What are the best non-toxic and eco-friendly mattresses in Australia?
I’m sure that most of us would prefer a sleeping environment includes a certified, non-toxic mattress. Thankfully, many mattresses are now certified as non-toxic and eco-friendly, giving you peace of mind when it comes to your family.
With so many different certifications, it can be hard to keep up! Let’s summarise the major health certifications along with some of the best non-toxic and eco-friendly mattresses.
1. GECA – Good Environmental Choice Australia
GECA was established in 2000, and their ‘eco-friendly’ certification label was the first of its kind in Australia. GECA:
- Has more Australian certified products than any other group
- Their certified products consider the environmental impacts of that product
- GECA considers social impacts, such as ethical working conditions
- They consider human health and toxic chemicals such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
GECA has developed their own set of rigorous standards for global best practice in ecolabelling which are independently assessed by their assurance providers. Popular non-toxic mattresses that have a GECA certification include the Sleeping Duck Mattress and the Eco Kids Mattress from Chiropedic.
2. CertiPUR-US®
The CertiPUR-US® certification program started in 2008, and was developed to provide consumers with the confidence that certain foam products met standards for content, emissions, and durability. This gives consumers confidence in relation to non-toxic and eco-friendly mattresses. CertiPUR-US® certified foams are:
- Made without mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
- Made without formaldehyde
- Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
- Made without ozone depleters
CertiPUR-US® are analyzed by independent, accredited laboratories. Popular mattress that have a CertiPUR-US® certification include the Eva Mattress, the Macoda Mattress, and the Sleep Republic Mattress.
3. STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® was introduced in 1992, and is an independent, worldwide certification system for textile products such as bed linen and knitted fabrics. This certification is based on:
- Harmful substances such as colourants, formaldehyde, and pentachlorophenol
- Requirements of the European Chemicals Regulation
- Requirements from the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act regarding lead.
- Numerous also environmentally relevant substance classes
The central focus of the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® has been the development of test criteria, limit values, and test methods on a scientific basis. Popular non-toxic and eco-friendly mattresses that have this certification include the Fern Mattress, the Naptime Mattress, and the Noa Mattress.
4. Sensitive Choice
The Sensitive Choice certification was formed by the National Asthma Council Australia in 2006 and identifies suitable products for allergy sufferers. The aims of the Sensitive Choice® certification program include:
- Educate about the importance of managing asthma
- Encourage manufacturers and suppliers to produce products and services that are asthma and allergy friendly
- Provide you and your family with a way of identifying products that help people with asthma and/or allergies
The National Asthma Council Australia uses the sponsorship fees generated through the Sensitive Choice® program to support their work. Dunlop foams used in many mattresses have a Sensitive Choice® certification. All mattresses from Chiropedic (including their award winning Cloud 9 range), are made with Dunlop foams.
5. SGS – Société Générale de Surveillance
SGS was registered in Geneva as Société Générale de Surveillance in 1919 and is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing, and certification company. Their core services include:
- Inspection – a comprehensive range of inspection and verification services
- Testing – a global network of testing facilities
- Certification – demonstrate that your products are compliant with either national or international standards
- Verification – to ensure that products and services comply with global standards and local regulations.
SGS are recognised as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 97,000 employees, they operate a network of more than 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world. The Noa Mattress is a popular non-toxic mattress with a SGS certification.
We know that getting getting a non-toxic and eco-friendly mattress is important to many Australians. We hope that these summaries of the major mattress certifications assist you in narrowing down your search, but if you have any questions about these certifications or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always here to help!
Bedbuyer is Australia’s largest bedding website and leading independent mattress review group. To read our disclosure and disclaimer statement, click here.
Share Your Comments & Feedback