Most mattress cushioning is polyurethane or memory foam—stiff, unyielding, and full of chemicals. Not ours. We use only premium quality Vita Talalay pure natural latex foam, without any fillers. Our pure, natural latex foam is made with the Talalay process, for breathability, elasticity, durability and comfort, and thoroughly washed to remove soaps and residues. See video of a recent performance test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Derived from the milk of plantation-grown rubber trees, natural latex has remarkable elasticity and strength for maximum pressure reduction with minimal wear. This resilient foam doesn’t sag like polyurethane foams, and it’s far more breathable. Polyurethane foam traps moisture accumulated during sleep and quickly becomes saturated creating a haven for dust mites and mildew. Natural latex foam, however, is anti-bacterial and resists mold and mildew for a cleaner nights sleep.
European Sleep Design's natural latex foam is free from toxic substances, including formaldehydes, bromides, and PBDE’s (Polybrominated diphenal ethers, formerly used in chemical flame retardants). Oeko-Tex, an environmental testing board in Switzerland, certifies that our mattress components meet their highest standard for cleanliness and purity.
Additionally our latex carries a EPEA Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM GOLD certification. And that should help you sleep better at night.
We get asked this question more and more as latex becomes more popular. We have always used only latex for our cushioning layers - for cores too in our all-latex model- and in fact, have tried and used both types of latex ever since we have been selling mattresses. We prefer, but more importantly, our customers prefer natural Talalay. Why? - because Talalay is inherently more comfortable and more breathable, and that really matters when it comes to cushioning, comforting and temperature regulating our bodies for deeper sleep. More... |
LATEX | VISCO (memory foam) | |
Materials | Natural rubber* | Polyurethane |
Body conformity, support & body surface pressure | Optimal body conformity through natural elasticity and homogeneous cell structure. Follows the body’s natural contours. Removes areas of high pressure. Provides individual support and comfort in any sleeping position. | Distributes body pressure evenly – avoids bed sores BUT for healthy people pressure distribution is generally not a problem and through the large contact area there is greater resistance to turning and impaired freedom of movement resulting in the sleeper waking up trying to turn. |
Resilience | High resilience provides quick recovery of the shape and support characteristics of the mattress core when the sleeper turns or moves during the sleep process allowing easy movement. | Very low resilience results in rigid body weight impressions which impair the sleeper from moving adequately. |
Ventilation / Sleeping climate | Open, interconnected cell structure and pin core design provide excellent ventilation resulting in a drier and healthier sleeping climate. | Closed cell structure results in very limited airflow through highly compacted cells. Large contact area generates greater heat build up and reduced air flow. |
Health | Öko-Tex 100 Standard certified. Cradle to Cradle CerifiedCM GOLD certification. | No certification – (undisclosed chemical composition) |
Beneficial to Allergy sufferers | Inherently hypoallergenic, bactericidal and anti-fungal, does not harbor dust mites. | - |
Durability | Minimal height and hardness loss due to natural resilience of raw material and cell structure Long lasting and exceptionally durable. 80 years proven track record. | - |
*At European Sleep Design we use only all-natural Talalay latex, not blended or synthetic latex.