Top-rated organic, natural and eco-friendly mattresses
Mattresses made from organic cotton, natural latex, Tencel and organic wool may help alleviate environmental impact.
Mariana Zapata
Mili Godio
Updates Editor
Mariana Zapata
Mili Godio
Updates Editor
Natural latex is made from the sap of rubber trees. For latex to be called organic, no trees or soil can be treated in any way with pesticides or chemicals during the production process.
Made with natural latex as well as organic wool and cotton, the Zenhaven mattress is breathable and can naturally regulate your body temperature, according to the brand. The mattress is two-sided — the “luxury plush” side is softer while the “gentle firm” side offers firmer support. It has a 4.9-star average rating from over 220 reviews on Saatva.
The Awara mattress is made with a natural latex foam, New Zealand wool and organic cotton. The company also says it works to offset its carbon emissions by planting trees for every mattress sold. It has a nearly 5-star average rating from over 990 reviews on Awara.
Nest Bedding provides several natural latex bedding options, including the Certified Organic All Latex mattress and the Natural All Latex. The Natural Hybrid Latex mattress is made from a combination of 100% natural Dunlop latex, organic knit cotton, Joma Wool and eco-friendly CertiPUR-US certified comfort foam, according to the brand. It has a 4.7-star average rating from over 4,600 reviews on Nest Bedding.
Tencel is a relatively new material that is made from wood pulp and other natural substances. It was purposefully invented with sustainability in mind — its production uses less water than cotton and boasts closed-loop manufacturing (in which any waste created is repurposed for another product). Mattress manufacturers often use the material in their covers.
This mattress, which has a tencel cooling cover, also uses vegetable-based polyurethane. Muenchinger says this polyurethane is more sustainable in the sense that it is a renewable resource, but it takes more energy to produce. It has a 4.8-star average rating from over 44,000 reviews on Amazon.
Usually, the term “organic” does not define the wool itself — it denotes that the sheep it came from eat organic food and that no chemicals were used in extracting the wool. Purchasing humanely sourced wool ensures that the sheep were not harmed or mistreated. Wool is also a natural fire retardant and provides breathability.
Handmade in the U.S., this Birch mattress gets its cotton from local farms and its humane and organic wool from New Zealand farmers, according to the brand. It’s made by the same company that produces Helix mattresses, which we’ve recommended in our guides to soft and firm mattresses. Each mattress comes with a cover made from natural organic cotton that’s designed to be highly breathable and contains a subtle stretch for comfort. It has a 4.6-star average rating from over 3,100 reviews on Birch.
Another option from Avocado, the Green Mattress sources its organic latex, wool and cotton from its own farms and collectives in India, according to the brand. The mattresses are hand-tufted and made in California. It has a 4.7-star average rating from over 17,000 reviews on Avocado.
Sustainability certifications are meant to let consumers know that a company’s claims are legitimate. Muenchinger said that the more certifications a company has, “the more they are committed to their product hitting all the markers” of sustainability. Lee warned, however, that you should take certifications with a grain of salt since there are no global standards or regulations for some of them. With this in mind, here are several highly rated beds with some of the certifications you’re most likely to come across, and what those certifications stand for.
OEKO-TEX certifies that fabrics do not contain harmful chemicals and are free from allergenic substances. The natural latex used in this anti-microbial Plushbeds mattress is OEKO-TEX-certified and doesn’t contain any blends, synthetics or chemicals, according to the brand. It has a 4.9-star average rating from over 280 reviews on PlushBeds.
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) ensures that companies don’t use loopholes to falsely claim their products as organic. The wool and cotton found in this Brentwood Homes mattress are both GOTS-certified. It has a 4.7-star average rating from over 680 reviews on Brentwood Home.
If you’re sensitive to chemicals and synthetic materials, you’ll want to look for the GreenGuard Gold certification, which has strict chemical emissions exposure standards. The Original Mattress, as a whole product, boasts this certification. It has a 4.6-star average rating from over 34,000 reviews on Tuft & Needle.
CertiPUR-US tests for harmful chemicals and emissions in foam. However, Muenchinger said that even standard mattresses without the certification are unlikely to contain high amounts of harmful substances like lead and mercury. This certification is most relevant to people with notable sensitivities. CertiPUR-US-certified mattresses can contain some synthetic materials, but this does not necessarily make them worse for the environment. In the DreamCloud mattress, you won’t find synthetic flame retardants, ozone depleters or heavy metals, according to the brand. It has a 4.8-star average rating from over 7,900 reviews on DreamCloud.
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