Our customers often ask which natural mattress is best for me? But what do they really mean? The word natural is defined as something existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind.

According to The National Bed Federation: ‘Marketing terms like organic, natural, non-toxic and eco-friendly are used a lot but it’s difficult to establish exactly what these mean. And just because a mattress is advertised as such does not necessarily mean that it is organic or natural. Some mattresses may contain elements or components that are organic such as fabric or fillings but that doesn’t necessarily make the mattress an organic one.’

For more information see https://bedadvice.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/

Many companies make mattresses with natural materials, such as Wool, Latex, Cashmere, Silk and Bamboo. But these ‘natural’ mattresses are coated with chemicals to pass the UK Fire Regulations both on the inner fillings and on the outer surface. So, are customers really asking for a chemical-free, non-toxic mattress using natural materials both inside and out? 99% of natural mattresses in the UK do not meet these requirements.

It’s a bit like chicken soup. You can buy a tin of soup which claims to be chicken. It contains many flavour enhancers to fool you into thinking it has a chicken flavour but it only actually contains 3% real chicken. It’s still called chicken soup but have you looked at the ingredients list?

So, deciding which natural mattress is best for you needs careful consideration. The following key questions can help.

1. Which materials are used inside the mattress? Transparency and honesty from the manufacturer and retailer are essential. Here at Cottonsafe® we make every single item ourselves – unlike most retailers. Therefore, we can tell you exactly what goes into our Natural Mattresses, the origin of each material and how we craft them into fabulous mattresses. View blog for details of all the materials we use. 

2. What quantities of natural materials are used inside the mattress? This will have an impact on the price of the mattress – the cheaper the mattress the more synthetic fibres will be used. So, it might be called a wool mattress, but how much wool is in it? Our Widecombe Mattress (all wool) contains over 2.5kg per m² of fine British wool. That’s a massive 19 kilos in each king size mattress. Find out more.

The same is true of the Cashmere, Mohair, Silk and Bamboo. Manufacturers can purchase thin mixed blend comfort layers so they can say the mattress contains these fabulous materials. Just bear in mind, due to the cost of these items, it is likely to amount to 1-3% of the mattress materials.

At Cottonsafe we do not use these mixed blend comfort layers but use the real thing! For example, our double Exeter Cashmere mattress contains kilos of hand-teased Cashmere. 

3. Is it turnable? A natural mattress that is not turnable means that it has fillings on only one side of the mattress. This means that the quantity of fillings used is usually much less. Having an equal amount of fillings on both sides of the mattress adds to its longevity. All Cottonsafe® mattresses are totally turnable except the Luxury Sidmouth Non-Turn which uses a unique additional spring system to ensure longevity.

4. Does it contain any Foam or Latex? If so, by UK law it MUST contain either fire retardant chemicals or graphite. Even organic latex has to pass the fire regulations as its highly flammable, so must be either chemically treated or have graphite added. If graphite has been used it will turn the latex a grey colour. Our mantra at Cottonsafe® is: If it’s foam, don’t take it home!

5. What is the cover material made from? Most Natural Mattresses are chemically sprayed with fire retardant chemicals, but the retailer does not to disclose this by law. Unlike other Natural mattress manufacturers, we do not use wool mixed with chemically manufactured cellulose fibres, silicate, phosphorus, or sulphur. We just use organic cotton and natural wool woven together in a unique patented weave. Nothing else. So completely fire-safe without any chemicals. Read more.

6. How is the mattress assembled? Most manufacturers use glues and adhesives when making their mattresses as it is a quick and cheap way to manufacture and keep the layers together. Unlike our competitors we construct our mattresses by using flax thread and hand stitching the fillings together.

7. Organic or Non-Organic. Some of our customers prefer an organic lifestyle and therefore prefer to purchase an organic mattress. Organic certification always comes at an additional cost, so doing some careful research and questioning is essential. If a mattress is called Organic, it still has to be fire-retardant and most companies use chemicals to achieve this.

Our blogs here give much more detail: 

• Natural Wool Mattresses vs Organic Wool
• Natural and Organic Latex Mattresses - the Uncomfortable Truth

8. Natural or hypoallergenic. Whilst we love our completely natural mattresses, we also realise that natural fibres can be still unsuitable for those with allergies – particularly wool. Do not rule out our Hypoallergenic Vegan Range as a super alternative. Our non toxic, healthy bed mattress uses both natural materials (cotton) and safe, low carbon polyester for maximum breathability, comfort and support.

The Mattress Guarantee and Warranty. Check the length of guarantee / warranty on the natural mattress. Many manufacturers offer a 5-year warranty. At Cottonsafe® we are so confident about the quality of our mattresses, we give a full 10 year warranty on our Adult Natural Mattresses for total peace of mind.

For more details view Terms and Conditions.