Natural Latex Mattresses vs Synthetic Memory Foam Mattresses

Natural Latex Mattresses are made using from the quality, non-toxic natural components you would expect, when you consider that we spend roughly 30% of our life in bed. A good, high quality mattress is tremendously important, but is frequently overlooked. A mattress is no longer just some springs encased in fabric, the technology and research as moved on a lot in recent years. A mattress can provide spinal support, regulate your temperature and moisture and specialize in different types of sleeper. A lot of high street retailers will advise you to replace your mattress every 5-7 years, but it is never particularly clear what the actual facts are. Surely it all depends on the mattress?

Natural latex mattresses, along with memory foam, are mattresses which provide comfort and luxury, without the use of traditional springs. Both natural latex and memory foam can be moderately expensive, but the idea is that you are making a long term, quality investment. Despite having a few similarities, natural latex mattresses and memory foam mattresses differ greatly.

Memory Foam (technically 'visco-elastic polyurethane foam') is a soft, yet dense material which has become a household name in the world of mattresses. Usually petroleum based, memory foam is made using a number of different chemical components. Needless to say, a synthetic memory foam mattress is non-organic. Most memory foam mattresses are completely non-organic, and will have cotton, wool and other fibres which have come into contact with potentially harmful chemicals.

Memory foam is is flammable by nature and, consequently requires a chemical treatment in order to meet fire regulation standards. One of the most common chemical fire treatment sprays, PBDE, has been found to bio accumulate, on a small scale, in fat tissue, blood and breast milk. The fact is, these chemicals are designed to stop the mattress burning, not for your personal health.

Natural latex, in an organic wool cover, doesn't require any chemical fire treatment as organic wool is a natural fire retardant, which passes all of the official fore safety regulations. Another benefit to organic wool are its natural temperature and moisture regulating qualities. A common criticism of memory foam is that it is prone to overheating and, although comfortable usually, can cause many a sleepless night

Memory foam mattresses vary greatly in price, and can be produced for much less than an organic natural latex mattress. Natural latex requires more expensive components, which have to go through extremely strict, organically certified, manufacturing processes. You could be forgiven for thinking that memory foam was the more healthy and environmentally friendly mattress because of the angle of its publicity. In actual fact, natural latex mattresses provide comfort, health benefits and are more eco-friendly.

A natural latex mattress (Buyer beware that it is 100% natural latex and not part or fully synthetic latex) is a mattress which uses latex which has not been mixed with chemicals, or grown using chemical pesticides and fertilisers. 100% natural latex mattresses are not not be confused with mattresses which have combined latex with some of the same petrochemicals used in memory foam. Natural latex does not go through the same chemical process that memory foam does; it is simply the sap from the rubber tree (hevea brasiliensis), frothed up, put in a specifically engineered mattress mold, and expertly baked into a mattress.

Organic mattresses, much like organic food, are becoming more and more popular as people start to realise the quality and health differences. Organic mattresses usually carry long warranties (10+ years), which removes the need to buy a new non-organic mattress every 5-7 years. The care and attention to detail required to make an organic mattress provides peace of mind when it comes to making a purchase.

Natural latex provides the core for the mattress, however natural latex mattresses also use other fabrics to add to the comfort of the mattress. The most common, and comparatively eco-friendly, material used is organic cotton. Non-organic cotton, despite being so common, is one of the most potentially hazardous plants to both your health and the environment. Roughly 25% of the world's chemical pesticides and insecticides are used on cotton. In their industrial, concentrated forms, a single teaspoon of these chemicals would be enough to kill an adult. Obviously the version of the chemical which eventually makes its way into retail-standard cotton is seriously diluted, but its worth noting the kind of substances which are involved.

The organic cotton used in natural latex mattresses benefits the environment, as well as your health. Non-organic cotton requires an incredible SIX pints of water to grow just one bud of cotton; it is amongst one of the thirstiest plants on the planet. An effect of this unbelievable water requirement leads to cotton plantations depriving the surrounding area of water and, as a result, destroying entire eco systems. Organic cotton, which hasn't been treated with chemical fertilisers, requires only half the water. The difference in water requirements means that the surrounding area maintains healthy and nutritious soil, sustaining wildlife and enabling other plants to grow alongside the cotton plantations.

4 Living are a retailer of high quality certified organic mattresses. All of their mattresses are made using organic materials, and are designed for comfort as well as health. You can try a number of their mattresses in their Sussex showroom, where their team of experts will happily answer any questions you may have.