What Does "Organic" Mean When It Comes to Mattresses?

The word "organic" gets thrown around a lot in the mattress industry, but it doesn't mean the same thing as organic food. There's no single "organic mattress" certification. Instead, organic mattresses are made with certified organic materials like cotton, wool, and latex, each verified by its own certification body.

Organic cotton must be certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard). This means the cotton was grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or GMOs, and processed without harmful chemicals. GOTS also requires fair labor practices and environmental responsibility. If a mattress claims to have organic cotton but doesn't specify GOTS certification, it's not truly organic.

Organic wool follows similar standards.  Organic wool comes from sheep raised on organic pastures without synthetic pesticides or hormones, and the wool is processed without harsh chemicals. Wool is used in organic mattresses as a natural flame retardant, moisture-wicking comfort layer, and temperature regulator.

Organic latex is certified by GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard). It's made from rubber tree sap that's harvested sustainably and processed without synthetic chemicals. GOLS requires at least 95% certified organic content. "Natural latex" is not the same as organic latex.  Natural latex can still be processed with some synthetic additives, while GOLS-certified organic latex is held to stricter standards.

An "organic mattress" typically means the cover and some or all of the internal layers use certified organic materials. A fully organic mattress (like those from Naturepedic or Savvy Rest) will have GOTS-certified cotton and wool, GOLS-certified latex, and GREENGUARD certification for low emissions. Some mattresses are "natural" but not fully organic.  They may use natural latex or wool that isn't certified organic.  A natural mattress (without certifications) can be just as good as a mattress that's been certified organic - it depends on what's in it.  Regardless organic and natural mattresses are definitely better than those made with synthetic materials.

Why does it matter? Organic materials are grown and processed without toxic chemicals, which means they won't off-gas VOCs into your bedroom, they're safer for people with allergies or chemical sensitivities, and they're better for the environment. If you want a truly organic mattress, look for certifications.  At The Organic Bedroom, we carry both certified organic mattresses with many organic certifications, as well as all natural mattresses that are chemical free but don't have the certifications.

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