What is a Natural Latex Mattress?
What’s the Difference Between a “Natural Latex Mattress” and a “Latex Mattress?”
Latex foam is one of my absolute favorite options for premium, high quality, long-lasting bedding. But the terminology can be downright mind-boggling. Everybody claims to have the best mattress, and puts a spin on the facts to support their claims. Here’s what some of the basic terms mean, so you know exactly what you’re buying.
A “Latex Mattress”
A latex mattress can be any mattress made of either real botanical foam latex or synthetic foam latex. Latex is a botanical extract that can be harvested from rubber tree plants without harming the plant – the same rubber tree can produce latex for around 50 years, give or take a decade or so.
Through processing in molds and vulcanization, the thin liquid latex is formed into foam that can be cushy or firm, super-supportive or ultra soft – but usually somewhere in between, mixing the best of body-contouring support with luxurious softness.
A mattress tagged only with “latex mattress,” though, is probably at least partly synthetic – and no synthetic latex can match the bouncy but cradling support of real botanical latex. Synthetic mattresses can be cheaper, since they’re made in a lab and don’t factor in the costs of growing, shipping, and manufacturing real latex. But they don’t last as long, they’re not as comfortable, and they don’t breathe and respond as well as real latex.
A “Natural Latex Mattress”
Any mattress with at least some botanical latex in the mix can call itself a “natural latex mattress.” But even hybrids or blends of synthetic and botanical latex just don’t have the quality of pure botanical latex. Some “natural latex mattresses” even rely on latex over a traditional inner spring, so be careful and know exactly what you’re buying before you pick a mattress with the “natural latex mattress” label.
An “All Natural Latex Mattress”
An all-natural latex mattress, on the other hand, should be 100% botanical latex. These are some of the highest quality, longest lasting, and most comfortable latex mattresses on the market.
An “all natural” mattress, though, might still have chemical glues and dyes, or a chemical layer added as a fireproof barrier to meet U.S. fire regulations. Some firms offer organic wool mattress covers as an all-natural option, and glue-free mattresses as well. Take your time when you’re shopping for a latex mattress, so you know you’re getting the very best eco-friendly, comfy quality that your budget will allow.
Would you be willing to pay more for an all-natural or organic latex mattress?
Author Bio: +Michelle Gordon is a sleep expert who researches and writes about sleep and health, and is an online publisher for the latex mattress specialist Latexmattress.org