Climate & Clean Energy Notes from the Panther Lounge What's off-gassing in your bedroom? Off-gassing in the bedroom is not cool. Does your mattress contain eco-friendlier ingredients? (Credit: kobiz7 via Flickr) February is "Bedroom Month" where I dish on all things bedroom-y! Week 3: Birth control Week 4: Clothing storage Fart jokes aside (for now), nighttime gas in the bedroom is not cool. Especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off-gassing from polyurethane foam! Avoid nightmares about VOCs, fire retardants, antibacterial protection (some made with nanosilver particles) and stain-resistant finishes. Conventional mattresses tackle these with chemical treatments and toxic compounds, but wool naturally repels dust mites and natural latex foam is fire-resistant. Remember s — synthetic chemicals added as fire retardants? They're not produced in Canada, but imported by manufacturers and in consumer products (e.g., televisions, furniture and carpets).
Subscribe to the Queen of Green digest Mattresses made in Canada generally do not contain these flame retardants, but it's always good to ask. Also avoid additives used to repel stains and water. Although natural fibres are better — wool, organic cotton, hemp and natural rubber — you'll need a separate savings account. Petroleum-based contents are what make regular mattresses affordable (i.e., cheap). Note: Natural rubber is natural latex but latex/rubber can also be synthetic! Short on (wallet) green? Choose a mattress protector made from wool or organic cotton to create a barrier between you and that polyurethane foam mattress! And prioritize a natural crib mattress for babies (see a few options below). Some eco-friendlier mattresses (claims and products not tested, ranked or rated): Essentia (made in Montreal) with natural rubber or latex and a 20-year warranty! Majestic Sit & Sleep made in Canada from 100 per cent certified organic Dunlop latex (with three per cent unnatural binding agent), wool and organic cotton.
They can also be wrapped in barrier cloths made from flame-resistant fibers, such as melamine and polyvinylidene chloride. Look for mattresses that are made with: • All-natural, untreated wool, which is naturally fire-and-dust-mite-resistent, and preferably labeled "Pure Grow Wool," which ensures that the wool has come from humanely treated and organically raised sheep.• Organic cotton: used as both a wrapping material and as batting. Organic cotton is not fire-resistant, so in order to company with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the cotton is usually wrapped in wool layers.• Natural latex, derived from rubber trees, which is a better choice than petroleum-based polyurethane. The Top Eco Mattress Sources: 1 Keetsa: If you're looking for an eco-friendly, all-natural and/or recyclable latex mattress, then Keetsa is your answer. Keetsa's latex mattresses are made with non-toxic materials like wool, latex foam, unbleached cotton, bamboo blend and organic cotton fabrics.
Their mattresses are compressed, covered in biodegradable plastic, and packed into 100% recyclable boxes printed with water soluble ink. 2 Hastens: Renowned Swedish mattress masters Hästens make each one of their mattresses by hand using only hard-wearing natural materials like horsehair, flax, wool, steel and pine, and each mattress comes with a 25-year warranty. And all the mattresses come in juicy colors and checkered patterns. 3 Woodstock Organic Mattress: Based in Manhattan and Kingston, NY and featuring mattresses made by WJ Southard, another family-run and family-owned business located in Syracuse, all of Woodstock's mattresses are handmade of 100% natural materials like organic cotton, wool, horsehair, and 98% pure latex. No polyester, polyurethane foam, or other harmful chemicals are used in the making or production of the mattresses. As they say, if they can't pronounce it, they won't put it in your mattress. 4 Pure Rest: Pure Rest is a family company that only sells online, and their mattresses are about as healthy as they come: organic and additive-free wool and cotton, and all natural latex.
No plastic outers, no finishes, no additives. They even have a 3rd party test every year for contamination in their mattresses and disclose the results on their website. Price: $699 and up 5 Savvy Rest: organic mattresses made in central Virginia and available through a national network of independently owned stores. All mattresses are made of natural latex rubber, certified organic wool or certified organic cotton, and are natural, nontoxic, certified and independently tested. 6 Organic Mattress Store: an online retailer carrying a variety of all-natural mattress vendors, including Nature's Finest, WJ Southard, GreenSleep, Royal Pedic, and Sheperd's Dream, all of which carry certified organic cotton, wool and latex mattresses that have met the strict standards of the USDA National Organic Program. Price: Variable depending on brand 7 White Lotus: a great source for healthy bedding, including natural latex mattresses, organic wool and cotton mattresses, all handmade in the US.
Click here for a chart on how their handmade mattresses compare with conventional mattresses, and click here for their detailed FAQ section. Price: Start around $500 8 The Wool Bed Company: all of the wool bedding products products include only materials raised or grown on farmland in the USA. The natural wool mattresses are hand-made, free-form, without any wood, metal, foam or latex. 9 Cozy Pure: claims they are the only bedding company in the world to utilize a trio-system of Wind, Solar and Geothermal on-site in their factory in Norfolk, VA. Feature 7 collections, all made with natural latex, wool and GOTS-Certified organic cotton, no foams, dacrons, formaldehydes or PBDEs, or other toxic chemicals, as certified by third-party safety tests. 10 Heart of Vermont: all mattress components, including coverings, paddings, binding tapes, and insulator pads, are made with 100% organic cotton, grown without pesticides or chemical fertilization. Featuring natural top mattresses, organic innerspring mattresses, and organic mattress sets.