Why Buy a Healthier Mattress?

Shane Coker, owner of Dallas Natural Mattress, Talks About the Importance of a Natural Mattress

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More on the Warnings of a Toxic Mattress

Consumers are becoming increasingly smarter about what they put in their bodies: we pay more attention to labels and demand transparency from food companies. So why should the way we sleep be any different? Shouldn’t the place where your family members sleep be a safe one?

Traditional-vs-Organic-Mattresses

Original Sleep Safety Organic vs Traditional Mattresses Article Here

The Problem with Conventional, Non-Organic Mattresses

Mattress regulations changed drastically in 2007 with the introduction of new fire retardant standards. U.S. mattresses are now required to be essentially fire-proof for a short period of time. Most companies meet this requirement by spraying mattresses with chemicals, like formaldehyde, boric acid, and melamine.

Non-organic mattresses include polyurethane foams, glues, adhesives, perfumes, and deodorizers. These chemicals can release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can lead to central nervous system damage. What’s more, companies are not required by law to disclose what is in their mattresses, giving consumers the raw end of the deal:

“We can buy things that are BPA free, or phthalate free or lead free. We don’t have the choice to buy things that are flame-retardant free…The laws protect the chemical industry, not the general public… current federal oversight of chemicals is so weak that manufacturers are not required to label products with flame retardants nor are they required to list what chemicals are used.”

–Dr. Heather M. Stapleton, Professor of Environmental Chemistry at Duke University

The principal concern with flame-retardant conventional mattresses is their effect on the human body. Many of these compounds are known carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents. Every time you lay your head to rest at night, these carcinogens are released as dust, which you breathe in every time that you sleep. Exposure to these carcinogens during pregnancy has been linked to low-birth weight and other adverse health outcomes. The literature on this subject isn’t new or groundbreaking, yet people still remain unaware of the risks inherent in sleeping on conventional mattresses.

Find a Healthy Solution with a Certified Organic Wool Mattress

To preserve the health of your family, it’s essential to find a mattress that uses no chemical flame retardants or polyurethane foams. Our organic manufacturers (OMI Organipedic, Naturepedic, and SavvyRest) use no synthetic retardants. Instead, they use wool that is certified as an organic and chemical-free retardant by GOTS (the Global Organic Textile Standard). This, plus many other organic certifications, ensures our ORGANIC mattresses have been subject to intense third-party scrutiny before being labeled as organic.

Our mattresses are also sustainable. Latex sap is harvested from rubber trees, and they rebound quickly after being harvested. Rubber trees produce sap indefinitely, so our processes are environmentally-friendly.

You’ll find many companies in Dallas that claim to have “all natural” or “organic” mattresses. There’s an important distinction, however, between what we sell and what others are trying to pass off as natural in our industry. In a process known as “green-washing,” companies will surround a polyurethane core mattress with a layer of blended latex and call it “natural.” There are no regulations as to what a company can deem as natural, so you need to read the mattress tag to be sure. Be wary of ingredients like “blended latex,” and “synthetic latex,” as these often contain VOCs and other toxic flame retardants.

If you want a mattress buying experience that promises transparency in its practices and interaction with knowledgeable professionals, then visit Dallas Natural Mattress.

Want to Read More About the Effect of Mattress Chemicals on Your Health?