Learn all about third-party mattress certifications so you can choose the best non-toxic and organic mattress for your needs.
You’re finally ready to take the plunge and buy a new mattress. It’s an important purchase and a big investment – I get it!
But before you run out and buy the first mattress you can get your hands on, be sure to educate yourself on how to find the healthiest and best quality mattress you can.
I’ve been researching healthy mattresses for years and have tried out quite a few brands for myself. I’m happy to share what I’ve learned to make your mattress shopping easier and give you the peace of mind you deserve!
At Mindful Momma we only endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and honestly love. We may receive commissions from affiliate links in this article including Amazon Affiliates. Full Disclosure
Why Third-Party Certifications Are Important
In a category as confusing as mattresses, third-party certifications are an important guide to the safety, quality and eco-friendly attributes of a mattress.
Unfortunately, conventional mattress production allows the use of some toxic chemicals that could be off-gassing while you sleep and ultimately harming your health.
A third-party certification ensures that the product has met high standards and specific criteria related to the quality of the product. In the case of mattresses the certification process looks at the specific types of materials that are used, the sustainable practices and manufacturing process that is used, as well as types of hazardous chemicals that cannot be used. Some certifications also consider indoor air quality and require testing for specific pollutants.
Trusted Mattress Certifications & Standards
In order to find the best healthy mattress for your needs you’ll want to be aware of these common third-party certifications and standards. Some of these certifications cover the natural materials used in the mattress, such as the natural latex, wool and cotton, and others certify the entire mattress.
Let’s take a closer look at the certifications most commonly used for non-toxic and organic mattresses:
GOTS Certification – Global Organic Textile Standard
GOTS is an internationally recognized organic standard for textiles including organic fibers used in clothes, home textiles and yarns. In the case of mattresses, this certification covers the organic cotton and organic wool as well as other mattress materials used. GOTS ensures the organic status of textiles every step of the way – from the harvesting of raw materials to the processing, manufacturing and labeling of finished products. This is known as the toughest organic textile standard available.
Note: GOTS & GOLS certifications cover three levels – the factory, materials used, and finished product. Ideally both the factory and the finished product will be certified. You may have to do some digging on the company website to find this out.
GOLS Certification– Global Organic Latex Standard
This standard monitors the natural rubber used to make organic latex foam and ensures that everything from the rubber plantation to the manufacturing plant to the final product are in compliance with the standard. To be GOLS certified, latex mattresses must contain at least 95{2add217ad2235d262e63a186eb2903fa1b3aade4b9d8db7a510444e5d82aac71} certified organic raw material.
MADE SAFE® Certification
When you see the MADE SAFE® label you know it has met rigorous testing standards to make sure it does not harm human health, animals or the environment. All certified products are screened for known behavioral toxins, carcinogens, developmental toxins, endocrine disruptors, flame retardants, heavy metals, neurotoxins, high risk pesticides, reproductive toxins, toxic solvents, or harmful VOCs. Only a few mattress brands have met these strict standards.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
OEKO-TEX is an international, third-party certification program that tests for more than one hundred harmful substances, including VOCs, formaldehyde, allergenic colorants and dyes, pesticide residues and heavy metals. Note: This standard by itself does not mean that a product is certified organic.
GREENGUARD Gold Certification
This certification looks at air quality standards and assures that products designed for use in indoor spaces meet strict chemical emissions limits including limiting emissions of more than 360 VOCs. The gold certification considers safety factors to account for sensitive individuals, such as children and the elderly.
GREENGUARD UL Formaldehyde Free
Must meet GREENGUARD Gold requirements and have a formaldehyde emission factor of less than or equal to 5 µg/m2•hr at 24 elapsed exposure hours. This is the most stringent Greenguard certification.
EWG-Verified
The EWG-Verified certification from the Environmental Working Group means that the mattress has met the EWG’s strictest standards for health. This means that harmful chemical flame retardants, PVC, PFAS and fiberglass are prohibited, and all ingredients and materials are publicly disclosed.
eco-INSTITUT
eco-INSTITUT is an independent certification agency based in Germany that tests for pollutants and emissions. Products are evaluated for formaldehyde, VOCS (volatile organic compounds), heavy metals, pesticides, phthalates, and other potentially harmful chemicals.
CertiPUR-US Certification
CertiPUR-US is a certification for conventional polyurethane foam that ensures that it is low-VOC. It is free from the worst flame retardants (PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP- “Tris”) but not all flame retardants – so keep in mind that some chemical flame retardants may still be used. CertiPUR foam is also free from ozone depleters, formaldehyde, mercury, lead, and other heavy metals and phthalates. NOTE: The Certipur certification was developed by an association of foam manufacturers so it’s not perfect, but could be safer than traditional polyurethane foam.
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Recommended Mattress Brands Based On Certifications
Here are a few of the mattress brands I’ve used and researched that provide many of these trusted certifications. All four of these brands feature the following important certifications: GOTS, GOLS, MADE SAFE® and Greenguard Gold.
See my guide to chemical free mattresses for a full review of these brands and more.
More Helpful Info About Mattresses
Have you seen any of these certifications on mattresses? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!
