Organic Mattress Certifications
If you're thinking of buying an organic mattress, you have to make sure it's got certificates that show it has been tested for the presence of harmful chemicals and it actually contains organic materials.
Some manufacturers claim that their mattresses are organic and non-toxic, but if they don't have any certificates, it means that their claims have not been scientifically verified. Take a look at our list of organic mattress certificates and find out what they mean before you buy your organic mattress:
GreenGuard
GreenGuard test mattresses for the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOC). They place mattresses in vacuum chambers and test air sample using gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and other technologies. The levels of formaldehyde, VOCs and other toxic chemicals must be below the limits allowed in order to satisfy GreenGuard standards.
Some organic mattresses manage obtain GreenGuard GOLD standard, which means that they've got the highest level of purity, and are safe for the most vulnerable people, including children elderly, and those suffering from chemical sensitivities.
Global Organic Textile Standard
GOTS certifies mattress materials as organic. GOTS tests materials throughout the supply chain and they certify that a material contains at least 95% of organic fibers, contains no toxic substances, GOTS-approved colorants etc.
GOTS-certified materials have to be made in places that met strict social criteria which ensure that there is no forced labor, child labor and health and safety condtions are met. Your organic mattress covers should be made of GOTS-certified organic wool and cotton. Check their database to find GOTS certified suppliers.
Global Organic Latex Standard
GOLS certificate is given to natural latex that contains 95% of organic material. It has to meet strict standard regarding the use of harmful chemicals, such as VOCs, flame retardants and formaldehyde throughout the production chain, including rubber tree farms and harvesting.
GOLS not only takes into consideration the use of chemicals and their effect on human health and the environment, they also focus on social issues, such as work conditions of people involved in the natural latex production chain.
Made Safe
In Made Safe certified products, 6500 toxic substances are banned from use. They certify a wide range of products, including baby products and mattresses. They use scientific methods, such as mass spectometry, to scrutinize products for the presence of chemicals, such as pesticides, VOCs, neurotoxins, and fire retardants, that could be harmful to human health or the environment.
There are only three organic mattress brands that are currently Made Safe certified: Avocado, Naturepedic and Happsy.
Eco-Institut
The Eco Institut is a Germany-based certification body that gives certificates to low-pollutant and low-emission indoor products, including fournishings and bedding. In their labs, they test materials used in your mattress for the presence of different toxic chemicals, such as VOCs, heavy metals, pesticides, and formaldehyde.
This label is given to products for the period of 2 years, and then it can be renewed to ensure that the products are always according to the hight Eco-Institut standards.
Oeko-Tex
It's a certificate given to mattresses and textiles that don't contain or release certain toxic chemicals. They test every part of your mattress to make sure they all meet the strict criteria regarding the use of chemical.
Apart from natural materials, they allow synthetic foam as long as they meet theyr criteria. You can check if your mattress is Oeko-Tex Certified using their database (choose your mattress category under Product Type).
Organic Content Standard
Organic Content Standard checks the amount of organic materials in mattresses and other products. The organic materials must be growned and processed according to USDA Certified Organic standards, however they don't take into consideration the chemical composition of dyes and finishes that might be applied to these materials at later stages.
Depending on the percentage of organic materials it contains, your mattress can get either an Organic 100 seal (for 100% organic products) or Organic Blended seal (for products with lower amounts of organic materials). You can find all Organic Content Standard certified products in their database.
USDA Organic
USDA Organic certifies agricultural products that are grown and processed in accordance with organic standards, without using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. USDA certified organic products contain at least 95% of organic ingredients. If a product comes with a "Made with organic" lable it means that it contains 70-94% of organic ingredients.
While USDA Organic certifies organic fibers, it doesn't certify other non-organic components of your mattress as well as dyes and othr chemical treatments. So when buying a mattress that only has this certificate, you can't be sure it doesn't contain any toxic chemicals.
FSC
FSC-certified mattresses contain latex that comes from responsibly managed forest. The latex certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) can be easily traced to its origins so that the consumers can be sure it comes from sustainable sources.
Certi-Pur
Certi-Pur is not a certificate given to organic mattresses but we decided to include it in our list as it certifies mattress non-toxicity. They test polyurethane foam in mattresses to check if it meets their standards regarding the amounts of VOCs, phthalates, flame retardants and heavy metals. They also prohibit the use of olybrominated diphenyl ether, or PDBE. You can check th list of Certi-Pur certified companies here.
If you decide to buy a memory foam mattress instead of organic mattress, be sure that the product is Certi-PUR certified to minimize your exposure to toxic chemicals when you sleep.
Read More: Top 20 Organic Mattresses for Kids
