Last Updated on March 17, 2022
Have you been looking for an affordable non toxic mattress? Confused by all the companies claiming to have “natural” mattresses and more than a little put off by sky-high prices?
You have to know what you’re doing to understand the non toxic mattress market, but the good news is if you want less toxic sleep without having to take out a second mortgage, Happsy has a mattress you should check out.
Photo credit: Happsy
Disclosure: I received a Happsy mattress to try in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own. I ONLY promote products I believe in and am completely comfortable using on my own family. Links included in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase using one of these links.
Living green in a not-so-green world, as I’m sure you’ve discovered for yourself, can take a lot of extra work. I make it my business to save you all the hours I spend myself looking into the fine points of non-toxic and zero waste living, boiling it all down for you here. Whether it’s getting chemicals out of second-hand clothes, finding non-toxic personal care products, or cleaning green, I hope I can make it easier for you to have a healthier home in our very polluted world.
Because here’s the thing: Though a lot of people assume that the government monitors the chemicals used in consumer products, the reality is that there’s very little oversight of what’s in all the stuff we bring into our homes. Even chemicals known to disrupt hormones and suspected carcinogens are allowed in everything from our clothing to kids’ toys. And yup, you guessed it, mattresses.
WHY DO I NEED A NON TOXIC MATTRESS?
Like so many other things in our day-to-day lives, companies make it hard for us to know what’s in stuff we buy, and most of us bring things into our homes that may compromise our health. An especially pernicious one is our mattresses, where we spend about a third of our lives!
It turns out most conventional mattresses are filled with chemicals harmful to human health on a number of levels, which I’ll go over in a minute.
Most mattress shoppers look only at comfort and price, but relatively few ask a far more important question: What the heck is the mattress made of???
An excellent consumer watchdog organization, MADE SAFE, decided to answer that question after realizing how incredibly difficult it is to find out what’s actually in a mattress and what health effects those components might have. Most mattresses don’t come with ingredient lists or health warnings, though they should. MADE SAFE’s report, Detox Your Sleep, reviews the data on health effects of exposure to common mattress materials. It’s a really interesting read, if you want to check it out.
Below are the highlights. According to MADE SAFE, conventional mattresses often include the following substances in foam, polyester fabrics and fills, and adhesives:
Flame retardants
Flame retardants may include chlorinated tris, a known carcinogen banned from children’s pajamas because of health concerns that’s still used in mattresses. Flame retardants have been linked to numerous health issues, including cancer, endocrine disruption, lowered IQ, hyperactivity, fertility issues, and thyroid dysfunction.
Isocyanates
Isocyanates are derived from petroleum and have been linked to respiratory disease and skin irritations.
Volatile Organic Compounds
According to the EPA, VOCs may cause neurological effects like headaches and loss of coordination as well as damage to the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys. Some VOCs are suspected carcinogens.
Antimony
Present in some polyester fibers, antimony trioxide is a potential endocrine disruptor and is classified as possibly carcinogenic.
Other chemicals
The adhesives used in many mattresses are proprietary secrets, so we can’t be entirely sure what’s in them. Additional chemicals of concern include acetone and phthalates, as well as other substances with negative health effects.
Not what I want to be sleeping on every night, how about you?
MADE SAFE has made it their business to establish one of the most rigorous certifications for chemicals now in existence. When a company pursues MADE SAFE certification, they have a product made with the healthiest, safest materials on the market.
When I saw there was a reasonably-priced non toxic mattress with MADE SAFE certification, you can bet I was over-the-moon excited to find out more.
Photo credit: Happsy
What’s in Happsy’s Non Toxic Mattress:
Organic cotton: Grown without harmful pesticides and processed according to organic standards, certified with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
Wool: Wool is naturally fire-resistant, so no dangerous flame retardants are needed. Wool is soft and comfortable and helps regulate body temperature, keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer. (GOTS certified).
Organic Latex: Made from the renewable sap of rubber trees, latex is a non toxic replacement for polyurethane foam and makes the sleeping surface soft and comfortable. Certified to the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS).
Pocketed Coils: Happsy uses a “custom pocket spring system for optimal back support and postural alignment.” Made from recycled steel.
What’s NOT in a Happsy mattress? Flame retardants, adhesives, or petroleum-derived synthetic materials.
What’s so helpful about MADE SAFE certification is that you don’t need to chase down all the details about the different certifications different parts of the mattress have gotten because they’ve already done the research.
Some mattress companies may use organic cotton but also flame retardants and adhesives or even polyurethane foam. MADE SAFE takes the guesswork out of finding out if your mattress is truly non toxic. Only two other mattress brands have received their coveted certification. Here are more details about the best organic mattresses, which include Happsy’s.
Happsy’s also got Greenguard Gold certification and are in the Zero Toxics registry.
I also love that they have a commitment to environmental stewardship, evident not just in the materials they build mattresses out of, but in their support of numerous environmental causes, like 1% for the Planet. You can find out more about them here.
NON TOXIC, CHECK. BUT HOW’S THE MATTRESS FEEL??
All good, you’re saying, but how about those other two important qualities, comfort and price?
Knowing about the dangerous substances in conventional mattresses, many years ago I splurged on an organic latex bed. I was very curious to see how Happsy’s non toxic mattress felt in comparison. To trial it, I took out one side of our king-size latex mattress and replaced it with the twin mattress I got from Happsy.
I’m thrilled to report that this affordable non toxic mattress also feels fantastic! It has just the right amount of support, but it’s still soft and comfortable. Happsy also sells an additional latex topper if you like things softer, but I definitely don’t find it necessary.
I’ve had a lot of trouble with pressure points or lack of support with other beds and often have trouble sleeping because muscle pain wakes me. On the Happsy mattress, I wake up so much better rested from not having these pain issues. I haven’t slept on coils much, and I think they help a lot with support and motion transfer (which has been an issue with our latex bed).
If you’ve dealt with sleep problems, you’ll understand how big a deal this is. It’s so amazing to wake up refreshed from a full night’s sleep!
So my half of the latex mattress will be heading to another bed in our house, since I want to keep enjoying an awesome night’s sleep.
More good news: This terrific non toxic mattress is totally affordable!
In addition to being in an elite category of mattress with the MADE SAFE certification, Happsy is also the least expensive non toxic mattress option out there. While a king-size bed made of organic materials from other top companies can cost $8000-$10,000 (!!), Happsy’s king-size bed is priced at only $1699, and the discount code SAVE200 will take off another $200, so only $1499, far less than a lot of conventional mattresses. With the code a twin costs only $699. (Wow!!)
Check out the options HERE. Note that they sometimes have 15% off sales, which will be slightly more than $200 off if you’re buying the bigger sizes and accessories.
Buying a mattress by mail can seem a little strange at first, since you don’t get to lie on it and see what you think of its feel. But there’s a 120 night trial so you can make sure you like it, and shipping and returns are both free. It’s even better than trying something in a mattress store (not that most mattress stores carry non toxic options, anyhow) — you get to try it out by actually sleeping on it, which tells you a lot more than if you lie on something for a few minutes in a showroom.
And it’s got a twenty-year warranty.
It comes magically compressed into this small (but heavy) box with instructions on how to remove it from its vacuum-sealed packaging.
Photo credit: Happsy
You have nothing to lose and so much to gain — I hope you’ll give this mattress a try. I think it’s a major win for the consumer when someone makes living green easier and financially in reach for more of us.
Wishing you a “Happsy” and healthy night’s sleep! (Here’s where to get yours.)
Do you sleep on a non toxic mattress? If not, you may have just found your ticket to a much healthier night’s sleep! Let me know what you think if you try it out, OK?
Pin to save this info on Happsy’s affordable non toxic mattress for later!
Photo credits: Happsy
Susannah is a proud garden geek and energy nerd who loves healthy food and natural remedies. Her work has appeared in Mother Earth Living, Ensia, Northern Gardener, Sierra, and on numerous websites. Her first book, Everything Elderberry, released in September 2020 and has been a #1 new release in holistic medicine, naturopathy, herb gardening, and other categories. Find out more and grab your copy here.
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