Best Eco-friendly Mattresses (April 2024) - Rated by CherryPicks' Experts

The ultimate Guide to Choosing a Healthy, Eco-Friendly Mattress, According to Sleep experts

When it comes to eco-friendly mattresses, we think it is important to think about both the environmental impact on our beautiful planet and the impact on indoor air pollution in your home and to your health. We cover these factors in the buying guide, separating the scare tactics from scientific evidence to help you make a knowledgeable and savvy decision about which mattresses you want to trust with your health and the health of the planet.

The safety of your mattress is at least as important for your long-term health as the safety features in your car.

The rules for adult mattresses aren’t as restrictive as those for crib mattresses. If your children cuddle with you in your bed or you co-sleep with an infant, you want to be sure your bed is safe for your child.

Because part of being a good steward of the environment is giving back, we will also look at whether the mattresses we recommend give back to the environment or other charities.

Our reviews will focus on three aspects: eco-friendliness, health friendliness, and give back programs. Detailed reviews that go into other aspects of the mattresses are elsewhere on our site.

The number of organic, eco-conscious, health-conscious, and vegan mattresses on the market has improved significantly. Unlike most mattress stores, online mattress retailers provide detailed information about the ingredients used in their mattresses.

Terms

One of the first things to know is that the government hasn’t mandated specific definitions for all the terms you might run into in your search for a healthy eco-friendly mattress. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published Green Guidelines in an attempt to define and eliminate deceptive advertising relating to green and eco-friendly advertising claims.

The FTC Green Guidelines state that a claim that a product is non-toxic implies that the product, package, or service is non-toxic both for humans and for the environment generally.

What is Organic?

Many people may know that the USDA certifies organic foods. What they may not know is that the organic certification standards do not apply to non-food items yet.

The lack of specific regulations for organic labeling for non-food products means that you have to trust the manufacturer and the non-governmental certifying organizations. You can find details about the certifying organizations elsewhere on our site.

Organic products should be free of chemicals, pesticide residue, and not harm the environment. Ideally, the production of organic products will be good for the environment.

Products can be labeled with different degrees of organic including certain parts that are organic, such as the cotton used in the cover for a mattress, 100% organic which means at least 95% organic, or a more generic “organic” label that could mean a lot of different things and unless its meaning is disclosed, tells you very little.

What is Eco-friendly?

Eco-friendly refers to products that are Earth-friendly because they do not harm the environment. The term is not well-defined and could refer to a product that has less impact on the environment than comparable products.

Because the term is not legally defined, having just one aspect that is better than similar products could be enough for the marketing team to use this term. Those benefits can be to the air, water, or land, or involve using less energy and water during production or delivery.

Eco-friendly covers the entire lifespan of a product including seeds that are not genetically engineered or treated with fungicide to the use of packaging materials that are eco-friendly and biodegradable. The product itself, such as a latex mattress, should also be biodegradable or recyclable.

Eco-friendly can be part of the process, such as a latex mattress being biodegradable, even if the latex didn’t meet the definition for being produced organically.

Although Earth-friendly is generally healthier for the Earth’s inhabitants, it doesn’t refer specifically to being healthy for humans who come in contact with the product.

You could say Eco-friendly means the impact on the environment is reduced.

Products that are generally eco-friendly include latex, bio-foam, soy-foam, and natural fibers used as fire retardants. Thistle, wool, polylactic acid (PLA), leather, or hydrated silica can be used to create a fire sock or barrier for mattresses that don’t have adverse health effects. They can also use tight weaves and blends of fibers to improve its resistance to fire.

Eco-friendly does not mean that the product doesn’t create a carbon footprint at all, that it is recycled or recyclable, that it is healthy for humans, that it is biodegradable, or that the shipping process has the lowest possible impact on the environment. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t contribute to indoor or outdoor air pollution, or that it is made from renewable resources.

Because the term is not legally defined, it is often used when a product reduces these impacts, sometimes as little as a 10% reduction in one area. Eco-friendly is good but it doesn’t mean its perfect.

What is Green?

Green refers primarily to the product’s impact on the environment. Many people perceive green products as healthier for humans and in the long run, environmentally speaking, they are. But green doesn’t encompass all aspects of human health. You could have a green mattress that provides awful support for the body and doesn’t allow you to relax as you sleep, thereby damaging your own health. The environment is important, but your own health should be of as much concern to you.

Green loosely refers to products that are eco-friendly. The term is not legally defined so it really means anything the manufacturer or marketing department believes they can get away with making it mean. By itself, labeling a product green doesn’t provide any assurance that the product is environmentally safe or healthy for humans.

What is Healthy?

Healthy generally means that it won’t harm you. In some cases, it means it will improve your health. It’s not easy to define something as healthy because a mattress can be both healthy and potentially unhealthy. A mattress that helps you sleep better is healthy in that respect. If it also contains a flame retardant that poses a potential risk to your health, it has the potential to be unhealthy for you in that respect.

This is a complex issue. The only way to make an informed decision is to understand the potential health benefits as well as the potential risks to your health. Many types of glue, chemicals, and synthetic fabrics can pose health risks and add to indoor air pollution.

Quality of Sleep

Unless a mattress is known to be unhealthy rather than just posing a potential health risk, this is the most important overall aspect of a mattress. The ability to sleep well is critically important because poor quality and inadequate sleep damage physical and mental health much faster than negligible amounts of toxins. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of accidents which can be deadly to you or others.

The health effects of inadequate sleep are significant. Read more about the effects

of sleep deprivation.

How are Mattress Manufacturers “Going Green”?

The old way was ecologically innocent because manufacturers and consumers didn’t know that the materials they used could harm people or the environment. We are no longer environmentally innocent.

Consumers are demanding the right response from manufacturers, voting with their pocketbooks, and their blog articles. Manufacturers are responding by creating products that use more natural, organic, and safe materials.

Charitable (Giving Back)

One way many mattress manufacturers are upping their green game is by giving back to communities and supporting ecologically friendly non-profit organizations.

Maintaining the Health of Your Mattress

In addition to buying a healthy mattress, there are things you can do to maintain the health of your mattress. The entire outer layer of your skin sheds every 2 – 4 weeks. We shed tens of thousands of cells every hour.

In the circle of life, our dead skin cells become food for dust mites who can inhabit our mattress and dine on our shed skin cells. That all sounds very symbiotic until you realize that the mites defecate in our mattresses. They also reproduce rapidly. That’s where the symbiotic relationship ends because the fecal material from dust mites can cause health problems in humans.

Vacuuming your mattress regularly and, if the cover is removable, washing it, will help minimize the dust mites living in your bed.

A full mattress encasement cover that can be removed and washed will protect your mattress from spills, mites, and bed bugs. Healthy mattress encasements help you keep your mattress fresh and are affordable enough to replace if they become too worn. You want to be sure the mattress encasement doesn’t contain phthalates or other unhealthy ingredients. I prefer ones made from bamboo.

Pay careful attention to how mattresses you consider purchasing are described. Mattress manufacturers may use wording designed to increase your comfort such as “this mattress meets or exceeds all the standards of Federal and State fire regulations.” That statement can lead an uninformed buyer to feel reassured about the safety of the mattress because they don’t know they should ask what method the manufacturer used to satisfy the fire safety requirements. Many mattresses use chemical flame retardants with unknown potential health implications to humans. Others use plant-based fibers or wool, which are safe for humans.

Do Some Mattresses Contain Unhealthy Materials?

Most mattresses are probably healthy enough for most people. We provide background information for individuals who want a deeper understanding of chemicals that may be used in a new mattress. Old mattresses may contain chemicals that are now banned.

Mattress ingredients fall into three general categories:

• Do not pose a risk to the sleeper (may be an eco-friendly, non-toxic mattress)
• Are probably safe for the sleeper
• Pose a potential health risk to the sleeper

Unknown Risks

For mattresses used with newly invented substances, the best we can do is tell you that no one knows for sure.

This is how it works. A mattress designer develops a mattress that has no known unhealthy materials. The key here is “No known.” If they’ve developed a new material, there is no way to know the health implications associated with the mattress. Generally, it has taken about twenty years for banned mattress materials to be banned after they were introduced. Unless and until the material is proven to be a health hazard, they can use it in their products.

How is it proven that the materials are hazardous? People get sick. Sometimes people become very ill.

Now, new materials are created for use in mattresses all the time. You can choose to avoid all of them, or you can choose to accept a very minimal risk by paying attention to the ingredients and processes used when they are developed and avoiding those that are more likely to become problematic. There are reliable, safe and healthy options if you want to avoid unproven ingredients.

• Pesticides can be on cotton, wool, or other natural materials if they are not grown organically.

Which Types of Mattresses have Known but Low Risks?

Mattresses can contain volatile organic compounds and toxic flame retardants. The risks to adults are considered minimal.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises us that the health effects from exposure to VOCs can include:

• Eye, nose and throat irritation
• Headaches, loss of coordination, and nausea
• Damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system
• Some organics can cause cancer in animals, some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.

However, serious effects can occur soon after exposure. For example, Mercedes Lackey, a New York Times best-selling author had to be hospitalized as the result of indoor air pollution after she stayed in a newly renovated hotel room. Common symptoms that can occur quickly include:

• Eye and respiratory tract irritation
• headaches
• dizziness
• visual disorders and memory impairment

If the hotel had purchased an eco-friendly mattress, there would have been less environmental pollution. Additional information is available on the EPA’s website. Most scents and smells indicate the presence of VOCs.

Plant-based memory foam contains less petroleum, but the amount of plant-based material may not be disclosed by the mattress manufacturer. Watch for language that indicates how much petroleum was replaced with plant-based oils. Generally, less petroleum will mean less off-gassing and less heat retention. Replacing 10% of the petroleum with plant-based materials makes a mattress more eco-friendly that a mattress made with only petroleum but it doesn’t mean the mattress should be called eco-friendly. It is only eco-friendly in comparison to worse option but not when compared to latex.

Generally, the more off-gassing there is, the more VOCs there are. Whether the specific VOCs are potentially harmful is unknown.

Toxic Flame Retardants

One of the main problems is created by federal regulations that are at cross purposes with the use of dangerous chemicals. Those are the fire safety standards imposed on mattress manufacturers. The manufacturers add potentially toxic ingredients to their mattresses to satisfy fire safety regulations. Chemicals cost less than more natural methods of increasing fire safety such as wool, hydrated silica, and thistle fire barriers.

 Pesticides

We may feel safe from toxins designed to ward off or kill tiny life forms like dust mites, but we should remember that our bodies are systems composed of tiny parts. Each of our cells is a living biological organism that can be affected by toxins. If enough of our cells become damaged, our health can suffer.

Types of Mattresses

In general, compared to natural latex mattresses, polyurethane, viscoelastic polyurethane, and polyethylene foam will not last as long. So, in addition to not being as eco-friendly because they are made with a nonrenewable resource and emit more VOCs, they contribute more to landfills.

Polyethylene foam

Polyethylene foam may be healthier than Polyurethane foam. Check the ingredients to know for sure.

Polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foams are made with petroleum chemicals that emit VOCs.  Some certifications certify that VOC emissions are low.

Memory foam (Viscoelastic polyurethane)

Memory foam is essentially polyurethane foam with added chemicals to make it conform.  Look for certifications to ensure VOC emissions are low.

VOCs from memory foam can cause breathing issues or irritate the skin. The mattresses are not biodegradable. Essentia offers an eco-friendly memory foam but it is expensive.

Plant-based foam

The amount of plant oil varies significantly. Products with only 10% plant oils and 90% petroleum have been seen marked eco-friendly. Look for certifications related to VOC emissions.

An eco-friendly alternative is a natural latex.

Natural Latex

Latex is made from the sap of rubber trees (Hevea Brasiliensis). It is natural and when it is not combined with other materials, it is considered healthy. Natural latex resists mold and dust mites naturally. It is antimicrobial without added chemicals.

Latex is the most common eco-friendly mattress material. The sap is a renewable resource whose production has a positive impact on the environment.

Latex mattresses can last two decades or longer.

Synthetic latex

Some manufacturers add synthetics to the latex to save money. Synthetic latex can emit VOCs like a polyurethane mattress.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses have a system of metal springs or coils inside the mattress and a relatively thin layer of padding between the sleeper and the top of the mattress. The springs can be made from recycled materials.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses are a combination of two or more mattress types.

• Latex and foam
• Latex and innerspring coils
• Memory foam and latex
• Memory foam and innerspring coils
• Coconut fiber and latex

To understand the health and environmental impact of an eco-friendly hybrid mattress, look at the parts individually. The difference between a hybrid with coils and an innerspring is the thickness of the padding between the coils and the sleeper. Hybrids generally have three or more inches of another type of mattress between the coils and the sleeper.

Which Types of Mattresses are Safe vs. Unsafe?

Foams, synthetic fibers, and innerspring may not be biodegradable, manufacturing processes can adversely affect the environment, and some have a larger carbon footprint from the shipping process.

Beds that are shipped once, from manufacturer to the consumer won’t have as large of a transportation carbon footprint. This aspect varies significantly and companies whose mattresses aren’t marketed as eco-friendly rarely share these details.

Are Any Mattresses Known to be Safe?

Natural Latex

Natural latex is a proven eco-friendly and healthy mattress material.

However, if a pure latex mattress was manufactured with chemical fire retardants, it would move to a potentially unhealthy and no longer be in the eco-friendly mattress category. It is important to pay attention to each material used in the production of the mattress.

Coconut husk fibers

There is a mattress made with a combination of coconut husk fibers and latex that looks interesting. I haven’t slept on it and the price is high, so I can’t comment on how it sleeps or performs.

Organic bamboo

A friend mentioned organic bamboo as a healthy alternative, but the only bamboo mattresses I was able to identify were combined with memory foam which takes them out of the eco-friendly and moves them into the same category as memory foam as far as whether or not they are healthy. They may be healthy, but I wouldn’t feel right making a blanket statement about the level of healthiness they provide.

Which Mattresses are Probably Safe but too New to Know?

First, I want to clarify that natural does not always equate to healthy. Opioids are natural but they wreak havoc on lives every day. Arsenic and mercury are also natural but deadly as are hemlock and Oleanders.

That being said, memory foam created using plant-based ingredients is probably healthier than petroleum-based memory foam. Manufacturers are experimenting with a wide variety of ingredients, especially ingredients we associate with good health, such as green tea. The ability to find an eco-friendly, non-toxic mattress to fit your budget is growing easier all the time.

Are there Factors that Make Finding a Safe Mattress More Confusing?

Greenwashing

Greenwashing is the process of implying that a mattress is more eco-friendly than it is. Since consumers want greener products, companies want consumers to perceive their products as being as eco-friendly and safe as possible.

How Can We Be Sure a Mattress is Safe?

Understand the Certifications

You can get a good idea of how safe a mattress is by looking at its certifications. We explain many of the certifications used in the industry on our post dedicated to describing these details. A certification can refer to a part of the mattress, so it is important to understand what each certification guarantees. We’ve seen quite a few mattress reviews that add to the confusion by asserting that a specific certification implies something that isn’t included in the certification. It requires caution to understand each certification but for a mattress that you may spend 30,000 – 60,000 hours sleeping on, it makes sense to take time to understand what you’re buying.

Once in a while, something goes wrong. Some cog in the system of checks and balances doesn’t work and a usually good mattress can be bad. Consumers have reported, for example, receiving a mattress that was moldy. Under the wrong conditions, moisture could get into a new mattress that isn’t antimicrobial and cause it to mold.

When your new mattress arrives, if it smells off, it probably is off. Completely organic mattresses (latex, cotton, and wool) won’t off-gas. This is one of the advantages of eco-friendly mattresses. Manufacturers of bio-foams say their mattresses don’t off-gas either. If it smells musty, there’s probably something wrong.

How to make a Mattress Safer?

Cover it with a full mattress encasement

Encasing your mattress in a full mattress encasement can protect you and your mattress. I encourage you to spend a little bit to buy a mattress protector.

Let it breathe before you sleep on it.

Don’t plan to sleep on your new mattress immediately. Even with a latex mattress without fire retardants, I let the mattress air out a day or two before putting the mattress encasement on it, which always goes on before we sleep on a new mattress.

If you suspect your mattress or furniture contains toxic chemicals, you can participate in a research trial Duke University is conducting. Send them a sample of the foam and they will test it for you. Use protective gear when you obtain the sample of foam (guard your eyes, ears, nose, and skin) and cover any rips or tears in the upholstery.

Clean

Clean the cover and vacuum your mattress periodically to reduce dust mites and their waste products.

The fire safety law allows mattress manufacturers to custom make a mattress without chemical or other fire retardants if you have a prescription from your doctor.

How to Decide Between Budget, Health, and the Environment

First, you won’t want to put your health at risk. That immediately eliminates any mattress where:

• The manufacturer doesn’t disclose all the ingredients.
• Mattresses that advertise no toxic chemicals or no chemicals but do not name all the ingredients are okay if they follow the law.
• Includes materials known to be toxic or likely to be toxic.
• Doesn’t contain Phthalates.
• Look for transparency. If the company doesn’t provide the information you need, you can ask them for it or move on to a different manufacturer who provides more transparency. Eco-friendly mattress manufacturers are proud to share the ingredients in their mattresses.

Our intention is not to frighten you away from other types of mattresses. None of the non-latex mattresses use chemicals that will harm you quickly unless you are especially susceptible to their effects. The government does ban specific chemicals once they are proven harmful. But there are small risks associated with VOCs, chemical fire retardants, adhesives, and with newly developed chemical-based mattresses because their effect on human health may be unknown. We want you to be able to make an informed decision.

Round Up of the Best Eco-friendly Mattresses (Verified to Buy)

• 1. Cheer Collection Bamboo Mattress Topper - Eco Friendly Pillow Top...
• 2. HALO DreamWeave Replacement Cover for Breathable Crib Mattress, Breathable, Waterproof...
• 3. Ultimate Sleep 100% Natural White Latex Foam Mattress Pad Topper...
• 4. NapQueen 8 Inch Queen Size Mattress, Bamboo Charcoal Memory Foam...
• 5. ZINUS 12 Inch Green Tea Luxe Memory Foam Mattress /...
• 6. Zinus 6 Inch Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress / CertiPUR-US...
• 7. Leewadee 3-Fold Mat with Triangle Cushion – Comfortable TV Pillow,...
• 8. Mellow 12 Inch Lagom Hybrid Mattress Queen - Bamboo Charcoal...
• 9. LINENSPA 8 Inch Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress –...
• 10. ZINUS 1.5/3/4-inch Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress Topper, Pressure-Relieving Layers,...

Top 10 Eco-friendly Mattresses Brands on Amazon

Here is the list of top-rated brands that were evaluated by CherryPicks.

• Cheer Collection
• HALO
• Ultimate Sleep
• NapQueen
• Zinus
• LEEWADEE
• Mellow
• Linenspa
• Suiforlun
• Homhougo

An eco-friendly, non-toxic mattress is always a good choice.

Top 10 Eco-friendly Mattresses Sellers: CPR Seller Rank List

CPR sellers rank is based on CherryPicks-AI bestselling ranking system that helps us analyze each seller's sales trends. The List of top seller ranks is our in-house data, essential for our product ranking to help you make the right shopping choice.