You may have heard about the environmental benefits of shopping for natural latex mattresses. Since there are no coils or other manmade material, you’re creating less waste. You may not know that there are several health benefits as well. Latex conforms to your body and supports it well, cushioning your pressure points while allowing you freedom of movement. Latex mattresses are also resistant to dust mites, mold, and mildew, which is especially good news for people with allergies. To get all the benefits, though, you need to get the right mattress, so we have a few points to get you started.
Materials
There are two different types of latex mattresses, and it’s important you find the right kind. There are synthetic latex mattresses available, made from different sources like petroleum and chemicals. Natural latex is harvested in liquid form from hevea brasiliensis trees, ideally in an eco-friendly way, and turned into foam. In the end, you have a product that is 98% pure. One example of an organic mattress is the pictured Key West mattress.
Not only does it use natural materials for the mattress itself, but the covering fabric is made of organic cotton. The cover material is almost as important as the mattress material, since the cover affects the air flow and other factors. Both organic cotton and wool (the natural fire retardant under the cotton) are excellent choices, since cotton is a very breathable fabric and wool is your natural fire retardant. Whatever your material choice, it’s best to avoid fabrics treated with chemicals. Conventional mattress uses synthetic fire retardants.
Construction
Once you’ve started looking at natural mattresses, you will have your own personal preferences to consider, as you would with any other type of mattress. Some people prefer firm mattress, and other people prefer medium to plush ones. This firmness is sometimes measured by Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) ratings, with firmer mattresses having higher numbers. You should also look at the layers and thickness of the mattress to find one that fits your body type and sleeping position. If you need more support, it’s best to find one that’s on the thicker side.
