Organic Mattress Retailing Series - Part 6: Baby & Kids Organic Mattresses
Furniture World News Desk on
8/1/2023
There are two important sub-groups of organic mattresses that have attracted a high level of interest among consumers. These are:
- Baby mattresses for cribs, mini-cribs, bassinets, cradles, resting pads, etc.
- Mattresses used by younger, but still potty-training, and older children, including teenagers, which mostly are twin size mattresses.
A big opportunity for furniture & bedding retailers
New parents and grandparents generally have a laser-sharp focus on keeping children safe. And guess where a baby is for twelve to fifteen hours every day? Yes, on a mattress. Although crib design is highly regulated by the CPSC to prevent death due to strangulation, baby mattresses are not. Although the CPSC does have some regulations, they are more focused on the cribs, etc. and less so on the mattresses, and they do not address many health related issues.
This presents an opportunity for retailers to engage with new customers about safety and non-toxicity as a public service, build store traffic and create life-long customers.
Many people don’t know that I founded Naturepedic out of concern for the health and wellbeing for my first grandchild. While looking for a suitable baby crib mattress I discovered that most baby mattress manufacturers used harmful chemicals and materials. I knew all about vinyl/PVC, polyurethane foam and the various chemicals contained in them. There was no way I was going to put my grandchild to sleep within a few inches of these chemicals.
Furthermore, many organic crib mattresses on the market were not waterproof making them susceptible to growing mold and fungus.
What retailers need to consider
So, what makes for a safe organic non-toxic baby mattress? Here are some points to consider:
1. No questionable chemicals.
2. No potentially allergenic materials.
3. Non-toxic waterproofing.
4. Added breathability.
5. Overall hygiene.
No Questionable Chemicals: The underlying issue behind the whole discussion of toxic chemicals, certainly regarding baby mattresses, is how to decide what exactly constitutes a toxic or questionable chemical or material. It can be confusing because scientists, medical professionals, government agencies and others apply different standards of what is and is not questionable or toxic.
One of those standards I introduced in earlier articles in this series is the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which sets the standard for certified non-food organic products. Other relevant standards that address toxicity include GOLS, FSC, OCS, MADE SAFE, GREENGUARD, UL Formaldehyde-Free, OEKO-TEX, and others. For more information see part five in this series at https://www.furninfo.com/series/Naturepedic/66
For organic mattresses, the fundamental standard is GOTS, which, for example, prohibits polyurethane foam (including memory foam, soybean foam, eco-foam, etc., which are all polyurethane foam). The GOTS standard also prohibits many flame-retardant chemicals, glues, formaldehyde, pesticides, vinyl/phthalates, PFAS, GMO materials, etc. The GOTS standard of course applies to all mattresses, including baby and children’s mattresses.
No Potentially Allergenic Materials: The second big issue, which is of particular concern with baby mattresses, is allergenic latex. Adults generally know whether or not they’re allergic to latex, but parents can’t tell if their babies and children either have or will develop a latex allergen allergy. Organic mattresses are commonly filled with natural latex made from the sap of rubber trees. However, even though GOTS (and the other standards) address issues regarding toxic and questionable chemicals, they don’t address allergenic issues .
For reference, the FDA states that “Contact with medical products containing natural rubber has been associated with anaphylaxis in individuals allergic to natural rubber latex proteins… Some affected individuals may continue to experience asthmatic symptoms even without contact with natural rubber latex...” The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology states that “Latex allergy – an immunologic reaction to natural rubber latex… poses a serious health risk for some patients… In rare cases, latex allergies can be fatal.”
As such, because it’s frequently unclear whether babies and children are (or can become) allergic to latex, a prudent policy for organic baby and kids’ mattresses is to meet the GOTS certified organic standard, plus the relevant additional certifications, but to do so without using any latex. Naturepedic, for example, agrees and does not use any latex at all in all its baby and children’s products (and offers latex and non-latex options for most of its adult mattresses).
Next articles in this series: In our next segment, additional baby and children’s mattress issues will be discussed, including waterproofing, breathability, and hygiene. Additional ideas for marketing and selling mattresses, including for adults and children, will be presented later in this series.
About Barry A. Cik: Barry A. Cik is a Board Certified Environmental Engineer and founder and technical director of Naturepedic Organic Mattresses & Bedding. Since 2003, Naturepedic has been on a mission to protect the lives of families through safer, healthier organic-based products that have a positive impact on the environment. A brand with purpose, transparency, and ethical practices, Naturepedic is the recipient of many certifications and is highly respected by numerous health and environmental organizations (https://www.naturepedic.com/certifications) and is an EPA Green Power Partner. Since its inception, Naturepedic has been a consistent and generous advocate and supporter of NGOs and nonprofits advocating for the “Right to Know” about what is in the products that people bring into their homes.
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