Organic Mattress Retailing Series - Part 7: Organic Crib Mattress Waterproofing & Hygiene

Furniture World News Desk on 8/28/2023

The sixth part of this series on organic bedding (Baby & Kids Organic Mattresses) explained the basics of producing safe, organic, non-toxic baby/crib mattresses:

• No questionable chemicals. These include soy-foam, eco-foam, and other polyurethane foams, even those that may be marketed as more environmentally friendly.
  
  
• No potentially allergenic materials. Organic latex, which may qualify as organic and non-toxic, can still cause allergic reactions. Latex can be especially problematic for allergic babies who have yet to be diagnosed with a latex allergy.
  
  This segment will cover two additional concerns: non-toxic waterproofing and hygiene.
  
  Hygiene: It’s obvious to most people that baby mattresses should remain hygienic and easy to clean. Until fairly recently, all baby mattresses were encased in plastic. Most still are. The problem is that most waterproof baby/crib mattress surfaces contain questionable chemicals, from vinyl (polyvinyl chloride with phthalates) to polyfluorinated compounds such as PFAS and others.
  
  Waterproofing: Exceptions are baby mattresses – especially those designed and marketed as organic, non-toxic, or breathable — but which don’t have any surface waterproofing. That presents another issue. If a mattress has no surface waterproofing, then urine, feces, vomit and spilled milk can penetrate the surface materials, leading to unsanitary microbial growth and mold.
  
  Safe & Non-toxic: So, how can a baby/crib mattress be waterproof, and also be safe, organic, and non-toxic? There is no established protocol across our industry. The solution is to waterproof the mattress at the surface using the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) as a guide. For example, GOTS allows polyethylene (Naturepedic uses food-grade polyethylene made from non-GMO sugarcane).
  
  Does this mean the GOTS organic standard allows certain plastics in certified organic mattresses? Yes, it does in specific situations, including waterproofing. But aren’t all plastics toxic? No. Some plastics are better than others. For example, Clean Production Action, an organization that “delivers strategic solutions for green chemicals, sustainable materials and environmentally preferable products,” found that for polyethylene: “For each manufacturing step, no core chemical inputs are chemicals of high concern as defined by GreenScreen Benchmark 1.” For vinyl, they found that “Every manufacturing step involves the use of chemicals of high concern…”
  
  So, waterproofing the mattress surface with safer materials is the way to maintain hygiene and still have a certified organic baby/crib mattress.
  
  In summary, a non-toxic, non-allergenic, waterproof, and hygienic baby/crib mattress that meets certified organic standards is now achievable by (a) using GOTS-approved materials, (b) not using polyurethane foam or potentially allergenic latex, (c) waterproofing the mattress surface with non-toxic GOTS approved waterproofing, and (d) maintaining an easy-to-clean hygienic mattress surface.
  
  
  

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  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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