We
received a phone call recently from a gentleman who was frustrated with his latex
research. I informed him that “There’s
natural latex, and then there’s synthetic latex.” His reply was, “Well, but latex is latex is latex, right?”
The
answer is Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, there is a world of difference between
natural latex and synthetic/polyurethane foam. To make things even more interesting and/or confusing, there are
different variations of both kinds.
Natural latex is manufactured from sap tapped from rubber trees, then
it is either vulcanized (Dunlop
method) or frozen, then vulcanized (Talalay method.)
I don't want to get too involved
in which method is better, because
it's hugely dependent upon the processing facility and a number of other factors.
The
point is, natural latex is an incredibly resilient and durable, clean and supportive
material. It is resistant to dust mites, anti-microbial,
antifungal, and hypo-allergenic.
The
important thing to remember when considering a product made of natural latex is purity - what is the percentage of pure natural latex vs fillers or synthetic material. Look
for certification by an independent laboratory such as Oeko-Tex, which tests
for chemicals and toxins in the finished product. The Oeko-Tex stamp of
approval will attest to the cleanliness and purity of the product.
Some
manufacturers add fillers (most commonly clays, calcium oxide, or titanium dioxide) to the
natural latex to make it go further (imagine
taking one gallon of milk and diluting it with water to create two gallons of
milk). While the finished product will be
less expensive, the addition of fillers ultimately
makes the latex less durable and more apt to rapid breakdown. Here’s where the consumer needs to be
very vigilant…the fact is that natural latex with additives such as those
listed above can technically still be called “natural latex”.
Synthetic
latex
(aka polyurethane foam/memory foam) is made of petroleum by-products, sometimes
actually mixed with natural latex.
Again,
that's where you have to be really careful. There are many manufacturers
who tout their product as “natural latex”, when in fact it's actually a blend of
natural AND synthetic. Interestingly, Dunlop and Talalay latex can be either
natural or synthetic. Needless to
say, Caveat
emptor -- do your research!
Synthetic
latex, being chemically based, has a tendency to break down quicker than natural latex. If you have ever had a warranty issue
with a mattress,
you
know what I mean. Have you ever had a body impression in your mattress measured by your
friendly local mattress salesman and told that
it's “normal wear and tear?”
Polyurethane
foam /synthetic latex are actually graded on how quickly they're expected to break
down. That's the reason you have
to wait
until
the body impression is at least 1.5 inches (in most cases) in depth to get your warranty to
kick in.
Synthetic
latex / polyurethanes also have a tendency to off-gas. That
is, the chemicals inside the mattress will escape and cause a strange odor. Guess what? You're breathing those
chemicals in while your skin is absorbing them. There's also an issue
with synthetics being unable to absorb and release moisture properly, trapping
moisture and heat, which is a great breeding ground for molds, mildews, dust
mites and other undesirable little critters.
What
does that mean for you? Well, it
means that the mattress made with
poly-foam or synthetic latex is less durable: compacting or developing body
impressions
when
confronted with weight and moisture (by the way, the human body emits about 1
liter of body moisture while sleeping,
not necessarily sweat, just moisture being released by the body. No kidding… yuck!!!)
Take
this into consideration also: the average queen-sized polyurethane foam mattress
covered in polyester fabric loses HALF its weight
over ten years of use. Where does the weight go?
Polyurethane
foam oxidizes, creates “fluff” (dust) which is released into the air and eventually
settles in and around your home as well as in your
lungs. Yes, you breathe in this dust. And some of the chemicals used
in these types of mattresses include formaldehyde, styrene, toluene di-isocyanate (TDI),
antimony...the list goes on and on. Once
again,
do your research if you're concerned about these things. We suggest reading up on the effects of chemicals on www.epa.gov.
The
bottom line: Natural latex
(without fillers) is more resilient/durable, cleaner/healthier and more
comfortable -- anti-microbial, anti-fungal,and hypo-allergenic, as well as
being dust mite resistant and biodegradable.
You'll pay a bit more for anything
made of pure natural latex, because
it's more expensive to obtain and produce, but you get your money’s worth out of the
product in longevity and comfort.
When
purchasing a natural latex bed, remember grandmother’s excellent advice: “If it seems too good to be true, it
probably is.” A natural latex bed free
of fillers won’t be inexpensive. Find
out what warranty corresponds to the item you’re interested in, and read it! The warranty will tell you a great deal.
Also, keep in mind that websites
can be tricky: many that have the Oeko Tex logo do have natural latex products,
but also polyurethane.
And
there you have it, a crash-course in latex foam. Hope that helps you navigate
the mattress world. Good luck & happy shopping!
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