In what is likely the biggest news in the organic mattress world in the last 12 months - or at least so far this year - is the re-vamping of Royal-Pedic's Organic Mattress Collection. 

Royal-Pedic has been making natural mattresses since the 1940s and their reputation for quality is literally second to none when it comes to American made mattresses.  Each mattress is literally hand made to order at their factory in Southern California.  Their showroom in Beverly Hills is like a trip to mattress fantasyland, where you can lay on the very same model that John F. Kennedy insisted on having everywhere he went.  Or, you might want to listen to the tall tales of the custom mattresses ordered by Ronald Regan or Wilt Chamberlain.   Yes, it is indeed an amazing place.

The key changes to their organic lineup are:

*All latex is now 100% Natural - this used to be an optional upgrade, now it's standard.

*Organic versions of some of their most popular models, including the Royal Cloud Pillowtop, which is the very finest mattress made by the very finest mattress company in the United States.

*No more medical prescriptions needed for ordering!  Well, there is one model that requires it, but that's it.  This is a huge plus, making it much easier for the customer to get one of these fine mattresses.

*New German Cotton Damask Covers.  They abandoned the ugly brown "Foxfibre" some time ago, in favor of a much lighter color.  Now, in a move that gives them a surface feel along the lines of Green Sleep, the mattresses are just as luxurious to the touch of your hand as they are for the rest of the body.

*Expanded thicknesses of the Pillowtop Pads.  It is now easier to customize your Royal-Pedic sleep experience by selecting one of the Organic Pillowtop Pads.  Before, you only had a choice of the 2 or 4 inch models.  Now they've added 3 and 5 inch versions to the mix, giving you the opportunity to create the comfort level (and mattress height) of your choice.

*The only model no longer available is the Royal Latex Organic mattress.  This was really firm because it was wrapped in cotton and tufted with straps.  They've kept the Royal Latex Organic Quilt Top, but this is now the only all latex offering in their organic collection.

Yes, prices have increased, but we can forgive that because this is the first increase Royal-Pedic has had in 2 years - and I can tell you that everyone else has raised their prices at least 2 to 3 times in that same period.

So, how do you get one of these great beds?  Well, first let me tell you that Royal-Pedic, like Green Sleep, is what is commonly referred to as a "Fair Trade" product.  That means that every dealer must charge customers at least the Royal-Pedic published minimum price for their mattresses and mattress sets.  Dealers are permitted to charge more than the minimum if they choose, but Royal-Pedic sets the lowest price and believe me, it is firm.  They also never have sales.

Once you have located a dealer (that can be difficult as many dealers do not show the mattresses - maybe only one or two models and the new organics haven't really gotten out yet) and selected the one that fits for you, you place your order.  Your order goes into a line with everyone else and it is strictly first-come, first-served (unless you're the Sultan of Brunai of course - yes, he sleeps on Royal-Pedic).  When your mattress is finished, it is shipped directly to your home from the factory - no middle-man, no distribution centers, no dirty warehouses.  The service doesn't stop there, however, as the shipping service will install the mattress or mattress set in your home for you.

Now, and this is important, the "white glove" shipping and installation service is supposed to be INCLUDED in that minimum price that Royal-Pedic has set.  Do not let a dealer try to make that an "add-on" because it's already built in - they're just trying to get more profit out of you. 

There is still no comfort guarantee on Royal-Pedic organic mattresses or mattress sets, which is understandable but still something to consider before you make that kind of investment.  Every Royal-Pedic mattress is covered by a 10 year, non-pro-rated warranty.  Yes, there are longer warranties out there, but read the fine print and you'll find out that they lose most if not all of their value after 10 years, so Royal-Pedic is just being up front with you about what they will cover.  Believe me, they have very (and I do mean VERY) few warranty claims.

Finally, how long will it take you to get one?  Well, that does somewhat depend upon how far you are from California and how many orders are in the production line in front of you.  Generally speaking, you are looking at 3 to 4 1/2 weeks from the time they receive your order until you actually see that beautiful new bed brought in the door of your home. 

If you truly want the best organic standards, Green Sleep is still the top of the heap, but if you have your heart set on an innerspring bed and you want it about 2 to 4 weeks quicker, then you absolutely must look at Royal-Pedic.  You just can't go wrong with a Royal-Pedic bed.