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 There are many myths about Organic and Natural Mattresses. Here are the 7 myths that are heard over and over from traditional mattress stores:

1. A mattress made with only natural organic material would cost over $10,000. This is not true. There are many brands of mattresses made with only certified organic, all-natural and natural materials that are very competitively price. Not only that but natural products last much longer than synthetic products so you get more for your money.
2. Organic and natural mattresses are not comfortable. Mattresses made with organic and natural materials contain all-natural rubber from the rubber tree, innerspring systems, all-natural and/or certified organic wool and cotton. Not on that but many mattresses made with organic and natural materials are customizable. So you can get the exact feel you like on your side and your partner can do the same. How can it get any better than that?
3. Organic and natural mattresses do not last very long. Most mattresses made with organic and natural materials come with a minimum of a 10 year full warranty. Some manufacturers add another 10 years prorated warranty for a total of 20 years. All-natural latex mattresses have been known to last 20-40 years.
4. Mattresses made with plant-based foams are organic or natural. Some manufacturers advertise that they use soy or other plant based polyurethane foam in their mattresses. This type of foam still contains up to 80% chemicals that are mildly diluted with plant-based oils.
5. Organic and natural mattresses do not work on adjustable beds. All natural latex mattresses will work on an adjustable while some specially designed innerspring mattresses also work on adjustable bases. You can purchase a Reverie adjustable base to be delivered with any all-natural latex or specially designed innerspring mattress or purchase an adjustable base of your choice. Either way your mattress will be fully covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.
6. Regular mattress retailers sell all-natural latex mattresses. A few regular mattress retailers may offer a mattress or two that has a layer of natural latex. Under the latex you might find a polyurethane foam core or synthetic latex. Read the law tags, do your research and understand the difference. All-natural latex is all rubber, natural latex contains some actual rubber mixed with a high percentage of polyurethane foam and synthetic latex contains no latex but is foam made to react like latex. This is important when considering the health aspects and the lifespan of the mattress.
7. There is no place locally (in Raleigh/Durham area) to buy these types of mattresses! WRONG – you can purchase organic and all-natural mattresses at The Organic Bedroom, 5230 Hollyridge Drive, Raleigh, NC.

  One of the questions we get asked most by our customers is whether or not latex is actually natural and what makes it natural. The confusion often stems from the vast amounts of information (good and bad) that is gained by Internet searches or through conversations with sales associates at traditional retail mattress and department stores. We are going to provide some information to help in understanding latex in mattresses.

Latex – If you are told that a mattress contains “latex”, this statement means nothing. The word latex is used for various combinations of latex and polyurethane foam. Some latex is even synthetic which means it is polyurethane foam with added chemicals to make it react like latex. Consumers should take time to understand exactly the type and contents of the latex in a mattress they are considering.

Blended Latex – This material does contain some latex but it also contains chemicals. As little as 30% or less of actual latex can be in the product leaving 70% or more chemical additives. This material will contain chemicals that are not identified on any tags.

Natural Latex (sometimes referred to as 100% Natural Latex) - This wording is very confusing to consumers. It looks like the material is all latex but words can be deceiving. Natural latex may or may not be blended latex, which contains petroleum bases chemicals. Using this terminology is a way for retail sales associates to exaggerate the natural portion of blended latex. It is unfair and deceptive but if you understand the terms and know what to look for you will not be fooled. 

All-Natural Latex - This is what you are looking for if you want a truly natural product. When you see a mattress labeled as “All-Natural Latex”, the mattress will be made from only the drip from the rubber tree with the exception of the very small percentage of vulcanization agent needed to keep the latex softer and conforming. All-Natural latex does not contain the harmful chemicals found in polyurethane foam and no chemicals are added to make it react differently than its natural properties.

Certified Organic Latex - When all-natural latex is certified by a 3^rd party organization such as the Global Organic Latex Standards (GOLS) it means that the entire production process has gone through a rigorous process when each step is certified from beginning to end. If this is important to you, we have mattresses that contain only certified organic all-natural latex.

Dunlop Latex - Dunlop refers to the process in which latex is manufactured. Dunlop is the original method for processing latex and within Dunlop latex you will find all-natural and certified all-natural as well as some blended and synthetic versions. Dunlop latex is known for great support and longevity.

Talalay Latex – Talalay also refers to a manufacturing process and not materials. Most talalay latex on the market is synthetic or blended (natural). The Organic Bedroom specializes in only carrying all-natural talalay latex so you will not find blended or synthetic talalay latex in our store. At this time there is no organic certification process in place for talalay latex so the best you can get is all-natural. Talalay latex is known for its pressure relief properties as well as its consistent feel.

When choosing your new latex mattress be sure to ask if the mattress is made with 100% all-natural latex, especially if you are looking to reduce the amount of chemicals in your mattress. Because many of our customers come in armed with knowledge gained through Internet searches and conversations with retail sales associates, we often have to spend some time “busting” myths before we get down to business.

These are some common myths that we’ve “busted” for you:

1. All-Natural Latex Mattresses don’t last a long time – this is not true, all of our mattresses come with at least a 10 year full warranty while many manufacturers add an additional pro-rated warranty to include a warranty of up to 20 years. We’ve seen old all-natural latex mattresses from the 1970s still in use.
2. All-Natural Latex Mattresses are expensive – while all-natural mattresses do not compete directly with the promotional mattresses that are advertised in holiday circulars and on the sides of buildings – they are very competitively priced when compared to higher quality mattresses. All Natural and organic products in general tend to cost more than synthetic products but the higher quality is well worth the extra money.

We hope this information helps. If you need more information, feel free to contact us.

The Glenwood Avenue landscape in Raleigh is well known in the Triangle area as being the place to buy furniture. You will find large national chain stores, local stores, department stores that carry furniture and those famous stores that are perpetually “Going Out of Business” and are “Liquidating All Assets”. Furniture stores are great if you are buying furniture.   They are not so great when you are looking for that comfortable space that you spend one-third of your life on – your mattress.

The main reason anyone even considers buying a mattress from a furniture or department store is convenience. You spend so much time choosing the “perfect” bedroom set and by the time you finally decide to make the purchase you remember that the new bed needs a new mattress. The furniture sales associate doesn’t know anything about mattresses and the furniture store randomly chose some mattresses to display on their showroom floor not knowing whether they are comfortable, of high-quality or the materials that are used to make them. You end up just choosing one of the three or four mattresses on display with the furniture so you can pay all at once and have everything delivered together.

A mattress purchase should be a big decision that is made only after you have gathered facts. You spend more time on your mattress than any other piece of furniture with possibly the exception of your office chair. You should understand the materials in your mattress as your body and face will be against it all night every night.

There also are no local furniture stores that offer a natural or organic options. Some stores try to pass off petroleum based soy or bio-foam mattresses covered in a Chinese made bamboo cover as a healthy mattress but nobody else has mattresses made with all natural or certified organic materials from the inside out. We became much more educated recently on our annual trip to the High Point Furniture Market. We learned how some mattress manufacturers only sell their mattresses through furniture stores as the convenience hook is a much easier sale than the process of educating the consumer on the benefits of particular mattresses.

So when you are completing your transaction on that new bedroom set that you spent so much time choosing – Stop There!!! Buy your bedroom set and leave the store to start your search for just the right mattress to put on that new bed. The mattress is the most important part of your purchase and should not be taking lightly. When the furniture transaction is complete it's time to visit The Organic Bedroom to buy a healthy, comfortable, non-toxic mattress that will guarantee a good nights sleep every night!

The Organic Bedroom becomes the first in US to display Hypnos Luxury Mattresses.

The Organic Bedroom announced today they will begin selling British luxury mattresses from Hypnos. Hypnos mattresses have received the Royal Warrant from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. “We are extremely excited to be able to offer this luxury brand” states Joey Ashley, president of The Organic Bedroom. “The Hypnos offering is in line with the values our company represents- safe natural ingredients in a luxury bed.” Hypnos has been making beds for over 100 years and their legendary pocketed spring mattresses are found in the finest homes, yachts, hotels and palaces all over the world. Vicki Ashley, VP of The Organic Bedroom stated “ We are proud to stay true to our made in the USA standard, although the Beds are made to the British standards they are still made locally in the US in Norfolk, Va.” Hypnos has been training local craftsmen for the past months on how to hand make these luxury mattresses to the same standards they are produced in the UK. The Organic Bedroom will offer Hypnos Mattresses as well as Divan bases and upholstered Headboards. For more information visit The Organic Bedroom (www.theorganicbedroom.com) or email info@theorganicbedroom.com.

It’s that time of the year we all enjoy – MATTRESS Shopping Season!!! As the spring moves along, every other radio and television advertisement is for “the greatest mattress sale ever” and “you must buy your new mattress now”. May arrives and all of a sudden the view along Glenwood Avenue changes. As we approach Memorial Day drivers will be entertained by large blow up gumbies flapping their arms in the wind, folks dressed as mattresses, and very creative dancing sign-flippers – all advertising the big May mattress sales. We will be having our Memorial Day sales this year but rest assured no big blow up gumbies from us.

Each year some of the larger well-known mattress retailers have unannounced contests to see how many signs they can put on the street. Last year the big winner seemed to have had about 35 signs in a 15-foot track of median. The local newspapers will be full of big inserts all showing the same mattresses at up to 800% off retail! How can you not take advantage of that?

We love mattress-shopping season. No, not because we enjoy the hokey advertising that we don’t participate in. We enjoy it because we know that our customers come in after having done a lot of research about mattresses and they understand the benefits of mattresses that don’t contain harmful and toxic chemicals. Our customers have made a conscious decision to buy a natural and healthy mattress and they don’t need a dancing mattress on the street to tell them why.

Here are some considerations when starting your new mattress search:

1. Do I need a new mattress? If your mattress is over 10 years old it is probably infested with dust mites, skin cells, years of sweat, etc. In addition, an older mattress could have contained PBDEs, which were legally added to many mattresses sold years ago. If you wake up with pain your mattress may not be providing proper support. Do you sleep better away from home? Many times this is a sign that your mattress is old. Do you want more space? Maybe you need to move from a queen to king size.

2. Where do I start in this process? I think we all know how enjoyable it is to come into a brightly lit showroom with too many people in cheap suits following you around and begging you to lay on a mattress. The experience can be brutal and tiring. Here are a some suggestions to make the process more fun:

• Wear comfortable clothes. Don’t wear your pajamas because that’s a little weird but do wear shorts, t-shirts, workout clothing, or anything that moves with you. Ladies, skirts and dresses are tricky!
• Either come in with your own pillow or pick one out at the store and take the same pillow to each bed. It’s best to try out mattresses using a consistent pillow.
• What 3 things are most important in a new mattress? Know why you are shopping for a mattress and what you are looking for in a mattress. Do you sleep hot? Do you have pain? Do you sleep through the night? Do you have a CPAP machine? Do you need a bigger mattress? It is extremely important to know what you are looking for as you can be sold on all the new gimmicks and end up with something you didn’t even want or need. And you’re probably paying more for the gimmicks you didn’t need.
• Know your budget. If you know how much you can and want to spend on a new mattress you won’t get oversold. In our store, we will discreetly work within you budget and try to find a mattress that meets your needs and if we can’t we will tell you.
• Try several mattresses. It is important to understand how different surfaces feel. We have many people coming in saying they want a very firm mattress but they end up choosing a nice combination of a firm base with soft comfort layer. If two people are purchasing the mattress together they should both try the mattresses together. Once you have narrowed down your choices, stay on your chosen 2-3 mattresses for 10-15 minutes in the position you sleep in most.
• Know your bed. Do you need a box spring (foundation)? Do you have a slatted platform bed that is designed to work with a mattress only? Do you need a bed frame?   Are you changing sizes? If so, do you have a bed? This is VERY important information to come in to a store with – your budget depends on it.
• Know the gimmicks? If a retailer can sell a mattress for 80% off then it was highly marked up to begin with. If a retailer can offer a "free" wide screen tv, a "free" adjustable base or other offers which seem too good to be true then guess what they are! They are simply building the "free" stuff or other special offers into the price.
• Have fun. Guys – go along with the process. Try the mattresses, talk about the benefits, and try to stay engaged. Many of our customer’s comfort exchanges come from the guys who weren’t engaged and said they can sleep on “anything”. Ladies – be patient and “drag” your guy in when he doesn’t have anything else going on. It is very difficult to get the participating you want or need if your guy wants to be fishing and you have them in a mattress store.

3. How do I choose the right mattress? Go back to the items that are most important to you. If you have gotten this far than you probably believe that a natural product is a given. What else is important? That is for you to decide. With natural mattresses you have a longer lasting product, superior pressure relief with the all-natural latex options, elimination of motion transfer when couples are sleeping together and a much cooler sleeping surface when you combine the natural latex with the wool filled cover. In addition you eliminate the petro-chemicals that are found in the polyurethane in traditional mattresses and the chemicals found in flame retardants and stain resisters. Stay within your budget. Make sure the mattress is comfortable and meets your criteria. Buy from a local retailer that can make sure you are getting the right mattress for your needs, deliver and set it up for you, remove your old mattress, offer accessories like pillows, sheets and protectors, and continue to offer service after the sale. Also you will keep your local money in the local economy.

4. Watch out for the internet. Buying a mattress on the internet can be cheaper but like anything, you get what you pay for. To sell mattresses on the internet a company needs a warehouse, a stack of latex layers, some warehouse workers and a handful of customer service telephone sales reps. They don’t need a showroom and they don’t need knowledgeable and passionate staff. They need people who can run a credit card. Yes, the internet companies offer “free” returns. But where do those returned layers of latex go? I can’t speak for any one company but I bet they don’t go to the local landfill. How do you know you are getting what you paid for? You don’t. There is no way to know because you never saw what you paid for. Be aware and shop local.

Now you have been educated you are ready for the May sales. We can help you with your natural and organic mattress purchases. There are many options that all offer various benefits. Come by and let us help you make a choice that will provide years of comfort and happiness. The best gift you can ever give yourself is a great nights sleep! AND OF COURSE - WE WILL BE HAVING OUR ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SALE!!!

They got married in 2003 but it wasn’t 2006 that they started sleeping in the same bed. There was trouble from the very beginning. They are complete opposites when it came to sleeping. She was a light sleeper and he could fall asleep just thinking about a bed.

Her restlessness led to constant movement during the time when he was just nodding off. He was going into hibernation mode, which prevented him from getting into a deep sleep. Once they both finally got into nice steady sleep rhythm, the snoring began thus waking her from a peaceful sleep. It was a viscous circle that went this way throughout the night. They did this for several months until they both realized it might be better to try separate bedrooms. Once the children came along there were no longer extra bedrooms so there was no option but to share a bedroom again.

They decided a new mattress might help the situation so they were on a mission to shop for a new mattress. The process is made more difficult by the fact that she is a side sleeper and wanted a plush mattress while he is a back sleeper and needed something firmer. Unfortunately, the only option was to meet in the middle and get a mattress that was a little to firm for her and a little to soft for him but it was the best they could hope for at the time. It was a memory foam mattress, which was very different than anything they had in the past. The mattress, although not exactly what we wanted did provide one major benefit – it drastically cut down on motion transfer, which was a huge issue when they started sharing a bed.

The downside to the new mattress was that is slept very warm. This was fine for her but he had a real problem with the how hot the mattress became just hours after falling asleep. He was waking up, removing blankets, then waking again to add the blankets back on thus causing a whole new sleep issue.

It all changed with the purchase of a 4-layer all-natural latex bed that can be configured differently on each side. Add that to an adjustable base and it creates absolute bliss. It took almost 10 years to sleep happily together but if it weren’t for the issues, they may have found this most perfect solution.

His side is layered so it is a little firmer than hers. Her layers are perfect for a side-sleeper. He raises his head slightly to silence to relieve her of hearing the sounds of a grizzly bear. The mattress is made with certified organic latex covered in a certified organic wool filled cotton cover. The wool keeps him cool and her warm throughout the night. The two different sides with different layers of latex virtually any motion from the other moving during the night.

Do you and your partner struggle with sleeping together? The story above demonstrates a very common issue that could be resolved. Don’t give up getting good sleep. There are options for you even when you feel like your situation is hopeless.