What are natural latex mattresses? How can a mattress be organic? You’re probably used to organic fruit, vegetables and coffee, but how can a mattress be organic? Well, just like your organic groceries, a mattress is made up of entirely organic ingredients. Some of the ingredients used in natural latex mattresses include cotton, wool, coir (coconut fibre). These materials are all accredited with the same certifications as organic food. There are, however, plenty of mattresses out there which claim to be organic but actually have non-organic components. Be sure to look out for the Soil Association and Global Organic Textile Association emblems when purchasing a natural mattress.
Sometimes viewed as more expensive alternative, organic mattresses are actually a fantastic investment, as they can carry warranties of up to 30 years. Natural latex mattresses are the most common non-synthetic mattresses; they are essentially the natural alternative to memory foam. Where as petroleum based memory foam contains numerous chemical ingredients, natural latex mattresses are simply the sap of a rubber tree, frothed up and baked (with immense precision) into a mattress. Natural latex provides all of the luxury you would expect from memory foam, without a single artificial, chemical ingredient.
Why buy a different type of mattress though? Do the organic components compromise on comfort?
Here are our 3 reasons to go organic when buying a new mattress:
1. ORGANIC COTTON
We’re all familiar with cotton. As you read this, you’re probably wearing at least one item of clothing which is made from cotton. The vast majority of cotton is non-organic, which means it has been sprayed with chemical pesticides and insecticides and, in some cases, other chemicals which speed up the growth process. A natural mattress provides an opportunity to make the right choice when it comes to health and to the environment.
A normal non-organic cotton plantation is an extremely thirsty thing indeed. For one cotton bud to grow, a tremendous SIX pints of water are required. That’s nearly as much as doctors recommend we should be drinking in day! The cotton plants aren’t necessarily taking water away from us though; they are depriving their surrounding environment of the water needed. From small plants to animals, the water and nutrient consumption of non-organic cotton can destroy entire eco-systems. Organic cotton is grown in an environment free from chemical pesticides, insecticides, or growth enhancers. As a result, organic cotton uses up to half the amount of water, and is able to grow healthily alongside other plants.
2. SPECIALIST MATTRESSES
Organic mattresses don’t have the monopoly on comfort, but what they do have is the unique balance between supportive comfort and organic. You may not have thought about it before, but you sleep in a certain way every, every night. You might be a side sleeper, you might sleep on your front and back, or you might never settle in any position; however you sleep, it will be consistent. You can by organic mattresses which specifically cater to your needs, and give you the optimum support for your sleeping style. A mattress for people who sleep on their front and back will have a stable and secure feel, which will spread your weight across multiple contact points on the mattress. The benefit of this weight distribution is that no part of your back (or front) will ever be under unnecessary pressure. A mattress for a ‘side sleeper’ will have some kind of depression in the shoulder area; allowing for optimum spinal alignment and blood circulation in the shoulder. From the growth of the cotton, creating of the latex, or manufacturing of the spring, an organic mattress represents tremendous attention to health and to detail.
3. ALLERGIES/SENSITIVE SKIN
An astonishing 25% of the world’s pesticides are used on cotton plants, with one undiluted spoonful of these chemicals being enough to kill and adult. Obviously that is a bleak and dramatic view of it, but these chemicals surely can’t be good for you. Many people have allergies to cotton and aren’t aware that what they’re actually allergic to are the fertilisers, pesticides and other various chemical agents used in the growth process. With a natural mattress, a once uncomfortable and awkward problem can help you to achieve that ever elusive good night’s sleep.
If you aren’t allergic but do, however, suffer from dry skin and eczema, you will love a mattress which uses organic wool. Eczema is a condition which causes dryness and irritation of the skin, and can be particularly uncomfortable in hot and sweaty conditions. Although associated with hats and gloves, organic wool is actually tremendously effective and regulating moisture and temperature. A layer of luxurious organic wool, will help to keep you cool at night, as well as wicking small moisture particles and drying them before they can really be noticed. All of this keeps the skin at a comfortable temperature and will help to avoid the overheated night’s sleep that eczema sufferers so dread.
4 Living are a proud retailer of natural latex mattresses, based in East Sussex between Eastbourne and Lewes. All of their mattresses are certified as organic by the Soil Association or the Global Textile Standard. Their natural latex mattresses are available for you to try, and their team of experts are on hand to answer any questions.
