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Should You Buy a Natural or Organic Latex Mattress?

Should You Buy a Natural or Organic Latex Mattress?
If you're looking for a mattress made from natural materials, a latex mattress is a fantastic choice. Besides being a natural material, a latex mattress also delivers optimal comfort from its inherent springiness. 
You have probably noticed that some latex mattresses are labelled as "natural" while others are labelled "organic". You may be wondering what the difference is between a natural latex mattress and an organic latex mattress.
What exactly is latex?
To understand the distinction between natural and organic latex, we first have to understand what latex is. Unlike other mattress materials, latex is a natural product. Latex is harvested from the sap of the rubber tree (Hevea Brasiliensis) and resembles a milky white liquid. It then undergoes processing to form the molten latex into the desired shape and firmness. The processing can be thought of akin to baking a cake: the material is poured into a vessel and solidifies into the desired shape. The exact methods of the latex processing can be varied slightly in specific ways to produce the different levels of firmness. This type of latex is called "natural latex".
What about synthetic latex?
Synthetic latex is an artificial form of latex. It is made by polymerizing a monomer which binds other molecules to form a polymer which is then processed to become latex that looks and behaves similarly to natural latex. In contrast, the latex from the rubber tree is termed natural latex (which may or may not be organic). 
In the market, most latex mattresses you see at bedding stores are either 100% natural, or a natural/synthetic blend of latex. In practice, you cannot really find a latex mattress that is completely synthetic.
If you're already debating between a natural or an organic latex mattress, then you probably aren't interested a mattress containing natural/synthetic blended latex, though there is nothing wrong with the comfort it offers. By mixing natural latex with synthetic latex, manufacturers are able to manipulate the mixture to achieve different comfort and firmness level to cater to different needs more consistently.
Latex trees
What is the difference between "natural latex" and "organic latex"?
Natural latex comes from the rubber tree, as we learned above. When shopping for an all-natural latex mattress, you should look for a mattress labelled "100% natural latex". Or alternatively you could select an organic latex mattress to meet that same goal.
Organic latex is natural latex which has been grown organically, without use of pesticides. Therefore, all organic latex is natural latex. But not all natural latex is organic. Look for the GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) certification to ascertain that you are buying a truly organic latex mattress. A product may be organic without being certified as such. However, there is no way for you to have any proof of this without a certification. Thus organic certifications are important if you're seeking to buy an organic product. 
Which is better for me: natural or organic latex?
This is not a situation where an option is 'better' or 'worse' than the other. The performance of a 100% natural latex mattress is indistinguishable from that of an organic latex mattress. Instead it comes down to personal preference and what sort of features you value most highly. 
If you are an eco-conscious shopper, then an organic latex mattress is the best choice for you. You can be confident that the materials are organically grown. Furthermore, buying an organic latex mattress means that the rubber tree plantations are farmed in an eco-friendly manner without use of certain chemicals. Therefore, by purchasing an organic latex mattress, you are supporting environmentally-responsible plantation practices. If these things are important to you, then an organic latex mattress would be the best fit with your personal values.
Even if you are not overly eco-conscious, but want to ensure there are not even the slightest traces of pesticides and herbicides in the mattress, an organic latex mattress is ideal. For example, we see an increasing number of parents with young children falling in this category.
However, if you're in neither of the above situations, then a 100% natural latex mattress is all that is really needed. Of course, you can choose to purchase an organic latex mattress, but be aware the cost of an organic mattress tends to be higher. If you're concerned solely with performance, then the two are equivalent: in that situation, the 100% natural may be more suitable as it is likely to have the lower price tag. Again though, the choice is ultimately yours: you can't go wrong with either one.
Beware of greenwashing!
Reputable bedding shops will be able to answer your questions about the source of a product and whether it is organic, 100% natural or blended. They should also be able to produce the appropriate certifications as proof when asked. 
Unfortunately, not all mattress manufacturers and bedding shops are ethical. You need to be wary of "greenwashing" by the less reputable shops. Greenwashing occurs when a product (e.g. a mattress), is labelled misleadingly to make it seem more environmentally friendly than it really is. 
There are several ways that even the savviest consumer can be led into believing that something is more eco-conscious that it is. One such example of greenwashing is a manufacturer who creates their own eco-friendly looking logo for a mattress, but it does not in fact correspond to any sort of independent "green" standard. It may be simply a logo or sticker they have slapped onto this particular model of latex mattress to add an eco-friendly look to the product. This sort of branding is highly unethical but unfortunately the less reputable manufacturers will do this to try to dupe eco-conscious shoppers.
Another example of greenwashing is the use of meaningless terminology. For example, claiming that a mattress cover is "eco-cotton" is entirely meaningless. Cotton is either ordinary cotton or it is organic cotton. There is no such thing as eco-cotton. Yet the use of misleading terminology is exactly what unethical manufacturers will do to try to attract environmentally conscious customers.
Therefore, if you are shopping for a latex mattress - be it a 100% natural or an organic one - you need to be careful to question any dubious-sounding or unclear terminology. Ask questions, and request proof of certifications. Online or in person, a reputable bedding shop will be more than happy to help you with this. 
Enjoy your natural or organic latex mattress
A latex mattress provides you with an unparalleled sleeping experience. You can be satisfied that the comfort, performance and durability is the same whether you select a natural or an organic latex mattress. 
If eco-conscious values are important to you, or if you want to avoid even trace amounts of pesticides, then you should strongly consider an organic mattress.  But if you prefer a natural product without necessarily being organic, then a 100% natural latex mattress will serve your needs at a slightly lower cost. The choice ultimately depends on your personal preference and on what features are important to you. 
Whichever option you decide upon, one thing is certain: you'll enjoy the unique feeling of luxuriating on your soft yet supportive latex mattress. 

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A Top Quality Mattress Can Improve The Quality Of Your Life
Wellness

A Top Quality Mattress Can Improve The Quality Of Your Life

Are you waking up tired or uncomfortable? Having difficulty getting through the day? Or are you sometimes stressed out? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then it sounds like your quality of life is not all that it could be.  Getting enough sleep, and ensuring it's a comfortable sleep, is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you can get a superb quality of sleep, you'll wake up feeling like you're on top of the world. You'll be able to handle things in your everyday life again and create a barrier of well-being against stress. Being happier and less stressed will also benefit your interpersonal relationships: you'll be able to cultivate harmonious interactions without it seeming like any effort to you. So, investing in a top quality mattress can truly improve the quality of your life.  How to identify a top quality mattress and how this impacts your wellbeing You may be wondering: What are the hallmarks of a top quality mattress?  Firstly, comfort is the key here. You won't sleep well on your old or sagging mattress, no matter how fancy it may have been when you first purchased it. A top quality new mattress will deliver proper support for the spine, while still feeling soft and relaxing to your body. The perfect balance of firmness and comfort is what you need to look for. Latex mattresses are the type recommended by many osteopaths and chiropractors for the ability to provide restful ease and relieve certain types of back or joint pain. Imagine how good it would feel to sleep on such a comfortable environment each and every night. Another hallmark of a top quality mattress is its durability. There are plenty of mattresses which might feel great at first touch - but sleep on them for a few weeks or months and they will quickly sag. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it is a waste of your money. Did you know that latex mattresses are actually one of the most durable types of mattress?  Their natural springiness means there are no metal spring coils to wear down: the comfortable elasticity is a property intrinsic to the latex foam itself. You certainly won't have to worry about replacing a latex mattress too soon. A top quality mattress will come from a store which allows you to have an in-home trial. Although you can test out a mattress in a showroom, the only way you'll know how it feels is to actually sleep on it. You should shop at a bedding store which allows you to try out the mattress in your home for a period of time (usually up to 30 days). You can relax in the knowledge that if this mattress doesn't feel good, the store will switch it out for a different level of firmness, ensuring you end up with the most comfortable mattress for you.  Not only is an in-home trial practical for you, but it also informs you that the company sells top quality mattresses. Why? Because the shop is confident that it can provide you with a comfortable mattress. Heveya® Singapore is happy to offer an in-home trial to customers. In contrast, a bedding shop which sells poor quality mattresses would not dare to offer an in-home trial, because they know that there would be too many customers who simply could never find a comfortable fit for them.  Yet another hallmark of a high quality mattress is its international certificates. International certification means that the mattress has passed certain tests or was manufactured in a specific way. Any mattress may have zero, one, or more certificates. A top quality mattress should have at least one, and preferably more, certificates. Certification is a stringent process which tells you the mattress conforms to top international standards. Such certificates are not awarded easily, and these are an independent measure of quality in a mattress. To name just one example, the LGA certificate tells you that this latex mattress complies with stringent standards of durability and elasticity. When you sleep on a top quality mattress made to certain specifications, you can rest assured that the product will serve you well - now and for many years to come. Why is quality of life so important these days? Quality of life is extremely important in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Investing in your quality of life can pay dividends in your ability to handle all that life throws at you. By improving your sleep, a top quality mattress can truly enhance your life and make you feel great - every day.  Odds are your old mattress simply isn't allowing you to be well rested enough. A really outstanding mattress, such as a latex mattress, provides the ultimate in gentle comfort for a great night's sleep. This will allow you to feel so much better, both physically and mentally. You'll feel more upbeat, happier and perform even better at your job. Secondly, proper spinal alignment will help relieve back and joint pain. A latex mattress is considered the best type for relieving such pain, and this can go a long way to promoting more sleep and better sleep. Even if you don't suffer from pain, you can (and should) still reap the rewards of a bed which promotes proper spinal alignment. Your body will feel wonderful when you wake up. Thirdly, a more durable mattress allows you to enjoy it for longer: it's as simple as that. You can reap all the rewards of an excellent mattress for a much longer period of time when it's highly durable. Also, you will save money with a long-lasting mattress, because you won't have to replace it soon.  Quality of life is more important than ever in Singapore and globally in the 21st century. This is because wellbeing is your best natural defence against the stress of a fast-paced life which is so much the case these days.  Conclusion Your night time sleep and comfort has an incredible impact on your daytime wellbeing. You are going to be sleeping on a mattress at night anyway, so you might as well make that time count toward your quality of life when you invest in a top quality mattress. The excitement of a busy career or an abundance of interpersonal community relationships is a good thing. But at the end of a long day, you deserve to retreat and regenerate with a comfortable restful sleep on a top quality mattress. 
Does Mattress Affect Sleep Quality And Health
Wellness

Does Mattress Affect Sleep Quality And Health

Customers often ask if the mattress a person is sleeping on can affect their sleep quality and health. The answer is a resounding YES, and the best night's sleep one get should be on their own mattress. Beware: 6 signs that your mattress could be taking a toll on your sleep Have you woken up feeling unrested? Do you sleep better on a different bed, for example at a hotel or a relative's home? Can you sense lumps, springs, or sagging in your mattress? Do you have to lie on a particular place in your mattress to get to sleep? Is it almost as easy for you to fall asleep on the sofa as it is in your own bed? Does your mattress make any sound when you move in bed? If you have said yes to any of the above questions, then your mattress is robbing you of your sleep health. Everyone deserves a good night's rest Your sleep is crucial to your quality of life. In today's fast-paced society, there is simply too much to do and not enough time. Yet your body still requires sufficient sleep to regenerate each day to give you sufficient energy for the next day. If you suspect your mattress is giving you less than stellar sleep health, then it's time for a new mattress! Everyone deserves a good night's rest. There is no need to wait until the situation is so dire that you're simply not comfortable lying in your own bed. Do not make the common mistake of confusing the quantity of sleep with quality. For example, if your mattress does not properly support your spine, then even a long night's sleep will not feel particularly restful to you. You may even wake up in the morning experiencing back pain. In contrast, you'll be able to feel fully rested and refreshed on the perfect mattress, even if you get fewer hours of sleep. In that case, just imagine how fantastic a long sleep on the perfect mattress would feel! What is the perfect mattress? Everyone is unique, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the perfect mattress. There are several factors to consider when selecting which mattress to buy. The most important factor is your comfort, and the only way to determine that is to actually lie on a mattress to test it out. Although you can and should try out the mattress in the showroom, the top reputable mattress bedding stores will also offer you an in-home trial. This is where you can actually test out the mattress for up to 100 days in your own home. If you are not entirely satisfied, the bedding store should be able to change it out for you. The idea here is to be certain that at the end of the day, you will have the perfect mattress for you. However, before even getting to the point of an in-home trial, you might want to find out more online or at a bedding store about the different types of mattress materials. They all have different pros and cons, but if it has been a long time since you were last in the market for a mattress, you should be aware that latex is rapidly becoming one of the most highly recommended mattress materials. This is due to its comfort, durability, natural origin (from the sap of the rubber tree), natural mould resistance and allergen resistance. Of course, the choice of mattress type is ultimately up to you. Always remember, you are in control of regaining your sleep health. Under every perfect mattress is the perfect base If budget constraint is an issue for you, then certainly the mattress should be your main focal point at the moment. However, if you have the financial means, do consider purchasing a new bed base along with a new mattress to reap the best benefits in your sleep health. A mattress will perform to its utmost when placed on a new, good quality bed base. And on the other hand, even the best mattress cannot help but sag if the bed base is sagging. In warm and humid climates such as Singapore, the European style of adjustable sprung slatted bed base is ideal. This is because the slats allow excellent airflow to maintain the hygiene you desire, while simultaneously offering natural springiness for optimal mattress support and comfort. Regaining your sleep health Ultimately, while the mattress upon which you sleep comprises one of the most important parts of your sleep health, it is not the only part. You could purchase a new mattress only to stay awake much of the night because you have had a lot of coffee that day, for example. So make sure you exercise sensibly, set a regular bedtime most days when possible, and ensure you have your room sufficiently dark during bed time. When you regain your sleep health, you will feel better and be healthier. You'll be able to fight off infections better, be more effective at work, and drive more safely. Not only will this increased well-being benefit you, but your improved mood and outlook will also benefit your relationships with others. You can't put a price tag on a good night's sleep. And the best night's sleep you get should be on your own mattress.
How Are Latex Mattresses Made
Education

How Are Latex Mattresses Made

Latex is an all-natural product which comes from the sap of the rubber tree, Hevea Brasiliensis. Latex looks very different before it is processed into products such as mattresses. You may be wondering how the milky-white liquid sap is made into a comfortable relaxing mattress. Let's find out. It starts with the rubber tree The rubber tree, Hevea Brasiliensis, grows in many tropical areas. This tree produces a sap which contains latex, and this sap can be tapped to flow out of the tree and be harvested. Most of the plantations which are responsible for the commercial production of latex are found in Southeast Asia. Rubber plantations are managed carefully to ensure consistent growth of new trees for output. This is important, because it can take around six years for a rubber tree to grow large enough to have its sap harvested. Note that each tree can live for 100 years. To tap a rubber tree, a collector will make a thin cut on the diagonal to remove a small piece of bark. This allows the sap (i.e. latex) to run out of the bark down the tree and this fluid is collected in a bucket. However, the flow will stop after about 6 hours, but the tree may be tapped again with a new cut the next day. How much latex does it take to make a mattress? An immense amount of latex is needed to make a mattress. However, remember that latex can be tapped without destroying the tree or creating pollution, unlike other types of mattresses. To make a queen size latex mattress, it will take a whole day's output of 12 acres of rubber trees.  But instead of harming the environment, this helps it: the same number of trees tapped for a queen size mattress will over the course of one year remove 143 tons of carbon dioxide from the air. Furthermore, this same 12 acres of rubber trees will keep 8 rubber tappers employed too, creating important jobs in areas where jobs may be scarce. In other words, when you purchase a latex mattress, you are helping the world environment. You are doing this by supporting the growth of rubber tree plantations and in doing so removing carbon dioxide from the air. You're also creating much-needed jobs for people who tap rubber trees. How is the liquid latex made into a mattress? It seems strange at first to think that the milky sap of the rubber tree can be turned into a mattress! Yet it can be done. This step is called processing. There are several different methods that the latex milk can be processed into a comfortable foam mattress block. In common to all of them, the liquid latex sap is first mixed with a small proportion of materials which will later help the latex solidify. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' manufacturing process; they each have different advantages and disadvantages. Dunlop method In the Dunlop method, the liquid latex formulation is first mixed so that it will foam. This foamy mix is placed on a conveyer or into a shaped mould, and is then passed into a special oven which solidifies the mixture and allows it to. The product is then passed on to the washing station, where residual small amounts of liquid latex and any unreacted solidifying agents are washed away. The latex foam block is then dried by hot air and is ready for use.  With the Dunlop method, the latex foam may be created in any shape that is needed; for example a king size mattress may be prepared in one mould.  Talalay method The Talalay method is newer than the Dunlop method and produces a slightly different texture of latex. With the Talalay method, the liquid latex formulation is transferred into a shaped mould and sealed closed. Then a vacuum is applied, and the purpose of this is to disperse the latex evenly throughout the mould. After that, it is flash frozen, and immediately afterward it is flash heated so that it will permanently solidify. After cooling, the solid latex block is removed from the mould and is ready for use. The Talalay method cannot be used to produce very large blocks of latex, so latex mattresses made with this method are created from smaller blocks glued together. Locations of the seams may vary, and this is something to take into account when purchasing a Talalay mattress. How EB latex mattresses are made EB latex mattresses are made using the Dunlop process. Manufacturing of EB latex core is fully automated. Firstly, the latex formulation is mixed continuously with compressed air in order to create foam. Once the latex foam has the right density, minuscule air bubbles are mixed into it. In this way, air is infused into the compound resulting in an open cell structure. It is these open structures that gives the mattress the required air circulation and guarantee an agreeable temperature in bed. Once the latex foam is ready, a robot spread it into a mould which incorporates pin core holes to define the pattern of the mattress comfort zones. The filled moulds are then vulcanize, in other words baked. The comfort patterns of the mattress are defined by the pin core structure in the mould, bigger pins make bigger holes in the core and the mattress feels softer. The adapted firmness of the different zones ensures perfect lying comfort.  After the vulcanization step, the fresh latex core is then taken out of the mould and thoroughly washed. The remaining residue is removed completely and the core dried. Each mattress core is tested and examined individually to measure the hardness, the density and is reviewed for visual perfection. Once the mattress has been rigorously checked for its quality, it then goes to the automated warehouse where it is packed and stored. Soon after that, it is shipped under carefully controlled conditions to customers around the world. The latex mattresses are certified by different independent organizations and carry several quality certificates. These certificates give customers and users the guarantee that every latex mattress is synonymous with exceptional comfort and safety.  Conclusion Latex is a natural material which is produced from the sap of the rubber tree. This liquid sap is made into a comfortable solid foam block using one of the processes outlined here. When you buy a 100% natural latex mattress, you are helping the environment by supporting the growth of rubber tree plantations, which remove carbon dioxide from the air. You are also providing jobs for rubber tappers in areas where employment opportunities are often scarce. A natural latex mattress goes above and beyond the delicious comfort you'll feel when you lie down. It's also about the satisfaction you'll feel in knowing you're purchasing an environmentally responsible product.

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