Increasingly, organic mattresses and bedding are cropping up in mainstream mattress stores around the country.  The product is now starting the process, albiet a slow one.  This is thanks in large part to companies like Natura, whose branding and sales network have positioned them firmly out of the organic niche and into the appeal of the average consumer.  They haven't forgotten where they came from, of course, and their products continue to be superior in most every way to the competition.

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!