by Kade Agan
It’s that time of year again – there’s a chill in the air, days are getting shorter and thoughts turn to holiday visits from friends and family. If you’re considering revamping your extra room before your home becomes Grand Central Station, you might want to consider where your guests will be sleeping, and, more specifically, what it is they’ll be sleeping on. Comfortable and environmentally responsible, organic mattress are starting to become a popular option for people trying to create a greener home.
Organic mattresses are not a new trend (they’ve been around for over 50 years) but their popularity is on the rise as people are adhering more and more to the tenets of reduce, reuse and recycle in their daily lives. Traditional mattresses are made with steel coils and oil-based synthetic materials like polyester and foam that ensure a used mattress will end up in a landfill. Organic latex, on the other hand, is made of sap tapped from rubber trees in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Africa, Indonesia and Brazil and then baked into forms. Once the rubber settles there is a firm bottom and a softer top to the mattress, making it flippable depending on the sleeper’s preference.
These mattresses aren’t just good for the health of the planet, either. All-natural latex is resistant to dust mites, mold, mildew and fungus which means slumbering asthmatics and allergy sufferers can breathe easier once they’ve found a green place to rest their heads. Eco wool, another commonly used material in the manufacture of organic mattresses, naturally wicks away moisture and is flame resistant.
The cost of a new mattress generally requires some shopping around and finding an organic mattress to fit your budget is no different. A queen -size organic can cost more than double what you might expect to pay for its synthetic counterpart. Sites like Lifekind and Greenmattresses.com require shoppers to contact them for a quote ( the former offers a clearance tab on its website that does display prices) but do offer free shipping. A quick search of sites likeOverstock.com and Amazon.com and can also yield results. Like any major purchase a little research and some comparison shopping is advisable – best to decide which mattress you think works for you and then, quite literally, sleep on it.
About Eco Encore
Eco Encore raises finds for environmental causes around the Pacific Northwest through online reselling of donated used books, CDs, DVDs and software. Since 2002 Eco Encore has shipped over 26,000 items to 51 countries, diverting about 25 tons of paper and plastic from local landfills.
It's easy to join the Eco Encore mission by donating or buying used media through our online bookstore.
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