The Differences between a Natural Latex Mattress & a Memory Foam Mattress

Posted by HaikuDesigns on September 22nd, 2016

A Fair Comparison

Latex mattresses have been available longer than some people believe. In fact, they have been around since the 1950's. Like an organic cotton futon, latex mattresses are non-toxic and as eco-friendly as you get when it comes to mattresses.  Memory-foam mattresses offer exceptional orthopedic support and allow superb blood circulation. However, memory-foam is made from toxic synthetic materials, some of which are derived from petroleum. Some of the symptoms that people experience when sleeping on these mattresses are headaches, itchy eyes, respiratory issues, as well as other negative reactions. So, although a memory-foam mattress does provide a more comfort and more pressure relief, a latex foam mattress is completely natural, often organic, and totally safe, allowing you to sleep soundly when it comes to your health. As a caveat, consumers need to be careful when purchasing a so-called ‘latex’ mattress, since some are made entirely from synthetic materials and some are made from a blend of synthetic latex and natural latex. So, it’s essential to do your own research and ask the right questions before making such a long-term investment in your health. 

Two Ways to Produce Latex Foam Mattresses

  1. A) The Dunlop Process of making latex produces a firmer foam, and both Dunlop and Talalay latex can be made from either 100% natural latex or 100% synthetic materials.
  1. B) The Talalay process of producing latex ends up with a much softer foam, and synthetic materials as well as the careful incorporation of air are used to achieve this goal. Using 100% natural latex with the Talalay approach doesn’texist, and most Talalay foam in today’s market-place is either a blend of natural latex and synthetic latex or made from 100% synthetic latex.

Although a lot of people insist that Talalay is superior latex, this is untrue and here's the reason why: Dunlop latex foam arrived in the 1950's, and the immediate goal wasn’t to produce natural foam but to manufacture a durable and more comfortable product compared to other mattresses of that period in time; hence, Talalay latex foam. Not only did it feel softer than Dunlop foam, but it also featured a very consistent texture. To fulfill this purpose, 80% of the natural elements were replaced with toxic, synthetic materials, because natural ingredients, let alone organic, were not as desirable and valuable as they are in the 21st century. So, durability and comfort ruled the day back then, just like big fat cars and hokey game-shows. As technology developed, Dunlop latex also evolved in relation to comfort, durability, performance and consistency. Although Talalay foam is still softer than Dunlop foam, it is also still primarily made from unnatural synthetic stuff that ends up stuffing our landfills with its slow rate of biodegrading. 

About the Author :

This article was written by Mark Klosterman who worked at Haiku Designs.Since its inception, Haiku Designs has provided the finest collections of modern furniture for home and offices. It offers all kinds of bedroom, living room, dining room, office furniture items and more. Apart from this, Haiku Designs also offers natural bedding, floor covering and other accessories.

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HaikuDesigns
Joined: August 22nd, 2014
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