Chemical-free & Organic Mattresses
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Chemical-free & Organic Mattresses
Dec 2011
We need a new mattress and would like to know your recent
experience with purchasing a mattress. (The archive messages
are at least 3 years old.) The last time we bought a
mattress--some years ago--we had to return two mattresses
because sleeping on them was like sleeping in a garbage
dump. They smelled ghastly. Finally a manager at Sears, who
had had the same experience, recommended a mattress which
did not smell. So...
1. Have you bought a mattress recently that did not have a
odor and if so, what was the brand?
2. Any suggestions for a really good mattress would be
appreciated! (We know about European Sleepworks and will
look there.)
3. Has anyone used a European Sleepworks mattress without
their slat system and has that been comfortable?
Thanks!
Wants a good night's sleep
We bought our kids' bunk bed mattresses from Room and Board.
They are made in Minnesota by Restwell and are non-toxic. I
even called the manufacturer directly and asked them about
their manufacturing process to be sure the mattresses don't
have fire retardants, etc. (They used other materials that
meet fire retardant standards naturally.)
The mattresses don't smell and are amazingly comfortable.
The company supplies a lot of different types of mattresses
at a wide price range to Room and Board. Wish my kids'
mattresses were my own!
We have a queen-sized European Sleepworks mattress without
the adjustable slat system and it is very comfortable.
--happy sleeper
Try McRoskey in San Francisco (wwwMcRoskey.com) They make
high quality mattresses right there in their own factory,
use all non-toxic materials, and there is no chemical smell.
We've had our mattress for several years and have been very
happy with it. laura
Try a sleep number bed. They are the ones that are
inflatable w/two chambers so that two people can have
different firmness on each side of bed. We have two (one at
home, one at vacation home) and love it! It is much
sturdier than your basic inflatable and we never noticed any
smell. And it can't wear out since it is air! We bought the
bottom of the line model - absolutely nothing fancy. sweet
dreams
We purchased a Simmons Natural Care latex mattress. It was
fairly pricey (1600 for Eastern King) but we love it. No
stink at all. Worth checking them out. We purchased ours
from Mattress Discounters on Shattuck downtown. anon
The Natural Bed Company, based in Bay Area, mattresses made
locally. Check out the (rave) reviews on yelp. We tried
out mattresses at the Walnut Creek branch. (Also tried out
Eurooean sleep works). I suggest you go smell for yourself.
I LOVE the mattress we chose. Like climbing into heaven at
night. Well-rested
Sept 2011
Hello,
We are overdue for a new bed. Anybody have a recommendation
for a chemical free/organic mattress that won't break the
bank?
Thank you!
Becky
We've had a European Sleepworks mattress for many years now
and it is great. They use ony natural latex.
http://www.sleepworks.com/ --sleeping soundly
We love our European Sleep Works mattress. It is chemical
free and made from high quality materials. We were
surprised by how competitively they are priced.
Amy at The Wooden Duck has thoroughly researched mattresses
that they now stock. You have mulitple choices, thoughtful
in regards to materials and comfort; cheaper to high end.
If nothing else, educational. happy sleeping
May 2010
Hi. I'm interested in replacing our fire-retardant-filled
mattresses and couches with something more natural and
less toxic. Two questions about this:
1. I found a nice kids' cotton-and-wool mattress at
Earthsake, but then read on their website that this should
be used with their very expensive box spring. Has anyone
tried just buying the MATTRESS (the ''Sky'' one, in this
case) and putting it on a bed frame without the box
spring? I have trouble believing my kids will be able to
tell the difference.
2. There seem to be various stores selling all-natural
mattresses, but what about COUCHES? If anyone knows of a
local store selling couches not infused with fire-
retardant additives, please let me know!
Many thanks.
Anonymous
I don't know about Earthsake but European Sleepworks in
Berkeley has a completely natural non-toxic child's
mattress for around $400 that you don't have to use with a
boxspring. They use organic cotton, natural latex and
wool to make it fire retardant - no chemicals. We have a
queen bed from them with their slat system and love it!
big fan
Oct 2008
I'm looking to transition my daughter from a crib to a real bed and am
shopping for a new mattress. I'm interested in one used with organic
materials and less chemicals. Does anyone have experience buying a green
mattress? The ones I've found so far are very expensive ($2,000). Is
this typical?
anon
You might check out Keetsa (keetsa.com, store on University Ave in
Berkeley) -- they're not as green as some of the high-end mattresses,
but they're better than standard mattresses, I think.
JP
European sleepworks still offers a non-toxic twin mattress for kids that
is around $350, although they don't advertise it on their website. Call
them, since sometimes they sell out.
Vali
we just bought a bed from keesta, it was inexpensive (650 for queen) and
uses recycled materials. and it's comfortable.
they are in Berkeley, University @ 4th St just before you get on the
freeway.
geraldine
I bought a crib mattress last year from a company in Ohio that I am very
happy with. It was a handmade by the Amish using all natural materials
and was under $200 with shipping. They also make twin sizes and larger
starting I believe around $600.
A Natural Home
109 N Main St
Fredericktown, OH 43019
Store phone: 740.694.2222
http://www.anaturalhome.com/product/B000CRIB-SA/
Amy
I bought chemical-free, organic mattresses for my kids from
European Sleepworks. I bought the Alpine, which is their low
end model, and I think they were about $1,000 each for the twin
size. I did not buy the underlying slat system because my kids'
beds have slats on them already. I wanted something that will
last until they go off to college (they are currently 4 and 7),
and they said the Alpine will do that. They also offer a latex
mattress appropriate for kids (also chemical free) that was
about $500 but it was neither as durable (I think it is designed
to last about five years) nor as comfortable (at least to me; my
kids probably would not have noticed). I also looked at
McCroskey but preferred European Sleepworks comfort-wise. And I
tried to look at Earthsake mattresses but the salespeople were
so lame I gave up. I really like the Alpine mattress and sleep
in my kid's beds when either one of them is not home since I
haven't yet saved up the chunk of cash to sprin!
g for one for my bed.
Trixie
August 2008
I am looking to buy a ''healthy'' twin mattress for our 3 yr old,
without spending an arm and a leg. All of the green mattresses I've
seen cost around $700, which seems excessive. I've looked at
futons, but I'm not sure which thickness is most appropriate for a
35 lb toddler. Also, it would need to fit into our pre-exitsting
twin bedframe.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.
anon
We just a bought a healthy twin mattress at Earthsake on 4th street
during their sale for a little over 1/2 of what you're seeing them
for. A friend also mentioned there is another store that has good
healthy mattresses over by the art store at University and 6th, so
you might want to check them out, too.
anon
European Sleepworks in Berkeley sells wool mattresses without nasty
chemicals or flame retardants. They have two twin-sized mattresses
for children that are cheaper than their other mattresses but they
do not advertise these anywhere. (They say they couldn't keep up
with the demand if they did.) One costs around $360 and the other
around $500. The cheaper one (coil?) is actually a better and more
comfortable mattress. We have two for our kids' bunk beds, and they
are so comfortable that I could sleep on them.
http://www.sleepworks.com/
Andi
I have purchase all my organic bedding (mattresses to sheets)
from LifeKind. Their website is www.lifekind.com - they're
located in Grass Valley, CA so their shipping takes only one or
two days. For my children, I ordered their all organic cotton
''Maton'' bed which has a natural rubber core and have been very
satisfied. They have a range of mattresses (types & materials):
I have an innerspring mattress from them for myself. I've seen
the merch at Earthsake and Lifekind's products are comparable.
They also have significant sales periodically which you should
ask them about.
healthy & comfy sleeping family
May 2007
I've heard some bad stuff both about mattresses and about wooden bed frames
themselves. I think it relates to off-gassing in both. It's impossible to be
totally environmentally PC in every aspect of my child's life, I know, but it
seems like when it comes to the place she spends about 11 hours a day, I'd
like it to be non-toxic. Am looking for recs of places to find organic
mattresses and bed frames that don't off-gas. Thanks for any and all ideas!
concerned mama
we found the best prices at European Sleepworks (better than Earthsake for
I think comparable products). they have a kids' twin mattress that they
don't advertise there for a much lower price than the adult (several
hundred), it just supports a lower body weight but they guarantee it for
some years, I forget how many. can't help you with a frame except to
suggest a solid wood one, which they have at the Berkeley Kids' Room.
good for you!
happy parent of healthy kid
May 2007
Sadly, out of misinformed fear, I didn't begin co-sleeping with
my babies (5 month old son and daughter) until they were 3 months
old. I currently have a full size futon which is becoming too
small! I'd like to purchase a new king size bed...and want one
that is very firm and made of organic materials. Does anyone
have any suggestions for the best brand (and web address of the
company)? Thank you so very much!
Tamara
I looked at soaring heart futon company based in Seattle, which
looks to be a good one, but eventually bought a 100% latex
(natural rubber) at a local futon shop due to allergies and
wanting a very firm mattress. I would suggest medium firmness if
you do get latex and normally like extra firm- I got ''firm'' and
it is actually too firm (like extra extra extra firm in a
mattress.)Also European sleepworks has some.
If you are up for a little road trip I would also suggest a trip
to the Coyuchi Organic bedding outlet, open weekends in the town
of Pt. Reyes Station (closer than Pt. Reyes) for lovely organic
sheets, etc. Target also now has organic sheet sets which is
great- though I imagine the smaller company brands have more
integrity in the manufacturing process, etc.
chris
I've been looking at organic mattresses since I need to replace
mine soon. It's a bit confusing since many of the
manufacturers seem to private brand their stuff. Vivetique
appears to be a reputatable name in organic mattresses and they
have a wide selection. Their website is
http://www.vivetique.com/
Cynthia
March 2007
I have read the archives on this issue, but they are not up to
date since a law change in 2005.
In short, for those who do not know about this issue and want
to -- in 2005 California enacted a stricter law to require that
all new mattresses sold in the state pass a 30-minute open-
flame test so that mattresses would be less flammable in a
house fire. Sounds good on the surface, but to pass the test,
most traditional mattress manufacturers now are having to use
much higher levels of chemical flame retardants which, I have
read, continue to off-gas for years. While the known
carcinogens that were used for years and years have recently
been banned (or will be by 2008), chemicals which have not yet
been thoroughly tested are still being used. The chemicals used
on mattresses are particularly problematic due to the direct
and prolonged exposure of sleeping on them for hours every
night and children seem to be more susceptible to carrying
higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies. (See 2006
series in the Oakland Tribune by Douglas Fischer)
There is an exception to this 2005 law that, supposedly, allows
anyone to buy a chemical flame retardant-free mattress if you
have a doctor's prescription for one. My 4 and 2 year olds
both have allergies so I got prescriptions from their
pediatrician. However, I am not having any luck getting a
regular retailer or manufacturer to special order or sell two
chemical-free twin mattresses to me. I suppose economically it
does not work for them. So far I have tried IKEA (yes, all of
their mattresses do have chemical flame retardants although
they stopped using the very worst ones), Mattress Discounters,
and also contacted the Sealy Manufacturing plant in Richmond on
the advice of the salesperson at Mattress Discounters. All said
they could not help me even with the prescriptions.
While there are naturally flame retardant or organic mattresses
available at several retailers around here such as Earthsake or
European Sleepworks -- at a cost of $800 to $1500 per twin
mattress, the cost of two mattresses is unaffordable for my
family right now. I'm sure a custom place like McRoskey would
be able to honor the prescriptions, but their twin mattress
prices also start at around $1,900.
So my question is has anyone gotten farther than me in this
search? Are there any regular retailers or manufacturers of
twin mattresses at or under $500 each who will actually sell a
chemical flame retardant-free mattress to a consumer with a
prescription? Or has anyone found a chemical-free, naturally
flame-retardant mattress anywhere in twin size for around or
under $500?
I have spent hours on this and seem to be getting nowhere.
Thank you for your help.
Whitney
try http://www.soaringheart.com/index.cfm
we are happy with our crib sized mattress from them. cust
service was great too when I emailed with questions.
simply happier
European sleepworks doesn't advertise these, but they have two
twin mattresses for kids that sell for around $350 and $450
(something like that). They only use word of mouth advertising
for these. We just bought a twin-sized coil mattress for our
son there and we love it. No chemicals! They use wool to pass
the flame-retardant tests.
Andi
we have a latex mattress, from foam creations on solono ave,
albany. i'm pretty sure latex isn't treated with chemicals, but
if i'm wrong, perhaps a BPNer will correct me. we got medium
firm, with a 1'' medium topper, and have been quite comfortable.
latex fan
Feb 2006
I am wondering if anyone knows where to get a healthy mattress
without a lot of chemicals in it, that is also not too
expensive and is comfortable.
wanting nice bed
Look at the archived discussions of this. I still stand by my
recommendation of McCroskey Airflex mattresses made in San
Francisco. Our first mattress lasted 18 years. As far as cheap,
they are not, but you get what you pay for, and you end up
spending that anyway replacing them more often if you buy a
cheaper one. Only pure egyptian cotton goes into an Airflex and
there is a 15 year warranty against sagging. Go test drive them
at their showroom at Market St. & Gough.
McCroskey is still going strong
We bought our daughter a chemical free mattress from Earthsake on 4th Street in
Berkeley. It's very comfortable and better quality that the ones we tired out a Ikea.
We
also lucked out and were able to buy it in sale.
Another option: Other people that I've talked to have bought futons.
Coleen
I bought an organic futon crib mattress for my baby at One
Thousand Cranes on 4th Street. My daughter loves it and we
figure we could use it as a play futon when she grows out of the
crib. It was reasonably priced as well compared to other organic
products.
Angela
Dec 2004
We are looking for a twin bed for our 2 1/2 year old daughter.
We want to be sure to find one that is comfortable, doesn't
off-gas, and is affordable! We had bought her an all cotton
futon about 8 months ago, but it isn't comfortable and she
doesn't sleep well and when I have to spend a few hours (or more)
in bed with her at night I'm in a lot of pain.
I looked at the previous postings but I'm hoping someone might
have something more to offer/suggest.
We have a european sleepworks bed for ourselves which I love, but
a twin mattress alone is $700 and an all latex twin from Mancini
is $600! It's just a bit too much for me.
Any tips on how I can get her a comfortable (fairly soft)
mattress that is safe to sleep on but won't break the bank?
--Sleepless in Berkeley
I am looking for natural bedding (mattress pad, fitted sheet,
etc.) for a standard size crib. If anyone has suggestions on
where to find good products at a reasonable price, I would
appreciate it.
Input on coil vs. foam mattress and where to purchase a
mattress is also welcome and appreciated.
Thanks!
Yael
Try Ikea - a friend of mine ran into the same problem and was
told Ikea manufacturers their mattresses to meet European
standards (ie no chemicals) I am not sure about their bedding
but you can do an on-line search for bedding and try e-bay, type
in organic bedding and see what comes up. I know they have
organic clothes on ebay so why not bedding. ALso, a used
mattress of one year or more has ''off-gassed'' most of their
chemicals making it safer for the little one.
For all natural baby bedding and mattresses (and lots of other great baby items) I
bought my son's mattress from Ecobaby.com. For an adult mattress you could try
the very expensive but fabulous www.royal-pedic.com. With Royal-pedic you can
get organic cotton, wool, latex or some combination of that and lots of custom
options. They are extremely well-made and pricey. Last I checked you had to go to a
furniture store Marin to find them but you can order from them directly or they'll tell
you who carries their mattresses locally.
Organic Mama
You can get a cotton futon mattress with innersprings that may be
more comfortable for you. We got one several years ago and it was
under $200 (queen size), but I can't remember where. Fortunately
there are a million futon shops around here, so you can call around.
I think any futon shop can provide a cotton crib futon. When I
checked last summer, most stores needed a week or so to order
one, but the futon shop on 4th St. (Thousand Cranes?) had some in
stock in various thicknesses.
Crib futons are treated with boric acid as a fire retardant. This
is not a chemical I would worry about, but you can get a
chemical-free futon with a doctor's prescription. A crib futon
should be around $60-100.
If you want to spend a good bit more, Earthsake on 4th St. has a
more elaborate selection of crib mattresses made of various
combinations of wool, cotton, and possibly latex, and I think
some have organic ingredients.
David
June 2005
i was wondering if any of you have purchased an organic
mattress and/or have any recommendations for dealers or stores
in the bay area.
it is my understanding that i have a choice of:
1. natural latex mattresses (don't require fire retardants by
US law)
2. wool mattresses with organic cotton covers (don't require
fire retardants by US law)
3. all organic cotton mattresses (don't meet fire retardant law
and therefore require a doctor's perscription for purchase)
i am interested in hearing about any of your experiences
purchasing any of these three types of mattresses and,
especially, if any of you have chosen the all cotton type, how
your doctor reacted to your request for a perscription.
any advice is appreciated!
jennifer
I have been sleeping on a pure cotton mattress for 20 years and
never heard of needing a Dr.s prescription! No matter what type
of mattress you decide on, please, please, go visit the McCrosky
Airflex showroom in San Francisco at Market and Gough. They are
one of the very few independent mattress makers left in the
whole country, a family business, and have been making the same
kind of mattress using pure Egyptian staple cotton for 80 (? I
forget) years. Almost every other commercial mattress (Sealy,
Certa, Simmons, etc.) are made from petrochemicals in one giant
plant, then just have different pillow tops/fabrics that make
the mattress unique to that brand. That said, the McCroskey
carries a 15 yr warranty against sagging. I find them incredibly
comfortable, as you can choose the type of firmness in their
factory by lying on each bed. You can also exchange it in a
certain amount of time if you get it home and its too firm or
soft. The mattresses are a big secret among home designers, and
they have a 5-or-10 mattress purchase limit per person per year
as designers from all over the U.S. order them. Pro athletes
also like the Airflex, as they custom make various sizes and
firmnesses to accomodate big guys with arthritis. I am on my
second Airflex, and love it. They are sorta pricey, but if you
consider how much time you spend in bed, it's worth it! And you
only have to buy a new one every 15-20 years! If you plan to use
the mattress on a platform bed, it won't hold up as long as if
you buy one with box springs, but they make a mattress intended
for a platform bed, which is what we have. Good luck. I don't
have experience with latex mattresses, but I know that for
pillows, they break down rather quickly.
Love to get into my Airflex
We bought ours on-line without a Dr's note. I am pretty sure
that the mattress is a mix of organic cotton and wool. I know
the outside of the mattress is definitely cotton. And then we
got a wool cover to put on it (under the fitted sheet). There
are all sorts of places to buy on-line (you can price shop).
Just type ''organic crib mattress'' in Google. I don't recall
where we purchased ours now, but I know it was all pretty
simple, its a nice mattress, and it cost around $300-350.
Definitely less expensive than buying from some of the stores in
Berkeley. Seemed like a lot at the time, but we are so glad
today that we haven't exposed our son to that awful/dangerous
flame retardant coating!
Only organic for us!
June 2004
Where can I buy twin size mattresses that are made with natural materials?
Lee
Try Earthsake on 4th St. or European Sleepworks on Adeline
near Ashby (both in Berkeley). Expect to pay more than for
run-of-the-mill foam mattresses.
David
June 2004
hi, all. We need to buy a matress for our son's twin bed.
i've heard random things about off-gassing from new matresses.
european sleepworks advertises that their matresses are already
free of some chemical that will be phased out in the u.s. in
the next several years. i probably can't wait that long before
getting my son in a big-boy bed. should we buy a used matress
(so it's already off-gassed)? what chemicals should i be
asking about? the hygene issues of used matresses trouble me,
but should I get over that? the european sleepworks matresses
are incredibly expensive. is there a cheaper alternative? i'm
also interested in a thinner matress than the new, really fat
ones because it's going in a loft bed. surely someone on the
list serve has researched this!! also, advice about where to
buy is welcome. thanks,
anne
We had similar concerns and just bought our toddler an all
cotton futon (no foam). A twin sized futon will cost a little
over $100 and it is easy to find used frames. Inexpensive and
no concern with chemicals. The chemicals they put in foam and
other mattress products are not healthy and we too hated the
idea of her sleeping on it. BTW we have for ourselves a
European Sleepworks mattress -- which is unbelievably
comfortable and in our opinion (so far) worth every penny!
healthy sleeping
There may be other chemicals out there that are a problem but,
after going through this whole process a few months ago trying
to buy a bed for our daughter, I found that the chemicals to
avoid (or at least the ones getting th emost press right now)
are PBDEs. (I can't recall the entire name.) Basically they are
put in mattresses and anything with foam (including the foam on
your furniture, in the seats of your cars, under your carpeting,
etc...) as a flame retardent. tell The main problem is that
because the PBDEs are an additive, not integral to the foam
itself, as the foam disintegrates the PBDEs are released into
the environment. If you spend 8 plus hours sleeping on
them...well, probably not a great idea.
The good news is that as of 2002 IKEA completely phased out
PBDEs from their furniture and mattresses. So any mattress you
buy there now (and they are very reasonably priced) are PBDE
free.
If you want to make sure yourself - I found the IKEA customer
service people (on the phone) to be extremely helpful - they
looked up PBDEs and told me the entire schedule for the phase
out.
sleeping well on IKEA mattress
Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants are put in
some foam mattresses and will be phased out only in CA (so far).
you might try a cotton futon mattress. some even have springs.
there are many shops in Berkeley with good prices.
Anon.
Nov 2004
Does anyone have a recommedation for a chemical free,
natural mattress (king size). Is cotton best or a
combination of cotton/wool. A new mattress is warrented
for allergies and to be ''earth friendly.'' I hesitate to
buy off the internet without testing it out first. Are
there any stores anyone knows about around (Berkeley Area)
that sell directly to customers?
thanks.
Earthsake sells mattresses, but I don't like them. They
seemed fine in the store, but the one that was delivered
smelled bad, and they charged us a stocking fee when we
decided to return it. They are on Fourth Street in
Berkeley.
You might want to try A Happy Planet in San Francisco:
www.ahappyplanet.com 415/552-6265
Or Nirvana Safe Haven in Walnut Creek:
www.nontoxic.com. 800/968-9355
September 2002
I am extremely chemically sensitive and need to buy a chemical-
free mattress. There are a number of companies out there that
sell them, but I was hoping to get a recommendation (or advice
on companies to avoid) since it is such a big financial
investment. Has anyone researched or bought a chemcial-free
mattress?
Elizabeth
We've had our McRosky mattress for many years now and still really like it.
It doesn't sag, etc. but more importantly for your query, is made mostly of
cotton (and metal for the springs of course) and while there is some
polyester apparently in the batting, some of it is also cotton and the ticking
is 100% cotton, so you might want to check them out. The factory is local
and the showroom is in San Francisco, on Market St right where Valencia
St begins.
http://www.mcroskey.com/why_manufacture.html
The showroom is a kick because it's kind of old fashioned (at least it was)
and our mattress came with a 20 year guarantee (!)
Otherwise did you check Earthsake, down on 4th St?
Jocelyn
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