Frequently Asked Questions about Latex & Our MattressesWhat is a latex mattress?Do you have any firmness guidelines?What are your standard mattress sizes?What is the natural content of your Dunlop latex?What is the natural content of your BioFoam?Does your latex have an odour?What is GOLS certification?What is the difference between content analysis, and harmful content and emissions testing?Does a harmful emissions test prove natural content?Does the euroLATEX ECO-Standard certify latex mattresses as natural?Does the OEKO-TEX® standard certify latex mattresses as natural?What is the difference between low-VOC and VOC-free?Does low-VOC or VOC-free mean a product is made from all natural materials?Is your wool quilting 100% pure wool?What the difference between an organic cotton cover and 100% organic cotton cover?Does a GOTS certificate ensure a 100% organic cotton cover?Do you use any adhesives in your products?What does a GREENGUARD seal mean?What certification do you have?What fire retardants do you use?
What are your warranties?Can I remove my mattress cover?Do you sell directly to the public?What is the safest way to transport my mattress when I move?Can I use any box spring with your mattresses?Where are your mattresses made?Where are your pillows made?Where are your platform beds made?Where are your foundations made? What is a latex mattress?A latex mattress is a mattress that contains anywhere from ½” to 12” of latex. Manufacturers prize latex because of its unique supportive properties and, as a result, will call any mattress a latex mattress as long as it contains latex as a component. Latex can be certified organic, certified natural or synthetic. When dealing with latex, the most effective way to categorize firmness is through the thickness of the mattress. The firmest mattresses will be 6” thick, mid-range mattresses will be 8” thick and the softest options will be 10” thick. Twin size mattress (single): 39" x 75"Twin XL mattress: 38” x 80”Full size mattress (double): 54" x 75"Queen size mattress: 60" x 80"King size mattress: 76" x 80"Cal king mattress: 72” x 84”Crib mattress: 27” x 52”Please note: Due to the flexible nature of latex, sizes may vary slightly from mattress to mattress.
In most cases, the mattress will be slightly smaller than the posted size. All our Dunlop latex is 100% natural. Currently the maximum natural content of memory or high density foams is 20%. Although the smell of latex will be imperceptible to most people, organic latex does have an initial odour. Just because a material is natural or organic doesn’t mean it odourless. Latex rubber smells like rubber. For people that are very sensitive to smell, we can air out any of our mattress prior delivery to minimize the initial odour. GOLS stands for the Global Organic Latex Standard. GOLS is the single most important certification in the latex mattress industry, as it covers organic, purity, environmental and labour parameters in one certification. The two most important aspects of GOLS are that it forbids the use of synthetic latex and it guarantees the latex to be free of dilutant filler such as chalk. A full content analysis will analyze all ingredients of a sample. In the case of latex, it will give a natural to synthetic latex polymer breakdown and a filler breakdown.
A harmful substance test will only test against known harmful substances. If a substance is not known to be harmful, it will not show up on a harmful substance test. For example inert substances such as calcium or sodium wouldn't show up in a harmful substance test. Does a harmful emissions test prove natural content?No. A harmful content test only tests against a list of known harmful substances and no way proves the natural content of a material. Oeko and euroLATEX tests are not proof of natural content. Does the euroLATEX ECO-Standard certify latex mattresses as natural?No. euroLATEX only conducts an important compliance test for contents and emissions that ensures there are no harmful substances contained in the materials tested. Compliance and certification only guarantees no harmful substances. Does the OEKO-TEX® standard certify latex mattresses as natural?No. OEKO-TEX® in no way certifies a material to be natural. Compliance and certification only guarantees that there are no harmful substances.
Often they are the same thing. Many label an item VOC-free when in fact it’s only free of harmful levels of VOCs. Every bedding material, no matter how natural, shows trace amounts of VOC emissions. A harmful content and emissions test will confirm if the levels are of an acceptable level. Does low-VOC or VOC-free mean a product is made from all natural materials?No. The level of VOCs has absolutely no relationship to the natural content of a material. VOCs are emissions that can be emitted from natural or synthetic sources. Yes, we use 100% pure wool in our quilting (up to 6lbs/mattress). Many companies will use a small amount of wool mixed with synthetic fibres or polyurethane foam and call it wool quilting. Doing so eliminates the immense benefits that a full layer of 100% wool brings to your sleep environment. Organic cotton is used in all of our mattress covers. However, the percentage of cotton will change between mattresses. Just because a cover is made with organic cotton doesn't mean it's 100% organic cotton.
Many organic cotton covers are actually blends of cotton and a synthetic fibre. Does a GOTS certificate ensure a 100% organic cotton cover?No. Textiles containing 70% organic fibres can become certified, according to GOTS. We use the world’s premier water-based adhesive from Simalfa. The GREENGUARD GOLD certified formulation allows us to use as little adhesive as possible while creating a safe permanent bond.Any mattress can be made without adhesives upon request, but we strongly recommend that you do use adhesive. Loose layers will shift over time and require constant maintenance. GREENGUARD conducts an important compliance test for contents and emissions that ensures there are no harmful substances particularly in the form of VOCs emitted by the materials tested. Compliance and certification guarantees no harmful levels of substance will be emitted. Please see our detailed certification section. We use several barrier options depending on the mattress and destination. For all Canadian mattresses, our combination of organic cotton and wool is sufficient to pass all flammability standards set out by Health Canada.
For our American customers, we use a silica rayon barrier. We offer several different warranties, ranging from 10 to 25 years. Technically, you can remove your cover but we strongly recommend that you leave the cover on your mattress. Latex is an extremely heavy material, and although natural latex can support an exceptionally large load, it can rip or tear when unprotected, especially when handled incorrectly. If you want a removable cover for your mattress, we suggest getting a mattress protector. No, we are a manufacturer to business dealers. Please visit our dealer section to find your nearest dealer. The ideal way to transport your mattress is in the original packaging (bag and box). If you no longer have those items, great care must be undertaken when moving a latex mattress. The easiest way to transport a latex mattress is to fold the mattress in half but do not tie your mattress up using materials such as (but not limited to) rope, string or twine, as it may damage the latex. Can I use any box spring with your mattresses?No.