Tempurpedic

Research work conducted by Sustainable Technologies Initiative (STI), a company based in the UK, shows some very effective alternative ways by which mattress manufacturers can provide for more environment-friendly sleeping solutions.

Mattresses are conventionally made using various synthetic materials that often carry adverse effects to the environment, especially when these are not properly disposed. By pushing the use of natural fibers from recycled wool, cotton and other organic materials, in place of foam padding or synthetic fibers which used to be the common practice, Sustainable Technologies Initiative believes that the move does not only help the environment, it also improves the competitiveness of the industry through lowered manufacturing costs. Further to that, consumers are provided better sleeping alternatives as studies have also indicated that natural products bring bigger and better benefits.

Developed for NASA, the GEO-Tech Foam pad works to ease pressure points in the body. The design is slightly different from a regular mattress pad, in that there are individual cells and slots. This helps in providing a firmer body support.

The mattress pad is only 1 1/2″ thick but brings ample comfort. It’s available for purchase online only.

Dug up this old article from Slate Magazine. Granted that this piece was written a few years back, a lot of its advices still ring true even today. It’s a pretty comprehensive piece, one that covers not just mattress buying per se, but also other concerns a shopper normally carries with choosing a mattress.   Here are just some of the advices given in the said article:

On choosing the best brand:

Innerspring mattresses, particularly the Big S’s (Simmons, Serta, Sealy), dominate the market. But how to choose among Serta and Sealy, Stearns and Foster, and King Koil? Or for that matter, between the Simmons Beautyrest Exceptionale Lenore and the Simmons Beautyrest Do-Not-Disturb Royalty Ultra? Ignore brand names. They’re meaningless. Just pay attention to comfort.

When you purchase a foam mattress today, you will find that many of these are made completely different than at least ten or fifteen years ago. Companies, of late, do not make mattresses out of synthetic fibers anymore. Many manufacturers are going hi-tech, like for example, the memory foam mattress. And the best thing is, advanced and hi-tech as they appear, they still fit into your old bed frame.

Visivent is the original baby mattress with ventilation action that ensures continuous flow of air around the baby’s body. The foam pad is mostly centered in the middle, providing the right support so that the posture is unaffected. The mattress is covered in Rochtec fabric which may be easily cleaned by simple wiping.Via Rochingham