How Toxic Is Your Mattress? Comparing Two Eco-Friendly Picks

Known for its sustainable practices, Avocado is a popular mattress company with a number of organic mattresses and bedding options. 

The brand values the health of the planet (and its people) and sells mattresses at affordable prices while being environmentally conscious, ethical, and living up to sustainable business practices. 

Avocado is a “Best for the World” Certified B Corporation, Climate Neutral and Fair Trade certified, and the Pinnacle Award Winner from 1% for the Planet. 

While the brand doesn’t provide white glove delivery like some competitor brands, we love that the mattresses are shipped in boxes made from fully recyclable materials.

Avocado quick facts:

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Despite being a bed in a box, Birch mattresses are among some of the most eco-friendly hybrid mattresses on the market. 

Crafted with organic materials such as cotton, wool, and latex, Birch mattresses are made in the United States. 

In fact, the brand has garnered a few standout certifications, including Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Eco-INSTITUT, and GREENGUARD Gold. 

Birch mattresses are known for being medium-firm (so they’re on the firmer side), and are a great match for all sleeping positions.

Birch quick facts:

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Made with organic New Zealand wool, organic Fair Trade cotton, natural Talalay latex, and hundreds of steel coils for optimal support, the Birch Natural Organic Mattress is hypoallergenic and it has reinforced side edges that maintain the bed’s structure and shape over time. 

It’s a great choice for back and stomach sleepers, with a firm-yet-springy feel. Hot sleepers will also love the breathable, cooling wool surface.

The latex doesn’t have the same cradling sensation as memory foam, but will keep your hips and body in alignment.

Read our detailed review of the Birch Natural Mattress.

The Luxe model is the upgraded version of the Birch Natural Mattress. This one is a medium-firm hybrid of Talalay latex, steel coils, and comfortable layers of GOTS certified organic cashmere and organic wool (which has been Wool Integrity NZ-certified). 

How does it differ? Well, the design includes increased lumbar support (which could be helpful for those dealing with back pain) and reinforced edges (for more durability and room). 

We included this one in our list of the best latex mattresses and one of the best mattresses for snoring.

Back, stomach, and heavy sleepers, rejoice: This latex mattress from Avocado is the brand’s firmest option yet. 

The Avocado Latex Mattress gives the supportive (yet incredibly luxurious) feeling of laying on your mattress rather than sinking deep into it. 

It’s held up by 9 inches of 100% GOLS organic certified Dunlop latex and has a bouncy yet firm feel. 

Keep in mind, this is a foam mattress, but it’s rated at a 7.5 out of 10 on the brand’s firmness scale. It’s a great option for couples seeking motion isolation, back or stomach sleepers looking for support, as well as tall or large sleepers.

If your lifestyle choices keep you from purchasing mattresses made with animal products, you’ll love Avocado’s Vegan Mattress. 

This mattress is also featured on our list of the best organic mattresses, after impressing us with its stellar motion isolation (all thanks to its carefully distributed 1,400+ coils). 

Avocado’s vegan mattress is made from 100% organic cotton batting, which is ethically harvested from family farms in India. 

It boasts a plush-yet-firm finish that’s great for all types of sleepers, especially those who crave extra support.

The Eco Organic Mattress is made from GOLS-certified Dunlop latex, GOTS-certified organic wool, organic cotton, and recycled steel coils. 

Like all Avocado mattresses, this pick is biodegradable, uses no toxic chemicals, fiberglass, or polyurethane foam, and even has a MADE SAFE non-toxic seal for your safety. 

The latex in the mattress has an open-cell structure that prevents you from sinking in (but rather supports you and holds you up) and is naturally temperature regulating.

Avocado mattresses start at $775 and go up to $2,800, while Birch mattresses are a bit more expensive, ranging from $1,124 to $2,811. 

Both brands offer free shipping to the contiguous U.S. and all mattresses arrive at your doorstep rolled up in a box.

Holistic sleep specialist Sarah Silverman recommends opting for a mattress made from organic cotton, organic wool, and natural latex. 

Both Avocado and Birch offer mattresses with several (if not all) these materials. Avocado’s mattress materials are entirely biodegradable and ethically harvested from the brand’s own farms in California. 

Birch mattresses are sustainably sourced from Southeast Asia, Africa, Brazil, and New Zealand. 

Both brands rank high on our picks for the best nontoxic mattresses.

At the bare minimum, your mattress should be CertiPUR-US certified, but we recommend looking a bit further. 

Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Greenguard GOLD, and MADE SAFE are all superior certifications indicating that the brand uses healthier materials without the unsavory chemicals.

Avocado’s certifications include Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX, Greenguard Gold, GOTS, GOLD, and Forest Stewardship Council.

Birch’s certifications include GOTS, GREENGUARD Gold, and eco INSTITUT.

For those who appreciate the convenience of a bed in a box and value sustainability, Birch is a solid choice. 

If you’re a hot sleeper or someone who sleeps with a partner, you’ll appreciate Birch mattresses’ temperature regulation and edge support. 

The blend of wool, latex, and coils help keep you cool throughout the night, while the strong edge support allows for easy movement and maximum bed space. 

Birch mattresses have a medium-firm feel, which makes them great for all types of sleepers (back sleepers especially).