Living a cleaner, greener life has never felt more important for your health, the health of your family, and the health of the planet. Every part of your life can benefit from cleaner living, including eating, transportation, clothing, consumer goods, and even how you sleep.
If you haven’t already, you Sleepjunkie recommends buying an eco-friendly mattress. Conventional mattresses often contain harmful chemicals and byproducts and are treated with toxic agents. Traditional innerspring mattresses can contain what are known as VOCs (volatile chemical compounds). Polyurethane foam is still a common non-eco-friendly mattress material and can emit these compounds.
VOCs are no joke, and mounting evidence suggests that long term exposure to them can lead to health concerns. Less serious problems can include headaches, respiratory problems, nausea, and irritation of the skin and eyes. More serious problems can include cancer, brain damage, liver damage, and even harm to reproductive health.
Conventional mattresses are also usually treated to meet fire safety standards due to the high flammability of the materials. PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) are often used to make these mattresses flame retardant. PBDEs are highly toxic and breathing them in every day for seven to nine hours can be a significant risk for your health
They’re Kind to The Environment
Every year thousands and thousands of mattresses are thrown away and many of the materials do not easily biodegrade. These mattresses pack our landfills with harmful synthetic materials.
Sustainable resources are the heart of eco-friendly mattress production. Often, all organic materials are used, such as organic rubber latex, wool, soybeans, hemp, and coconut husks. These mattresses often outlast conventional mattresses and more easily biodegrade. Some are even certified by third party agencies to be 100% biodegradable.
Buying eco-friendly products can prevent the addition of harmful synthetic materials and chemicals in our landfills, cut emissions, and hold your mattress supplier to manufacturing standards that support a cleaner, greener future. A mattress may seem like a small thing to focus on, but every bit counts.
They’re Highly Durable
Some organic mattress manufacturers offer lifetime comfort guarantees. Depending on the composition of your mattress, an eco-friendly option could far surpass conventional mattresses. Eco-friendly mattresses are designed in many different ways, but natural latex foam seems to offer some of the longest lifespan potentials of any mattress on the market.
Organic, eco-friendly innerspring mattresses often use recycled metal for the springs. The innerspring construction means that these mattresses have a similar lifespan to conventional mattresses. Some of the most popular organic mattresses are constructed of layers of organic wool, dense all-natural latex foam, and other organic materials. These mattresses can last upwards of 50 years if properly cared for.
They are Made with Ethical Production Standards
Factories are regulated by environmental and ethical labor standards, which is a byproduct of localized manufacturing to reduce transportation emissions. Workers earn living wages and are protected with safety regulations. Not to mention they are not subjected to working with nearly the same level of harmful materials and chemicals.
Made of Organic Materials that Won’t Harm You or The Environment
VOCs and PBDEs can be harmful to the environment, leaching into soil and water systems in landfills and dumps and creating toxic carcinogens if burned. They can also be incredibly harmful after prolonged exposure. As you sleep nearly a third of your life asleep and close to your mattress, you may be prone to dangerous chemical exposure. Transfer and absorption through your skin can lead to irritation. Because your skin is a permeable organ (and your largest organ) you can take in these harmful chemicals into every system in your body. VOCs have even been tied to central nervous system damage.