Latex mattresses explained

Tricks of the trade; when is latex not latex?

One key fact to bear in mind is the depth of Latex and construction method used. As Latex becomes more and more popular bed retailers are including it in their ranges, but not always for your advantage. Due to the high price tag adding a Latex component can allow retailers to increase their prices without necessarily increasing the benefits to you over other foams.

For example, a retailer may have a ‘latex’ bed in their catalogue. You may believe that this brings you the full benefits of latex. Upon further investigation, you find it is a 2cm top layer of completely Synthetic Latex, sitting on top of Memory Foam or a pocket spring unit. Our previous posts on memory foam have established that any layer of foams less than 5cm have no practical use as the accepted compression amount is 2cm on most mattresses.

This means that when the mattress compresses, which all foams will and this is natural, your latex 2cm layer would become completely unusable. Therefore, you would have been better buying a memory foam mattress or cheaper equivalent with 5cm or more of foam! Although the mattress contains a premium material the application of it completely removes the benefit. Though you’re still left paying the price tag for it. Confusing isn’t it?

Oeko-tex standard

Oeko-tex is a safety standard applied to the Latex manufacturing industry. Quality latex should always be Oeko-tex tested and certified. All our Latex is fully certified with the Oeko-tex standard. All of our latex products are routinely tested for harmful substances according to the Oeko-Tex Standard. Our products not only meet the requirements, but they were evaluated as class I, which is for baby articles. This is a worldwide standard.

What is a solid latex core?

Another example is where a manufacturer claims their bed is latex when in reality it only contains partial latex, especially in mattresses that have perimeter support, where cheaper foams are used around the edges to firm up the bed. So although it contains latex again it is not a consistent application of latex. Other sales tactics will claim latex filled toppers, again which are 2cm or use 100% synthetic latex rather than natural latex. Some even contain only latex byproduct materials, which could be shredded or mixed with other fibres! The one lesson here is not all latex is the same and you need to apply the same rules of depth, density, quality to your list of must-know questions!

Manufacturers may claim 100% latex, implying its 100% natural but this is false. The ‘100% latex’ label usually is 100% Synthetic so make sure you ask the right questions. Again the retailer’s version of ‘natural’ latex is usually 60% natural and 40% synthetic, at best! We have also found natural latex mattresses that are only 20% natural latex and 80% synthetic!!

What latex does John Ryan By Design use?

All of our solid latex beds, however, are solid core latex, so the confusion can end here. We only offer 100% natural latex variety in our solid core latex mattresses. They can be turned rotated and flipped like a traditional mattress. We only recommend solid core as its consistent and so you know exactly what you’re getting for your money, no hidden surprises!

Latex Certification:  Our latex has been tested and passed under Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Class 1 which is classed as being suitable for babies and above, ie a really sensitive class of latex testing

What is latex used for?

Latex is incredibly versatile, pliable and resilient and is frequently found in medical gloves, contraceptives, high-quality paints, moulds and cushioning materials such as beds.

As we’ve already hinted there are many types and qualities of latex. Many tricks are used to stretch the latex claim, sorry for the pun, and to cash in on this market.

There is also chemically synthetic latex made from a chemical called SBR (styrene-butadiene). Natural latex, however, has the edge as its a far more complex material with better breathability, durability, resilience and hypo-allergenic qualities that Synthetic Latex can’t fully match. Synthetic ‘SBR’ latex, however, has the edge on price as it is much cheaper than natural latex.  You need to be fully aware of what type of latex you are looking at when comparing products. Manufacturers will claim 100% latex but this can mean 100% Synthetic Latex, so you need to ensure you are comparing like for like!

Perforations and perimeter support in latex

When you unzip a latex mattress you will no doubt see lots of tiny holes or perforations. This is not because your manufacturer is ripping you off, but because these perforations are the only way the manufacturing process can get consistent heat flow through the latex when baking it.

These holes are caused by pins which allow the latex to be cured consistently, like baking a cake and making sure the middle isn’t all gooey inside. It also ended up having the natural benefit of increasing airflow hence making a latex mattress far cooler than memory foam or equivalent!

It is important to note that the perforations don’t necessarily go all the way through the latex, especially with our deep cores. This is no cause for concern as the perforations are there as part of the manufacturing process and not intended to always perforate the entire depth of the mattress. With a topper, ie a shallower depth of latex, you may see the perforations all the way through but with a deep core say 18cm they may only go partially through. Here is an example of the process with Talalay latex where rods are used which lead to perforations. In the manufacture of Dunlop latex, this would be a larger conveyor belt with rods that cure and bake the latex.

Some brands will brand a latex mattress as having perimeter support as a benefit. With quality natural latex, like the models we offer, you shouldn’t need perimeter support. All this means is that another type of material, usually a dense cheaper foam, is used around the edge, reducing the amount of latex and firming up the edges. A quality latex mattress should never need this.

Summary

As you can see there’s plenty to be on the lookout for when buying a latex mattress. You need to ensure what the blend of latex is. Is it 100% synthetic or 100% natural? Chances are it’s a blend in between. Also, the density of the latex will dictate its tension which is important to note. Lastly don’t forget to check if it is solid core latex, the best construction method, if not you may be buying a mix of latex and cheaper foam.

Still confused?  Then give us a call on 0161 437 4419 for more help or email [email protected].