We spoke with Samantha Radford, Ph.D., an exposure scientist and owner of Evidence-Based Mommy, and Lindsay Dahl, a clean living expert, to break down what you need to know about how to decode labels on the hunt for your nontoxic sleep space. VOCs, flame retardants, and phthalates all have subtle but potentially serious long-term effects on our health, and according to Radford, they primarily affect the endocrine (hormone) system2. “Flame retardants have been nicknamed ’the new lead’ given how toxic they are to the brain, hormone system, and organs like the liver,” adds Dahl. Though there is local legislation prohibiting some of these chemical additives, there are no nationwide bans in the U.S. In the same way that the materials in some mattresses are harmful to human health, they also affect the environment once they’re disposed of, Dahl notes. An estimated 20 million mattresses are thrown away each year in the U.S. alone, where “the same chemicals that leach into our homes, leach into landfills and the local water supply,” says Dahl. It also ensures the product is socially justifiable, environmentally friendly, and traceable throughout its value chain. It prohibits the use of substances such as phthalates, heavy metals, chemical flame retardants, formaldehyde, VOCs, and polyurethane foam. Certified brands: Naturepedic, Avocado, My Green Mattress, Brentwood Home This certification means that your mattress products are made of a minimum of 95% organic fibers. It prohibits the use of substances such as phthalates, heavy metals, chemical flame retardants, formaldehyde, VOCs, and polyurethane foam. Certified brands: Naturepedic, Avocado, My Green Mattress, Happsy, Saatva GOLS, GOTS, and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifications are Radford’s top recommendations, though they can often be pricier than the others. Certified brands: Avocado, Birch, Brentwood Home, Keetsa Greenguard Gold includes health-based criteria for additional chemicals and has more stringent VOC emissions limits. It doesn’t, however, guarantee that nonvolatile contaminants (such as lead or cadmium) aren’t in your mattress. Certified brands: Avocado, Birch, Brentwood Home, Naturepedic, Tuft & Needle In Dahl’s opinion, this is one of the most impressive certifications since it ensures a mattress is completely free of toxic chemicals and treatments. Certified brands: Avocado, Naturepedic, Happsy, My Green Mattress In Radford’s view, CertiPUR-US is the lowest-regarded certification on the list, for two reasons. “Firstly, it is administered by the Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, who likely has a vested interest in passing products, and secondly, it does not certify the entire mattress; it only certifies the foam inside the mattress,” she says. In other words, if a product has CertiPUR-US foam but also has a layer of vinyl, it likely will still off-gas phthalates and other potentially toxic chemicals. Certified brands: Casper, Tuft & Needle, Leesa, Endy, Douglas Dahl always prioritizes shopping with Certified B Corporations when possible. “While the B Corp logo doesn’t mean a product is necessarily fully sustainable or nontoxic, couple that with MADE SAFE or Greenguard and you’re going to be making a great choice,” says Dahl. Certified brands: Avocado, Savvy Rest, Leesa Certified brands: Savvy Rest Certified brands: Avocado, Brentwood Home Some of the labels listed above allow you to forgo this step, as they certify that there are no chemical flame retardants in a product. Alternatives include a combination of natural latex (if you don’t have an allergy), cotton, kapok fiber, and/or wool. If you do choose a mattress made of polyurethane foam, Radford recommends looking for one that is at least CertiPUR-US certified, though ideally, it would also be Greenguard GOLD certified. Finally, “We need more companies to get involved in asking Congress to pass legislation that will remove these toxic chemicals from all mattresses, leveling the playing field for people who can’t afford safer mattresses or don’t have the time to shop the market,” says Dahl. It was early on in her marketing and communications career that Victoria discovered her passion for writing and storytelling, and a desire to dig into and explore the topics that matter to her. Previously she spent over a decade in the movie business in a publicity role at a prominent movie studio. She has been a long-time advocate of clean, non-toxic beauty, and has previously lent her marketing expertise to consulting work for beauty brands from across the globe. When she’s not investigating wellness trends, debunking beauty myths, or uncovering the latest earth-friendly products, she can be found buried in a good book, watching the latest documentary, or traveling the globe with her camera in tow. You can find her on social @victoria_malloy.
