We spend nearly a third of our lives sleeping, and yet most of the big foam mattress brands are made from petroleum-based polyurethane chemical adhesives and flame retardants. Time to move to a healthier option? Here the 10 of our favorite organic mattress brands.
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for your overall health and wellness. It’s during this time that your body recharges, heals, and prepares for the next day. Most adults generally sleep seven to eight hours per night. That averages out to about 2,920 hours a year. Basically we’re sleeping for about one-third of our lives. My point in all of this is that we spend a lot of time resting our little heads on our plush, comfy mattresses. Yet, most of us don’t spend half that much time, if any, thinking about mattresses. But maybe we should.Did you know that most convention mattresses on the market today contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to your health? We did a bit of digging for you and here’s what we found.
Toxins in your mattresses
Unfortunately your mattress might be making you sick. And it’s no wonder considering that chemicals such as antimony, formaldehyde, flame retardants, and boric acid, just to name a few (mercola), have been found in mattresses over the years. Constant exposure to these chemicals, also known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have been known to cause some pretty serious health problems.
What are VOCs?
According to the EPA, “VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids and include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects.”
When it comes to your mattress, VOCs, according to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology, “come mainly from the polyurethane [foam] used in the mattress” as well as “from other chemicals used in flame retardants and plastics.” (source) (source)
Some of the chemicals you’re most likely to encounter in conventional mattresses include
formaldehyde, a known carcinogenic used in polyurethane foam-based mattresses as an adhesive and organophosphates flame retardants. Flame retardants cause health risks that have been linked to “infertility, birth defects, neurodevelopmental delays, reduced IQ scores and behavioral problems in children, hormone disruptions, and various forms of cancer.” (mercola)
A study conducted by Duke University found that 90% of Americans have some level of flame-retardant chemicals in their bodies. (mercola) Yikes!
The good news is more brands are coming out with mattresses (and bedding materials) that are free of harmful chemicals. Plus, many of these “green” brands are being certified by third-party organizations that ensure brands are being held to the highest standards.
10 organic mattress brands that are non-toxic and all-natural
(**Note: each of these brands offer great all-natural organic mattresses. That said, not all mattresses are created equally, so you might have to try a few different brands before you find the mattress that works best for YOU!)
1. Green Avocado Mattress
We like to think of Avocado Mattresses as the “overachievers” of the green organic mattress industry. We’re kidding of course but these guys have seriously done some amazing work when it comes to providing their customers with the finest organic, natural, and non-toxic mattresses.
This is in part because they directly manage 4,000-plus acres of FSC® certified latex rubber tree plantations and co-own about 180,000 mountain-bred sheep in northern India. Not many mattress companies can say they farm and produce their own organic latex or sheep for wool.
Basically, their entire supply chain from farm to your home is as ethical, sustainable as it gets, not to mention they’re one of the few mattress brands that are certified Made Safe.
Read Ourgoodbrands full interview with Mark Abrials, CMO & Co-Founder of Avocado Green Mattress.
Materials Used: GOLS organic certified latex, GOTS organic certified wool, GOTS organic certified cotton, and GOTS organic certified kapok fiber.
Certifications: GOTS Organic Certified ; Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) ; USDA Organic; FSC Certified; Climate Neutral//Net Zero Carbon Emissions; GREENGUARD Gold; Formaldehyde Free, Eco-Institut; OEKO-TEX; Made Safe Certified.
Pricing:
Twins start at $959 – California King $1,700
Vegan Twin: $240 – California King $1,700
Luxe Crib Mattress: $1,249
2. Sleep on Latex
Founded by two brothers, Karl and Ezra, Sleep on Latex Mattresses are some of the most affordable and accessible eco-friendly organic mattresses on the market today! Made out of GOTS certified organic cotton, GOTS wool, and Pure Green® Latex Foam (certified by both Oeko-Tex and eco-Institut) these mattresses are designed, sewn, assembled, and packaged in their Chicago-based factory.
Creating their products in-house and keeping their margins low makes it possible for Sleep on Latex to sell their mattresses at a more affordable rate and to provide you with the best buying experience. We love what these two brothers have created and think you will too! 
Materials: Sleep on Latex Mattresses are free of any synthetic latex, fillers, or fire retardants. Made of Pure Green® Latex Foam, 100% GOTS certified cotton fabric, and GOTS certified wool.
Certifications: Pure Green® Latex Foam is certified by both Oeko-Tex and eco-Institut. GREENGUARD Gold Certificate applies to Pure Green Mattress and Pure Green Mattress Topper, i.e., the complete products.
Price: Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress: Twin $595 – Cali King $1,195
3. My Green Mattress
My Green Mattress was created by mattress craftsman Tim Masters who was looking for a solution to help his daughter Emily who, as a baby, suffered from eczema and environmental allergies. Today, thanks to the mattresses her dad created, Emily is doing just fine!
And it’s no surprise either… My Green Mattresses are handmade in their family-owned and operated GOTS and GOLS certified organic factory in the Midwest using nothing but the most natural materials. They also offer all-natural latex free mattresses for anyone suffering latex allergies. 
Materials: GOTS organic cotton, GOTS organic wool, GOLS certified organic and OEKO-TEX certified Dunlop latex.
Certifications: GOTS/GOLS Organic Factory, GOTS organic Wool, GOTS organic cotton, GOLS, Eco-Institute, OEKO-Tex, Green Guard, eco-institut, UL Compliance, UL Lab, Carbon Neutral Certified.
Prices: Varies by style — starts at $639 for adults and $289 for babies.
4. Happsy
While Happsy may only offer one style of mattress, this is one brand you don’t want to overlook. If you’re looking for an all-natural, MADE SAFE Certified mattress that’s manufactured in an organic mattress factory, look no further — Happsy has got you covered!
Not to mention this brand also partners with 1% for the planet and Women’s Voices for Earth (WVE), an organization committed to educating and inspiring women to eliminate toxic chemicals from their daily lives. 
Materials: GOTS certified Organic Cotton, GOTS Organic Wool, GOLS Latex, and pocketed springs.
Certifications: Forest Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance, Green America, GREENGUARD GOLD, Formaldehyde Free, Zero Toxics, MADE SAFE, GOTS, GOLS
Pricing: Twin: $899 – Cal King: $1,700
5. Savvy Rest
One of the many things we love about Savvy Rest mattresses, other than the fact that all their mattresses are made out of non-toxic and all-natural materials, is that you have the freedom to personally customize your mattress to your liking. Not only can you choose from a wide variety of “firmness” options but you can also individually customize each side, i.e., great for couples who have different preferences when it comes to mattress firmness.
Savvy Rest is also extremely environmentally and socially focused partnering with organizations such as the American Forests, an organization that helps to restore and maintain threatened ecosystems (to-date they’ve planted 23,835 trees) and by donating to organizations such as Carbonfund.org to help offset their annual estimated carbon emissions. They’ve also partnered with local emergency shelters to donate pillows to those seeking refuge from domestic violence (to-date they’ve donated more than 3,000 pillows).
Materials: Natural latex, Certified organic wool, Certified organic cotton.
Certifications: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), GREENGUARD GOLD , GOTS, Green America, eco-institut
Price: Varies by style — starts at $999 for adults and $399 for babies.
6. PlushBeds
Ethically manufactured in a GOTS and GOLS organic certified production factory in California, these mattresses are made out of CertiPur-US© certified PlushFoam™ and natural latex. Plush Beds also offers all-natural RV and sofa bed mattresses, which makes them pretty unique in that niche. To top it off, you can rest assured that all of their mattresses are GreenGuard Gold and eco-institut certified.
Materials: PlushFoam™ certified CertiPur-US©, GOTS certified organic cotton, GOTS certified organic wool, and GOLS certified latex.
Certification: GreenGuard Gold, GOTS, eco-INSTITUT Certified, and CertiPUR-US Certified Foam
Pricing:
Natural Latex Mattress: $999-$1,099
Memory Foam Mattress: $1,199 – $1,849
Sofa Bed Mattress: $299 – $449
7. Birch
Comfy? Eco-friendly? All-natural? Check, check, check. Not only are all Birch mattresses certified OEKO-TEX, eco-INSTITUT, GREENGUARD Gold but 1% of all Birch sales are donated to the National Forest Foundation to support their effort to plant 50 million trees across our national forests by 2023. How many mattresses can boast about that!? Not to mention that their natural latex is certified by the Rainforest Alliance. 
Materials: organic cotton, natural Talalay latex, and organic wool
Certification: OEKO-TEX and eco-INSTITUT Certified GREENGUARD Gold Certified
Pricing: Twin: $1,049 – CAL King $1,799
8. Obasan
We would define Obasan mattresses as the “haute couture” of organic mattresses. Ethically handcrafted in a certified organic factory in Ottawa, Canada, these mattresses are made using only the finest materials — GOTS certified Peruvian organic cotton, GOTS-certified organic Argentinian wool, and organic latex.
Similar to Savvy Rest, Obasan mattresses can be individually tailored to meet your personal needs. Plus, it’s easily modifiable so if at any point you decide you want to change the firmness of your mattress, you can do so without having to buy a completely new mattress.
Materials: Peruvian Organic Cotton (GOTS), Organic Argentinian Wool (GOTS), Sri Lankan Organic Latex (GOLS)
Certifications: GOTS certified Organic Cotton and Organic Wool, GOLS latex
Pricing: Starting at $2,899 USD
9. Naturepedic
While Naturepedic creates mattresses for the whole family this is one brand that knows a thing or two about creating all-natural children’s mattresses. In fact, Naturepedic is best known for having created the first and only food-grade waterproof organic baby crib mattress. We think that’s pretty genius! Not to mention that in 2006 EWG awarded the brand with the EWG Hero award in “recognition for their work in leading the movement of children’s environmental health in the private sector.”
Based out of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Naturepedic mattresses are MADE SAFE certified and, of course, use only the most natural materials.
Get a 15% discount using the code OURGOODBRANDS
Materials: GOTS certified organic wool, GOTS certified organic cotton, and GOLS Organic latex.
Certifications: Global Organic Latex Standard, Global Organic Textile Standard, Organic Exchange OCS100 Certification (ensures proper tracking of organic material from its source to the finished product, MADE SAFE, GREENGUARD Gold, Forest Stewardship Council®, Rainforest Alliance
Pricing:
Babies: $259 – $399
Kids: Twin: $699 – Queen: $1,299
Adults: Queen: $1,999 – Cal King: $3,999
* They have a luxury organic brand that ranges between $3,000 for twin and $9,999 for CalKing.
Get a 15% discount using the code OURGOODBRANDS
10. Awara
The Awara is a hybrid mattress made from a combination of both natural latex and individually wrapped coils. This combo helps to reduce motion transfer while you’re sleeping while simultaneously allowing for maximum breathability.
Another unique selling point of the Awara mattress is that you can “take it on a trial run” for an entire year! Although from the reviews we’ve read, it’s so comfortable that you won’t want to return it. And of course the Awara mattress is free of harmful chemicals and made from the most natural and earth friendly materials.
Bonus?! Every time you purchase a mattress, ten trees are planted to help restore forests in Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, Guinea, and/or Tanzania.
Materials: Rainforest Alliance-Certified Dunlop latex, 100% Organic Cotton and Certified 100% Organic Wool fiber from New Zealand, water-based adhesive rather than a synthetic-based
Certifications: Rainforest Alliance Certified, No Formaldehydes, GOTS Certified 100% Organic Wool fiber from New Zealand Certified Organic Latex
Pricing: Twin: $899 – Cal King: $1,399
11. Eco Terra Beds
Eco Terra Beds is an eco-friendly organic mattress, proudly using no synthetics, polyurethane-free and chemical-free. These mattresses are crafted using 100% plant-derived latex foam, which is sustainably harvested from the sap of the Hevea brasilienesis rubber tree and sourced from some of the most environmentally conscious natural latex farms in the world.
The brand believes that a non-toxic, chemical-free mattress shouldn’t have to come with a high price tag. That’s why with in-house manufacturing and direct delivery, and partners directly with sustainable farmers and handcraft in-house right in California, cutting out the middle men and unnecessary cost. Eco Terra Beds offers a 90-nights free trial.
Materials: 100% GOTS certified Organic Cotton and Wool
Certifications: GOTS Certified 100% Organic Wool and Cotton.
Pricing: Twin: $749 – Cal King: $1,249
12. Latex For Less
Latex For Less has a wide range of organic & natural sleeping products, including mattresses, toppers, pillows and adjustable bases. All of their products are made from 100% natural, plant-derived latex with zero petroleum additives. The natural latex is complemented with organic cotton and California wool.
In developing the Latex For Less mattress, the brand wanted to ensure it was natural, incredibly comfortable, and also affordable – spending over ten years of research, testing, and refinement.
They partner directly with farmers in Sri Lanka to ensure fair trade conditions and handcraft in-house, California, to ensure your new mattress arrives with every stitch perfectly in place. The mattresses are build to last, therefore Latex For Less offers a 120 Night free trial and a 20-year warranty.
Materials: Natural Latex, organic cotton and California wool
Certifications: no information available.
Pricing: Twin: $799 – Queen: $999 – Cal King: $1,499
Organic certifications to look for before purchasing your mattress
If you’re in the market for a mattress here are a few of the third-party certification labels you’ll want to look for.
- Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS): To achieve GOLS certification, a product must contain more than 95% of certified organic raw material. (source)
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): GOTS ensures the organic status of textiles from the harvesting of the raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing all the way to labelling. The standard covers the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading, and distribution of all textiles made from at least 70% certified organic natural fibres. (source)
- GREENGUARD Gold Certified: GREENGUARD Certification ensures that a product has met some of the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low emissions of VOCs into indoor air. This certificate gives assurance that products designed for use in indoor spaces meet strict chemical emissions limits, which contribute to the creation of healthier interiors. GOLD-level certification includes additional requirements for vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly. (source)
- MADE SAFE The MADE SAFE® seal means that a product is literally Made With Safe Ingredients™ not known or suspected to harm human health, animals, or ecosystems. Certified products are screened for known behavioral toxins, carcinogens, developmental toxins, endocrine disruptors, flame retardants, heavy metals, neurotoxins, high risk pesticides, reproductive toxins, toxic solvents, or harmful VOCs. (source)
- ECO-INSTITUT Label for low-pollutant and low-emission indoor products (source)
- OEKO-TEX If a textile article carries the STANDARD 100 label, you can be certain that every component of this article, e.g., every thread, button, and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article, therefore, is harmless in human ecological terms. (source)
- The CertiPUR-US® seal is your assurance that the foam in your mattress has been tested and is made without ozone depleters, PBDEs (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers), TDCPP (Tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl)phosphate) or TCEP (tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine), flame retardants, mercury, lead and heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Low VOC emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million) (source)
Have you ever considered purchasing an organic mattress before? What is your favorite brand? Share in the comments below!
If you are interested in all sleeping habits read more here.
This post has been written in collaboration with Madeleine Wisecup and Ourgoodbrands.
Very good info, however I think you should update it to include more
info about fiberglass. I had to buy a mattresses for my kid when she
outgrew her crib and I was surprised to learn that many memory foam
mattresses have fiberglass in them! The fiberglass is in loose strands
and only contained by the manufacturer’s slipcover and after it gets
released it goes into hvac systems and people have had to get rid of
their homes or have them gutted to get rid of all the fibers! What a
nightmare… So to help people I put my research about it on my
computer/electronics blog if you want to check out the post here.