Frequently Asked Questions

What is Latex?

Latex is a milky white liquid composed of rubber particles dispersed in water. This material is whipped with air to form a foam, which is cured to make our mattresses.

What’s so good about Latex?

Latex is naturally conforming, so you are assured optimal orthopedic support in any sleep position. This unique ability to conform to your body alleviates areas of high pressure that cause you to toss and turn at night. Latex is also hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial, dust-mite resistant and breathable. Because it breathes to remove body moisture, it keeps you warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer.  This is why the latex mattress has become recognized as superior to other kinds of mattresses, including:  memory foam, pocketed coils, hybrids, gel and plastic grids.

Is your latex 100% natural latex?

Yes!

What is Talalay Latex?

The Talalay method produces the finest latex available. The Talalay process steps:

• Liquid rubber whipped into a foam. Poured into a mold.
• When closed the mold has rods that go through the foamed rubber.
• A vacuum is placed on the mold, which removes air bubbles/pockets and distributes the liquid rubber evenly through the mold.
• CO2 is run through the rods, freezing the foamed rubber and locking in the consistency.
• Heat sent through the rods, providing even temperature and yielding a consistent latex cores without air pockets or uneven firmnesses.
• Impact test results indicate an amazingly low loss of 2-8%.

Talalay Global (formally Latex International) in Connecticut is one of two producers of Talalay latex in the world. The other is Vita Talalay (Radium) in The Netherlands.

What is Dunlop Latex?

Dunlop Latex uses the continuous Dunlop process. This latex does not have the consistent or supple characteristics of Talalay, and because it does not require the extensive processing of Talalay, it can be produced much cheaper. Originally we could not get our natural latex in Talalay, so we imported natural latex made in the Dunlop process by the container from Sri Lanka. We couldn’t help but notice that our Talalay Global (formally Latex International) Talalay Latex kept its shape and resiliency much better than the Dunlop. Here is a link to a 2009 study on the resiliency of Talalay and Dunlop methods.

Is a firm edge better?

No. You want edge-to-edge comfort. Many companies try to save money by eliminating latex from their “latex bed”. A 4 inch “firm” edge of polyurethane foam will save 20% in latex costs. Yet, although it may start out feeling firmer, it will break down faster than the latex portion of the mattress. Two inches of polyurethane layers (“supersoft”, “contour-foam” or ???) will save another 20%. Your FloBeds will be 100% Talalay Latex, edge-to-edge and top-to-bottom!

I have heard that Talalay latex a blend of natural and synthetic, is it?

Talalay Global (formally Latex International) makes two kinds Talalay latex: Talatech, which is a blend of 30% natural and 70% synthetic, and Talalay Natural, which is 100% natural latex from the rubber tree.  FloBeds are made only with 100% Natural Talalay.

What other stuff is added to Talalay latex?

Unlike some competing products, our product contains no fillers or extenders. We only add the components needed to convert the material from a liquid to a solid that lasts. We add soap, ammonia, zinc oxide and sulfur. The ammonia evaporates and the soap and zinc oxide are washed out. The sulfur is needed to cure the product so that it bounces back after you sleep on it.

I heard about latex allergies, can this hurt me?

The problems you have heard of are related to medical latex products. The key culprit is a protein in natural latex that is not present in properly produced latex. Our talalay latex, processed the way we do, washes out these proteins that cause allergic reactions. Talalay Global (formally Latex International) is the largest maker of latex Cosmetic Sponges in the world and have never had an allergic reaction. With this track record, you can be assured you won’t have a problem. Besides, with the cover, you never contact the product. Follow this link for more on latex allergies.  We asked the same question of Talalay Global (then called Latex International) back in 2002. Here is a copy of their response.

Isn’t this the same as Urethane or Furniture Foam? What’s the difference?

No, latex product is not the same as urethane or furniture foam. Urethane is a plastic. It doesn’t have the longevity and resiliency of rubber. They don’t make rubber bands or tires out of urethane (plastic), because urethane can’t stretch and return to shape like rubber. In short, when worked, they lose resiliency and shape. The just won’t give you the same comfort a year from now that they do in the showroom. Urethane foams are also made from isocyanates, and can give off deadly hydrogen cyanide gas in a fire. Our product is rubber and has all the resiliency inherent in rubber.

Why wasn’t latex available for so long?

It was used in bedding and autos until the introduction of urethane. The large manufacturers of latex were primarily interested in automotive foam, and as urethane replaced latex in car seats, they dropped out of the market. Latex is heavier than urethane, and costs more to produce. In car seats, the extra weight becomes a problem for those worried about gas mileage. (Cheaper also made Detroit happy;)

Why is it so expensive?

It is expensive because it is pure latex rubber, and it is the best latex foam bedding available. It is very unlike polyurethane, which is a plastic and much cheaper and lighter than latex foam. Because this product lasts a lifetime, it really isn’t more expensive. In the long run, it’s actually less expensive.

What kind of frame do I need?

FloBeds foundations are ready to receive set of wooden legs.  If considering a metal bed frame you need a four-legged frame for a twin size mattress. For a full, queen or king size mattress, you need a six-legged frame with middle support, running head-to-foot. Center support for any type of mattress is very important, so that it doesn’t sag in the middle. Since all full, queen or king size FloBeds’ foundations are split (left and right), they require center support. FloBeds foundations are also built with threaded t-nuts to receive wooden legs if desired in place of a metal bed frame.

If using a bedstead with headboard, foot-board and sider-ails you can use a center head-to-foot rail or you can use four cross slats with center legs in the middle two slats.

Where can I buy a natural latex mattress?

In the 1940’s and 1950’s latex was the popular good quality mattress material. With the advent of national brands developed through advertising on the three major networks, in combination with rising dominance of department stores, cost cutting became more important thanquality. The “Big S’s” — Simmons, Sealy, Serta, Spring Air — replaced latex foam rubber with the cheaper polyurethane foam and wire springs. The then largest purchaser of foam rubber, the auto industry, also switched due to cost and weight. Soon there was only one producer of latex foam rubber in the United States (Latex International, now known as Talalay Global).  In the 1980’s and early 1990’s Englander Mattress Company was the only distributer of latex mattresses through-out the United States.

Meanwhile, in Europe latex foam rubber remained the quality mattress material of choice. One reason was the difficulty of mass marketing inEurope where language and currency created smaller trade areas and rewarded quality over marketing.

In 1996, while in semi-retirement on the north coast of California, water bed entrepreneur was looking for the right materials to put into his on-line mattress project. Dave Turner met Roger Coffee from Latex International at a trade show and saw the potential high quality latex in his new Customizable Mattress sold directly to the consumer via his new website: FloBeds.com. At first FloBeds offered half-latex/half-water or half-latex/half-air or half-latex/half-firmer-latex shipped direct to the customer via UPS. It wasn’t long before Dave saw that the customer almost always preferred the latex side and the water and air were dropped from the system. FloBeds became the largest west coast distributor of latex.

Thus began the modern online direct-to-consumer bed-in-a-box business. At first the traditional companies smiled and asked “who would want a mattress that had different firmnesses on each side?” FloBeds quietly grew by double digits each year. A few companies copied the design. Then along came Casper Mattress with its’ $15 million* it raised from investors like Ashton Kutcher, Nas, and designer Steven Alan. “Keep It Simple Stupid” matched with great marketing proved to be a one-mattress-fits-all winner in the low-end mattress world But they only had 3/4″ of latex and 3/4″ of memory foam over… you guessed it: polyurethane. *Note, as of 2019, Casper has had to raise another $175 million from venture capitalists. That kind of marketing is not cheap.

What is the best natural mattress?

There are several companies that make very good natural mattresses. One of the best is Royalpedic. OMI makes a very good organic mattress line, as does Savvyrest. FloBeds was the first to use natural wool as a fire barrier to pass the 2007 Federal Standard for the Flammability of Mattress Sets (Open Flame Test) — Consumer Product Safety Commission – 16 CFR Part 1633. The CPSC didn’t believe FloBeds could pass without using FR chemicals or artificial barriers. They sent two inspectors to the north coast of California and picked up two FloBeds Natural Latex Mattresses covered with Organic Cotton and Wool.

 

What is the best natural latex mattress?

There are three competitors for the best of class: OMI, Savvyrest and FloBeds.

 

How to buy a natural mattress.

The first thing to consider is your sleeping needs. Do you sleep on your back, side or stomach… or a combination of those? Do you have pain issues with shoulders or hips when you sleep on your side? How much do you weigh? Does your partner weight more or less than you? Do you generally like firmer or softer mattresses. Make sure you can change your firmness after you receive your new mattress. And if you can not get your firmness just right, make sure you can get your money back. Be sure each of you can have the firmness on your side correct for your body, your pressure points, your spine and your good night’s sleep. And then make sure you can adjust your mattress firmness for the life of the mattress, which should be at least 20 years.

How to choose a natural mattress?

Service: Look for a company with a reputation for taking care of its customers over the long haul. Not just a couple of years, but at least 10 years. Preferably for over 20, because you want them to be there when you need them… not just cashing in on a trend and then moving on or disbanding.  Quality: Look for superior components like Natural Talalay Latex, Organic Cotton, American or European raised Organic Wool and FSC certified lumber. Value: Look for honest pricing, without the ever-lasting sale. Prices that are fair. Weigh quality and service combined with price.

How to order a natural mattress — How to buy a latex mattress.

Order a mattress only after assuring yourself:

• That your personal sleep demographics (age, weight, sleep position, sex, etc.) have been taken into account.
• That you can change firmness, now and over the life of the mattress. (And that the company has a history of always having on hand the inventory you might need.)
• That you can get your money back.
• That it will be shipped to you within 1-3 days.

 

Where to buy a latex mattress.

Look for honesty, quality and service. Consider OMI, Savvyrest and FloBeds.

Latex mattress – which brand is best?

OMI, Savvyrest and FloBeds.

 

Which latex mattress should I buy?

Consider your sleeping needs. See “How to order?” and “Where to buy” above.

Which latex mattress is the best? — What’s the best latex mattress on the market? — What’s the best latex mattress?

The FloBeds vZone is made with the highest quality components and has the most versatility.

Who makes the best latex mattress?

OMI, Savvyrest and FloBeds.

What is a Talalay latex mattress?

The undisputed superior latex is Talalay. It takes five times as long to make a Talalay latex core than a Dunlop latex core. Talalay is more consistent, supple and comfortable.

As stated above, these are the steps in making natural Talalay latex:

• Liquid natural rubber whipped into a foam. Poured into a mold.
• When closed the mold has rods that go through the foamed rubber.
• A vacuum is placed on the mold, which removes air bubbles/pockets and distributes the liquid rubber evenly through the mold.
• CO2 is run through the rods, freezing the foamed rubber and locking in the consistency.
• Heat sent through the rods, providing even temperature and yielding a consistent latex cores without air pockets or uneven firmnesses.

 

What is an organic latex mattress? What is a natural latex mattress?

Both come in a complete range of firmnesses (some companies make their latex mattresses with Dunlop on the bottom and Talalay on top, saying “you want firmer base”, but that does not make comfort sense. Firm Talalay on bottom will feel the same as Firm Dulnop on bottom: you just won’t be able to move the Dunlop up closer to your body without comprising the pressure relief gained from Talalay). So, taking the cleanest, best Natural Talalay Latex and surrounding it with Organic Cotton and Wool makes the best organic latex mattress.

How firm is a latex mattress?

Some companies make their latex mattress in one or two firmnesses. This means you are choosing a firmness for the convenience of the company, not what your body needs. For over 20 years FloBeds has been offering 5 firmness cores (Soft, Medium, Firm, Extra-Firm and SuperFirm) in up to 13 firmness combinations (S/S, S/M, M/S, M/M, M/F, F/M, F/F, F/XF, XF/F, XF/XF, XF/SF, SF/XF and SF/SF). Consider that 13 firmnesses was for the 2-core layer Select from the 1990’s, and that now that FloBeds has a vZone with changeable Zones and a 3-core layer Deluxe the combinations are in the hundreds. With a FloBed, you are guaranteed your firmness will be Just Right.

How much does a latex mattress cost?

Latex mattresses cost from $699 to $8,000. The OMI Duo king is $8,000. Savvyrest Unity Pillowtop king is $5,000. FloBeds vZone king is $3,000.

How is a latex mattress is made? — How are latex mattresses made?

Latex is a milky white liquid composed of rubber particles dispersed in water. This material is whipped with air to form a foam, which is heated to produce foam rubber, or latex. The soft, supple products of a real foam rubber are what make our products superior. Latex is inherently hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial and dust-mite resistant. Latex is not a plastic foam, like polyurethane or furniture foam. It is a denser product made of rubber to last a lifetime. Unlike urethane, latex will feel as good years from now as it does the day it is produced.

Are latex mattresses comfortable?

No other mattress material conforms to your body’s nooks and crannies like Talalay latex. It pushes back in just the right places. It doesn’t break down and cause your back to sag.

Are latex mattresses better than springs?

Latex mattresses out-last and out-perform springs. It contours to your body and provides support where you need it. Because latex is a natural product (made from the milk of the rubber tree) it costs more than a twist of wire into a spring.

Are latex mattresses less toxic?

Mattresses companies over the last 50 years have created unhealthy sleep environments. The polyfoam has chemicals you don’t want to breathe. FR chemicals are even worse. Natural latex combined with a cover made with organic cotton and wool make the cleanest mattress possible.

Are latex mattresses good for back pain?

Latex mattresses that offer the ability to adjust your firmness are the answer to a lifetime of back pain. The right firmness of Talalay latex can align your spine and relieve pressure points. Side sleepers that suffer from back pain will want to look a zone layer that can be adjusted at each pressure point (like the FloBeds vZone).

Are latex mattresses hot?

Latex mattress made from Talalay latex have an open cell foam rubber structure, allow air to move and help you sleep cool. Surround the Talalay latex with Organic cotton & wool for maximum air circulation and you will sleep cool and comfortable. Add a slatted foundation to enhance air flow and you have covered all the bases.