Mattresses
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+General Information About Foam
There are many properties of foam. The two most important are Density and ILD. Density is nothing more than how much a piece of foam weighs. It is determined by taking a cubic foot of foam (12″ x 12″ x 12″) and weighing it. If the foam cube weighs 5 pounds, the density is 5.0. If it weighs 2.5 pounds, the density is 2.5. The higher the density, the longer the foam should last. ILD stands for Indentation Load Deflection and refers to the firmness of a piece of foam. The lab puts a 4″ x 15″ x 15″ piece of foam on a flat surface. Then a round metal plate, 8″ in diameter, pushes down on that piece of foam. The amount of pounds of pressure it takes to squeeze the 4″ piece of foam to 3 inches (25% compression) is referred to as the ILD. A low ILD, such as 14, doesn’t offer much resistance and is an extremely soft piece of foam. One that takes 44 pounds of pressure is an extra firm piece of foam. Generally speaking, ILD’s of 14-22 are considered soft, 23-29 are medium, 30-37 are firm, and 38+ are considered extra firm. The comfort range for most people is 25-35. Foam does soften slightly with regular use. Foam Types – Polyurethane foam and Latex foam are the two types primarily used in the furniture industry for cushions and mattresses. Polyurethane foam is made by mixing various petroleum based chemicals. The most popular types of polyurethanes are Visco Elastic (Memory) Foam and High Resilient Foam. Latex foam is made by using the milky white liquid from the rubber tree. The most popular types of Latex are Talalay and Dunlop. Even though polyurethane is a cost effective alternative to Latex, it is not a natural product, is not as comfortable, and will not last as long. |
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+General Information About Latex Foam
Latex is derived from the rubber tree. It is a natural, biodegradable material that is inherently anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and dust mite free. Latex inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, fungus, and bacteria. This makes it the best option for health conscious consumers and those who suffer from allergies. We have not seen a foam product that comes close to the quality and resilience of Latex.
Latex starts as a milky white liquid composed of rubber, dispersed in water. This material is whipped with air to form foam, which is frozen in place to make the Latex core. The Latex core has a pincore construction with hundreds of tiny air channels. Because of this natural ventilation, it provides more breathability, keeping you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The density of the Latex core is approximately 4.5 pounds per cubic foot. More weight means longer life. It is available in Soft, Medium, Firm, and Extra Firm. There is no resilience like Latex. If you have slept a night on it, you know. The two main types of Latex are Talalay and Dunlop. These names refer to the manufacturing process in which they are made. The liquid Latex that goes into each can be 100% natural or a blended mix. This gives you many choices. Talalay – is a very sophisticated hi tech manufacturing process (see the video below). Talalay Latex is very resilient, very cushy, and very comfortable. Dunlop – is the more traditional method of manufacturing. In the past 10 years, Dunlop Latex has progressed to the point where it nearly emulates the resilience of talalay. |
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+Our Latex Mattresses - Description and Specs
We sell 2 types of Latex: 100% Natural, and Organic. In respect to quality, both of them rank at the top of the class and come with a 30 Year Warranty. The main difference is the level of natural each has. We sell 3 different mattress covers. The craftsmanship and attention to detail on all of our covers give us an edge over any competitor. Others may be selling the same Latex, but there is no question who has the best mattress covers. 100% Natural In the 100% Natural mattress, the Botanical Latex is manufactured using the Talalay process and is 100% Natural. It is a logical choice for people who have health concerns or allergies. Since most of our customers want natural products, this has been our best seller since 2005 when it was introduced. The mattress cover consists of two fabrics with a layer of joma wool batting between them. The top fabric is made of 100% Natural cotton and bamboo. The bottom fabric is 100% Natural cotton. The joma wool is a natural material that enables the mattress cover to comply with Federal Regulations. There is NO fire retardant added to the latex or any of the materials in the mattress cover. Organic In the Organic mattress, the Botanical Latex is manufactured using the dunlop process and is 100% Natural. The Organic Latex goes one step further on the Green Meter. A plantation has been set aside in which no pesticides, fertilizers, or chemicals are used in the growing process of the rubber trees. The mattress cover consists of two fabrics with a layer of joma wool batting between them. The top and bottom fabrics are made of 100% Natural Organic Cotton. The joma wool is a natural material that enables the mattress cover to comply with Federal Regulations. There is NO fire retardant added to the latex or any of the materials in the mattress cover. Organic wool can be substituted for joma wool for an additional $200 – $400, depending on the size of the mattress.
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+Our Mini-Stack System
Prior to 2002, we had been shipping mattresses with a solid 6″ Latex core. More often than we wanted, people would have to use our liberal exchange policy to get the comfort that was needed. In addition to having exchanged 6″ foam cores accumulating in our warehouse, it was a major project for the customer to package a King or Queen Latex core for shipment. In 2002, we began buying all of our Latex in 3” layers. With our MINI-STACK system, you can buy a mattress that has two, three, or four 3″ layers of Latex. Since we do not glue these layers to each other, it gives the customer the ability to rearrange the layers within the zippered mattress cover. This allows multiple configurations to get the comfort needed for a restful night’s sleep. The MINI-STACK system has almost eliminated the need to exchange a layer which is a good thing for both the customer and Foam Sweet Foam.
The sturdy mattress cover encases the Latex and holds the layers in place. Because of the friction of the foam and the snugness of the cover, these foam pieces will not move or slide once the mattress is placed on the bed. |
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+Decisions, Decisions, . . .
Decision #1: 100% Natural or Organic With either one of these, you are getting the most natural and best Latex available. The 100% Natural is made in Connecticut by Latex International. It is 100% Natural and is made using the Talalay manufacturing process. The Organic is the purest choice. It is made by Latex Green using the dunlop manufacturing process. We brought this product into our showroom to fill a need for Organic. We were pleasantly surprised to learn how comfortable it is. One noticeable difference: the Organic is more resilient (bouncy) than the 100% Natural. This is a good thing for most people. Bottom Line: Both of these products are very good. The question is, “How Natural am I willing to pay for?” The 100% Natural will be the softer choice and the Organic is the firmer choice. Decision #2: Two, Three, or Four layers We assemble mattresses using the Mini-Stack System with either 2, 3, or 4 layers of 3″ Latex. The Lite contains 2 layers, the Plus has 3 layers, and the Super _____ Plus has 4 layers. The Super _____ Plus offers the most options and the most comfort. To borrow a quote from one of our customers, “you should buy as thick as you can afford.” We would agree. Many people visit our showroom intending to buy a Plus, but end up buying a Super ______ Plus because of the extra comfort that it provides. The Plus is still a very good mattress and our best seller. It is comprised of 3 layers of latex that will provide a great sleep experience. Bottom Line: If you weigh over 260 pounds, go to bed in pain every night, or would like the most comfort available in a mattress, we recommend the Super ____ Plus. If you don’t want to spend the extra money on that 4th layer, we recommend the Plus. It is our best selling mattress and probably much better than what you are currently sleeping on. We recommend the Lite if headroom above the bed is an issue (sailboat, camper, bottom bunk, etc.) or if you are on a tight budget. With any of the 3 choices, you will get a very good Latex Mattress with a 30 Year Warranty. Decision #3: Soft, Medium, Firm, or Extra Firm When buying a 3 layer (9″ of latex) mattress, most people buy the medium/firm/extra firm. This is the configuration that fits most comfort ranges. If it is not quite firm enough, you have the ability to unzip the cover and re-arrange the layers to adjust the comfort level. Some people suffer from conditions that require at least the top layer being soft. For this situation, we recommend the top layer to be soft and the bottom two layers be firm/extra firm or med/firm. For people who are used to sleeping on futons or want a firm mattress, our suggestion is firm/firm/extra firm or firm/extra firm/extra firm. These layers can still be re-arranged. When buying a Lite (6″ of Latex) mattress, we recommend the medium on top and the firm on the bottom. Keep in mind it may feel firmer because there is not as much Latex to sink into. You will be 1 layer closer to the foundation. You can always make it firmer by flipping the mattress over, thus putting the firm on top. If you are a small person, the Natural Lite may work well for you. When buying a 4 layer (12″ of Latex) mattress, we recommend the med/med/firm/extrafirm if you are average size. If you are a large person, we recommend the med/firm/firm/extrafirm or med/firm/extra firm/extra firm. You still can make it firmer by re-arranging the layers, placing the firmer layers at the top Bottom Line: For most people we recommend med/firm/extra firm or similar. You can always make the mattress firmer by re-arranging the layers of latex. If you know you like either softer or firmer, feel free to order accordingly or give us a call @ 949.215.3626 for our opinion. If you do need to exchange a layer, there is always our liberal swap policy. Decision #4: Foundation or No Foundation Our mattresses do not need a foundation for support. If you need to put the mattress on something to achieve a desired height, it can be placed on your old box spring (if it doesn’t sag), directly on slats (as long as they are less than 8 inches apart), or directly on plywood such as a Captain’s Bed or Platform Bed. We offer a 14″ platform foundation, but only want to sell it to you if you need one. Bottom Line: If you need to raise in height the mattress you purchase from us, you can use anything that will give you support as long as it doesn’t sag. Decision #5: Mattress Pad – Yes or No YES. Whether you buy it from us or not, you NEED a mattress pad/protector. You really want to protect this major purchase from animals, kids, spills, and yourself. We sell a very high end 100% cotton/wool mattress pad/protector. It is a little pricey, but is worth the extra cost. We keep hearing from customers, “After spending this amount of money to buy a mattress that is totally natural, why would I want to put a polyester Pad/Protector on my bed?” Good Point. Bottom Line: Whether you buy it from us or not, you need something to protect this mattress.
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