Sleeping organic

“What's organic and what's not when it comes to mattresses?” “Is there a difference between natural and organic?”

In fact, there is a difference. According to the Green Guru, yours truly, a mattress can be labeled organic only when both the agricultural and processing methods are USDA certified organic.

Cotton, for example, is a natural product which is USDA certified organic only when it is grown without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides or any other chemicals, and only when it is processed without the use of bleach, formaldehyde or dyes.

What's in an organic mattress, and why? Most organic mattresses use a combination of natural latex, organic cotton, coconut coir and pure grown wool.

Organic cotton is used as the outside cover for most organic mattresses. A layer of wool just under the cotton cover provides a natural insulator that wicks away moisture, supports air circulation and helps regulate body temperature. Wool, which has not been processed with chemicals, has natural properties that satisfy the flame retardant standards of the CPSC. Latex and coir are excellent for the inner foundation because of their resilience and neither is conducive to the growth of mold, mildew or dust mites.

There also are organic innerspring mattresses; this refers to the cotton, wool, coir or latex that covers the steel coil foundation of the mattress. There are many companies that have organic innersprings in their product line. Other natural fibers found in an organic mattress are horse hair, the longest natural fiber in the world, mohair and alpaca. As the market for organic mattresses grows, don't be surprised to also find organic mattresses containing hemp, silk or bamboo fibers.

It's the combination of the use of natural fibers, organic processes, sustainable materials and processes and low ecological impact that sets these mattresses apart from conventional mattresses. Growing and processing the components used in an organic mattress can provide for the health and safety of all people involved from farming and manufacturing to the consumer.

Are there shades of organic as many suggest there are shades of green? Yes.

It takes a farmer a minimum of three years to become a certified organic grower. Transitional organic refers to a farm that is in that process. In fact, the criteria that are used are regularly revisited and sometimes adjusted to keep the organic label a meaningful standard. Just to be clear, green is the encompassing term for the whole eco-friendly discussion. Organic is an integral part of that whole.

Sleeping green is about the benefits to baby. With an organic mattress, there will not be any off-gassing that babies may be sensitive to and that could be linked to respiratory problems. Sleeping green is about health and an organic mattress coupled with organic bedding can make for a healthy, safe and comfortable sleeping environment.

One of my proof readers, Mary, asked “What's the mattress thread made out of?”

“I'm not writing the whole thing over just because of the thread,” I said.

“Some Green Guru you are,” she said.

“Maybe I'm just a Green Guru in training,” I said.

We're all learning more about environmental pollution all the time and struggling with how green we want to be, how green does it have to be and how green can it be? Here's hoping you, too, are Greening Up!