10 Natural & Organic Mattresses for Sustainable Homes
A good night’s sleep is essential to our health – both physical and mental – and having a proper mattress can contribute massively to the quality of our rest.
These investment pieces are crucial for a good night's sleep and every aspect should be considered when purchasing, from firmness to materials and more.
However, it can easily become overwhelming to try to research every part of mattress shopping, and especially when incorporating your sustainable, eco-friendly living values.
The reality is that the mattress we’ve slept on for years may not be the best one for our health, or for the environment. Many conventional mattresses are made using harmful chemicals or other harmful substances.
Let’s explore the sustainability of mattresses, organic and natural mattress brands, and what to look for when shopping for an ethically made mattress. Our top picks include a range of mattress types to suit every sleepers need.
Are Mattresses Toxic?
Short answer, probably. While you may think that mattress technology has evolved massively over the last few years, in many cases, they are still using dangerous ingredients that were made mandatory in 1975.
Much of mattress manufacturing isn’t regulated, so you can never really be sure about what’s inside the product you sleep on every night unless it's explicitly listed in the product details.
However, the mattress companies who actively do NOT use toxic ingredients are often so transparent about it today that it's easier to tell when a company is beating around the bush and likely using them.
What Makes Mattresses Dangerous?
There are a number of different substances that are found in standard mattresses that are classified as toxic.
The list of confusing chemicals and their potential effects on the human body is a long one.
To make things simple, we’ve split this up into three main causes that contribute to this.
Polyurethane Foam is made using the same process as petroleum. As you can imagine, this means that it’s made up of a lot of different chemicals. The main process is a reaction between polyols (which are made by a mixture of chemicals themselves) and diisocyanates. What this means in essence is that your memory foam mattress is made of substances that have tightly controlled regulations around their use in other areas. In fact, the EPA recently had issues with polyurethane manufacturing. So, why are these chemicals so bad? Well, they’ve been linked to asthma, respiratory disease, and even cancer. That’s not to say that your mattress has chemicals in a high enough concentration to do damage, but it is a cause for concern.
Flame Retardants: Back in the days when smoking in bed was a common practice, mattresses could easily catch fire, with devastating results. As many of the products used to make mattresses are highly flammable, they were covered in flame-retardant chemicals to prevent this. The only problem is that these chemicals are highly dangerous. Flame retardants include boric acid, antimony, and bromine, which can cause heart, eye, and lung problems.
VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are what really makes your mattress dangerous. After all, just because something has flame retardant chemicals in it doesn’t really mean you’re being exposed to them. VOCs are compounds which can quickly form into gas. Off gassing is when these VOCs are released into the air and it happens due to our own body heat when we lie on mattresses. Off gassing the cause of the that smell you get when you unwrap a mattress for the first time. Many people believe that VOCs go away when the smell goes away, but in fact, it could take years for this to stop. VOCs can cause headaches, nausea, and even fatigue to name but a few. Not the nights rest you want from your new mattress.
Why You Should Switch to an Eco-Friendly Mattress?
While we don’t expect you to rush out and buy an organic mattress straight away, it is something to consider when it comes time to change your current one.
Eco-friendly mattresses have a lot of benefits and are an excellent choice for a personal investment. Plus, many are more affordable nowadays and come with great perks like a lifetime warranty.
Not only are they non-toxic, they are also more breathable, meaning you stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
This is all because of the natural products used - incorporation of eco-friendly materials is essential to an ethical mattress.
The most common product used is latex rubber, which provides the support in a mattress. This can be sustainably produced and provides a great source of income to local communities – all while helping the environment. The final product with latex mattresses is comfortable enough for everyone, too - combination sleepers, side sleepers, everyone!
Organic wool is also a common ingredient of natural mattresses and a good option to look for when buying.
This is naturally flame retardant, so there’s no need for dangerous chemicals! Organic cotton is usually used to top non-toxic mattresses.
When shopping for an eco-friendly mattress, look at what certifications they have to prove their quality and you won’t go wrong. Organic certifications are well-vetted and can be trusted because they are thoroughly reviewed to meet the gold standard of sustainability.
10 Organic & Non-Toxic Mattress Brands to Try
There are some mattress companies that are determined to pave the way to a non-toxic future by using an ethical manufacturing process to make the best mattresses. Consider these brands when it’s time to invest in a new mattress.
These recommendations do contain affiliate links. The Honest Consumer will receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Our commission is at no additional cost to you.
Naturepedic’s Organic Made Safe Certified Mattresses
Naturepedic organic mattresses eliminate hazardous chemicals found in conventional mattresses while offering a more natural and non-toxic option for adults and kids.
Naturepedic products feature cotton certified to the organic and non-toxic standards of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
Naturepedic also uses organic latex that meets the standards of the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Class 1. Their organic mattresses are also Made Safe certified and meet the GREENGUARD® Gold standard.
Naturepedic has a range of organic mattress options for adult including Chorus & Serenade, EOS, and Halcyon. Plus, they offer a range of kids and crib mattresses!
Nolah Natural: Latex Mattress with Organic Cotton & Wool
Nolah’s Natural Talalay latex hybrid mattress is wrapped in a luxurious organic cotton cover, features layers of GOTS Organic Wool, and packed with comfort features, including hand-crafted HDMax™️ Tri-Zone™️ support coils made from recycled steel and hole-punctured all natural Talalay latex layers for increased breathability and cooling.
Innately durable, the natural Talalay latex used in the Natural 11" mattress features natural, biodegradable ingredients from renewable resources and water-based raw materials: natural latex, air, and water.
Nolah mattresses are made in the USA and have a 120 night trail. I’ve personally had a Nolah mattress for two years and love it! Be sure to check out my full Nolah Mattress Review while shopping for your new natural mattress!!
PlushBeds Organic American Made Mattresses
Plushbeds crafts mattresses from pure, botanical materials because they believe the air you breathe should be clean and healthy.
Plushbeds uses sustainable materials such as organic cotton, organic latex, and more to create quality products built to last.
Their mattresses are ethically made in the USA and they even have a research team and innovation lab in their certified organic California manufacturing facility dedicated to discovering new sustainable practices and materials.
Along with eco-conscious mattresses, Plushbeds makes organic cotton mattress toppers, sustainable sheets, and more.
Mattress sizes range from Twin to Cal King and pricing starts at $899.
Savvy Rest: Mattresses Ethically Made
Savvy Rest has a range of different eco-friendly mattresses available.
The great thing about this brand is that each layer is customizable, so that you can have exactly the type of mattress you want.
Their Mattress Tool makes the process fun and easy.
There are two different types of organic latex available from Savvy Rest, each one has a different feel but you can combine the two to get that firmness just right.
Along with being a certified B Corporation, Savvy Rest is an employee owned company which is great. Savvy Rest has also partnered with American Forests to plant five trees with every purchase made.
Along with natural mattresses, Savvy Rest has expanded their products to include organic bedding, natural pet beds, sofas, beds, cribs, and more.
Eco Terra: Organic Mattresses
Breathable, organic, and non-toxic, Eco Terra are producing organic mattresses at affordable prices.
Made using latex, organic cotton and organic wool, they arrive boxed and ready to be rolled out and used.
Steel coils along with the latex give you the support you need, meaning you can quickly slip into that all-important REM sleep.
With a 90-night trial available to see if it’s the mattress for you, there’s really no reason not to!
These ethically-made mattresses are available in sizes from Twin to Cal King and pricing starts at $999.
Boll & Branch: Foam Free Mattress
Boll & Branch is a sustainable home linen brand featuring fair trade organic cotton sheets, towels, mattresses, & more. This eco-friendly brand is encouraging consumers to choose home goods made with love and care.
Boll & Branch mattresses are foam-free, assembled by hand, from ethically-sourced, natural materials, and features a 100 night trial to try this sustainable mattress risk free.
You’ll feel the difference right away: assembled by hand with the finest materials, their mattress is designed to offer the perfect combination of better breathability and better support, all for a better night’s sleep.
The foam-free construction is engineered with 5 layers and 3 unique zones to provide full-body support and is wrapped in a soft shell made from the highest quality threads.
The 5 layers of their mattress include a wood and poly blend, graphite-infused latex, natural latex, micro coils, and foundational coils.
Since 2014, they’ve done business differently, choosing the right way—not the easy way—at every step. They invest in processes that are free from toxins, harmful pesticides, and GMOs. We work with family owned farms and factories to ensure traceability.
They partner with independent organizations to maintain the highest standards in ethics, health, and sustainability.
The Boll & Branch Ultimate Mattress is available in sizes from Twin to Cal King and pricing begins at $2400.
Nest: Natural Mattresses Made in America
Nest mattresses are thoughtfully designed and made in America, using materials sourced from the USA.
Nest has a variety of mattresses featuring organic and natural mattresses that are held to high bedding standards.
At Nest Bedding, they take pride in our commitment to quality and transparency. Their luxury mattresses are designed and manufactured using only the best materials in the industry, including CertiPUR-US® certified foams.
They ensure you can rest easy knowing that you're sleeping on a premium product.
In fact, they were awarded Best Mattress by The Sleep Doctor and Best Hybrid Mattress by Naplab, Mattress Advisor, and Sleep Standards.
Nest mattresses come in seven available versions: Sparrow Signature Hybrid, Owl Natural Latex Hybrid, Quail Love and Sleep, Raven Flippable Hybrid, Finch Natural Latex, and Puffin or Lark Kids Beds.
They offer a handy quiz on their website to help you choose which mattress option is best for you based on the position you sleep in, preferred firmness, materials used and more.
Nest's natural mattresses are available in sizes ranging from Kids to Twin through Cal King, and pricing for both adult and kid sizes begins around $900.
These mattresses come with a lifetime comfort guarantee ensuring a high quality product crafted to last.
Avocado Mattress: Sustainable Organic Mattresses
Avocado Mattress takes sustainable to a whole new level.
Not only are their mattresses handmade, but all of the 100% organic certified materials are grown right on their very own farms! Avocado mattresses are designed in Hoboken and handmade in their factory in California, with domestic and imported certified organic materials.
Their mission is to be the most respected source for organic mattresses and bedding at affordable prices — while maintaining environmentally conscious, ethical, and sustainable business practices across their entire supply chain.
It’s safe to say that Avocado are a part of the process right from the very start, ensuring that their mattresses are at a high standard.
They’re a certified B Corp and Climate Neutral certified. Plus, they donate 1% of revenues to vetted nonprofits through their commitment to 1% For the Planet. Their products are GOTS-certified organic. Their factories divert 78% of our waste from the landfill.
The Avocado mattress is touted by countless media as the "best" sustainable mattress option on the market, so you know what you're investing in is popular and loved in addition to ethical!
Using latex, wool, and cotton, Avocado mattresses are MADE SAFE® certified, so you know that they are completely toxin-free.
Avocado Mattress also has a line of non-toxic furniture to compliment their mattresses.
Avocado mattresses range from Twin to Cal King sizes and pricing starts at $800.
Using latex, wool, and cotton, Avocado mattresses are MADE SAFE® certified, so you know that they are completely toxin-free.
Avocado Mattress also has a line of non-toxic furniture to compliment their mattresses.
Awara: The All Natural Mattress
Awara want you to have the best sleep of your life. To do that, they believe that you need an organic mattress that does away with chemicals, while still giving you the support and comfort you need.
Using all natural materials including certified organic Dunlop latex, natural cotton, and New Zealand organic wool, you’re in for a treat with any of their mattresses or toppers. Free from fire retardants, there’s nothing in these mattresses but a good night’s rest.
Mattress sizes range from Twin to Cal King, with pricing ranging from $700 to $1300.
Awara doesn't just make natural mattresses. They also sell bed frames and bedding to complete the perfect eco-friendly bed setup for your needs!
SAATVA: LUXURY ORGANIC MATTRESSES
Your best sleep awaits on a Saatva luxury organic mattress. More nights of restorative sleep are built into every layer.
The plush and breathable sleep surface is made with naturally breathable and hypoallergenic materials like cotton to promote cooler, healthier sleep. They use a plant-based thistle pulp barrier as a natural flame retardant, and treat each mattress with their exclusive Guardin botanical antimicrobial treatment to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew.
Their luxury organic mattresses also include enhanced back support and responsive coils that cradle your body for the best night's sleep. Saatva also uses CertiPUR-US® certified foams that meet their standards for health and environmental safety.
Their mattresses range from plush soft, to luxury firm (their most popular option), to firm. Sizes available from Twin to Cal King, and pricing ranges from $355 (for crib mattresses) to $4400 (the ultimate king-size luxury mattress).
Along with luxury organic mattresses, Saatva makes furniture and rugs, bedding and bath goods, and more.
Are Mattresses Environmentally Friendly?
As we’ve mentioned, a lot of different chemicals go into mattress making. These chemicals are inherently toxic for the environment. But, it's also the way standard mattresses are often made that contributes to environmental detriment.
Polyurethane foam is made in a very energy intensive way, and both the product itself and the by-products are extremely damaging to the environment. More than this however, mattresses are extremely difficult to recycle.
What this means is that eventually they end up on a landfill and begin to break down. If VOCs are bad, then this is much, much worse.
We hope that this has shown you something about the way mattresses are currently made, so that you know what to look for when you next change yours.
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