My Diamond Spree

Perhaps if you’re into eco-friendly products, you may have decided to leave behind your old box spring/mattress combo and consider something new, like a memory mattress or a latex mattress. Yet you may also have made the assumption that latex is a natural substance, so you’d also be leaving behind a bed infused with petrochemicals. But think again. Latex can also be a synthetic, oil-based material, so you’ll need to do your homework on latex foam mattresses to be sure you’re get what you want.

There are two processes used to create latex mattresses. With the Standard method, the liquid (whether it’s the rubber sap or the petrochemical substance) is whipped into a froth, which creates the millions of air bubbles that are responsible for the special properties of a foam mattress. Then the liquid is poured into a mold, which is sealed and heated until it cures into its finished mattress form. In the Talalay method, the mold contains countless tiny pinprick spikes that make extra little channels for air to move through. This method creates a latex foam mattress that’s somewhat more resilient and buoyant.

Given that natural latex works just as well with either process, you might reasonably wonder why a latex mattress would ever be made with petrochemicals. The difficulty with natural latex is that the mattresses can turn out to be less comfortable. This is why a foam bed is often made entirely with synthetic latex. Or frequently, a manufacturer might use mostly natural latex and blend in some of the petrochemical version, just enough to add the extra give and softness that people want. So latex mattresses can be made of natural or synthetic materials, or a blend of both.

This demonstrates why you need to do your homework before you buy. A latex mattress can be made softer and more comfortable with the infusion of natural oils, so it’s not true that you can’t go all-natural. But even a mattress given a “green” label might contain synthetic latex. As you go mattress shopping, keep all these things in mind. Investigate the manufacturers and different brands if you can, to discover the process and the materials used. You want to be sure what you’re getting when you buy a foam bed.

Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed cure panic attack cures as well as tips on the various panic disorder medications available at anxietydisordercure.com.