What is the truth about the different types of latex, Is it a safe material to be used in mattresses, What makes latex so special to sleep on, How can you tell the difference between a good latex mattress and a painful waste of hard-earned money, Please note that this information is based on my knowledge of selling all kinds of different mattresses for five years - and writing about them since then. There are many latex articles out there filled with 'facts' and statistics. This isn't one of them - although you will find much validation surrounding many facts you've probably come across if you've already done some research. As a result, salespeople seem ignorant about the history of latex, how long it has been around, and what the experience of latex is like for the average sleeper.This makes it easier for them to ramp up the issues surrounding what is 'good' latex and what is 'bad' latex for unsuspecting, eco-contentious consumers. Yes, latex just happens to be an environmentally-sustainable and really lose heart when they have to replace them - because they aren't typically made as well anymore and these types of Latex Mattresses are hard to find. Because, unlike Polyfoam, once a Latex Mattress 'dies' - it becomes almost completely useless fast, losing resiliency or the ability to support or 'bounce back'. It has to be replaced - even if you're 80 years old and you're sure you're not going to live long enough to wear out a new one. Come on, how do you expect a mattress salesperson to respond to that, ha!
Honestly, even though most of the time customers didn't want to fork out that kind of money for another one that late in life - older customers often made the leap. Yeah, they are that worth it. This kind of sales tactic seems to be the only way for them to differentiate themselves from each other. Saying 'the right things' about latex will hopefully make you want to buy a latex mattress from their store as opposed to another one. This statement is being made in order to ramp up Dunlop Latex - which is what is used in most latex mattresses, today. But, the only thing this information tells me is that Talalay Latex is much more expensive to produce - not because it isn't as good as Dunlop. This simply is not true - TALALAY is the preferred latex because of its reliable consistency and long-lasting benefits.
Dunlop is a more dense latex rubber - which makes it more susceptible to forming impressions with the weight of a body on top of it over time. Queen - 4 Inch Natural Latex Foam Mattress Pad Topper - Medium Firm Buy Now Pure, All-Natural, Talalay Latex Exists! From Latex International - Information on how they manufacture their latex and the different versions of latex that they make using both Dunlop and I have yet to find a replacement link. LI does still make it. It is a really good question. If you have purchased a solid talalay latex mattress in the Seattle area (this could happen in any city, actually); you might want to see if there is a way to verify the expensive contents.
IF the NR Talalay Latex has been exchanged with the cheaper blend - that would leave a much bigger profit margin for any dishonest mattress store to claim. Talalay or Dunlop Latex refers to which manufacturing process was used - we'll get into that. Many mattress sales people are trying to convince their customers that Dunlop Latex is the only all-natural Latex. It certainly is cheaper. But Latex International started making an all-natural version of Talalay in 2005 when consumers in the green movement wanted a mattress that was less dependent on petroleum. YES, they did and DO make it. Our grandparents were sleeping on the natural-synthetic blend. There wasn't as much talk about mattresses being toxic back then; and the new, all-natural, man-made synthetic formula that had been invented in WWII to improve on latex worked well.
Why mess with a good thing, Very few people were aware of the issues of offgassing 'back in the day', ha! The reason why natural rubber is not as widely marketed or sold is because it IS more complicated to manufacture an all-natural rubber foam - whether we're talking about Dunlop or Talalay. You almost always have to request NR Talalay - although there are a few mattress makers around the country who consistently use it. The latex liquid has to be at a certain density in order for it to successfully be processed into rubber. This is harder to achieve without using synthetic ingredients; and each batch of latex is adjusted accordingly depending on the original quality of the liquid rubber due to environmental factors while it was in the growing phase.
This is also why it is more expensive than synthetically-blended Talalay Latex - however, it is not as expensive to do with Dunlop Latex; so the manufacturer produces more all-natural latex through this process than Talalay. What's the Deal with Synthetically Blended Latex, I've already said that. But, there is also Talalay latex that is blended with natural liquid rubber and a man-made synthetic chemical called SBR (Styrene Butadiene). This type of blended Talalay Latex is often found in the US (and also produced by Latex International) as "Talatech" Latex - which is simply their name to identify it as being 'blended' as opposed to all-natural.
The BEST latex for any latex mattress is NR Talalay - and only ONE company in the world makes it, Latex International. Yes, they make TWO different types of Talalay - blended and all-natural. NR Talalay is more difficult to find, but not impossible, especially in the Seattle area - and most other cities, I would imagine. I have also seen it available online. Some places WILL try to pass blended Talatech Latex off as all-natural Latex - because it is also considered to be all-natural from a manufacturing perspective. Yes, you need to be aware of that. But, it IS possible to acquire all-natural Talalay if you are an uber-granola who wants that kind of 'pure', natural mattress. Insist on it - most places can get it for you with a little extra effort. How can you tell if you're getting all-natural Talalay or 'blended' Latex,
Where is the latex in the mattress sourced from, If it is from anywhere other than Latex International - its not all-natural Talalay, it WILL be a blend. However, some of these 'blends' are very high-quality. If you can help it, don't dismiss them. Unfortunately, there is no 'certificate' that is given along with the bed so that you can validate a source claim. My advice is to shop at a reputable mattress store that is less-likely to be dishonest to their customers. Most of these types of stores WILL be willing to put it into writing themselves for you if you want that kind of assurance and insist on it.
Only request this if you are the hopelessly untrusting sort. You might get some strange or hesitant responses just because it isn't a 'normal' thing for them to do - not necessarily because it's not the real deal. Despite the fact that Talatech Latex is blended - it is cheaper and lasts just as long if not longer (because of the extra man-made ingredients) with the same 'non-toxic' characteristics. Choosing between these two different kinds of latex is a consumer decision: do you want a mattress that is more or less natural, How much does this matter to you if they both give you the same kind of sleep surface,
For some mattress consumers, the difference is a very big deal - to others, it doesn't matter as much. BOTH types of Talalay are considered to be 'natural' because of the way they use natural ingredients - whether some of those ingredients are synthetically-incorporated or not. Reminder: Petroleum is a natural, organic product. Because of this, both types of Talalay Latex mattresses are good; and Talatech or 'blended' latex can be a SMART way to use petroleum - if it is good quality - for our over-indulging planet. Which is more comfortable, We found some latex cores that had been stored compressed for years. Why is Talalay Processed Latex Better than the Dunlop Process for Mattresses,
The difference is like pound cake vs. Dunlop Latex 'batter' is poured into molds and allowed to dry naturally - as opposed to Talalay batter that is poured into molds, air is removed, then the rubber foam is flash-frozen to hold its shape. This ensures that the batter is evenly-distributed throughout the mold. Because of the way the drying phases affect liquid rubber - Dunlop turns into a more dense foam similar to pound cake; while Talalay has a more airy consistency like angel food cake. Because it is more dense, this can cause Dunlop to lose its resiliency or 'bounce back' benefits earlier; and a body impression can form into it, eventually - especially for heavier bodies. Dunlop is still better than regular polyfoam, however - so it CAN still be a good option for people who need to save money on a good mattress.
But, Dunlop Latex can also 'accidentally' dry with air gaps because of the way it is processed - and many times you won't notice any irregularities until you've been sleeping on it for a few years. Talalay Latex has all the air removed to prevent this from happening. This is what makes Talalay Latex a more consistent rubber foam both in feel and quality. This is ALSO why you often find a layer of Talalay Latex on top of Dunlop Latex in so many mattresses, today - because it provides a consistent feel and it may help the Dunlop Latex below last longer. Even cheaper ways to produce a 'latex' mattress is to put a few layers on top of an innerspring or regular polyfoam as a 'solid foam' bed. If the latex layers on top are thick enough, that might work for awhile, too.
It isn't necessarily important for a mattress to last that long. Sometimes you don't mind paying less for something that you will have to replace in five to fifteen years as long as you are getting a good night's sleep. How much did your laptop cost, How often do you think you will replace it, Layered Dunlop/Talalay Latex mattresses and innerspring latex hybrids are still a good option for many mattress consumers. Solid Latex Mattresses and every once in a while they will get a batch of bad foam. In this case, the latex will fail almost IMMEDIATELY (I've seen this happen) - within days/weeks.
The mattress is simply replaced and the problem is corrected. But, after you've been on it for awhile it will not continue to get softer and softer UNTIL it starts to die. Then - as I said earlier - the support in the mattress goes fast as it loses its resiliency. Decades of people sleeping on these mattresses DO NOT LIE. Ask your grandparents if they have had a latex mattress and try it out if they are lucky enough to still have it. Also, Latex NEEDS to be a certain thickness in order for it to support a body.
ILD 28 Talalay Latex will feel more soft like an ILD 19 (which is the softest ILD you want. This makes a 4" Talalay Latex Topper in ILD 28 a good option - because it is a little softer than a full 6" core. 6" of ILD 28 might feel too firm as a topper - but 4" of it can be ideal. Talalay Latex comes in ILDs 19, 28, 32, 36, 40 margin:0px ! 4" is ideal, and hard to find. A SOLID 4" - not 2" or this and then another 2" of that mixed in with other polyfoam layers. Talalay Latex on top. But, there wasn't any other polyfoams and it was on an individual pocketed coil for extra room for the parts of your body that stick out to conform to the mattress. What Makes Latex Mattresses So Great to Sleep on,
Have I already said that, Even Dunlop Latex will last you a good five to ten plus years - Talalay is made to last 40ish years and can last longer. Latex adjusts to your weight to keep your body but it is all thoroughly washed out in a five-stage process that makes sure it is clean - if not a little stinky at first. If your mattress continues to smell, I would question whether or not it is a good latex mattress to begin with. All-Natural, NR Latex, especially - will not continue to smell for extended periods of time. There may be more of an issue with blended Talatech Talalay - I know that some of the pillows in our store were blends and we received some complaints. But, I have also purchased some of those same pillows for myself and not had an issue with them.
The fumes are not considered to be toxic even though they stink; and they usually also die away almost completely for most people not to be bothered by them. I recommend letting the latex air out well with windows open in a room, if you need to - even if it's just a pillow. Hang it out on the clothesline for awhile. But in my experience, I truly believe that it depends on how sensitive the individual is who is sleeping on the mattress. Some people are simply more sensitive to the smell than others. Where Can You Find a Good Latex Mattress, Hopefully there are some reputable mattress stores in your area - but many mattress consumers complain that a good latex mattress is hard to find. I think options are improving out there.
I also know that some smaller reputable mattress manufacturers will send you a new mattress even if they don't have a store online. Do a search in your area for small, custom mattress manufacturers or a generic foam store. Sometimes a foam store will wrap a core of latex up in fabric like a bed for you. Be aware that it is not specifically being sold 'as a mattress' at that point because of the fire-regulations and certifications surrounding mattresses in the US, today. But, latex isn't a flammable thing - it smolders. Many latex mattresses do not have any added fire-retardants incorporated into them for that reason - although the mattress ticking may have some.
I do highly-recommend finding a place where you can test them out, first. Finding the right 'feel' for you and/or your sleep partner is worth the extra effort if you have that capability where you live. Supporting a local business is also a good thing. Good luck and feel free to ask questions. If I don't know the answer, I'll try to find out for you. My Favorite Pillow - Thinner than most latex pillows and the best of two worlds. Just wanted your thoughts on this item. 7 years sounds about right for a pillowtop - give or take a couple of years, ha!
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