Question from Mehdi
Hi. We are looking for a mattress for our 3 year old, and in the proccess, are comparing various products in terms of price and toxicity.
Which product is safer in terms of outgassing exposure- conventional 100% natural latex mattresses or the Ultracel mattress?
Also, just heard that 100% natural latex products are made into foam using some man-made chemicals. Is this true? We are concerned about the overall outgassing initially and over time.
Unfortunately, the Essentia mattress is out of our price range at this time.
Thank you for your time, experience and caring.
Mehdi and Nancy
Debra’s Answer
Ultracel is made from the same polyurethane plastic as every standard foam mattress. I have no data that indicates that it is any less toxic than ordinary polyurethane foam.
Yes, some toxic chemicals are used to turn 100% natural latex into foam. How much of those toxic chemicals remain in the foam, I don’t know.
A better choice for babies would be organic cotton. There’s no chemical outgassing.
