Many mattresses contain harsh fire-retardant chemicals and inexpensive synthetic fabrics. Are these mattresses safe for you to lie on for 8 hours every night?
Only a few mattress companies sell 100% organic mattresses. Most mattress companies use a mix of natural and synthetic materials. An organic mattress doesn’t contain harsh chemicals—it meets fire safety standards with sustainable materials. An organic mattress doesn’t have cheap synthetic material—it is sewn and filled with all-natural, organically-grown materials.
Our team has scoured the internet to catalog the best organic mattress options for consumers that we could find. We’ve sorted the options by mattress type, brands, local stores in major cities, and finally mattresses for children and mattress/pillow topper options.
Here’s the full menu, or scroll down if you want to read everything:
Organic Mattress Options:
100% Organic Mattresses
Best Organic Mattress Stores
Other Mattress Types:
Types Of Organic Mattresses
Organic Latex Mattresses
Organic mattress makers use latex as a replacement for memory foam. Memory foam conforms to your body, giving you a cradling feeling—it’s like you’re sinking into sleep. The drawback: It’s made of polyurethane, a man-made material that’s manufactured via complex chemical reactions. Polyurethane can cause skin breakouts and breathing problems. Some memory foam mattress owners even report a smell called “off-gassing” coming from their memory foam mattress.
Latex provides a similar feeling to memory foam, but it’s produced from organic rubber without using any man-made chemicals.
Lifekind’s The Euro — Certified Organic Natural Rubber Latex Mattress
Foam: Certified organic latex
Exterior: GOTS-certified organic wool and cotton
Certifications: GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) and Greenguard.
Organic Cotton Mattresses
The typical mattress exterior, or “quilting,” is made from polyester. Polyester isn’t organic or biodegradable. Choose an organic cotton mattress and you’ll be supporting the fast-growing organic cotton industry and reducing your impact on the planet. Organic mattress makers use cotton as a fill for mattresses as well as for the mattress exterior. Typically a small amount of wool is used for softness and flame resistance.
Naturepedic Chorus
Filling: USDA-certified organic cotton and organic wool certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
“Comfort layer”: Polylactide (PLA), a type of polyester made from plants. Theirs is made from non-GMO potatoes.
Microcoils: Made withoubt glues and adhesives.
Certifications: Certified organic by the Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) to GOTS, and Greenguard Gold certified.
Organic Wool Mattresses
Many organic mattresses use small amounts of wool as a topper to provide cushion in cotton mattresses. You can also buy whole mattresses made entirely out of wool. Natural wool is incredibly plush, regulates heat well in all seasons, and its structure makes it hypoallergenic. Wool is also naturally fire resistant, eliminating the need for chemicals.
Pastoral
Savvy Rest’s latex-free mattress. It’s filled with organic wool batting.
Other Organic Mattress Materials
Organic manufacturers use other materials to provide comfort and to meet fire-resistance standards. Naturepedic uses PLA, a biodegradable plastic, which they produce from non-GMO, organic potatoes.
Coco-Mat constructs mattresses using layers of coconut coir, a sturdy material manufactured from the fibers on the husks. Other manufacturers use palm tree coir.
Organic Mattress Brands
Naturepedic Organic Mattress
In 2004, an environmental engineer wanted his first grandchild to have a chemical-free crib mattress. At the time, building his own was the only option. Now Naturepedic makes mattresses for all ages, at their factory in suburban Cleveland. You can buy Naturepedic mattresses on their website, on Amazon, at one of their retail partners, or, if you live near one of their six North American showrooms, you can buy one there.
All Naturepedic mattresses are:
- Certified to the UL/GREENGUARD Gold standard for chemical emissions,
- Certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and/or the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)
- OCS100 Organic Content Standard Confirmed Formaldehyde Free
- Validated by the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Environment Certification Program to meet the UL formaldehyde-free standard
- Certified by Rainforest Alliance for Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Chain of Custody of natural latex that meets FSC standards.
- Certified MADE SAFE, which means a product has been made with ingredients not known or suspected to cause human health harm.
Naturepedic Chorus
Filling: USDA-certified organic cotton and organic wool certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
“Comfort layer”: Polylactide (PLA), a type of polyester made from plants. Theirs is made from non-GMO potatoes.
Microcoils: Made without glues and adhesives.
Certifications: Certified organic by the Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) to GOTS, and Greenguard Gold certified.
Naturepedic EOS Series
Filling: USDA-certified organic cotton and organic wool certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
“Comfort layer”: Polylactide, a type of polyester made from plants. Theirs is made from non-GMO potatoes.
Foam: Latex certified by the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), wrapped in organic cotton.
Microcoils: (optional, if you decline latex): Made without glues and adhesives, wrapped in PLA.
Naturepedic Luxury Series
Filling: USDA-certified organic cotton and organic wool certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
“Comfort layer”: Polylactide, a type of polyester made from plants. Theirs is made from non-GMO potatoes.
Foam: Latex certified by the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), wrapped in organic cotton.
Microcoils: (optional, if you decline latex): Made without glues and adhesives, wrapped in PLA.
Support coils: Wrapped in certified organic cotton.
The Luxury series is only sold at Naturepedic retailers.
Lifekind Organic Mattress
Lifekind president Walter Bader is also author of Toxic Bedrooms: Your Guide to a Safe Night’s Sleep. Lifekind specializes in latex mattresses.
All Lifekind mattresses are:
- Made from GOLS standard latex.
- Have a GOTS-certified wool cover.
- Made from pure organic natural rubber, not coils.
- Meet the GREENGUARD product emission standard.
The Euro — Certified Organic Natural Rubber Latex Mattress
Foam: Certified organic latex
Exterior: GOTS-certified organic wool and cotton
Certifications: Certified organic to GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) and meets the Greenguard product emission standard.
Savvy Rest Organic Mattress
Savvy Rest was founded by a yoga teacher who thought the chemicals in mattresses were keeping him from getting a decent night’s sleep. All mattress materials are certified organic, as are the mattresses themselves. Savvy Rest’s flagship mattress is made with 3 layers of latex—and is fully custom-made. When you buy, you choose how firm you want each layer to be.
All Savvy Rest mattresses are:
- Certified GREENGUARD GOLD
- Made with GOTS-certified organic cotton fabric and wool batting.
- Made with latex from rubber tree farms that are certified organic to U.S. standards, processed according to GOLS, and pure enough to receive Eco Institut and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification.
Savvy Rest is employee-owned, and a B corporation—meaning that they are incorporated in order to provide benefits to society, not just to making profits. They are serious about certification, you can actually read their test results on their site.
Serenity: Savvy Rest’s “Flagship” Mattress
Foam: Three 3″ layers of natural latex.
Exterior: Organic cotton casing, with organic wool batting quilted in.
Unity Pillowtop
It’s Savvy Rest’s Serenity mattress with an extra latex topper on top.
Tranquility
Two layers of 3″ latex rather than the three layers in the Serenity mattress.
Recommended for kids or small adults.
Pastoral
Savvy Rest’s latex-free mattress. It’s filled with organic wool batting.
Essentia
A former latex foam manufacturer founded Essentia when he couldn’t get big brands interested in a more natural product. Essentia foam mattresses are made with natural Dunlop latex, made from rubber tree sap. They use certified organic essential oils in their foam as well. The mattress covering is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton. Also certified to the Oeko-Tex standard.
Energie Opus
A delicate, plush mattress—comes with 3 inches of natural memory foam above their natural latex support core.
Beausommet
A firm mattress that still contours to the body, comes with their Wholebody Recovery technology—designed to help athletes recover faster.
Dormeuse
They call it “the ultimate soft mattress.” Supports a deep contour, along with Essentia’s Wholebody Recovery technology.
Eco-Friendly Mattresses
None of these companies claims to make a 100% organic mattress, but all tout their use of eco-friendly materials—and their mattresses are much more affordable.
Holy Lamb Organics
Mattresses are made from the company’s “Eco-Wool,” which is not certified organic. Holy Lamb says that very little organic wool is available in the U.S. “We believe supporting USA sheep farmers through our Sustainable Wool Program is a more sustainable choice as a manufacturer.”
Saatva
Coils made with recycled steel. They use bio-based foams, and organic cotton coverings.
Zenhaven by Saatva
The Zenhaven mattress core is 100% Talalay latex, processed in the U.S.A.,, with a layer of organic wool as a flame-retardant barrier, and an organic cotton cover. Their latex is harvested sustainably from rubber trees. Offer a 75-day home trial.
Loom & Leaf by Saatva
Made with American-made, plant-based foams, with an organic cotton outer covering, and natural thistle flame retardant. CertiPUR-US certified. 75-day home trial.
Dromma
Made from three layers of “soy-based Eco-friendly Memory Foam technology.”
Winkbeds
A memory foam bed from a company with a distinct attitude. Here’s what they say about their materials: “Yes, all of the foam in our bed is CertiPUR-US certified, which means our beds are made without ozone-depleters, PBDE flame retardants, mercury, lead and heavy metals, formaldehyde, prohibited phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or anything else that sounds even a little bit evil.”
Casper
This memory foam mattress uses a silica thread fire sock rather than chemical fire-retardant. Their foams are laminated with a Greenguard-certified, water-based adhesive. All their foam is CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. Named one of Time Magazine’s best inventions of 2015. They offer a 100-night free trial.
Crave
Made with bio-based foam certified by CertiPUR-US.
Tuft & Needle
Their T&N Adaptive Foam mattress is made with a polyfoam that CertiPUR testing has shown to be free of harmful chemicals. The mattress has a fabric-based fire barrier rather than chemical flame retardants. Tuft & Needle offer a 10-year warranty and 100-day trial, and tout their product as “the Internet’s most-loved mattress.”
Bear
Bear Mattresses are designed for athletes. They claim that their graphite-gel infused memory foam keeps their mattress cooler than other latex mattresses, promoting recovery. CertiPUR-US certified.
Brentwood Home
Their mattresses, hand-crafted in their Los Angeles workshops, contain “no chemical fire retardants, no phthalates, ozone depleters, or heavy metals.”
Hästens
This Swedish company has been making luxury mattresses stuffed with natural horsehair since 1852. The mattresses can cost more than $25,000. Their materials are certified to the OEKO-TEX Standard 100.
Only available at Hästens retail stores
My Green Mattress
Use GOTS-certified organic cotton, natural wool from New Zealand, and no dangerous flame retardants. They do use a small amount of polyester in their wool batting, so the mattresses are not 100% organic.
Signature Sleep
Mattresses made with CertiPUR-US certified foam. Their 8-inch foam and encased coil mattress is Amazon’s #1 best-seller.
Shepherd’s Dream
Shepherd’s Dream uses their “Premium Eco Wool,” a blend of seven different wool types, to create the best experience possible. These products are meant to last a lifetime, and Shepherd’s Dream believes in making their products 100% natural.
Perfect Cloud Memory Foam Mattress
Mattresses made with CertiPUR-US certified foam. All mattresses are low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound).
Leesa
Leesa does not claim to use organic materials, but they plant one tree for every mattress they sell, and donate one mattress to a homeless shelter for every ten they sell.
Ikea
Ikea says they are making more of their products using sustainable materials and reducing their use of chemical flame retardants, but none of their mattresses are certified organic.
Ikea says they are making more of their products using sustainable materials and reducing their use of chemical flame retardants, but none of their mattresses are certified organic.
Serta
Serta touts the use of recycled steel in their springs, wood sourced from sustainable forests, and says that “most” of the fabrics used in their covers as well as their latex meets the Oeko-Tex 100 standard.
L.A. Baby Crib Mattresses
Some L.A. Baby mattresses contain organically-produced materials, but the company does not claim to produce a mattress made entirely from organic materials.
The Best Places To Buy Organic and Eco-Friendly Mattresses
Top NYC Organic Mattress Stores
- Long’s Bedding and Interiors, 121 W 72nd St.
- Essentia, 36 W 34th St.
- Keetsa Eco-Friendly Mattresses, 69 Mercer St.
- The Hästens Store, 5 Manhattan Locations
Top Seattle Organic Mattress Stores
- Bedrooms & More, 300 NE 45th St.
- Seattle Natural Mattress, 4033 Aurora Ave N.
- Essentia, 2008 1st Ave.
- Soaring Heart Natural Beds, 101 Nickerson St., Seattle; 10000 Main St., Bellevue.
Top Denver Organic Mattress Stores
- The Natural Sleep Store, 928 W. 8th Ave.
- Urban Mattress, 745 S. Colorado Blvd.
- Essentia, 144 Steele St.
Top San Diego Organic Mattress Stores
- Al Davis Furniture, 1601 University Ave
- Pure-Rest Organics, 9541 Ridgehaven Ct.
Top Los Angeles Organic Mattress Stores
- PJs Sleep & Home, 415 N. Fairfax Ave.
- Naturepedic Organic Mattress Gallery, 453 S. Robertson Blvd.
- Keetsa Eco-Friendly Mattresses, 1221 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice
- Essentia, 2430 Main St., Santa Monica
- The Hästens Store, 302 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica; 8827 Beverly Blvd, Beverly Hills
Top San Francisco / Bay Area Organic Mattress Stores
- Essentia, 1799-D Fourth St., Berkeley
- Keetsa Eco-Friendly Mattresses, 68 Division St. San Francisco; 2117 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
Top Chicago Organic Mattress Stores
- North Shore Bedding, 984 Willow Road, Suite H, Northbrook
- Essentia, 2118 North Halsted St.
Top Austin Organic Mattress Stores
- Austin Natural Mattress, 750 Burnet Rd., Austin; 12600 Hill Country Rd, Bee Cave.
Organic Mattress Accessories
Organic Mattress Pads and Toppers
The terms mattress pad and mattress topper are synonymous—all pads are toppers, all toppers are also pads. Lately, “toppers” has become the more popular word to use. But the important question is, what do you want your organic pad/topper for?
Organic pads/toppers for comfort
Organic toppers made of cotton, wool, or latex can make your bed just a little more fluffy. Think of them as a little enhancer for your organic mattress…optional, but possibly worth it. Some pads/toppers also wick away moisture to help you stay cool as you sleep.
Holy Lamb Organics Ultimate Wool Mattress Topper
A deep, plush, pillow top. Creates a natural sleeping surface on top of any mattress. Made from Holy Lamb’s exclusive Eco-Wool, sourced from Western U.S. sheep.
Organic pads/toppers for protection
Organic pads/toppers provide some protection against mattress stains from typical use, but if you anticipate a big mess, buy a waterproof mattress protector. If you’re buying for a baby or toddler, you definitely want a waterproof, washable protector to prevent accidents.
For adults, organic mattress protectors can be a good idea for many reasons:
- Protection against stains from excessive sweating or other nocturnal emissions
- Protection against dust mites or other creepy crawlies
- Protection against food spills, if you eat or drink in bed
- Protection against pet accidents
Now, neither cotton nor wool are ever waterproof. So, waterproof organic mattress protectors usually incorporate the chemically-produced plastic polyurethane. For true waterproof protection, only plastic will do.
Naturepedic Organic Waterproof Fitted Protector Pad
A fitted protector made almost entirely from Naturepedic’s certified organic cotton, plus a thin layer of their “DrySleep” material—a “specially formulated polyurethane waterproof barrier that is proven not to leach harmful chemicals.” Naturepedic’s DrySleep plastic passes the same tests as plastic that touches food.
Organic Baby Mattresses
Babies sleep more than adults, and they tend to sleep in smaller, more confined spaces. They often sleep on mattresses with just a single fitted sheet, too, putting them in closer contact with the mattress itself.
It’s more than a little scary then, to learn that baby mattresses release significant amounts of volatile organic compounds, some of the same chemicals found in household cleaners. If you wouldn’t spritz your baby with 409 while they sleep, you may want to consider buying them an organic mattress.
Organic Crib Mattress
The usual caveats apply when buying a organic mattress for a crib:
- Test your mattress to make sure it’s going to fit in your crib.
- Buy a waterproof, washable cover that fits tightly over the mattress, because babies gonna baby.
- If you buy at a store, double-check the materials in the crib on the label. You can take the salesperson’s word for it if you want, but government-validated facts are an arm’s length away.
You have the same choices when buying a crib mattress that you do for adult mattresses—latex, cotton, wool, even coconut coir versions are all available. Some experts advise against buying latex or memory foam mattresses for babies, due to the risk of suffocation.
Organic Pack N Play Mattress
Pack N Play or portable organic mattresses are meant to be light and stain-resistant. Almost all are made from organic cotton, the lightest natural material. No one wants to be hauling coconut around.
Organic Toddler Mattress
Toddler mattresses and baby mattresses are the same size. Once baby is ready to move out of the crib (between the ages of 1 1/2 and 3), a trip to the store will reveal the exact same choices you made while they were in the womb. The only difference in the sleeping situation is that after your baby turns one they can safely sleep with blankets and in softer mattresses. Once it’s time to leave the crib, their mattress can come with them.
Naturepedic No Compromise Organic Cotton Crib Mattress
Many crib mattresses claim to be made from organic cotton. Most have organic cotton covers, but are filled with foam or polyester.
The original leader in crib mattresses offers a crib mattress that’s certified organic, comes with a lifetime warranty, and uses zero fire-retardant chemicals. At just 10 lbs., it’s light enough to be portable. And it’s two-sided, with a firm side for babies and a softer side once they are older.
