FACTS OVER FICTION

Separating fact from fiction is a challenge when shopping for a certified organic mattress, especially when there are so many confusing brands, industry terms, and mattress technologies at play. So it's smart to be focused on your goal: finding the greenest mattress possible — one that respects your health and the environment and the well-being of everyone in it — at a price point that you can afford, from a brand you can trust. So, when evaluating natural mattress brands, consider the following:

IS IT BLENDED OR SYNTHETIC LATEX?

Blended means the foam contains both natural and synthetic latex, which varies by manufacturer. The usual blend is 80% synthetic rubber, 20% natural. Synthetic and blended latex are much less expensive to produce, but aren't as durable, do not breathe as well, and are more apt to develop body impressions over time. Note that some manufacturers can legally claim that their product is "natural latex" even if their foam contains only 30% natural latex. Unless they say "natural latex," it may be a blend. Be sure to ask.

Avocado's all natural latex mattresses use GOLS organic certified latex, which is eco-INSTITUT® certified. (Read how our natural latex is made.) We do not use blends or synthetic rubber.

DO THEY USE POLYURETHANE FOAM OR MEMORY FOAM?

Most brands rely heavily on petroleum-based polyurethane foams. (Memory/viscoelastic foam is also polyurethane foam, just with more chemicals added to make it "slow to respond.") But the reality is that prolonged exposure to petroleum-based polyurethane foams may affect the nervous and immune system and cause cancer, neurological disorders, autoimmune weakness, asthma, allergies, infertility, miscarriage, and behavioral disorders in children. Because it off-gasses, some companies add industrial-strength perfumes to mask the chemical odor. Therefore, be cautious with "bio-based" or "plant-based" foams that some companies market as eco-friendly. Most use only a small percentage of soy, corn oil, or other natural materials to make their foam (usually less than 30%), while the balance consists of polyurethane. Don't be afraid to ask what percentage of their foam is bio-based and what percentage is based on petroleum.

At Avocado, we do not use any polyurethane or memory foams. Our mattresses are designed to be as eco-conscious as possible, using natural materials like GOLS organic certified latex, GOTS organic certified wool, and GOTS organic certified cotton (CU863637). Our legal tag, which details what's inside our mattress, is listed right on our product page! 

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency; O EcoTextiles; GREENGUARD Gold by UL Environment; Parson Healthy Materials Lab; U.S. Green Building Council

ARE THEY GREEN? DO THEY OFF-GAS OR POLLUTE THE AIR?

Most traditional polyurethane foam and memory foam mattresses cannot be considered green because they can have a negative impact on your health and the environment.

As the first mattress company to be Climate Neutral Certified, we're passionate about sustainability and providing an affordable non-toxic mattress. Our GOLS organic certified latex is also eco-INSTITUT® certified by our manufacturer — fully tested for hazardous materials and substances. Our wool is GOTS organic certified. Our luxurious ticking is made with GOTS organic certified cotton and button-tufted by hand. And our mattress, as a whole, is GREENGUARD Gold Certified by UL Environment — tested to meet some of the world’s most rigorous emissions standards for chemical exposure and pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, and phthalates. For a deeper dive into indoor air quality, pollutants, and your health, visit our GREENGUARD Gold or our certifications pages.

ARE THEY ALL FOAM AND NO SUPPORT?

Most direct-to-consumer brands don't use an internal support system. Why? Because it's less expensive to produce a mattress without it and the mattress won't last as long, so you have to keep buying mattresses. If you can find one that does use a support system, they may not feature a high coil count, a combination of zones for proper spinal support, or perimeter reinforcement. A quality support unit makes a big difference, especially for people that value cushioning and support, and for those in search of back support and pressure relief.

Avocado mattresses feature one of the most advanced multi-zone innerspring support units available. There are up to 1,414 coils individually encased — arranged in five distinct zones — that float independently to further improve airflow, support, and spinal alignment. Made from heat-treated and stress-relieved wire, these recycled steel coils enable our mattress to deliver firm edge support for the life of the mattress and benefit those in critical need of pressure-point relief and hip, back, and shoulder support.

ARE THEY GENTLE, YET FIRM?

To prevent back pain and improve posture, the American Chiropractic Association recommends a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the firmest) our standard Avocado Green Mattress rates as a 7, which is gentle, yet firm, and ideal for back and stomach sleepers, as well as growing children. With the pillowtop option, our mattress rates as a 6, which is slightly more luxurious, but still supportive and pressure-relieving. Our pillowtop is ideal for side sleepers and those in search of a slightly more luxurious experience. (It is not soft like a cloud.) We do not make a "soft" mattress because they don't offer the level of support that most customers need and prefer.

ARE THEY MINIMALLY PROCESSED?

Because the layers of an Avocado mattress are held firmly and durably in place with hand-sewn button-tufting, we don't need to use chemical adhesives between the comfort layers of the mattress. This “radically minimal” approach further reduces your chemical exposure and promotes a healthier indoor air quality.

Other brands use chemical adhesives to bond the internal layers of their mattresses together, as well as to bond the cover to the foam. Slowly, over time, the abundance of these chemicals can emit volatile organic compounds that can impact long-term health.

DO THEY SLEEP COOL?

Polyurethane mattresses — especially memory foam mattresses — tend to sleep hotter than natural and hybrid mattresses. Because they use materials that are dense, they allow your body to sink into them and retain your body heat.

The key to cool sleep is breathability. We use the best known materials and technologies to ensure that you sleep cool — organic certified latex, which breathes naturally; organic certified wool, which wicks away moisture; organic certified cotton; and a pocketed innerspring support unit, which allows air to circulate more freely while supporting your body's natural curves. 

DO THEY USE CHEMICAL FIRE RETARDANTS?

Some mattresses use toxic chemical fire retardants. Or they use wool with fire retardant chemicals added (which does not need to be disclosed on the mattress's legal label). And still others use quasi-natural products like "thistle" — which is just wood pulp chemically bonded with polyester.

We use our own 100% GOTS organic certified wool as a fire barrier in our Avocado mattresses (with no added chemicals, one ounce per square foot), which chars but does not burn easily.

 Our Vegan Hybrid Mattress, meanwhile, uses a 100% natural graphite infused with the organic latex as a non-toxic fire barrier to protect your mattress. As a result, Avocado mattresses meet and exceed all federal flammability and CPSC standards without using toxic chemical flame retardants.

Sources: Parents.com — 10 Harmful Chemicals to Avoid; GREENGUARD Gold by UL Environment; Parson Healthy Materials Lab; U.S. Green Building Council