I’ve spent the past several months researching non-toxic mattresses, organic bedding and textile certifications. This is the first part of a two-part post on non-toxic bedding.

Last year, we upgraded our toddler to a new big boy bed to free up the crib mattress for our daughter. To ensure a smooth transition, we hyped it for weeks. I took him to pick out new fun sheets and a comforter. He got his first pillow. His bed is still on the floor, as it was before, to promote independence and keep him from flinging himself off of an elevated surface (boys, yall).  We’ll chat more about bedding in my follow up post, but more important than what goes on the mattress is what goes in the mattress.

How Are Mattresses Made?

We start and end our days in our beds. Babies and toddlers, who need more sleep than adults, average between 10-14 hours of sleep a day, including naps. That works out to 58% of their first year – spent in bed. That’s plenty of time for exposure to what most don’t know is in a mattress.

Each of these components introduce their own concerning chemicals to the place your child rests. I’ll add to this list vinyl, which is often marketed as “waterproofing” in children’s bedding, and synthetic latex. 

Foam – Both polyurethane foam and memory foam (including the gel foam and visco-elastic foam mentioned above) are petroleum based. Polyurethane foam is made by reacting a polyol (a sugar alcohol) with toluene diisocyanate (TDI), a known carcinogen, with catalysts and additives. Once sewn into the mattress, foams off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for years, including toluene, a neurotoxin. Prolonged exposure to VOCs can cause cancer and can damage the liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Short term exposure to VOCs can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, nausea and headaches. These chemicals cause the “new mattress smell” released when unboxing a new mattress. And because foam is very flammable, a large amount of flame retardants are needed to meet flammability laws. Instead of using less flammable materials, manufacturers choose foam coated in flame retardants because it’s light-weight and cheap to make.

Polyester Batting – Again, derived from petroleum, polyester is a wrinkle-resistant, water-repellent material made of plastic and natural fibers. And again, they are coated heavily in flame retardants due to their highly flammable nature.

Wool – Wool is a great natural bedding option. It resists bacteria, mold, mildew and dust mites. It’s great at temperature regulation and wicks moisture. It’s also a great natural flame retardant, eliminating the need for chemical flame retardants. Traditional wool is treated with insecticides to prevent parasites and pesticides, but organic wool is a great natural option.

Cotton – Tradition cotton is often genetically modified (GMO) and treated heavily with pesticides. Eight out of the most common 10 pesticides used on industrial cotton have been classified as moderately to highly hazardous. Pesticide exposure can lead to serious health issues like developmental, neurological, and respiratory problems. Organic cotton is a great healthy alternative to traditional cotton and foam.

Adhesives – Used to bond mattress layers together, many adhesives contain VOCs that are potentially carcinogenic. They often contain formaldehyde, which may cause asthma, allergies, and lung, nose and throat cancers.

Flame Retardants – Regulations regarding flammability are intended to provide fire safety, but the regulation does not mandate the labeling of chemicals used in fireproofing, and manufacturers are free to use any and all chemicals to meet the flammability standard. Halogenated Flame Retardants (HFRs) include brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, which have been demonstrated to cause cancers, birth defects, reproductive disorders and developmental issues, including learning and memory deficits. It causes reduced fertility in women and decreased sperm mobility and causes genetic mutations that span two generations. These chemicals are leeched from the mattress and are absorbed by the skin. Once these chemicals leave the mattress, they contaminate the air and settle in the dust, where children can introduce them again to their bodies via putting hands in their mouths after touching exposed surfaces and toys. Long-term exposure to these chemicals causes them to accumulate in the body and present themselves in the bloodstream, breast milk and umbilical cord blood.

Vinyl – PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or “vinyl” is often used for waterproofing children’s bedding and contains phthalates, lead, dioxin and VOCs, all well-documented carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. Vinyl is also used in inflatable mattresses. Vinyl is often used to make mattress covers for infant cribs and toddler beds. 

Synthetic Latex – Made from petroleum-based styrene and butadiene. Synthetic latex is cheaper to make than harvesting natural rubber. Exposure increases risk of lymphoma, leukemia and may cause cancer. 

Choosing a New Mattress

No matter which mattress you choose, you should always plan to off-gas a new mattress before sleeping on it. You do this by leaving the mattress unboxed and uncovered in a well-ventilated area for several days.

If we were not able to purchase a new non-toxic mattress, my secondary preference would be an older mattresses that has had years to off-gas any chemicals (although there’s the super ick factor of second-hand upholstered furniture).

Children have immature immune systems and developing bodies that cannot handle the toxic load that an adult body might. In my next post, I’ll talk about bedding, pillows and everything a toddler needs to get a restful and healthy night of sleep.

If you’d like assistance choosing a non-toxic mattress for your family, reach out to me at info@nestedlivingconsulting.com. I’d love to schedule you a consultation!