This year, I’m swapping my luxury memory foam mattress for an organic alternative. And no, I’m not mad. As much as I love the feeling of sinking in to a deep sleep in my current bed, I can’t help but think about the drawbacks of memory foam.
From the production process to the release of toxic VOCs, memory foam isn’t the most sustainable (or healthy) material to sleep on. So, I want to opt for a more organic, ethical and sustainable bed that prioritizes natural, plant-based materials over harsh chemicals. Which is why I’m looking for one of the best organic mattresses.
I understand disposing of a current mattress that still has life in it is more damaging to the environment than continuing to sleep on a memory foam mattress. So I’d only suggest opting for a new organic bed if your old mattress is ready for recycling, or if you can donate it to a friend, family member or charity.
For me, my memory foam mattress is heading to my mother in law’s house, and I’m choosing an organic bed made from Talaylay latex, cotton and wool. Here’s why.
What is an organic mattress?
An organic mattress is a mattress that is made from certified organic materials. This means natural, plant based alternatives to foams found in more traditional mattresses.
Alongside this, an organic mattress certification usually means that materials are sourced ethically. This includes farmers being paid properly and reducing the harm on local environments and ecosystems through sustainable production practices.
You can expect organic mattresses to be made from naturally occurring materials like thistle pulp, coconut coir and lambswool.
Why I’m swapping my memory foam bed for an organic mattress
Sustainability
With the current climate crisis, I wanted to assess my lifestyle to see where I can reduce my impact on the planet, and this means looking into the production practices of my everyday products, and that includes my bed.
Where memory foam is made with man-made chemicals, organic mattresses are often made from natural alternatives like cotton and latex.
Memory foam is a polyurethane created by combining polyols (an organic compound) with diisocyanates (another organic compound).
Once the mixture forms a chemical reaction, a blowing agent is added to make it expand into foam. This means it is not sustainable, as it relies on non-renewable sources.
The materials used in organic mattresses are renewable. This means that they do not rely on finite resources.
For example cotton can be grown and latex is derived from the sap of trees which can be replanted.
Cooler sleep
As someone who has generally slept on traditional, budget innerspring mattresses, I never had an issue with temperature regulation.
The open structure of spring mattresses generally means more airflow, which stops heat from being trapped. So, when I swapped to a memory foam mattress, I was surprised at how much warmer I felt.
I live in the UK and this hasn’t been a problem over winter. However, as we move into the summer months, I can already foresee the heat-trapping memory foam becoming an issue.
While the best mattresses for all sleepers and budgets will all provide reliable temperature regulation, organic mattresses draw upon the cooling benefit of natural materials, such as cotton, latex and wool.
Cotton is naturally breathable and wool wicks moisture away. On top of this, natural latex has a more open structure than memory foam, letting air flow through the mattress.
While most organic mattresses won’t feature the tech found in some of the best cooling mattresses, they will still excel in temperature regulation compared to even the best memory foam mattresses.
Non toxic sleep
While the best memory foam mattresses contain premium foams that come with safety certifications, that's not true for all memory foam mattresses.
When unwrapped, some memory foam mattresses release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. These are toxic by-products of the memory foam and they carry a very potent, chemical smell.
While not dangerous, mattress off gassing can cause headaches and irritate the eyes, nose and mouth, especially in young children or those with asthma. Alternatively, organic mattresses won’t off gas because they don’t contain the chemical compounds that produce VOCs.
Alongside this, many mattresses contain fiberglass as a flame retardant. This substance is highly toxic but it’s contained within the mattress so it’s not dangerous for sleepers.
However, more and more people are opting for fiberglass free beds to reduce the risk of exposure, and all organic mattresses use a plant-based alternative to fiberglass.
While I’m not overly worried about my health when it comes to chemicals used in memory foam, these VOCs pollute the air and can damage the environment, so I feel more at ease opting for a natural, plant-based alternative.
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