Organic Mattress Retailing Series - Part 10: What Does an Organic Mattress Contain?

Furniture World News Desk on 12/28/2023

So, exactly what’s in an organic mattress? To answer that question, we must return to the official definition of an organic mattress (which also applies to other non-food organic consumer products). That official definition comes from the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The GOTS standard is widely accepted as the official guide— the only organic standard for consumer goods approved by the U.S. government (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture National Organic Program).

The GOTS standard for organic mattresses doesn’t try to re-create the plant-based mattresses that Adam and Eve might have used in the Garden of Eden. GOTS allows for many synthetic modern materials and designs but sets strict design guidelines and limits for such materials. Primary materials commonly used are:

• Certified organic cotton ticking/covers
• Certified organic cotton fill
• Certified organic wool
• Other certified organic plant materials, e.g., hemp, flax, etc.

Beyond these materials, it’s wise to be careful. For example, “organic bamboo fabric” is not commonly accepted because it often includes questionable chemicals GOTS doesn’t allow.

When examining acceptable organic fibers (not including approved non-organic materials, which GOTS calls “accessories”), 95% of the materials must be certified organic for the overall finished product to be classified as “organic.” If the primary materials are 70%-94% certified organic, then the overall product is a “Made With ___% Organic” product.). Everything in an organic mattress must also be non-genetically modified (non-GMO). This is an underlying essential requirement that cannot be compromised.

Commonly allowed non-organic “accessory” materials (generally non-fibrous materials) include steel coils and other metals, which GOTS considers to be a “support” accessory. Other allowed non-organic materials are wood and leather on the natural side and non-organic “accessory” materials such as the synthetic materials polyester, nylon, polypropylene, lyocell, viscose, and others. However, these materials must be used as approved by GOTS certifiers and meet various chemical requirements.

GOTS doesn’t just stipulate what’s allowed in a GOTS-certified organic product, it also stipulates what’s not allowed. This distinction is frequently overlooked in the marketplace because if a product includes some organic material but has some GOTS-prohibited materials, then the product cannot be certified organic. The largest category of GOTS-prohibited materials is polyurethane foam, including memory foam, eco-foam, soy foam, etc. Other synthetic materials not permitted in a GOTS-certified organic mattress are vinyl, rayon, cooling gels, synthetic dyes, pesticides, fragrances, infused metals, perfluorinated and anti-microbial compounds. Many flame-retardant chemicals are prohibited by GOTS as well. These include, but are not limited to, antimony trioxide, brominated chemicals, chlorinated chemicals, heavy metals, melamine compounds, organobromides, organochlorides, organo/phosphates, and more.

Latex is not a fiber material, so GOTS does not consider it an organic material. Instead, latex is regarded as an “accessory” material. However, latex can be used as fill in GOTS-certified organic mattresses as long as it’s made from the sap of rubber trees and certified to either the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) or the Forest Stewardship Council Standard (FSC). Said differently, standard synthetic latex is prohibited in GOTS-certified organic mattresses.

In conclusion, an organic mattress contains various certified organic fibers, whether plant or animal. But the standard goes beyond that. An organic mattress also does not contain many commonly used non-organic materials and many materials made with chemicals that GOTS prohibits.

To read more articles in this series by Barry A. Cik, CLICK HERE. 

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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