organic Wool Fill To buy: $1,749 at Reclaim; Menlo Park; 650.329.9480; reclaimhome.com
• OMI Organicpedic Mattress To buy: $1,595-2,095 at Ergo Sleep Systems; Berkeley; 510.525.3746; ergosleepsystems.net
• Eco-Cloud Mattress To buy: $1,200-2,500 at The Natural Mattress Store; Palo Alto; 650.321.8700; thenaturalmattressstore.com
• Natural Organic Cotton Soy Memory Foam Full/Double Futon Mattress To buy: $1,249 at The Futon Shop; San Jose and Palo Alto; 800.443.8866; thefutonshop.com
