An eco-friendly mattress simply has a better environmental footprint than standard mattresses. Standard mattresses mostly comprise synthetic materials made from petrochemicals, so the bar is low.
However, plenty of retailers are making really good progress in making eco-friendly mattresses that are more recyclable.
A fantastic example is Sleepeezee’s Memory Ultimate 4,500 mattress, made using materials from sustainable suppliers. They also ensure no waste goes to landfill, which can’t be said for all mattress manufacturers.
Pictured: Sleepeezee Memory Ultimate 4500 Mattress
Join us below for a rundown of what makes a mattress eco-friendly.
Built to last
The longer mattresses last, the fewer new mattresses are required, reducing the mattress industry’s total output and cutting its emissions.
A longer-lasting mattress is also good for your purse and ensures consistent support and comfort for a longer time.
Long-lasting mattresses have components that resist deformation – pocket springs and hybrid mattresses in the medium-firm to firm range are best.
The least durable mattresses have open coil springs or are cheap pure foam options, although they still offer excellent comfort for a few years.
Manufacturing location
Mattresses made in the UK and bought by UK consumers are eco-friendlier than mattresses shipped over from China, India, and other far-away countries.
Sea and air freight have enormous emissions that British mattresses don’t have, immediately making your mattress purchase better for the environment.
Natural materials
Mattresses filled with natural materials like wool, cotton, latex, and other plant-based fibres are eco-friendlier than synthetic options.
There are several reasons for this, the chief of which is that natural materials absorb carbon dioxide during their lifespan, so they can be carbon neutral after processing.
Additionally, some natural materials, such as cotton, do not require VOC-emitting chemicals in their processing.
Natural materials, including latex foam, maintain their shape and support for over a decade without impressions or sagging.
Recycled materials
Some eco-friendly mattresses use recycled synthetic and natural materials like polyester, PET, cotton, and latex. These can slash the mattress’s carbon footprint, and some fillings and materials are also recyclable again in the future.
The industry is moving towards fully recycled materials. Still, most mattresses containing recycled materials have less than 20% recycled materials by weight, most of which are stainless steel springs.
The retailer
The place you buy your mattress from has its own carbon footprint. It could specialise in British-made mattresses, natural fillings, or recyclable options, in which case it will have a better footprint than a generalised retailer.
Also, consider how your retailer disposes of old mattresses and returns—do they send them to specialist facilities, try to salvage them for charities, or just have any old scrap man pick them up and earn money on them?
Easy recyclability
Landfill sites are filled with people’s rubbish and unwanted items. It’s no surprise that mattresses form part of that because they require deconstruction to recycle and don’t always end up at the proper recycling facilities.
Eco-friendly mattresses make recycling easier with clearly labelled materials and layers, adhesives that break down with industrial washing cycles, and metal springs accessible from the bottom of the mattress with minimum cuts.
Some materials, such as cotton and polyester, are fully recyclable, while memory foam is reusable in other products.
Getting a mattress to the correct recycling facility is crucial to ensuring it doesn’t end up in landfill eventually. Most mattresses are at least partly recyclable, but eco-friendly ones use at least 10% recyclable components.
Summing up
Eco-friendly mattresses sleep no differently but do have a better environmental footprint than standard mattress models.
You can buy any mattress labelled ‘eco-friendly’, but if you’re concerned about its carbon footprint, ask the retailer or manufacturer about specifics like where it’s made, what materials it uses, and how recyclable it is.
