When selecting an organic mattress, natural latex is the natural choice. It’s healthful. It’s durable. It’s comfortable. It’s simple, pure and won’t stress your health or the environment with toxic chemical ingredients.
Benefits of Natural Latex
Purity
Natural latex does not contain fillers or unnecessary chemicals that reduce the quality of the latex. The best-quality natural latex foam is 95%-97% pure rubber—derived from rubber tree sap. Not only does natural latex contribute to more healthful sleep, but its quality is unmatched when compared to synthetic latex or blended latex with fillers.
Comfort
With two types of latex to choose from, Dunlop and Talalay, a natural latex mattress can offer a wide range of comfort levels. Latex is available in a variety of densities and depths, which means you can find anything from a super-soft, cradling organic latex mattress, to an ultra-firm and supportive one. Latex is also more breathable than other foams, and creates a naturally cooler and drier sleeping environment.
Durability
True natural latex is responsive and will withstand many years of use without shape distortion. High-quality latex mattresses often have a 20-year warranty, and will frequently outlast that period. Natural latex is durable, and with zippered, customizable latex mattress styles, you can even replace a latex layer years after purchase if you’d like to change the comfort feel.
Sustainability
Natural latex comes directly from nature. Rubber tree sap is harvested from the trees and processed into the supple foam sheets that make up the core of a latex mattress. The result is a natural mattress core that’s not only comfortable, but won’t pollute the air you breathe with off-gassing chemical vapors.
Dunlop vs. Talalay latex
In natural latex mattresses, there are two latex types to choose from: Dunlop and Talalay. Some manufacturers will allow you to combine the two for a truly customized choice.
Natural Talalay can be described as the “angel food” to Dunlop’s “pound cake.”
Learn more about how Dunlop and Talalay compare.
Dunlop
Made in the same way since the late 1920s, Dunlop natural latex foam is denser than Talalay. This makes Dunlop layers an excellent choice for the firm bottom layers of a mattress, and ideal for children’s beds. It’s comfortable, durable and less expensive than Talalay.
Talalay
The Talalay manufacturing process adds two steps—the latex is vacuum sealed and flash frozen—that are not used in the Dunlop process. The result is a premium natural latex with a very consistent cell structure and naturally “springy” feel. It is soft, supple, and the most luxurious latex available. It’s often featured in high-end mattress toppers and can be used as the top layer in customizable styles.
Finding Your Mattress
Finding the right organic latex mattress is easiest when you can relax and lie down on models made with different types of latex and different firmness combinations. This will help your body sense the nuances of Dunlop and Talalay and the different kinds of comfort an organic latex mattress can provide. If you have an organic mattress store near you, pay them a visit!
But if you prefer doing your research at home, there is plenty of information available to help guide you to the right decision. To get started, here are some popular latex mattress configurations that satisfy a variety of individual needs (including pressure relief and back support).
Sleep well!