What is Tencel? Are Tencel mattresses any good?
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Hi there,
I'm searching for a super king mattress under £1000. The most comfortable bed I've ever slept in was a Tencel encapsulated pocket sprung (1000) mattress. From my understanding, the Tencel is simply a memory foam layer which surrounds the pocket springs. Am I missing anything? Is this something to be avoided?
Thank you for your extremely helpful website. You guys know what you are talking about!
Kind regards,
Kate
Hi Kate,
Many thanks for your mattress query, its a really good one. Thanks also for your kind words about our mattress blog and website. We have put a lot of effort into becoming the trusted authority on all things mattress. I'll pass your regards onto our small team of experts. It will make their day!
What is Tencel and how is it made?
Tencel is a man-made fibre that uses a blend of plant pulp, wood and other synthetic materials to create a quasi-natural man-made fibre. The wood pulp is mixed with a chemical solvent before being spun. It originates from Australia and used eucalyptus trees for the plant part of the fibre. Which may make you scratch your head. It's not a memory foam and should be thought of more as a replacement or alternative to a sheet of cotton. This is its primary use as a fibre or upholstery layer.
What are the benefits of Tencel?
Tencel claims to be one of the most breathable fibres, a bit like all natural fibres are. It aims to produce a silky and breathable layer by mixing polyester, plant pulp and then creating a man made fibre from it. There are eco claims to as it argues it uses less water than the growing of cotton to create. Which is probably true. However, there's an argument that there's a lower Co2 requirement for cottons growing, washing and spinning compared to the growing, blending, mixing, heating and then spinning Tencel especially when blended with polyester too.
What can be said is its a really interesting half way house between proper natural fibres and completely synthetic ones. It's often used in bedding as it needs less ironing (thanks to the synthetic blend) and can feel very soft when woven into a fibre, just like polyester does but without the lower breathability.
Advice on Tencel mattresses:ong>
The Tencel in the model above is used in the fabric or ticking of the mattress. Which really is the vanity layer. What you need to know is exactly what's inside the mattress, all the upholstery fibres GSM's and what type/gauge of pocket spring is being used. If you focus just on the cover then you're missing 99% of the true mattresses value and quality. If you can afford it you're better on choosing natural fibres in your mattress such as wool, bamboo, horsehair or plant fibres like our Vegan friendly mattress.
Sadly the listing for that Dura bed Tencel mattress model gives no indication of what's inside. However for the price, around £400 and the fact its a one-sided mattress we can put money on it being 100% polyester and foam inside. We would imagine that for the price it will be a medium feel in the upholstery later if foam and polyester. Again without the detail its almost impossible to say for sure. It also doesn't give you the spring tension which you need to know based on your bodyweight. Without this, you're guessing if the support is actually suitable for you.
| How much to spend on a double mattress? | What can I expect for my money? |
|---|---|
| Under £500 | Will not get you much at best a 13.5 gauge open coil/cage sprung with a thin polyester layer or a solid foam mattress. |
| £500 | Entry level spunbond springs with some form of synthetic upholstery. Usually one sided mattresses. |
| £750 | The beginnings of a basic pocket springs unit with 800 – 1000 count. No substantial amount of filling other than foams and synthetic materials. Two sided models. |
| £1000 | Should get you away from most low ranges and into the mid-range pocket spring models. |
| £1250 | Should get you a decent pocket sprung mattress with some Natural Fibre content. |
| £1500 | Should get you many manufacturers mid-range models with Natural Fibres |
| £1500-£2000 | Should get you a Hand Made primarily Natural Fibre Quality Mattress |
| £2000+ | You should expect 100% Natural Fibres and Traditional Hand Made Construction Method. |
| £5000+ | A Bespoke Hand Made Sleep System, High-end Spring Units & Featuring the Worlds Most Luxurious Natural Fibres. |
Alternative to Tencel Mattresses:
Tencel may be fine at the entry-level price point but when you're looking at £1000+ plus mattresses you should be looking for a viscose cover and the inclusion of proper natural fibres.
Have a look below at our best selling natural fibre mattress, the Artisan Naturals for a mattress comparator of true quality.
It features a calico encased vanadium coated pocket spring, the same as Vispring use and has 85% natural fibre fillings.
Meaning its one of the coolest and most responsive mattresses available. These fibres are highly responsive and breathable. It also has a forgiving top comfort layer which will help reduce pressure during the night.
Artisan Naturals Mattress
1: 1200GSM BLENDED BRITISH FLEECE WOOL AND COTTON
2: HAIRPROOF CAMBRIC COVER
3: 1250GSM REBOUND POLY COTTON
4: 1500GSM 100% PURE MOHAIR
5: 1600 CALICO ENCASED POCKET SPRINGS [49MM ] [1.28MM ]
TOTAL: 3950GSM
DEPTH:: 27-30CM
CHEMICAL FREE COVER
As a guide here's a list of all the fibres both man-made and synthetic to show you how they feel and how expensive they are to help you better identify any rogue mattresses in your search.
| Upholstery Layer | Fibre Type | How it will feel? | Price Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester | Synthetic | Soft | Cheap |
| White Fibre | Synthetic | Soft/Medium | Cheap |
| Recycled Fibre / Eco Fibre | Synthetic | Medium | Cheap |
| Memory Foam | Synthetic | Medium/Firm | Mid Price |
| Igel / Hybrid Foam | Synthetic | Medium/Firm | Mid Price |
| Polycotton | Synthetic/Natural Blend | Soft/Medium | Mid Price |
| Linen | Synthetic/Natural Blend | Medium | Mid Price |
| Wool (Pure) | Natural | Soft/Medium | High-End |
| Cotton (Pure) | Natural | Soft | High-End |
| Silk | Natural | Soft | Expensive |
| Horsehair | Natural | Medium | High-End |
| Mohair | Natural | Medium/Firm | High-End |
| Hemp | Natural | Medium | High-End |
| Latex (100% Natural) | Natural | Medium/Firm | High-End |
| Coir | Natural | Firm | High-End |
| Flax | Natural | Firm | High-End |
| Coarse Cashmere | Natural | Firm | High-End |
| Bamboo | Natural | Super Soft | Expensive / Exclusive |
| Horsetail | Natural | Firm | Expensive / Exclusive |
| Alpaca | Natural | Soft | Expensive / Exclusive |
| Cashmere (Pure) | Natural | Soft | Expensive / Exclusive |
| Vicuna | Natural | Super Soft | Expensive / Exclusive |
We hope that helps and gives you further mattress buying guidance. If you have any more mattress related questions please get back in touch on info@localhost or 0161 437 4419.
Sleep well
John & Ryan
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