10 Reasons Why Not to Buy a Conventional Mattress

Many people don’t really know the difference between an organic mattress and a conventional mattress, to the extent that some people even think it’s a scam. There are some very real and fundamental differences between a conventional mattress and an organic one. One thing it is definitely NOT is a scam! And it all has to do with the materials being used to make them. Get a quick snap shot here and do some independent research with reputable non-profits to get the full picture… 1. Conventional mattresses are mostly made of man-made materials that are not resistant to bed bugs, moulds, bacteria and fungi unless treated with some heavy chemical insecticides (which carry their own health problems). Over the years your conventional mattress can get infested, releasing spores and housing tonnes of dust mite faeces. Natural materials such as pure natural latex that has not been combined with synthetic additives has inherent anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties that are resistant to bacteria and fungi; organic wool is inherently dust mite repellent due to its high lanolin content, so a natural mattress such as the ones sold by buyOrganics are a lot healthier for you without having to add chemicals 2. Conventional mattresses are pumped full of hazardous chemicals such as fire retardants, boric acid, antimony and formaldehyde, and heavy metals to name a few. Walter Bader author of Toxic Bedrooms found in his research that an independently tested memory foam mattress contains over 61 VOC’s chemicals. Chemicals such as these can cause skin irritations, respiratory problems, hormone disruption, and problems with oxygen absorption and are even carcinogenic. When you smell a conventional mattress, you know it’s not good for you! 3. Sleep is adversely affected by sleeping on a toxic mattress. Sleep is the time our body rejuvenates, cell regeneration occurs and our body rests. Toxic chemicals in our mattress interfere with this delicate bio-rhythmic balance. 4. Sleeping on a conventional mattress could harm your children and their children. Scientists have confirmed that chemical fire retardants, such as those used in conventional mattresses, have been measured in pregnant mothers and passed through the placenta to their unborn babies. The danger of these chemicals is that they build up and remain in fatty tissue for years, waiting to be shared with your growing baby. Even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms, there’s no way to know how three generations of built-up toxic chemicals will affect your grandchildren. 5. Babies are more vulnerable and sensitive to their environment, and placing your baby on a mattress that has a lot of chemicals in it, is not good for their early years of brain and physical development. The chemicals can interfere with healthy cell development and can cause learning difficulties as well as being implicated in SIDS 6. Conventional mattresses are made from cheap materials that wear out quickly. But after they do wear out and become very uncomfortable to sleep on, they do not bio degrade, in fact they continue to pollute the planet in toxic landfills and never break down. Unlike organic mattresses that are built to last for years and maintain their comfort, they can also be refurbished by adding layers of wool or another layer of latex or by changing the cover. And when you have finally have had enough of it, it will natural bio degrade without causing an ounce of pollution! 7. The production and manufacture of conventional products such as polyurethane based foams, petrochemicals and plastic based fillers are harmful for the environment and also contribute towards global warming. Conventionally grown cotton, wreaks havoc with the environment through pesticide pollution, and GMO crops are destroying natural ecosystems. Compared to the plantation that supplies our pure rubber latex for our organic mattresses that removes 143 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere year after year. The organic cotton we use is helping communities globally to live safer, more prosperous lives. A much sounder, sustainable choice. 8. Many conventional mattresses are built in third world countries using sweat shop labour that is exposed to unhealthy chemicals and poor working practices, poor pay and poor working conditions. 9. Conventional mattresses continue to off gas chemicals as they degrade over time, so you are constantly exposed to a stream of pollution as you sleep every night. A mattress you bought over 10 years ago would not even have had the current regulatory standards of present and may contain worse chemicals than currently allowed. 10. In a fire, a conventional mattress may not burn immediately, but it will start smoking and letting off toxic chemicals which will kill you even before the fire gets to you. So in a nutshell, be smart and invest in an organic mattress.