When I bought a new mattress fifteen or so years ago, my options for an environmentally friendly mattress was pretty slim. I ended up with a mattress that included some bamboo fabric in the mix, but that was the best I could do. These days, organic mattress options are becoming more and more available.
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Ready for an Organic Mattress?
I had occasion to spend time away from home last year. I spent two days a week for four weeks attending classes and staying overnight at a local hotel. The bed was quite firm and honestly, I was disappointed at first in its comfort level. It was a no-frills mattress, for sure.
The next morning, though, I noticed that my normal achy back wasn’t as problematic. I didn’t tie it to the mattress until I was three weeks into the program. Each time I stayed overnight on those super firm beds, I woke feeling more refreshed than usual and not sore.
I’d been sleeping on the same pillow-top mattress for more than a decade, and it was admittedly getting a bit saggy. But these are the kinds of purchases that nobody gets excited about, so I’d put it off. My back, after its break on the hotel mattress, was urging me to get a move on, though.
After lots of research, I was leaning toward an Avocado Mattress. Buying a mattress without trying it, though?? I kept hesitating over that. Searching local mattress purveyors netted not much in the way of environmentally friendly options, though, and that was important to me.
Every morning that I woke up with an achy back led me closer to a decision.
🛌 Avocado Organic Mattress
This company is a Certified B Corporation, which was a new term for me. Essentially, this certification requires the company to consider their workers, customers, community, and environment in all of the decisions made within the company.
The mattresses are made in the United States from organic, natural, and non-toxic materials and have an impressive number of certifications and affiliations. They are clearly making every effort to create a great product that is more environmentally friendly than conventional mattresses.
- Organic wool certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard and Responsible Wool Standard. (Avocado’s vegan mattress is made without wool. )
- 100% GOLS organic certified Dunlop latex.
- Premium 100% GOTS certified organic cotton grown without harmful chemicals.
- The company offers a one-year trial, a 25-year warranty, and free shipping, which is no small thing when ordering a large item shipped to Hawai’i.
- Mattresses available in twin, extra long twin, full, queen, King and California King as well as several crib and kid mattresses.
- In addition to mattresses, the folks at Avocado offer pillows, mattress toppers, mattress protectors, and bedding. Aside: My son bought an Avocado pillow and he is smitten.
- Avocado does have a handful of stores where a person could try before buying.
After exploring an assortment of companies and getting feedback from people I know, I eventually opted for the Avocado Green Mattress, a certified organic mattress devoid of polyester, polyurethane, and toxic fire retardants. I went with the standard mattress, which is a medium-firm mattress. After my hotel experience, I knew that I didn’t want the cushy pillow top option.
💤 Sleeping on the Avocado Mattress
- A vast improvement over my old mattress.
- The surface of the mattress is tightly woven, soft, and has a natural feel to it.
- It’s firm. The edges do not collapse when sitting on the bed.
- The entire mattress feels very solid and there is not much bounciness or movement to it. Nighttime restlessness isn’t likely to jostle the mattress and disturb a second sleeper.
🛌 Awara Mattress
About a year after I’d been sleeping on my Avocado Green Mattress, I was contacted by the folks at Awara Mattress. I was perfectly happy with my Avocado, but my husband’s mattress was giving him grief. (Yep! We sleep in separate rooms!) It was just a few years old, but not providing the support he needed. Awara offered to send a mattress for him to try.
Let’s talk about what the company itself offers, first. Like Avocado, they are doing their best to create a mattress that has a lighter impact on the earth. Their focus is on affordability, and it’s an important focus. Everyone should be able to access a sustainably sourced mattress without breaking the bank. I mean, it should be the norm, right? Here’s what Awara offers:
- Rainforest Alliance-Certified Dunlop latex.
- Organic wool fiber from New Zealand.
- Oranic cotton.
- The company offers a one-year trial, a forever warranty, and free shipping that does not extend to Alaska or Hawaii.
- Mattresses available in twin, extra long twin, full, queen, King and California King.
- Their site offers comparisons to a variety of eco-friendly mattress brands. (If you’re not into negative commentary, skip the individual comparisons where they’re a bit snarky about their competitors.)
💤 Sleeping on the Awara Mattress
- An improvement from the former pillow top.
- The cover of the mattress is a somewhat loose weave that is a “cotton blend.” It has the feel of a cotton/polyester blend.
- It’s firm, but the slight cushioning on top makes it also feel soft.
- The mattresses coils make for a somewhat springy, bouncy feel.
Comparing the Two
Both mattresses arrived in a box. All rolled up. Compressed and not looking at all mattress-like. Unrolling them was absolutely delightful because it sounded like popcorn popping and I am apparently a 12 year old child. Once unfurled, we let them sit for a day to fully plump up.
- The Avocado mattress feels more dense and heavy than the Awara; the Awara almost feels a little hollow. I imagine that’s due to the coils.
- The Awara mattress is substantially springier than the Avocado, and the sides of the mattress drop when a person sits.
- Both mattresses are an improvement over our old mattresses.
All things being equal, both of us would choose the Avocado mattress. Of course, all things are not equal, and every body and everybody is different with different expectations for sleeping comfort. What makes my body feel the most comfortable may not be what yours needs. Factoring budget into the mix makes Awara an appealing option; it’s substantially less expensive than the Avocado.
- Read more about Avocado mattresses here.
- Read moare about Awara mattresses here.
I’ve tried to give you an idea of what to expect from each mattress. In doing so I have come to realize how difficult it is to address how something feels with simple text. 🙂 The good news is, both companies offer a 365 night trial. (When I asked Avocado about that, they told me that if I decided that the bed wasn’t working for me, they’d donate it to a local charity for distribution in my area. Awara offers free returns.)
If you have an organic mattress that you love, share your thoughts about it in comments!
