You've seen those ads for an "organic mattress" - (as if mattress shopping didn't feel overwhelming enough). Are they worth it?
When it was time for us to get a new mattress, I was so confounded with all the options, that we literally waited until I was falling into the same hole every night in my old mattress. Like, sink-hole style. It was time for a change 🙂
In the end, I chose an organic one, and I wanted to share my thought process, to help this be less of a onerous decision for you.
3 Reasons Why I Chose Organic
- It meets all government flammability standards WITHOUT chemicals. Most regular mattresses have chemicals that are not only mostly unregulated, they also contain highly flammable products, like polyurethane foam (made out of petroleum). Since polyurethane foam is so flammable, mattress companies that use it then have to add fire-retardant chemicals to decrease polyurethane foam’s flammability. Organic mattresses, on the other hand, have organic cotton, which is much less flammable. Also, while in a fire, a standard mattress will burn quickly, one with organic cotton will burn much more slowly, or even smolder.
- No VOC’s. Since polyurethane foam is made primarily out of petroleum, when it breaks down, it releases small dust-like particles and VOCs (Volatile organic Compounds). VOCs “off-gas” into the air we breathe, which can trigger asthma, chemical sensitivities, headaches, and nausea, and may have a role in more chronic health conditions as well.
- No Biocides: Many non-organic mattresses add chemicals called “biocides” to make them anti-microbial. These chemicals can be endocrine disruptors, and some are known as forever chemicals. The more research I do on these, the more I want to avoid them. Many organic mattresses do not have to add these antimicrobial chemicals to meet the required standards.
What did I choose? I went with a mattress from Naturepedic. (Story context: After I decided to get a Naturepedic mattress, I agreed to work with them – but only after I had done my research and decided that it was what I wanted in my own home). (See below for a link or coupon code for 15% off Naturepedic products!)
How do you find the brand and mattress that’s best for you? Terms like “clean” and “organic” are thrown around a lot – and pretty much mean nothing at all. Instead of going by the label claims, look for these specific certifications from any brand.
BEST certifications:
- GOTS: GOTS certifies that at least 95% of the mattress materials be certified organic. In addition, it prohibits certain chemicals entirely, such as chemical flame retardants and polyurethane (which is what is used in memory foam).
- GOLS: Certifies that a mattress made of latex is 95% organic latex and has requirements on the additional 5%.
There are other useful certifications, which I’ve listed below. But best is to look for a mattress that’s GOTS certified.
- Oeko-Tex Standard 100
- CertiPUR-US
- Greenguard (and the stricter Greenguard Gold).
- USDA Certified “Organic”
- Organic Content Standard 100
Want to check out Naturepedic yourself? Click here for 15% off of their products (or use code Trueve15). (Of note, this is an affiliate link, so by clicking on it, Trueve receives funds to keep doing research and our TrueveReports).
Happy snoozing, my friends. 🙂
All my best,
- Dr. Darria
***And, to be fully transparent, so that you can always know where we stand on recommendations, this post was sponsored by Naturepedic. I first did the research to see what mattress I felt was best, and after choosing one of their products, agreed to work with them. ***
