Latex Mattress Education- What You Don’t Know!
I am constantly amazed at how many people tell me ” I’ve never heard of latex mattresses before”. Why is it amazing, because they’ve been around since 1929! I often call them the best kept secret in the mattress industry and believe me when I say that if there was a latex mattress displayed next to every memory foam mattress in showrooms around the country, nobody would be talking about memory foam and social media would be exploding with discussions about “the best night sleep I’ve ever had”.
The Problem with Latex Mattresses
So the real reason you may have never heard of latex mattresses is because of their durability. These beds are not made with plastic polyfoams but rather with real natural rubber from the rubber trees. Now I ask you, what do you think would last longer, tires made of plastic or rubber? Sounds like a stupid question but the answer is obvious. Most mattresses made today in fact are mostly plastic derivatives. Poly this and poly that, yep, just another word for plastic. I’m sure you’ve heard the commercials out there about changing your mattress every five to 7 years and that’s true if you can even get that long out of today’s mattresses. Latex beds on the other hand I’ve seen last over 50 years. Just watch this video below.
A popular statement I have heard over and over again is “oh yeah, I have a latex bed but we don’t sell them here”. Of course that is coming from a mattress salesperson at one of the many chain stores in the U.S. So those within the industry are familiar with all the attributes of latex yet have to go to a specialty shop to even find one. That supports my statement of “latex mattresses will never be mainstream because of their durability”.
A couple months back I was touring one of our suppliers huge warehouse and came across a pallet of what appeared to be crib size sheets of latex foam about 3/8″ thick. I asked the plant manager if someone was making crib mattresses with latex now. He said no, one of the big “S” companies is using it in the center of their so-called latex bed line. Just enough latex to say it’s in there but not enough to do any good at all. That folks is the mindset of the major brands out there so buyer beware.
The Great Mattress Deception
Have you every wondered why you can’t compare name brand mattresses from one store to the next? Oprah wondered and did a whole show about it. Well it’s simple really. Although all those Sealy, Serta or Simmons mattresses you find on every corner all look the same, every corner has a different name for each. Same mattress, same specifications although you would never know that because the names are changed so no two stores sell the same model. That is so every mattress retailer can claim “We’ll beat anybody’s Prices by 10% (small print) on the same model”. Only problem is no one else has that exact same model because it’s called the Rosewood at this store and the Driftwood at that store. You get the point. Latex mattresses however can be shopped because there are only a few suppliers in the world and once you decide to purchase one all you really need are the specs of the one you like. Talalay latex for example is made by only two manufacturers in the world and there is very little difference between those two. A medium latex core from one feels nearly the same as a medium latex core from the other. Now you just pick your firmness and your top layer and comparison is fairly easy to do. Most latex beds come with a zippered cover so you can actually see what you are getting so nothing is left in doubt. No so with spring and memory foam beds. You never really know for sure if what you paid for is what you got. And very often the bed you laid on in the store feels nothing like the one that was delivered. Anyone ever have that happen?
So Here’s What You Really Need to Know About Latex Beds
First, nothing outlasts a latex mattress. Nothing provides the airflow of a latex bed. Nothing is more eco friendly than latex and nothing is more hypo-allergenic than latex foam mattresses. Most importantly, nothing offers more long lasting comfort than good ole latex beds. Add it all up and you have the absolute best return on investment you will ever get out of any mattress purchase now or in the future. Just say NO to the ads on TV, just say NO to memory foam. Say YES to latex foam mattresses.
