What is an organic latex rubber mattress? How does organic latex differ from natural bedding, and where do I buy truly chemical free mattresses for a crib, co-sleeper, queen, king or twin size bed?

With so many online retailers touting their bedding items as organic and natural, it's not easy to decipher what these words mean. There is a large and varying scale of organic standards, and it is essential to scrutinize which standards apply to the items you are purchasing. As an example, let's explore organic/natural latex used to make an organic mattress.

Organic latex is made from the rubber tree. Truly organic latex rubber is harvested by tapping the milk (sap) of Hevea brasiliensis (the common rubber tree), which grows within 10 degrees of the equator. The rubber tree sap is whipped up and turned into latex foam. This is truly a sustainable resource because sap can be collected from the trees up to 180 days per year and the tree heals within an hour.

Don't let the words confuse you: latex mattress, natural rubber mattress, and natural mattress can all be used to describe products that are far from all-natural. Most so-called natural rubber mattresses are actually a blend of natural rubber and synthetic latex (styrene-butadiene rubber, or SBR), which can offgas unhealthful fumes and cause allergic reactions. In fact, the so-called organic latex for mattresses made by the leading latex manufacturer contains chemicals such as tolulene (causes everything from memory loss to muscular weakness and more, even in tiny amounts) and vanillin (made from petroleum). Truly organic, chemical-free latex (like we have in our mattresses at ZooAvenue) is naturally hypoallergenic, natural mold and moisture resistant, and naturally dust mite resistant.

It gets even more confusing…some products that claim to use 100% natural latex do have SOME organic latex in their product…just not ALL of it, or ALL of the mattress components. A perfect example is very popular brand of so-called organic latex crib mattresses that uses a toxic glue between the layer of latex and the wool batting material (we hand stitch ours with organic thread). Another brand seals its so-called organic latex crib mattress in a polyethylene coating to make it waterproof. Most of the queen and king size latex mattresses made with so-called organic latex have a chemical-based glue seam down the center of them inside, because it is cheaper for the manufacturer to piece the mattress together than to use a solid core of organic latex like we do at ZooAvenue.

Further, many natural latex mattresses are labeled with a GREEN certification, which does NOT mean chemical free – This GREEN certification allows for pre-set standards of allowable maximum emission level for several chemicals, as regulated by the government, using standards established by the U.S. EPA and OSHA, as well as other state and federal agencies.

At ZooAvenue, we use only organic latex harvested in the Dunlop method, as opposed to Talalay, which requires chemicals for processing.

The Dunlop method: After the milk of the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, which contains an antibacterial substance that is a natural dust-mite repellent, is harvested, air, soda ash, zinc and natural soap are whipped into the milk and it is poured into a mold with hollow pins and baked. It then goes through a thorough washing to remove all proteins that could possibly cause an allergic reaction. Those who use the more straightforward technique in the Dunlop method like the more elastic, springier feeling it creates and Dunlop has a solid history behind it: It turns out Sears sold an all natural Dunlop method latex mattress back in the 50's called the Harvest House bed, and many are still in homes even to this day. Although seemingly simple, it is a very costly procedure, so use caution when purchasing from large manufacturers looking to cut costs substituting petrol chemical products for the real thing and charging less money.

Talalay is a word you'll hear often. Dunlop is definitely purer and more durable. Talalay is a softer, more fragile latex which will destabilize if synthetic chemicals are not added. Yet, Talalay latex mattresses are regularly sold as 100% natural and 100% organic and touted by mattress salespeople. This is because mattress manufacturers rarely, if ever, go to the expense to make a mattress using the Dunlop process, so the salespeople don't have those mattresses to sell!

Then there is a third type of latex that is often marketed as natural. This latex is 40% natural latex that has been blended with 60% synthetic latex. This is a cheaper mixture containing clays, glues, and other materials causing your mattress to become toxic, break down faster and become uncomfortable; giving truly natural latex a bad reputation. It's a little known fact that about 80% of latex used in the manufacture of so-called latex beds is made of latex that is a blend of synthetic latex and natural latex - with synthetic latex often making up 75% to 80% of this latex blend. Unlike natural latex, synthetic latex is made from petroleum products ... and synthetic latex is stiffer, coarse in texture, not as soft and inviting, and does NOT have the antibacterial, antifungal, and hypoallergenic qualities that natural latex provides. Since natural latex is inherently more costly, most large scale bedding manufacturers don't even offer it.

And some companies boast perimeter support. That means they use cheaper materials, usually polyurethane foam, around the outside of the latex to make the edge of the bed stiffer for sitting on. It also reduces the sleeping surface by up to 20%.

Organic latex is also dust mite resistant. Dust mites are microscopic creatures that can live by the millions in your bed. Normal beds provide them with the warmth, humidity and food they need for ideal growth and reproduction. It is the allergens produced by the mites, in the form of waste particles, to which people react. It is these particles, when inhaled, that have been shown to induce allergic reactions, aggravate asthma and can exacerbate the symptoms of child eczema. Organic latex is naturally resistant to dust mites, as it does not provide a hospitable place for them to live. Further, organic wool (our batting material) is also naturally dust mite resistant. Its dry, porous nature prevents dust-mites and other allergens from settling in.

The organic wool we use for the batting material in our mattresses is a natural flame retardant that meets all US standards. We do not use sulfuric acid to clean the wool used in our mattresses, and we only card the wool in a 100% organic facility to prevent poly fibers from mixing in with the wool (a well-known common problem in the organic mattress industry). Don't be fooled by natural mattresses that contain flamebreaker TM made from silica, as it contains dimethyl sulfate.

All of our mattresses at ZooAvenue are made by NAOMI (National Association of Organic Mattress Industry) member manufacturers, which have the following standards:

1. Must be free of synthetic fabrics
2. No fabrics may be treated with any chemicals suspected of being toxic, even at low levels
3. All wool must be from sheep raised according to organic standards
4. Wool must be processed according to organic standards and be free of polyester fibers. This requires that the wool is processed at a facility that does not process polyester or chemically laden cotton batting
5. Any wool used must be tested free of arsenic and lead
6. All inner, hidden fabrics and fibers, must be certified according to GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards)
7. All cotton batting used must be certified organic and processed according to GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards)
8. Any other natural fibers used must be certified organic (cotton, silk).
9. Fibers used must also be processed according to GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards), no chemical processing allowed
10. Any rubber used must be tested free of benzene, toluene, pthalates, SBR, petroleum additives, formaldehyde, arsenic, lead at under .001 ppm
11. Any glue used must be free of formaldehyde, phenolated compounds and must be disclosed

Please click on the link below to visit our eBay store - then click on the Bedding section to view our organic mattress selection. ZooAvenue Store

For those of you seeking further information on why to purchase an organic mattress, please read on.

WHY BUY AN ORGANIC MATTRESS?

In order to answer this question, we need to look at some of the products used to make conventional (NON-ORGANIC) mattresses, and the problems associated with them.

One cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may be from exposure to toxic chemicals being emitted from crib mattresses. Crib mattresses off-gas many toxic chemicals similar to adult mattresses (they are made from polyvinyl chloride [pvc], polyurethane, etc.). They also contain phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony compounds as preservatives and fire retardants. Toxic nerve gasses (phosphine, arsine, and stibine) can be emitted because of interactions with these chemicals and cause anticholinesterase poisoning and cardiac failure in infants. High levels of chemicals have been found in the blood and livers of babies who died from SIDS. An article in Midwifery Today goes into detail as well as explaining how these chemicals in crib mattress may be related to other SIDS risk factors. To read this article, please email us for the link.
 
The majority of mattresses today are made using a variety of petroleum-based chemicals, foams, plastics and controversial flame-retardants. Research and personal accounts suggest people can in fact become ill by repeated and continuous exposure to the low level of chemicals continuously emitted during the sleep process. The situation is dramatically compounded by the fact that sleeping on a bed places the individual in extremely close proximity to the chemical source (inches compared to feet for most other chemical exposures). This direct contact means that concentrations of chemicals are many, many times higher than they would be if the source was at a greater distance. Research is now available showing that chemicals used in bed manufacturing are in fact evaporating and entering into the air (off-gassing). Some of these are documented carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds.

Autoimmune disorders have also been linked with exposure to petroleum-based chemicals and have been found to be the underlying etiology of many common health problems today (soft tissue damage, arthritis, etc).

Conventional mattresses contain polyurethane foam, which constantly breaks down and releases chemicals. This process is called off-gassing. Polyurethane foam is made from chemicals that are known carcinogens.

Other toxic chemicals that can be found in conventional mattresses are PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and/or boric acid. These are used in mattresses as a flame retardant in order to meet the flame retardant codes. Animal studies show that PBDE’s cause liver, thyroid, and neurological damage in lab rats. Health experts worry about most PBDE’s potential harm to fetuses and children under 6, but studies on human toxicity have only just begun. They are believed to be so toxic that Europe is phasing out the use of them completely! Boric acid: this chemical is also quite toxic, and is in fact used as a roach killer. The Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Disease Control warn of reproductive, developmental, and neurological damage. It has many known health risks just due to inhalation, a few of which are: inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (including dry throat and cough), eye irritation, and reproductive damage in men (including low sperm count).

WHAT ABOUT MEMORY FOAM MATTRESSES?

Memory foam is made from polyurethane with additional chemicals that add to its viscosity level, thereby increasing its density. It is often referred to as visco-elastic polyurethane foam. The more chemicals used, the higher the quality of the product because it becomes more visco-elastic.

The smell in memory foam is the off-gassing of toxic chemicals and is noticeably strong (some say it smells like paint). This has been known to cause headaches, upper respiratory problems, and other severe health reactions in people who sleep on them.

Additionally, memory foam, like other polyurethane products, can be extremely flammable, so there are high levels of fire-retardants used in these products.

You can avoid all these toxins by choosing an organic mattress.

Please click on the link below to visit our eBay store - then click on the Bedding section to view our organic mattress selection. ZooAvenue Store