What is an Eco-Friendly Mattress?

October 13, 2020

Eco-friendly mattresses are mattresses that are made without materials that are harmful to the planet. As a result, these mattresses have the added benefit of being safer for families. It’s a win on two fronts, with one purchase. There’s a little more to the story than that, though. Here’s what you need to know about eco-friendly mattresses, and why they are so important.

Why Buy an Eco-Friendly Mattress?

People are beginning to pay more attention to the planet, and its limited resources, than ever before. That’s great news! The fact is our buying decisions have the largest impact on the products created. The more people who make earth-conscious purchasing decisions, the more products that will be made with protecting the planet and safeguarding resources in mind.

Making pro-planet buying choices does all the following for consumers who care about and want to protect the planet:

• Improves product selection, as companies will make more planet-friendly products from which you can choose.
• Reduces costs as competition among eco-friendly businesses grows.
• Conserves valuable resources for future generations.
• Allows you, as a consumer, to feel better about your purchasing decisions.

These are just a few reasons why it’s important to buy eco-friendly mattresses and other products.

Another important reason is this: Americans get rid of approximately 20 million mattresses each year, many of which find their way into landfills, creating countless problems for landfills due to toxic chemicals, nonbiodegradable synthetics, and more – not to mention the amount of space they occupy. Eco-friendly mattresses are usually 100 percent recyclable, meaning that these mattresses do not need to find their way into local landfills.

What to Look for When Choosing an Eco-Friendly Mattress?

There are many elements that go into eco-friendly mattresses. From the raw materials used to make the mattresses to the manufacturing process, shipping, and more, there’s room for earth-friendly practices at every level of the process.

 Key things to look for when choosing an eco-friendly mattress include the following:

• Natural materials made without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and other potentially harmful ingredients, including things like organic wool, organic cotton, etc.
• Made without synthetic ingredients.
• Low or reduced emissions in the manufacturing process.
• Very low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that pollute the air.
• Made with renewable materials that are abundant and easy to replace.
• Recyclability, which means the mattress you purchase won’t end up in a landfill.
• Durability, which means the longer your mattress lasts, the longer it will be before you require a new one, or dispose of your existing mattress.

You will spend a lot of time in close proximity to your mattress. You want to make sure you buy a mattress that is good for the planet because that means it will be good for you as well. It means you won’t be exposed to potential toxic materials that could rob you of health and vitality while you sleep.

How Do You Know You’re Buying an Eco-Friendly Mattress?

This is probably the most important question you can ask during your search for planet-friendly mattresses. The truth is that there is a lot of “greenwashing” (attempts to make products that have few, if any, eco-friendly factors, but that appear planet-friendly) in the marketplace today. It’s important to look beneath the façade to find products that are truly good for the planet.

This authentication often comes in the form of independent certifying agencies that serve as watchdogs for the planet. Each agency has its own standards, but goes to great lengths to verify that products meet their rigorous requirements. Among the top certifying agencies for mattresses are the following:

• CertiPUR-US
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
• Oeko-Tex Standard 100
• GreenGuard Gold
• USDA Organic
• Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)

Each one of these organizations looks for different earth-friendly features when reviewing products. Products carrying multiple certifications from different agencies have gone through thorough vetting processes, and shown incredible transparency with these agencies, indicating that they have nothing to hide. In essence, if you’re looking for an eco-friendly, family-friendly mattress, look for mattresses that have one or more of the certifications listed above.

Eco Terra Mattresses are Eco-Friendly Mattresses

Made with 100 percent natural, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified Talalay latex foam, GOTS certified organic wool, and GOTS certified organic cotton, the Eco Terra latex mattress is an eco-friendly product you can feel good about having in your home. Not only are these mattresses made with natural, responsibly-sourced ingredients, but they are also made without harmful chemicals and VOCs, chemical adhesives, dangerous fire retardants, or polyurethane.

Beyond that, the Eco Terra natural latex mattress is hand-crafted in California, rather than made on foreign soil, and then shipped to the U.S. They are made from botanical latex, tapped from Hevea Brasiliensis trees, which grow quickly and abundantly. If you’re looking to purchase a mattress, you have no worries about bringing into your home and exposing your planet to, then the Eco Terra Hybrid Latex Mattress is the mattress for you.

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