Well, as promised, here is my long delayed posting on Soy Foam used in mattresses.

At this past market in Las Vegas, it seemed that nearly every mattress company had some form of Soy "story".  Simmons, for example, had the Danny Seo bed which uses foam that is 15% soy content from Dow Chemical.  The phylosophy behind this mattress is that if we can just change people's behavior by 5% when it comes to the environment, multiplied by the total population, then this is a tremendous change!

This is very true.  A 5% change toward more environmental practices by each person will make a huge difference in saving the planet.  The key with this posting is not to dispute this claim at all, but to make you aware that Soy foam is not a total end-all in being chemical free.  It is, in fact, a step in making your mattress more environmentally friendly.

After a comprehensive look at many of the mattresses from multiple manufacturers at the World Market Center last month, I can tell you for a fact that the average soy content of the foam used is about 14%.  This means, then, on average the mattress is still 86% petro-chemically based polyurethane foam.  Remember, we're going for that 5% change, so that 14% is still ahead of the curve.

Now then, it seemed that most of the beds I saw and in speaking with the sales staff of each company there was about a 10% to 13% soy content.  Simmons, as I mentioned, is at 15%.  Natura, which is emerging as sort of the gold standard for trying to keep things as natural as possible, tops out at 20% in their soy based foam mattresses.  Natura is also supplied by the leader in soy foam research, Cargill.

Soy based foam is attractive from one standpoint in that the mattresses cost far less than organic or even natural latex mattresses.  Where you almost can't touch a fully organic mattress now for under $2,000, a soy based foam mattress starts around $1,000 in queen size.  But what consumers should really watch out for are the sales people who try to pass off a mattress containing soy based foam as being anywhere above that 20% soy content level.  This practice, which some companies have dubbed "Green Washing" is becoming frighteningly common in the marketplace so it makes sense in this case to do your homework.

Why does soy based foam top out at 20% soy content?  Well, there are a variety of reasons.  First, beyond that level the foam picks up a rather unpleasant odor - and nobody wants a smelly bed, even if it is environmentally friendly.  Second, evidence indicates that increasing the soy foam level beyond 20% can seriously lower the life expectancy of the mattress.  Companies like Cargill and Dow are still working on it and will likely solve both of these key problems in the future, but for now that 20% marker is about as much soy as you are going to get.

Typically, in addition to costing less, soy based foam mattresses are going to have a lower warranty then their latex counterparts.  Where you find 20 year warranties on latex beds, you may only see 15 or 10 year warranties from the soy based foam models.  Part of this is what is typical of regular polyurethane foams in the first place - they just don't last as long as latex does.  The rest is that unknown factor of how this foam will really hold up under actual use.

Another product that is also out there is soy based memory foam.  This one, in my opinion, is something to stay away from.  Memory foam as a material requires very precise mixing and environmental conditions during the manufacturing process in order for it to perform the way it should and I have yet to be convinced that introducing even a small percentage of soy to this process is going to result in the same product that is going to have the same life span.  In this case, that 5% change may not provide you with what you expect in terms of performance and longevity, at least for now. 

So there you have it.  Don't let anyone tell you that soy based foam is 100% natural, but do know that you are making a difference if that is the bed of your choice. 

Now go out there and enjoy this last little bit of summer before it slips away!

Getting the technical stuff out of the way first, the pillow is full of shredded 100% natural latex and is encased in a cover of 100% certified organic cotton.  The cover has a zipper giving you access to the shredded latex (although I would be VERY careful when opening it or you will have shredded latex bits everywhere!).  It is possible to remove some of the contents to create a different loft to the pillow.  Full, the pillow has a resting loft of approximately 6 inches, but this can vary widely as the fill shifts easily.

Shredded latex pillows are generally soft, due largely to the amount of air between the individual pieces of latex inside the pillow.  There is, to a small degree, a conforming aspect to the pillow due to the nature of the fill.

The cover is fabric is soft and tailored well.  It leaves plenty of room for the contents to shift or be molded into whatever shape the sleeper desires.

The main flaw in this pillow, and in my book it is pretty big, is the odor from the shredded latex.  Even 100% natural latex will have an odor (contrary to what you may have read elsewhere) if the milk of the rubber tree is kept in a "stabalized" state for an extended period of time before being made into a finished product.  Shredding intensifies this because it exposes the inner core of the finished latex piece.  The odor did dissipate to a large degree after about 3 weeks of use. 

Shredded latex pillows are quite popular due largely to their price - averaging $20 to $30 less than molded latex and also other types of fills.  Because of this price point, it is easier for suppliers to provide a less-than-perfect product for shredding.  This has absolutely no impact on the overall performance of the pillow, but just know that for the first few weeks of use there is going to be a smell.  Random tests of shredded latex pillows from other manufacturers in our store indicated no odor, so this may be an isolated case to Vivetique or even this particular batch of pillows.  Just something to think about.

Latex pillows, as a group, also stay very clean over time, so there is a huge advantage that might outweigh the ofactory issue.

I found the pillow to be quite comfortable, however there was some heating that caused me to want to flip the pillow to the other side.  It is summer and, since my home has no air conditioning, this could also be a factor in the sleeping temperature of the pillow. 

Another factor influencing the comfort is that the pillow is a bit lumpy.  The grind of the shredded latex is quite large, much larger than other manufacturers, which basically effects the overall feel to a degree - creating a lumpier pillow.  Of course, with the zippered cover, you really want that in case you ever want to take the shredded latex out to wash the pillow - it makes it easier to handle.  Perhaps it's a trade off.  I would have preferred a more fine grind which would deliver the more traditional down-like feel of this type of pillow.

So, that's the review from this month.  For my next post, I'm working on a review of all the soy foam beds I found at the recent Las Vegas Market.  There are a few things to consider in this catagory, so make sure you check back or link this in RSS so you get the posting when it comes up.

Until next time - be well!

Natura:

Natura's new showroom is really cool!  They have created a concept environment that is relaxing as well as informative and if you have a Natura dealer in your area and they bring in this new package, you are definately in for an experience!  As for product introductions, it has been rather light and, with a couple of exceptions, limited in the organic catagory.

First, they have introduced a whole line of beds with soy content foam.  The thing about soy is that there really is only a limited amount that can be put into foam for mattress use before you start dealing with odor and longevity issues.  They have been able to get a 20% soy content foam from the top company in that catagory, which absolutely busts the usual 10% to 15% soy content that everyone else has.  But remember, the foam is still 80% polyurethane - therefore you still are not going to be on a chemical free product.  Natura, as a company, understands this and is not in any way marketing this as a "all-natural" or "organic" bed.  This is a departure from others, by the way, so as a consumer you really know what you are getting.

Apart from that, the biggest news here is a bed for youth that is totally chemical free with organic cotton and wool (the same 36oz. as found in the Eco line) that is going to be available at under $1000 to consumers.  This is a first for an all natural latex, chemical free organic bed and a huge plus for consumers.

Other items that are new from Natura are a kapok pillow, extending the washable wool to a mattress topper and a stain removal spray based upon the active cultures found in yogurt which actually consumes the bacteria in a stain, not only removing the stain but any odor as well! 

Kluft:

Before I go forward with this review, let me give you a little background and information on this company and their beds.  Kluft/Airloom produces very high end, gold standard mattresses.  They are really at the top of the luxury scale in terms of Amercian made standard (meaning non-natural/non-organic) beds.  They have entered this catagory with a slate of 4 beds in organic.

For a company like Kluft, there is a "look and feel" of beds that has to be maintained and their organic beds do maintain that look and feel.  It is difficult, in fact impossible, to do something like this in a totally organic/chemical free bed and, in so doing, have to make some choices. 

For example, all organic beds don't look visually "perfect".  Without tacked covers, the tape edges (the sewn enclosure that runs around the side of the mattress) will rotate around a little, or the topper layer doesn't quite match size and position with the base if you are avoiding laminated layers. 

Kluft beds, however, do look visually perfect and for this company they really shouldn't accept anything less, at least in my opinion.  To do this, they have sacrificed some of the organic purity such as tufting with straps that contain wide yarn loops, using the JOMA wool from New Zealand (which is natural but not organic certified) and supporting the edges with a firmer natural latex so they don't collapse.  This process is known in the industry as "racetracking" but that term really applies to using polyurethane foams and not natural latex, but that's about the only technical term that I can apply to this.

As such, for those that don't want to give up that look of luxury, these beds from Kluft just really jump out at you.  They don't offer the purity standard of a Natura, Green Sleep or even the organic Royal-Pedic (innerspring anyway), but they are definitely a gold standard of luxury.  

In their top model, they are using a curled horse hair in the center of the mattress.  Many animal rights people are going to cringe at this, but let me say that in the days of artisan/craftsman made mattresses - when builders had to apprentice for years with a master before being allowed to make mattresses on their own - horse hair was a staple material.  For this mattress, it gives the bed a nice and natural spring coming from the core that most natural latex beds do not have.

Make no mistake, these organics are at the very top of any price scale - higher than the Green Sleep, much higher in fact.  For luxury they definately get an A+ from me.  For organic purity, well (and it really pains me to say this) I can only say that it's at the C average. 

Land and Sky:

Finally they have departed from the velour fabric and are using a more organic fabric on their beds.  They have some new innerspring models that are intriguing and I think are better than the others that have available from current innerspring manufacturers (other than Royal-Pedic and Kluft, of course).

I still have my doubts about how they are passing the flame retardant testing using only wool, especially in the side panels of the beds. 

In order for them to truly arrive, however, they really need to offer the whole bedding package (pillows, toppers, comforters, etc.) to go with their beds.

Englander:

This major brand name has entered the organic market with two mattresses - one innerspring, one natural latex.  They are very up front with their organic certifications - actually attaching a little booklet that has the certificates printed in it on the beds. 

The innerspring is almost an exact clone of the Vivetique Organic Caress Pillowtop.  The latex is a new concept because it is two sided so it can be flipped - something nobody else in this catagory does.  In all honesty, it is totally unnecessary, but for consumers it is an option that is probably nice to have in the long run. 

As far as organic purity goes, they have really taken steps to make sure their bases are covered in this area.  Natura is the only other manufacturer that I know of that is at least as pure as Englander from a documentation standpoint, but Natura does so much more in-house that I still have to give them the edge.

The Englander beds are quite firm, so they clearly have a way to go in perfecting their feel.  So far, these beds are only available on the east coast - specifically the northeastern market.  They clearly have more work to do to perfect the beds, but they are doing things correctly from an organic standpoint at this point.

Green Sleep:

Nothing new from Green Sleep.  It is still a great bed and very pure, so why change?

OMI/Lifekind:

While they have not met with me, the buzz here is that they have solved and eliminated the silca fiber fire barrier in their beds.  This, if true, would be a nice move for them but we are still missing the certified organic wool and the use of Talalay latex that meets the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification without using the laminated glue seams in full and queen sizes (you can't avoid it in king by the way).

So, that's what I've got for you so far.  There is still more to see, so expect something more either tomorrow or Monday! 

Las Vegas has emerged, in recent years, as the place to go for bedding - of all types - so the organic bedding manufacturers look to make thier biggest introductions here. 

This is likely to be a small show, however, due to the state of the economy.  The World Market Center, where the market is held, has greatly reduced its exhibit space from past markets due to the number of companies that have either gone under or simply have elected to skip this show due to the lagging economy.

As organics heads into what is traditionally the busiest season of the year, however, there should be no shortage of news for new items at this show.  So this blog, which has suffered from lack of posting this summer, is likely to be buzzing this week with product news!

Of course, no market would be complete without some pre-market hype, so here is what is known going in:

Organic Sleep Products has purchased the fine organic bedding company High Desert Naturals.  This just happened not even 2 weeks ago, thus HDN will not be exhibiting at the market this week.  The purchase, it is stressed, was not economically driven, but based on personal reasons on the part of the former owners of HDN.  The consensus from both HDN and OSP was to see the brand continue, and since OSP is one of HDN's oldest dealers, it worked out.  OSP has pledged to continue the brand and add almost all of the previously announced new products in the coming weeks and months.  HDN has many Internet dealers, including OSP, and OSP head Brian Seed has pledged that the OSP Internet operation will not conflict with other dealers and plans to continue Internet and in-store HDN sales at the current pricing formulas it has always used.

Natura has more than doubled its market presence and that space is likely to generate the biggest buzz, at least at the start of the week.  There have been hints at a new line of beds designed specifically for kids, which would be welcome news to parents who have traditionally had difficulty paying the high prices for organic beds for their children, especially the limited time period the kids will be using them.

Sleeptek, manufacturers of Green Sleep, recently changed their U.S. distribution structure and it remains to be seen exactly what this will mean to U.S. dealers.  They are no longer warehousing or shipping in the U.S., at least to our knowledge, which could make an already somewhat difficult bed to get even more difficult.  Early news hints at getting dealers to stock the Green Sleep bed, but for a bed with multiple options which are consumer driven, this becomes a major chore for dealers, so we'll have to wait and see how successful this strategy is.

Skipping this market, although they will be here walking the halls, are the Suite Sleep folks, who used to be the U.S. distribution arm of Sleeptek.  They have talked up a new line of their own mattresses that looks quite promissing - competing at a level commencerate with the Savvy Rest and Obasan labels more common on the east coast.  The west, as most of us out here are aware, are largely in want of a regional organic manufacturer/distributor that is capable of delivering product in a timely fashion - something that doesn't seem to exist at this point.

Land and Sky will be in a permanent show space for the first time.  Their oft-changing models are sure to have a new tweaking and hopefully the saga of month-to-month changes is going to come to an end.  The "Rainforest of the Month" mentality certainly does not work in this economic climate and so we'll have to see how Ron and the boys are addressing this. 

Vivetique, as always, will be anchoring the Specialty Sleep area and are sure to have something new and expensive - as usual.  For these guys, it's almost a "concept bed" show, but they are able to generate lots of buzz.

Finally, it seems the buzzword going into this market is "soy".  Everyone is talking about it, but the key with soy use in foam products is how much actual soy is in the foam.  In many circles, unless you are getting product from Cargill, you are talking 15% to 20% soy content (Cargill can get up to 50%).  Still, this is far less natural than even the regular Talalay latex we are seeing from sources like Dunlopillo, which have a 60% to 70% natural content.  We'll see where this goes.

It looks like it's time to head for the not-to-friendly skys and catch that final leg to Sin City.  Man, one of those resorts must use enough electricity to power my home town...

Check back for more as the week unfolds!

Let's get right to it:

For June, I slept on The Natural Bedroom by Vivetique's Extra Fill 40oz Kapok Pillow.  For the record, the pillow was a standard size - which is the only size it comes in.  The pillow is filled entirely with Kapok and if you don't know what that is, just read last month's pillow review.  The cover is 100% certified organic cotton and the pillow is completely enclosed, no zipper.  This pillow has a resting loft of a whopping 9 inches!  Yes, there are mattresses that are not that thick!

I found this pillow to be just crazy tall, even for me and I have broad shoulders.  The thing was so thick that I almost couldn't get it in the pillow case!  For those that are really looking for a tall pillow, this is it and I doubt you're going to find anything remotely as tall as this big guy! 

The pillow is quite firm, but that should not be surprising due to the amount of stuffing it has.  There literally is likely no space to put even one more strand of fill into this pillow!  That being said, the pillow is surprisingly light weight, which is surprising given its size.  It would take absolutely no physical effort to move this pillow at all - but don't try shaping it because there is just no way to move the filling around, it's packed tight!

Kapok can not be sold in California due to flamability regulations, but the up side is that it will float!  So, if you are caught in a flash flood while in bed, you can use your pillow as a personal floatation device.  Guess those government types didn't think of that one when they were handing down safety regulations now did they...

The pillow is made in Arcadia, California, U.S.A. by The Carwile Brothers - a.k.a. The Natural Bedroom by Vivetique and carries a 2 year warranty, as do all Natural Bedroom pillows.

So, that's the skinny on this fat puppy!

For the month of May, I tried the Natural Bedroom's 32 oz. Regular Fill Kapok Pillow. 

Those of you that don't know, Kapok is a seed pod fiber that comes from the ceiba tree and has been used for decades as a pillow fill and, also in the past, as a fill for personal floatation devices.  Kapok is exceptionally lightweight - a fully stuffed pillow that looks like it should weigh a ton is just light as a feather - really!

For the specifics, the pillow comes in Standard, Queen and King sizes as well as specialites in a Boudoir/Travel Pillow and a Body Pillow.  For the record, it was tried (as always) in the Standard Size.  The pillow has a resting loft of a whopping 7 1/2 inches in height!

Backing up a little bit, you know the old saying that you don't appreciate something until it's gone?  Well, I had been sleeping on the wool pillows and when I switched to kapok I noticed something.  Many will identify with the phenomenon of your pillow heating up, waking up and turning it over to the cold side - which feels ohhhh so good!  Well, I didn't do that with the wool pillows but ended up going back to that practice with the kapok!

Kapok is known as the organic equivalent of down.  It is soft, but very supportive.  The key here is the loft - it is very tall and stays that way even when your head on it.  For the broad shouldered guy that I am, this is a great ergonomic pillow. 

I would rate the organic cotton cover as being average, it is a percale so it is a little rough but hey, you put a pillowcase on it so what's the difference?  Construction is pretty clean overall.

It comes packaged in just a plain plastic bag with a card insert that describes the material.  The Natural Bedroom has never been known for its colorful packaging, that's for sure!

Kapok has had a good reputation and it is well deserved.  It is a great material because it is so soft and light weight, yet strong and durable - perhaps the best material around where those adjectives can be applied.  One unfortunate aspect is that it is not possible to buy one of these pillows in the State of California.  Kapok is flamable and, without treatment, it is illegal to sell them in or for delivery to California.  I know, bummer.

In the final evaluation, if you're looking for a soft pillow with good support and a very high loft, try this one!

Natura World, Inc., the Canadian natural and organic mattress company that is rapidly rising to major-brand status, released today that all of the Dunlopillo latex they use in Premium Grade, Standard Grade and All Natural Talalay Latex Foam Rubber meets the stringent Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Product Class I human-ecological requirements for certification.

Of particular note is that this certification extends to the standard presently established for baby articles, a high standard to meet indeed!

What does this mean exactly?  Well, to the knowledge of yours truly, no Talalay or Talatech latex to date has been able to meet this standard of purity.  This has only been known to be reached through the Dunlop manufacturing process.

Dunlop process latex tends to be firmer and offer a less appealing "feel" when compared to todays mattresses.  Talalay latex provides a softer, more supple feel due to its more open cell structure.  The debate about which one lasts longer still rages, but on the whole it is generally accepted that Talalay does "feel better" than Dunlop.

Many organic mattress shoppers have shunned Talalay latex as being somehow "less natural" than Dunlop and, indeed, there is a difference in the way each type of latex is made.  Some online retailers and manufacturers have even embarked on long campaigns to discredit the Talalay process in general.

Of course, Dunlopillo (a.k.a. Dunlop Latex Foam Ltd.) actually invented both processes, so it stands to reason that they would be the first to have their Talalay latex meet this exceedingly high standard.  Remember, European eco standards are much higher than ours here across the pond.

So, my dear defenders of the earth, this means that you can rest easy (literally) about choosing a mattress made with Dunlopillo Talalay Latex that you are on the pure stuff, free of any harmfull synthetic or chemical fillers. 

In the organic/natural arena, Natura makes the following models with this latex:  Eco Haven, Eco Advantage, Eco Brilliance, Eco Transcend, NaturaFresh, NaturaClear, NaturaPure. 

In other news, Natura has implemented a new type of zipper on all of their mattresses made of brass instead of plastic.  One gallon of petrol is saved for every 25 beds now made with this zipper!

Natura's new factory has also instituted a new program where they recycle their plastic bags, keeping an estimated 20 tons of plastic out of landfills per year.  No small potatoes there folks!

So, as you can see, they are not only "talking the talk" but "walking the walk".

Shop with confidence!

When I was first contacted by Matt Harrigan of The Green Pea Pillow Company to try their innovative pillow design, I really didn't know what to expect out of a pillow filled with my family's favorite vegetable.  But it's certainly was intriguing to say the least, so when the pillow arrived it was an event around the store - with customers and employees alike gathered around while I opened the box.

Let's get the specifics out of the way first - This pillow weighs more than any other pillow I've ever seen - topping in at around 11 pounds.  To add to that amazing statistic, it is much smaller than the average pillow - at least the one I was sent - at 16 x 11 (not counting the flap on the pillow case).  It has a resting, unfluffed loft of about 2 inches.  There is no quilting to the exterior.  The peas are packed into a heavy organic cotton canvas interior that is zippered, allowing you to remove peas if you wish - similar to buckwheat hull pillows in that respect, only here I suppose you could rehydrate and cook the peas if you really wanted to.  The pillow includes a softer organic cotton pillow case.  The literature does not indicate whether or not the pillow case is machine washable, however I would be very surprised if it wasn't.

Now to the test.  The size of the pillow really limits this to neck and head support in one position.  Rolling over, shifting positions, etc. would require moving the pillow to keep it in the correct position.  When it comes to head and neck support, this pillow really shines.  It holds you in position completely, even with its small size.  Because of the size of the peas, much larger than buckwheat, there is less chance of shifting occuring during sleep or rest. 

Of course, with pillows like this there is always a noise factor and it does exist here.  If this were a like-sized buckwheat pillow, with no wool wrap as this is, it would be much noisier in my opinion.  Peas are definately on the quieter side, although you do hear them and this is something to consider.

As for this pillow, it has become somewhat of a curiosity around the store as customers are quite intrigued by it.  Most seem quite surprised by the weight and the damage it could do in a pillow fight - we're talking emergency room here!  It is really hard to fathom this pillow every wearing out from a fill standpoint.  With normal use, this thing could literally last years.

If you are interested in the Green Pea Pillow, you can get more information at www.greenpeapillow.com and can order there as well.  The pillow cost $89, but offers a 30 day money back guarantee and a program where you only need to pay the $15.95 shipping charge (remember, it's heavy) and if you like it the $89 will be charged at the end of the trial period. 

As for us at the Green Guy and OSP - we doff our caps to Matt for creating an innovative organic product and wish him every success.

You also have 1-800-Mattress (known in the industry as "Dial a Bed") who have partnered with Vivetique - Natural Bedroom to bring that line out into the brighter daylight of the mainstream consumer.

All of this has resulted in consumers asking some very common questions about these products.  Here are just a few:

Q:  Do you really sleep better on an organic bed?

A:  Generally speaking, yes.  Everyone is different so it is important that a bed is selected with the correct feel for you, but clinical trials and control studies have shown that subjects reach a deeper level of sleep on an organic bed than a standard mattress.  Why?  The wool.  Wool helps your body control temperature fluxuations better and also gets rid of that pint of body moisture you lose each night.  Therefore, you turn less and you won't curl up in a ball or stick your leg out (or even throw the covers off) because you got too hot or too cold.

Q:  Do organic beds last as long as standard beds?

A:  Longer actually.  It's a proven fact, actually.  Let's examine a rather common 20 year mattress warranty:  First, there is no cushioning material in a standard mattress, including memory foam, that has been on the market and in use in its current form for 20 years.  Therefore, there is no hard, real world proof that these materials, again including memory foam, actually last that long.  Second, the materials in an organic mattress - Natural Latex, Organic Wool, Organic Cotton, have proven themselves in real world use for time periods exceeding this same 20 year warranty.  Natural Latex, especially the 100% natural Dunlop Process and Talalay (Talalay from Dunlopillo specifically) has been in widespread mattress use since the 1930s, having been invented in 1929.  No other cushioning material has proven itself like natural latex in real world, every day use.  Of course, organically grown cotton and wool have been around for centuries - millenia in fact - and have proven themselves many, many times over to be durrable and long lasting.

Q:  I've heard of mattresses developing mold and dust mite problems.  How do organic mattresses deal with this?

A:  All things considered, organic mattresses stay far cleaner than their standard counterparts over their life span.  As a starter, the Natural Latex used in organic mattresses is over 500% more dust mite resistant than any polyurethane foam or fiber, including memory foam.  Next, the wool layer of the mattress keeps moisture out and what moisture does get in is wicked away and evaporates very quickly.  With lack of moisture and a poor living environment, dist mites decide to find other diggs that are more hospitable.  You also have natural mold and mildew resistance - in fact I have never seen in my entire career mold or mildew on natural latex (I can't say that for memory foam, however).  As an added bonus, organic mattresses are also anti-bacterial since bacteria needs moisture to survive.

Q:  Do organic mattresses cost more than standard mattresses?

A:  It depends on what type of mattress you are shopping for.  If you are looking for something to just throw on a bed and sleep on and don't care about the quality or the longevity, then yes - organic mattresses cost more than the economy mattresses that are available from most mattress stores and places like Costco.  If, on the other hand, you are shopping for a medium to higher end mattress and especially a memory foam mattress, then you will likely find organic choices - and at the very least natural choices - that are either the same prices or lower than the standard mattress models you've seen.  In fact, standard mattresses actually have the high price lead at this point.  When you factor in the longevity of an organic mattress, your cost per night of use actually drops to LESS than that of even most of the economy mattresses available, so make sure you take that into account when shopping around.

Q:  How can I tell if a mattress is truly organic or if it's just a ploy to get me to buy?

A:  This is a really important question.  Did you know that in the U.S., a mattress that is only 15% organic can be labeled "Organic"?  This can really cause confusion among consumers.  What you want to look for are certifications - is the manufacturer or merchant a member of the Organic Trade Association?  Is the natural latex Eco Institute certified?  Is the cotton and/or wool certified organic?  To be honest, buying a European or Canadian product is actually better - especially since all Canadian manufacturers must certify their organic claims by December, 2008 to continue to market a product as organic.  There are several reputable U.S. Companies, just look for those certificates and you'll be fine.  No certificates?  Run.  Fast.

Q:  Am I really helping the environment by purchasing an organic mattress or bedding?

A:  Yes!  In fact, for every queen size organic mattress sold 5 acres of agricultural land per season is saved from pesticide spraying.  That can really make a difference, especially with the problems of pesticide runoff into our lakes, rivers and oceans now resulting in "dead zones" - especially among shellfish and crab.  On the other side of the coin, organic mattresses are fully biodegradable at the end of their lives!  A standard mattress with polyurethane foam will not only be here, in one form or another, for decades, but will also put potentially harmful VOCs into the soil.

There are, of course, many more questions along these lines out there - but these are the big ones.  Of course, if you have more, you can always post it as a comment and I will include it in my next Q&A!

On to the review:

Last month I slept on the Natural Bedroom's (also known as Vivetique) Extra Fill Wool Pillow.  The sample pillow was in Standard size, as are all test pillows, and it was slept on nightly for the entire month.  The pillow is filled with a generous amount of the trademarked Pure Grow Wool and covered in organic cotton.  It is completely sewed closed, there is no zipper for access to the core materials.

The pillow is the highest loft that Natural Bedroom offers in wool.  I found the loft, for being advertised as such, to be a little lower than what I would call "full" but not quite medium.  So, maybe we have found a halfway point between really high loft and medium here?

With the added wool content, the pillow was much firmer than the medium fill model.  This wasn't bad, but just know that the softness of a lite or medium fill does not carry over when you go to the extra fill level.

The pillow held up very well, retaining its shape and total consistancy of feel.  Given this, it is clear that the pillow would hold up for a considerable amount of time. 

I also would comment that this is allergy season here (we have lots of juniper trees) and I tend to disagree with the pollen found in this area.  For the whole of the month, I did not have one incidence of waking up with an allergy reaction (ie. sneezing) which is new.  The only change made to the bedroom was the pillow.

Overall, I liked the pillow but would have liked a little more height out of an extra fill.

The Natural Bedroom Extra Fill Wool Pillow is available in Standard, Queen and King sizes.  It is packaged simply in a plastic bag. 

Thanks to those that have been sending me pillows to review!  I'm going to do some quick takes on a couple this month so you know they have not gone unnoticed!