What Is an Organic Mattress Made Of?

“Organic” is a buzzword you seem to hear everywhere these days. As we learn more and more about what’s healthy for us and the planet, the demand grows for organic products of every kind: food, clothing, cleaning products, and even household items — including mattresses. 

But what is an organic mattress made of, and what does “certified organic” even mean?

If you don’t know, we’re here to help! We’ll break down the materials commonly used to make organic mattresses, the benefits of each of those materials, and how GOTS- and GOLS-certified mattresses receive the official stamp of approval. We’ll also talk about Beddy’s ZipPure Organic Mattress, how it’s made, and how it provides a sleep you can feel good about.

What Is an Organic Mattress?

An organic mattress is made with certified organic materials (which we’ll get into shortly). Using these materials minimizes environmental impact and provides a health-conscious sleep solution and a sustainable alternative to traditional coil and foam mattresses.

Chemical-Free Mattress Production

Organic mattresses are designed to avoid synthetic materials and potentially dangerous chemicals. You’ll get healthier sleep on a mattress that doesn’t include synthetic toxins and instead uses sustainable, natural materials. Some chemicals often included in traditional mattresses include:

• Isocyanates or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from polyurethane foam
• Flame retardants
• Vinyl or phthalates
• Glues or adhesives
• Formaldehyde
• Perfluorinated compounds, including PFAS
• GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
• Pesticides

Chemical-free mattress production also minimizes off-gassing issues. Off-gassing is the reason new mattresses often have a noticeable chemical smell. The reason for the unpleasant odor is that synthetic foams, flame retardants, and other chemicals used in traditional mattress production emit VOCs. Vacuum-sealed mattresses — think “bed-in-a-box” models — can smell particularly strong when opened because the VOCs are trapped inside the packaging until you opens it.

Certified Organic: Defined

A certified organic product carries a seal that verifies its component materials were grown and processed following the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) organic regulations. A “certified organic” label on a product indicates that at least 95% of the materials used to create it are organic. A product that claims it was “made with organic” means 70–94% of its component materials are organic. 

We’ll get deeper into the nitty-gritty of these certifications shortly. First, we’ll examine the materials that typically go into organic mattresses.

What Is an Organic Mattress Made Of?

Organic mattresses are made mainly of — no surprise here — certified organic materials. Here are the most common components found in organic mattresses.

Organic Latex

While many traditional mattresses incorporate natural latex, organic mattresses contain organic latex. What’s the difference? Organic latex comes from the sap of rubber trees (Hevea Brasiliensis) grown and processed using the USDA’s farming and manufacturing standards. Natural latex still comes from rubber trees but can be produced using conventional farming methods. 

Organic Latex Benefits

• Organic latex is free from the harmful chemicals often used in farming, such as pesticides, herbicides, and other non-human-friendly substances.
  
• It’s sustainable and eco-friendly, produced with minimal environmental impact.
• The production process creates a safer and healthier work environment for plantation workers without synthetic pesticides.

Organic Cotton

Like organic latex, organic cotton is grown and harvested using sustainable farming practices. It’s also grown from non-GMO seeds. 

Organic Cotton Benefits

• Organic cotton farming can improve soil health, reduce water usage, and increase biodiversity by avoiding the use of harmful chemicals.
• Organic cotton production often has a lower carbon footprint than conventional cotton due to lower energy consumption and reliance on natural processes.
• Farmers, workers, and consumers have less exposure to health risks without harmful chemicals in the organic cotton production process.

Organic Wool

For their wool to be considered organic, sheep must be raised under specific conditions. They graze on pastures free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and they’re usually raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. The methods used to shear, scour, and dye the wool also avoid using harsh and potentially harmful chemicals. 

Organic Wool Benefits

• Organic wool production prioritizes the sheep’s well-being, including care, feeding, shelter, and transport.
• Organic wool is biodegradable and has little environmental impact.
• Organic wool is gentle on sensitive skin and reduces the risk of irritation or allergic reactions because its production is largely free of harsh chemicals.

Additional Components

Some organic mattresses contain varying amounts of other organic materials, such as:

• Bamboo
• Horse hair
• Coconut fiber
• Recycled steel

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) Certification Factors

Mattresses tend to come with a lot of tags and labels. They provide consumers with necessary details like materials used, warranty information, and care instructions. They can also tell you whether a mattress is certified organic, made with organic materials, or otherwise.

When shopping for an organic mattress, you may see a tag labeled with the acronym “GOTS.” This tells you that the materials used to make the mattress are certified per the Global Organic Textile Standard, which is voluntary and one of the most stringent certifications in the world. 

A GOTS-certified mattress must contain at least 95% organic textiles and adhere to specific standards throughout production. To earn a GOTS certification, the mattress’s entire supply chain must adhere to specific organic practices.

Let’s talk through the guidelines a mattress has to follow to become GOTS certified.

Farming Guidelines

Farmers must follow the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) production guidelines, which prioritize:

• Natural inputs: Organic agriculture uses natural fertilizers like manure and compost. It also uses biological pest control and other natural pest control methods. 
• No GMOs: Organic farming prohibits GMOs and their derivatives.
  
• Livestock welfare: Animals must be treated humanely, raised in free-range, open-air environments, and given organic feed.
• Crop rotation: Rotating crops keeps the soil healthy and minimizes pest infestations and disease.
  
• Soil health: Practices such as composting, cover cropping, and minimizing tillage help maintain healthy soil.
• Water management: Conserving water resources and preventing pollution are encouraged.
  
• Biodiversity: Biodiversity creates more resilient and sustainable ecosystems.

Manufacturing Guidelines

These rules cover the manufacturing process from start to finish.

• Prohibiting toxic substances: GOTS restricts the use of hazardous and toxic substances during processing. These include heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents, chlorine bleach, and certain dyes.
  
• Clean inputs: Any chemical inputs used in manufacturing must meet biodegradability and toxicity standards.
  
• Organic fibers: Conventional fiber products must be separated from organic fiber products during every processing stage, and each must be clearly identified.
  
• Environmental policy: Processors must have an environmental policy, including goals and procedures for discharges and minimizing waste.
• Traceability: The full product supply chain must be traceable and certified.

Environmental Guidelines

This portion of the GOTS standard concerns environmentally friendly practices throughout the supply chain — from raw material production to the finished product. These guidelines include:

• Waste reduction: All machine operators must follow waste reduction procedures and receive an environmental policy with goals.
• Wastewater treatment: Facilities that perform wet processing (such as dyeing and printing) require a functional wastewater treatment plant to eliminate pollutants before water discharge.
  
• Tracking consumption: Wet processing units must track their energy, chemical, and water consumption to avoid surpassing acceptable limits.
• Packaging constraints: All packaging materials and labels must be made of responsibly harvested paper or cardboard. 

Social Guidelines

These rules, based on International Labor Organization (ILO) standards, protect farmers and factory workers involved in textile processing. 

• Freedom of employment: Workers can freely choose their employment and are not forced to work.
  
• Freedom of association: Workers can join unions and participate in collective bargaining.
  
• Working conditions: Workplaces must maintain high safety and hygiene standards and be free from harassment and violence. Factors that cause precarious employment are prohibited.
  
• No discrimination: Workplace discrimination is barred based on race, religion, gender, and other factors.
  
• Fair pay: Workers, including home workers, must receive a living wage.
  
• Working hours: Working hours are reasonable and limited. Workers must receive rest breaks and have overtime provisions.
  
• Migrant workers: Migrant workers have rights under GOTS, such as fair recruitment and equal treatment.

GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) Certification Factors

While GOTS focuses on certifying organic textile products, the Global Organic Latex Standard, or GOLS, dictates that at least 95% of an organic latex product’s weight must be made up of certified organic raw materials. For GOLS certification, standards similar to those required for GOTS certification must be followed. We’ll look at the specific GOLS guidelines below.

Farming Guidelines

For organic latex to receive GOLS certification, farmers must also observe IFOAM standards. In addition to those guidelines listed for GOTS certification, rubber trees must be grown on USDA NOP (National Organic Program) certified plantations, where synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are barred. As in the GOTS guidelines, GOLS certification requires organic farming practices like soil health management and biological pest control.

Manufacturing Guidelines

GOLS-specific guidelines to follow during the manufacturing process include:

• Traceability: The full product supply chain, from plantation to product, must be traceable and certified.
• Packaging: Certain plastic packaging is not allowed.
• Inspections: GOLS certification involves inspections at all stages of the manufacturing process. 

Environmental Guidelines

In the manufacturing of organic latex products, the GOLS guidelines prioritize reducing environmental impact, such as:

• Limiting toxic substances: GOLS includes standards for harmful substances, filler percentages, and emission test requirements.
• Managing waste: GOLS mandates proper wastewater treatment and reduced carbon emissions. Energy use and waste should be tracked and monitored. 

Social Guidelines

GOLS shares the same social guidelines as GOTS, which focus on fair labor practices and worker protection throughout the supply chain per ILO standards. These include:

• Fair wages
• Reasonable working hours
• Acceptable working conditions
• No child labor
• No labor coercion
• No discrimination
  

Beddy’s ZipPure Mattress

Among all of the Beddy’s zipper mattress offerings, our premium ZipPure Organic Luxe Mattress stands out as the most sustainable option. Here’s what else is special about it!

ZipPure: A Sleep You Can Feel Good About

The ZipPure Organic Mattress is unique for several reasons.

• It’s a rarity in the organic mattress world: luxurious, cloud-like, and comfortable!
• You can unzip the mattress top to access the mattress’s customizable elements.
• The interior latex layer is flippable; one side is soft, the other medium.
• Soft and firm coils are available. For queen and king sizes, coil firmness can be customized for each side!
• It’s both GOTS- and GOLS-certified.
• It comes with a best-of-industry 10-year non-prorated warranty.
• It’s compatible with our Beddy’s Adjustable Base.
• Our organic mattresses are made in USA facilities.

Why Buy Organic?

As we’ve discussed throughout this post, organic mattresses provide several advantages over conventional mattresses. Some of these include:

• Reduced harmful chemical exposure
• Improved air quality with less off-gassing
• Natural, certified organic materials
• Sustainable, ethical sourcing
• Longer lifespan
• Breathability and temperature regulation
  

Other Organic Beddy’s Products

At Beddy’s, our organic product line doesn’t stop at the ZipPure Organic Mattress. We offer an entire line of organic bedding, including the ZipPure Organic Duvet Cover, ZipPure Organic Zipper Sheet Set, and ZipPure Organic Duvet Bundle, which includes a down duvet insert and cover.

How the ZipPure Mattress Is Made

The ZipPure Organic Mattress contains several layers of organic materials for comfort and support. Here’s the breakdown:

• Outer layer: Certified organic cotton, followed by certified organic wool, gives you comfort, peace of mind, and temperature regulation, and wicks away moisture.
• Comfort layer: Two inches of 60D soft latex and two inches of 70D medium latex comprise a single, flippable, four-inch organic latex layer.
• Support layer: 1008 eight-inch glueless pocket coils provide soft or firm coil options.

Our Process

Our ZipPure Organic Mattress is customizable. For this reason, we manufacture each mattress to order, which typically takes about ten business days.

The sweetest dreams begin on a comfortable, sustainably sourced mattress. Check out our ZipPure organic product line today, and find out how Beddy's can provide a sleep you can feel good about!

Shop Organic Bedding

FAQ

Are organic mattresses hypoallergenic?

Many organic mattress options are hypoallergenic thanks to their organic component materials, which naturally resist mold, dust mites, and mildew — common causes of allergic reactions.

Can organic mattresses be recycled?

Yes! Many organic mattresses can be recycled, and their components are often biodegradable. Traditional recycling programs can usually recycle steel springs and metal frames.

Why are organic mattresses more expensive than traditional ones?

There are several reasons for this:

• Sourcing and verifying organic materials can be costly.
• Organic materials are farmed without GMOs or synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which increases production costs.
• GOTS and GOLS certifications require expensive materials, manufacturing processes, packaging, and labor practices, and they must minimize environmental impact.
• Many organic mattresses are especially durable and high-quality.
  

Can organic mattresses help with temperature regulation during sleep?

Yes. Due to the breathable nature of organic cotton, wool, and latex, organic mattresses often excel at regulating temperature and wicking away moisture.