Nontoxic Mattress & Bedding Options
When it was time for Mackenzie to transition from crib to big bed, I found it difficult to find a safe, organic mattress that worked for our budget. There are so many more choices now than there were five years ago. Before I dropped all that money on something Mackenzie would spend approximately 40,000 hours on, I spent weeks analyzing which ones actually measured up and which ones were greenwashing. I’m sharing the research I compiled, a breakdown of different ingredients and certifications, and the bedding we love and recommend.
WHY DOES SAFER MATTER?
We spend a third of our life sleeping, and children, especially babies and toddlers, spend even more of their young days in bed.When we sleep on bedding that carries harmful toxins, we’re breathing in chemicals that can seriously affect our health over time. Most pillows and mattresses contain petroleum products, adhesives, rubbers, fungus, and flame retardants, which are linked to cancer, hormonal issues, infertility, thyroid disruption, and developmental brain disorders and learning impairments.Other chemicals found in mattresses include:
Polyurethane foam
Synthetic latex
Flame retardants
Mercury, lead and other heavy metals
Formaldehyde
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
These chemicals attach to the dust in our homes like microscopic magnets. Babies and young children absorb nearly FIVE TIMES as much house dust as adults. (Side note, since using our Air Doctor Air Purifier, I barely notice any dust!) In addition, chemicals from mattresses off-gas into the air we breath. Studies by The Lancet have found industrial chemicals that injure the developing brain are among the known causes for the rise in cognitive deficits, attention problems, and developmental disorders in children such as ADHD, autism, and other neurobehavioral problems.
During pregnancy and early childhood, the most rapid and complex development occurs, making the risks associated with toxic exposure higher! Babies sleep approximately 15 hours a day and a five year old sleeps approximately 13 hours a day. That’s a lot of time on a mattress. Carefully choosing what ingredients and products your child comes into contact with while they sleep will greatly influence their growth and development!
AVOID
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) - flame-retardant chemicals linked to thyroid disruption, permanent learning and memory impairment, behavioral changes and liver damage.
According to the EWG, chemicals from flame-retardants are much higher in children’s urine than adults.
PBDEs are known for being hormone disruptors, which can accumulate in the placenta and even contaminate a mother’s breast milk. [source]
**Wool is a natural flame-retardant.** Wool is also extremely breathable, odor resistant, and boasts exceptional thermoregulation properties keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. (Side note: our infant car seat in the color Henry uses wool as a flame-retardant instead of PBDEs.)
Polyeurethane – US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that long-term exposure to polyurethane foam may cause Cancer, Infertility & Miscarriages, Autoimmune Issues, Neurological Disorders, Child Behavior Issues, Allergies, and Asthma
Don’t be mislead by brands that use ‘water-based adhesives.’ They’re typically just polychloroprene and polyurethane adhesives mixed with water so they can be applied with a sprayer.
Synthetic Memory Foam - If a mattress or pillow is advertised as "memory foam" it is likely made of at least 50% petroleum, even if it also says it is "plant based." Petroleum affects the nervous system, blood, and kidneys.Polyester "no-iron" sheets- made from petrochemicals and treated with a formaldehyde resin finish. Even cotton + polyester-blend wrinkle-resistant sheets are treated with formaldehyde.Toluene Diisocyanate– a chemical released in mattress foam the first few years of a mattress’s life, linked to severe lung problems
SAFER CHOICES
Look for cotton, latex, or wool mattresses with the following certifications:
GOTS
The worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain
At least 95 percent of the materials in the mattress are certified organic
Prohibits the use of certain substances, such as chemical flame retardants and polyurethane
When comparing brands, read carefully. Many brands will share GOTS Transaction Certificates, which are receipts for the purchase of organic certified material. But they do not verify the organic material listed is actually in the finished product. This is the purpose of the GOTS Public Database. It links inspections and verifications from the farm to your mattress and ensures trust. If a brand and their products are not listed in the GOTS Public Database, it’s not an ‘organic’ product
GOLS
Similar to above, but ensures that a mattress with latex is made of 95 percent organic latex, with restrictions on the other 5 percent of the mattress’s components
Natural-latex mattresses may have both the GOTS and GOLS labels
Oeko-Tex Standard 100
Every component of this article, i.e. every thread, button and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless in human ecological terms
Set limits for the emission of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are linked to ozone, respiratory illnesses, and neurological issues
Bans the use of certain chemical flame retardants, colorants, and allergenic dyes
No Azo colourants, formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol, cadmium, nickel, etc.
Meets CPSIA (US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) lead requirements
Greenguard Gold
Meets the most rigorous emission standards for chemical exposure and pollutants,such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde and phthalate
Requires testing of a finished mattress for specific emission limits of formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds
Greenguard Gold has more stringent emission limits on the above VOCs than Greenguard so be mindful when comparing companies
CertiPUR-US
If your budget does not allow for a mattress with the above certifications (which are the very best) and you are selecting a foam mattress, look for this certification
No CFCs
No PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP flame retardants
No mercury, lead, or other heavy metals
No formaldehyde
No phthalates
Low VOC emissions
OUR FAMILY PICKS
Olivia
Sweet baby Liv sleeps on a Naturepedic we purchased for Mackenzie three years ago with a Naturepedic waterproof pad. To be honest, there weren’t as many options as there are now. It’s been fine, and is certainly safe, but I’d probably purchase a Savvy Rest or Avocado crib mattress if I had to get another one.
Lovevery Organic Sheets are the softest we have found!
Pottery Barn Organic Sheets
Mackenzie
Mac sleeps on a full-size Avocado mattress. My husband and I have each (accidentally) slept on her bed in the middle of the night and it is so dreamy.
It’s topped with an organic Savvy Rest waterproof cover. Mackenzie had a couple of nighttime accidents when she was first learning nighttime potty training and it perfectly protected her mattress. I did throw her sheets and the cover in the wash within 30 minutes of her accident, so I honestly can’t attest to how this performs when soaked for a long period of time. Most mattress protectors are made of vinyl/PVC - a human carcinogen. In addition, phthalates make up over a third of the weight of the vinyl surface and are linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and kidney/liver issues. It doesn’t make any sense to me to invest in a high-quality mattress and then layer it with a toxic cover that our children are in closest contact with.
Target Organic Sheets (OKEO-TEX Standard 100 certified)
Pillows – She sleeps on one Savvy Rest pillow with kapok fill. I like these in particular because they are fully customizable. Per the advice of our chiropractor, her pillow is super thin. I appreciate that I can easily adjust the size of her pillow as she grows by adding more kapok filling. Most toddler and kid pillows do not provide optimal spinal and neck support.
Bedding - Pottery Barn Kids Organic + OEKO TEX Certified
Furniture - Pottery Barn Teen Greenguard Gold Certified
Our Bed
We purchased a king size Casper mattress almost six years ago. It’s not organic, but it worked for our budget at the time. It has Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification for the top latex layer and the rest is CertiPUR-US. Now there are so many more options to choose from. We are currently saving to replace our mattress with an Avocado (more on why we chose this one, below). The National Sleep Foundation recommends replacing your mattress around every 8 years.
Pottery Barn Organic Sateen Sheets (GOTS certified) or Simply Organic Bamboo Sheets
Savvy Rest Organic latex pillows. Latex tends to feel more like memory foam, whereas kapok feels more like a regular or down feather pillow.
Savvy Rest Organic, waterproof mattress protect (shown in picture). Super soft and machine washable.
WHY AVOCADO?
Avocado mattresses are GREENGUARD Gold® certified and tested by UL Environment®, which means they meet the most stringent standards for low chemical emissions AND they are the most budget friendly for the quality and safety.
MADE SAFE® Non-Toxic Certified™ — a rigorous screening process for toxicity. It screens for all known and suspected harmful substances. Unlike other certifications, it does not set acceptable levels of toxicity. Instead, it prohibits all use of harmful substances, such as flame retardants. Avocado is one of only three mattress brandsin the world to meet this lofty standard of safety.
GOLS certified organic latex & GOTS certified organic cotton and GOTS certified organic wool
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®: Class 1 certifications (This is their most stringent product class. It requires annual lab testing)
Co-owned farmers’ societies in India, operating under the USDA’s National Organic Program (grown without herbicides and pesticides)
The layers of an Avocado mattress are tufted together by hand, with long steel tufting needles, cotton straps, and rosettes instead of solvent-based chemical adhesives or water-based chemical adhesives, both of which can off-gas, pollute indoor air and impact human health
Vegan option available
No petroleum-based polyurethane foam, chemical flame retardants, or chemical adhesives
Made fresh in a Los Angeles factory with extremely high labor standards
Recyclable and biodegradable
100-night sleep trial
FREE shipping and return pickups
Over 10,000 5-star customer reviews
5 zone innerspring back and ergonomic support system using Quantum Edge® Elite Combi-Zone®
25 year warranty
An Avocado Mattress only loses one percent of its height after 10 years of hard usage, per ASTM certified testing
Avocado is the world’s only Climate Neutral® Certified mattress brand. This means they have achieved a verified “net zero carbon footprint” — the new baseline for any sustainable brand.
The woven cotton is Fair Trade Certified®
In full transparency, AFTER we decided on purchasing an Avocado, I contacted the company and grilled them some more. They were wonderful and answered all of my (annoying) questions. After experiencing the Avocado first hand, I asked to become an Avocado Partner, knowing I would want to share this company with you. All opinions are my own.There were many other quality contenders on my list (see below), but ultimately we went with Avocado because of their price point and impressive sourcing and safety standards.
BEST
Savvy Rest – B Corporation
PRETTY GOOD
Eco Cloud- GOTS Organic Cotton, Okeo-Tex Standard Certified (class 1), Talalay Latex, medium firmness
Tuft & Needle – Greenguard Gold Certified, low VOC memory foam, but does contain petroleum. The bottom layer is a high-density polyurethane foam and the top layer is Tuft & Needle Adaptive Foam, which is also petroleum based. Both foam are certified by CertiPUR-US.
Obasan Sleep - GOTS Organic Cotton, Wool, & Rubber, customizable, but expensive
Wishing you all safer, better sleep.
