With the market trend for organic products still going strong, it’s only to be expected that consumers are now opting to buy items proudly tagged as organic. Even in the bedding industry, shoppers are choosing to buy an organic mattress rather than the conventional box spring variety, regardless of the significant price difference between the two types.
Why Go Organic?
Health remains the motivation when consumers choose to buy anything organic. Mattresses are not excluded from the concept of a healthy lifestyle. For good reason: Most fibers, particularly cotton, are usually treated with harmful pesticides before finding their way into mattresses.
It takes little effort to imagine how easy one can breathe in residual pesticides inside something that is snugged against your face. There are well documented instances that these subtle fumes can actually trigger asthma and other allergic reactions, especially among kids.
Organic Mattress Classifications
Essentially, shoppers can choose between these two types of organic mattresses: coil innerspring and natural rubber.
As the name suggests, coil innerspring organic mattresses are those that are composed of metallic coils surrounded by natural fibers, such as wool and organic cotton, to help regulate the bedding’s temperature and overall texture.
Natural rubber mattresses, on the other hand, use pure rubber or latex at their core to provide firmer support. The natural springiness of natural rubber also helps keep a sleeping person’s pressure points beneficially balanced.
Fraudulent “Organic” Mattresses Are Out There
Unfortunately, many products on the market are falsely tagged as organic. Just as unfortunate is the fact that many shoppers place their entire trust on a mere label. Others gravitate to researching a product or the meaning of “organic” to genuinely benefit from their buying decisions.
The most common mistake casual shoppers commit is assuming that truly organic mattresses are simply those that are made of natural components or fibers. For example, a mattress can use 100% natural cotton, but still fails to qualify as an organic mattress because most of the nation’s cotton crops are subjected to pesticides, whether all natural or not. Similarly, those that boast using 100% natural latex often compromise their natural rubber with synthetics to reduce market costs.
Spotting a Genuine Organic Mattress
To spot a genuinely organic product on the market, always look for world-recognized certifications from either Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for coil innerspring mattresses, or Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) for natural rubber mattresses. Finding these logos means the mattress has passed the most stringent of tests for organic mattresses. These standards require that mattress materials consist of at least 95% certified organic materials.
If you are curious about the organic mattress you are eyeing to purchase, you can ask the salesperson who should be happy to help by honestly answering your query. Know at the outset, however, that these mattresses’ health benefits are not without a heftier price tag. If you value your long-term health, however, you will waste little time quibbling over the price differential.
Sources
Organic Mattress Labels You Can Trust, ConsumerReports.org
Why Organic Mattresses?, OrganicLifestyle.com
