Non-toxic and eco-friendly mattresses | Australian certifications

What are some of the best non-toxic and eco-friendly mattresses in Australia? Do mattresses release harmful and toxic chemicals? Whilst this is hard to measure, many mattresses are now certified as being non-toxic and/or certified to be produced in an environmentally friendly way. With so many different certifications, it can be hard to keep up, so let’s summarise the major mattress certifications to help you decide on a product that is safe for you and your family.

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 mattresses that have a GECA certification include the Sleeping Duck Pro 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 mattresses that have this certification include the Ergoflex 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 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 Eva Mattress and the 624 Mattress are two popular mattresses with a SGS certification.

We know that getting a non-toxic, environmentally friendly mattress is important. We hope that these summaries of the major mattress certifications assist you in narrowing down your search for non-toxic and eco-friendly mattresses. If you have any questions about these certifications or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always here to help!