You will Sleep on a mattress for about 23 solid years of your life (on average), so you should think carefully about what you’re lying on. Unfortunately, cushions often have questionable materials. Everything from formaldehyde to TCEP (flame retardant) to phthalates may end up in inorganic mattresses. The extent to which these substances affect you has not been scientifically resolved, but one way to avoid harm is to get a mattress made from natural, organic materials. In addition, these mattresses are generally less harmful to the environment. Most eco-friendly mattresses are made from a combination of wool, natural latex, and cotton. The construction is similar to that of a regular mattress, but without the chemicals.
The members of the WIRED Gear group have tested mattresses over the past few years, and we’ve slept on every mattress on this list. We’re always testing more, but these are our favorites right now. Please note that we generally recommend a hybrid mattress with its own wrapped spring core because it feels more supportive and has better airflow so it doesn’t get hot while you sleep. All prices shown are for queen size models unless specified.
Updated February 2023: We’ve added some organic certification notes and noted that we’re testing organic bedding to complement your mattress.
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The Avocado Green Hybrid Mattress is the only mattress that my husband and I agree on. She prefers a soft mattress, and I prefer a firm mattress. This model somehow manages both without too much. After almost two years of sleeping on it, there are no sagging or other problems. WIRED Mattress Contributor Jeffrey Van Camp has also tested and liked Avocado.
If you prefer a softer feel, there’s the option of a pillow cover, or you can add a mattress cover, such as the company’s luxurious (and sustainable) Alpaca fur mattress cover (see below). Avocado also sells spring-free organic latex foam mattresses and wool-free vegan hybrids, but we haven’t tested those.
Avocado Green is 11 inches thick and made from organic latex, organic wool and organic cotton. It is also non-toxic. According to the company, it contains no polyurethane, flame retardants, memory foam or chemical binders. Avocado own your own sheep farm and a latex farm and co-owns an organic latex processing facility, all in India. The mattress is assembled in California.
All Avocado mattresses come with a one-year trial, 25-year warranty, and free shipping. Like other in-box mattress options, Butter is compressed. The company is also a certified B Corporation that is purchasing enough offsets to be able to say that it operates as a low-carbon business.
Organic mattresses are more affordable
The Awara mattress is also made from latex foam, organic wool and individually wrapped springs. It’s not as comfortable as the Birch (see below), but it’s significantly more affordable. Awara’s mattress has good support and bounce, but the springs are more easily felt than in other mattresses, while the edges are quite stiff. (A topper can help with things.)
A win for Awara, according to Louryn Strampe, WIRED reviewer: Opening the vacuum pack when it arrived resulted in less odor — significantly less than other brands. There’s not a lot of movement and the soft padded fabric doesn’t get too hot or too cold. For a cheaper hybrid mattress on a budget, this is a solid choice.
My whole pursuit of an eco-friendly mattress started with my kids. I care more about what they are sleeping than what I am sleeping. However, while I love the Avocado Green mattress, it doesn’t come cheap. For my kids, I bought the more affordable Kiwi Mattress from My Green Mattress. Kiwi is similar to avocado. It’s a mattress that combines pocket springs and natural materials: certified organic cotton, wool and latex.
One cool change that makes Kiwi so appealing to kids is the double-sided option. It costs a bit more upfront but being able to turn it upside down will extend its life, which is useful if your child finds that the bed is actually a trampoline in disguise.
