Organic Mattress Reviews 

This site is dedicated to reviewing the top competitors in natural mattresses and organic mattresses.  We are bypassing the marketing hype to help you decide which is the best mattress for you.

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Glossary

A-H... Air Beds | Body Impressions | Box Springs | Cotton | Density | Dunlop | Dust Mites | Duvet | Fiber | Foundation | Futon | Hi-Density Foam | Hi-Resiliency Foam

I-Q... IFD | ILD | Insomnia | Knockoff | Latex/Rubber | Leggett & Platt | Mattress Industry | Memory Foam | Natural Latex/Natural Rubber | Pillow Top | Platform Bed | Pressure Relief | PureTouch | Quilting

R-Z... Racetracking | Recovery Time | Sealy, Simmons, and Serta | Silk | Sleep By Number | Spring Mattresses | Swedish Foam | Synthetic Latex | Talalay | Tempur Material | Tempur-Pedic | Ther-a-pedic | Tufting | Visco-elastic Foam | Warranty | Waterbeds | Wool

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Air Beds: are a broad category of beds where air is used to support the sleeper. Small motors pump air into mattress bladders to make them different levels of firmness. The advantage of air beds is that you can adjust the level of firmness to suit you, and your partner can do the same. The disadvantages are that some of the pumps are noisy and require maintenance, and the air bladders can develop leaks. These beds are usually racetracked (see below), so spouses may not feel comfortable cuddling in the middle. The biggest names in air beds are Select Comfort, Nautilus, and Comfortaire. Select Comfort came up with the Sleep by Number bed (see below).

Body Impressions: are indentations in a mattress that happen when the mattress compresses over time. People talk about the 2 valleys or compressions or holes in a mattress when a couple is sleeping on it. When you notice compression, it’s probably time to change your mattress.

Box Springs: are a frame surface used to support a mattress. Typically box springs will be used on top of a metal frame. The box springs raise the mattress higher off the floor and give the manufacturer and retailer something else to sell. You can often replace the mattress only without replacing the box springs, but it is important that your new mattress be placed on a surface that works well with it.

Cotton: is a natural product and is excellent for clothing and sheets, material that is close to your skin. However, it is not a great mattress product because it absorbs moisture, is a haven for dust mites, and it compresses. Conventionally grown cotton uses fertilizers and pesticides and it is normally treated with fire retardant. Although it sounds nice, organic cotton will still absorb moisture, compress, and house dust mites; and it can become moldy.

Density: is a measurement of the mass per unit volume. Measured and expressed in pounds per cubic foot (pcf) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m3), density is one of the most important of all properties. Density is a function of the chemistry used to produce the foam and additives included with the foam chemistry. Density affects foam durability and support. Typically, the higher the polymer density, the better the foam will retain its original properties and provide the support and comfort it was originally designed to produce.

Dunlop: is a method used in producing latex mattresses. The serum is collected from rubber trees, then poured into a mold and baked. Dunlop is normally a natural process for producing latex, but not always.

Dust Mites: are in the arachnid family which includes spiders, scorpions and ticks. Dust mites feed on dead skin that sloughs from our bodies. They live their whole lives in mattresses, pillows, and in dark corner dust bunnies: hatching, growing, eating, defecating, mating, laying eggs. Yes, this is pretty gross. Dust mites do very well in fibers like cotton, wool, and polyester; they cannot survive in natural latex and don’t do well in memory foam, either. Allergies like rashes and trouble breathing are often attributable to dust mites.

Duvet: A duvet is a French word for “cover.” A duvet can be like a comforter, or it can also be similar to a pillow top mattress if it is removeable.

Fiber: are strands of material made from cotton, polyester, wool, or silk. Fiber is used extensively in mattresses. Strands of fiber have air between the strands. Fiber always compresses over time.

Foundation: is similar to a box spring except that it is rigid whereas a box spring is flexible.

Futon: is a bendable, foldable mattress that will fit into an upright frame. When the frame is upright, it is used as a couch. It is usually used as a couch during the day and a bed at night. Futons vary widely in price. A frame and mattress and cover can range from $200 - $1000 and higher. These days some futons are very comfortable, unlike most of those made prior to year 2000.

Hi-Density Foam: Foam measured with a density greater than 1.8.

Hi-Resiliency Foam: Also called HR Foam is foam with a density greater than 1.8.

IFD: Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) is a measurement of foam firmness. Firmness is independent of foam density, although it is often thought that higher density foams are firmer. It is possible to have high-density foams that are soft – or low-density foams that are firm, depending on the IFD specification. IFD specification relates to comfort. It is a measurement of the surface feel of the foam. IFD is measured by indenting (compressing) a foam sample 25 percent of its original height. The amount of force (in pounds) required to indent the foam is its 25 percent IFD measurement. The more force required, the firmer the foam. Flexible foam IFD measurements range from 10 pounds (supersoft) to about 80 pounds (very firm).

ILD: Indentation Load Deflection (ILD) is a measurement of foam firmness. Firmness is independent of foam density, although it is often thought that higher density foams are firmer. It is possible to have high density foams that are soft – or low density foams that are firm, depending on the ILD specification. ILD specification relates to comfort. It is a measurement of the surface feel of the foam. ILD is measured by indenting (compressing) a foam sample 25 percent of its original height. The amount of force (in pounds) required to indent the foam is its 25 percent ILD measurement. The more force required, the firmer the foam. Flexible foam ILD measurements range from 10 pounds (supersoft) to about 80 pounds (very firm).

Insomnia: is a sleep disorder referring to the problem of not being able to fall asleep or the problem of waking up too early. Everyone experiences periods of insomnia in his or her life. If the periods are prolonged and you feel daytime sleepiness, it is recommended that you consult a physician.

Knockoff: is a copy of the original. Xerox was the first company to come out with a copier. Other companies made knockoffs. Tempurpedic was the first company to come out with memory foam. Other companies have knockoffs, some good, some not so good.

Latex: comes from the rubber tree which only grows within about 700 miles from the equator. Latex is used in a wide variety of products from rubber bands to rubber gloves to latex used in mattresses.

Leggett & Platt:is the name of the company that makes most of the components for adjustable beds in the U.S., even when they are sold under different names like Tempur-Pedic and Craftmatic. Leggett and Platt is the manufacturer of all of our adjustable beds and handles all the warranties, including the S-cape model sold under the Tempur-Pedic brand name.

Mattress Industry: today is composed of 4 major categories—springs, air, water, and foam. Spring mattresses still hold most of the market share, followed by foam, air, and water. Each category has its own benefits and costs, suitable to different individual needs.

Memory Foam: is synonymous with visco-elastic foam. Tempur-pedic was the first company to use memory foam in mattresses. Many companies have gone to copying the material and using the generic name for it. This foam is an open cell foam that responds to the weight and heat of your body and relieves pressure. It comes in many thicknesses, densities, and different levels of softness and firmness (see ild).

Natural Latex: 100% pure, natural latex is a serum that is collected from the rubber tree and processed into sheets of latex. Pure latex is by far the most resilient material used in mattresses today. It is far more resilient than memory foam, Tempur material, and other fiber mattresses.

Pillow Top: is a mattress with a separate little mattress on the top. This concept was introduced in the 1970’s when soft waterbeds became popular. When all beds were firm, the pillow top idea made it possible to make a firm bed with a soft top to compete with soft waterbeds. Often filled with fiber, it is common for these to take body impressions and to compress. Often these body impressions are not under warranty. Pillow Top mattresses are normally sewn right to the mattress. The Savvy Sleeper recommends against fiber pillow tops. Foam pillow tops are usually ok.

Platform Bed: is a type of bed familiar to the futon industry where a wooden frame is used with slats that go across from side to side. When you use a platform bed, you don’t need a box spring or a foundation. You can place the mattress directly on the slats.

Pressure Relief: Traditional mattresses produce an upward pressure on your body, while your body has downward pressure from gravity. Where the 2 forces meet, especially in the shoulders and hips, you can experience pain from prolonged pressure. This pressure reduces circulation. The result can be pain, numbness, or soreness upon awakening. A true pressure relieving mattress will give more in those places where there is pressure, relieving those spots.

PureTouch: is the brand name used by Ther-a-pedic for all of their 100% pure and 100% natural latex beds.

Quilting: is the process used to sew fiber or foam to fabric. This product is then used to cover the top of a mattress. Quilting is done in different shapes; sometimes logos are sewn into the cover.

Racetracking: is the term for using firm foam around the perimeter of a bed. Sellers of this type of bed will tell you the advantage which is that you can easily sit on the side of the bed and put your socks on. True. Sometimes it is package as “perimeter support.” The real reason it is done is because it is cheap, and they can use less material on the real part of the bed, which is normally more expensive. In air beds and waterbeds it makes the bed less susceptible to the wave type motion—well, because there is less bed. The disadvantage of racetracking is that it reduces your sleep surface by anywhere from 15% - 25%.

Recovery Time : is the time it takes for a piece of foam to return to its original shape. Latex foam has a fast recovery time, and memory foam has a long recovery time. Along with ILD, the Recovery Time is one of the most important factors in determining comfort.

Sealy, Simmons, and Serta: are regarding as the Big 3 in bedding. Together they account for more than 95% of the bedding industry in the United States. Most of this is traditional bedding for hotels, dormitories, as well as consumers.

Silk: is a very strong material made from the silkworm. If you find this material in a mattress, most likely it is a very small amount and has little effect. An all silk mattress would require a nation of silworms on steroids.

Sleep by Number: is a smart marketing idea developed by Select Comfort, the largest manufacturer of air beds today (see air beds above). The idea is that you can adjust the level of firmness of your mattress by pumping more or less air into the bed. It works for some people, although most people find memory foam or latex more comfortable.

Spring Mattresses: were developed around 1900. The spring mattress revolutionized mattresses which formerly had been made of cotton or horsehair or other materials. The steel spring created a whole different feel as well as a different manufacturing process. In the past 15 - 20 years new ways of using springs, as well as new terminology and new marketing, have helped spring mattresses hold on to the majority of the mattress market.

Swedish Foam: is another term trademarked by Tempurpedic. It is the same as their memory foam which they like to call Tempur material.

Synthetic Latex: is sold under many different names. Because pure latex is expensive, most companies add clay and petro-chemicals to their latex to make the latex go farther. These chemicals can have harmful effects in our bodies.

Talalay: is one of the processes used in manufacturing latex. Usually chemicals are added in the process because it’s easier to work with than natural latex, but Talalay is technically a process, not necessarily a chemical process. When the latex is poured into the mold and the mold is closed, the material is then vacuumed, and then frozen. Manufacturers using the Talalay process claim that it makes a more consistent product than those using the Dunlop process, although the Dunlop process has been around a lot longer, and Dunlop mattresses have a record of having lasted up to 30 years.

Tempur Material: is the memory foam that the company Tempur-Pedic uses in their mattresses. As Tempur-Pedic has patented the material, they have also trademarked the name so no one else can legally use the term “Tempur material.” This material was designed originally by NASA to relieve pressure the astronauts experienced on takeoff and landing.

Tempur-Pedic: Refers to the company with the same name, as well as to the Tempurpedic mattress. Tempur-pedic was the first company to use memory foam or visco-elastic foam in mattresses.

Ther-a-pedic: is the 5th largest manufacturer of bedding in the U.S. and makes a complete range of bedding. Ther-a-pedic owns the PureTouch trademark, as well as the plantations in Indonesia where the rubber trees are grown and harvested.

Tufting: means that a cover is sewn from the top all the way to the bottom of the mattress. Tufting keeps layers of foam from shifting inside a futon mattress. Futons are usually tufted; traditional mattresses are quilted.

Visco-elastic Foam: Sometimes just called “visco,” it is synonymous with memory foam. Tempur-pedic was the first company to use visco-elastic foam in mattresses. Many companies have gone to copying the material and using the generic name for it. This foam is an open cell foam that responds to the weight and heat of your body and relieves pressure. It comes in many thicknesses, densities, and different levels of softness and firmness (see ifd).

Warranty: is a statement by the manufacturer that your mattress will retain certain qualities over a certain period of time, and what they will do about it. Although it may be relevant, warranties are largely marketing techniques. Sometimes warranties cover only “defects in materials and workmanship.” Sometimes they cover body impressions, sometimes not. Warranties are either full, meaning that they will replace the entire mattress; or they are pro-rated, meaning that you will bear part of the cost of the replacement. Warranties are written to read as if they protect you. When you realize that they are written by the manufacturer, it’s clear they are designed to help sell the most product at the least cost to them over the long term.

Waterbeds: is a category of beds that became popular in the 1970’s and took over 20% of the mattress market. Waterbeds altered for good the public perception that “firmer is better,” a myth generated by the mattress industry early on. Waterbeds now own a very small market percentage because of the entry of airbeds and a variety of foams, as well as problems with leaks and pumps.

Wool: comes from sheep, as if anyone didn’t know that. Although it is better than cotton because it does not absorb water as well and is dust mite resistant, it does compress.

Thanks to The Savvy Sleeper for use of their glossary.