Q: What is the difference between Pure Latex and Natural Latex?
A: They are not the same as 100% Natural Latex.
How can this get any more confusing?
100% Natural Latex as a mattress component has not yet come down sufficiently in price to make it a common component of mattresses. The cost price to manufacturers of this material is still rather high and will of course be reflected in the price. As viable alternatives, 100% natural latex is blended with other components to produce products that offer a slight compromise in quality but can therefore be offered at an acceptable price.
To distinguish what term means what, this is the [apparant] breakdown:
100% Natural Latex
Premium quality and premium price tag – Has about 2% forming additives and 98% Natural latex
Natural Latex
Has to contain at least 80% Natural latex
Pure Latex
Has to contain at least 20% Natural Latex
To put this into some kind of perspective, these are the minimum quantities and in general pure latex used for mattresses will have at least 40% natural latex with the rest made up of synthetic latex and [UK required] fire retardancy components.
Personally, I wouldn’t worry too much initially about which latex is in the mattress - deciding which is better is a little detail that has to be applied only when sorting out the wheat from the chaff. There are not that many latex suppliers and the production quality is taken for granted to be of a very high standard. But then, who is to stop a rogue salesman telling you the latex contained in their mattress is 100% natural – when in fact it isn’t. That should be where your concern lies.
Also as a fore-warning, the ACTUAL DEPTH of latex used in your mattress should be more of a concern to you than whether it is Pure or Natural. Also, is the latex used as an entire sheet or is it placed just in the central area? If you are looking at Latex mattresses then these are the questions that just have to be asked.
There are two ways that latex can be used in the construction of a mattress:
1.As a solid slab of latex – ,
2. As a comfort layer generally on top of a pocket sprung system.
A mattress containing latex as a primary comfort layer will have to be at least 3- 5cm to be beneficial. Your bodyweight has to sink into the material sufficiently leaving the underlying layer{s) and / or pocket springs to offer up the additional support. When used in conjunction with reflex foam and/or other premium wadding on pocket springs then emphasis will be made towards a comfort bias and the depth may well be just 2.5cm (1″).
The benefits of latex as a comfort layer.
The popularity of latex is growing year on year as people realise the benefit this material has over memory foam and hopefully in the near future the price will come down significantly. Firstly, latex has an instant rebound property and recovers as soon as you move to a different area of the mattress. Whereas, in comparison, memory foam will retain the indent your body made until it cools down and recovers. . Latex does not need to be warmed up by body heat to be effective and does not have the heat retentive properties of memory foam.
In short, latex is the perfect sleep surface. The lifespan of a premium 100% natural latex is deemed to be well in excess of 20 years. Even pure latex can easily be guaranteed for 10 years. Dunlopillo is credited somewhat to be the market leaders in 100% natural latex mattresses. However, this recognition is reflected in the prices of their mattresses.
One side or two side?
When latex is used as a comfort layer it will more than likely be used on a non turn – one sided mattress. The durability aspect of this component means that there really is no need to have it on a double sided, turnable mattress. Also, latex will never (normally) be used on a cage sprung mattress. Pocket springs or suspension springs will no doubt be the support system and all complimentary components will be premium. This is also true of the fabric covering. More often than not being entirely microquilted polyester or a blend of poly/cotton with Cashmere, Silk or other extremely soft component. Latex for mattresses is manufactured to be cradling as well as supportive and so the fabric will be chosen to accentuate this property.
100% natural latex in a solid slab should be encased in a wool sheath – wool being naturally fire retardant. The covering is usually a knitted jersey and able to be used on both sides. You will find that the depth of 100% Natural Latex will either be 6 or 8 inches in depth. Not only does this keep prices down but because of the superb support and comfort, there is absolutely no need for a traditional depth of 10 inches.
Anything else?
It must be understood that only 100% natural latex without any other component apart from processing additives is the absolute best in terms of quality, but price is usually the inhibitor. Aside from this, 100% Natural latex is not naturally fire retardant and therefore it’s use in a mattress would be illegal unless a fire retardant outer layer was applied [as a wrap - such as wool] to the mattress. Having natural or pure latex are the next two best options.
Graphite Latex (pure latex) is a product used by the vast majority of mattress manufacturers as a viable compromise to natural latex. It has a high content of natural latex (at least 40%) and expandable graphite has to be added (hence making it a dark grey colour) to comply with fire retardancy regulations. There should be no significant difference in overall comfort. It is also an ideal component as a supportive internal layer when natural fillings are used as primarys.
Talalay is a manufacturing process deemed to be better than the Dunlop method. Which is actually better depends on who you speak to. I dont know, and I personally wouldn’t be able to tell the difference by sleeping on them. If it helps, Talalay is the most used in mattresses.
As a starting point, Ryan and I have produced two latex mattresses The Sequence 2000 Latex and The Origins Latex 1500. The build and content quality can easily sit alongside many well known branded products and in most cases can be deemed significantly superior.
Slept on a King Koil Club Class the other week and it was the first time I awoke WITHOUT back pains. (Think it was a 1600 pocket with pillow top.) So I am shopping for a new mattress but there are too many out there and I’m confused by coil sprung, pockets springs, etc. Read all the people here that are impressed with your product. Would the Sequence Latex 2000 be the closest you have? Thanks.
Hi Randie. I would suggest you hunt out the mattress that has impressed you. King Koil Club is part of the Kaymed hospitality range and it would be prudent to use this as your starter point on finding your new mattress. The one thing that stands out in this range is that there is only one model that utilises pocket springs as the support [The Club Pocket] the rest all utilise an open coil [bonnell] spring – the cheapest type of spring support.
Our Sequence Latex is built to be firm and without knowing your bodyweight I couldn’t say whether this would be suitable or not. We also do two other models of latex – one on a 1500 pocket spring unit – micro-quilted and suits the majority of people. We also have a foam encapsulated pocket sprung mattress [both these will be added to our range during mid Jan].
Please feel free to call us and we can talk through your options. John and Ryan.
Hi, I spoke to you today showing an interest in a 100% latex mattress and mentioned my concerns about whether it would be soft enough for me. You said you would be bringing out a new bed in a week or so that I may be interested in so I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Claire. We have now sourced what can be deemed as the best latex you can buy. Similar, if not identicle to the latex used by Dunlopillo in all their products.
As with all other components, just because someting is labelled LATEX you really do have to know EXACTLY what kind / type it is. The latex that Silentnight et al describe as Innergetic latex does have a percentage of synthetic latex added and it is this breakdown of natural latex and synthetic latex that gives you an idea of the quality of the finished product. John and Ryan.
I am interested in buying a new King size mattress with latex as the comfort layer and, after reading your article on the subject, decided that the Origins Latex 1500 would be the right one for us. However, I cannot see this in your list of available mattresses, only the Sequence 2000 latex, which I think would be too firm for our body weights. Please can you help.
Hi Anne. We have temporarily removed our listing for the Origins Latex 1500 as we are experiencing an excessive delay on production. This is being resolved.
We are also currently looking at introducing an additional model from another manufacturer that is similar to The Salus Latex based on a Foam Encapsulated unit. However and unfortunately, neither of these will be listed until January when all production / delivery issues are ironed out. John and Ryan.
Hi
Looking at the Sequence 2000 and Sequence 2000 latex, both in Kingsize.
There isn’t a huge amount of difference price wise, I just don’t know which one to go for… I like the double sided nature of polyester topped one but I read on your site that Latex is “better” and that it should last me 20 years..
Are we simply saying that if budget isn’t the main concern and all other things being equal, your Latex version is the better buy?
Stu
Hi Stuart. Your final choice will depend on your weight. The Sequence Latex for example may be too firm for some people. Give us a call and we can discuss further. John and Ryan.
I am looking to replace our 8 year old kingsize Harrison Inspiration mattress, the softer half of which has become a bit too soft. It is on a slatted base, 3″ apart. I am 12 st and my wife 10st. We would prefer a mattress with medium, or slightly above, firmness. I am leaning towards the Sequence 2000 Latex, Origins Pocket Latex 1500 or the Artisans Naturals and would be grateful for your recommendations. I am impressed by your impartial advice on competitors’ products and would be interested to hear your views on the Yanis Organic Latex mattress which has also taken my eye.
Hi Les. We always wonder when a question starts such as yours – why arn’t you looking to replace the mattress you have had for eight years with a similar one from the same manufacturer? It is obviously coming to the end of its useful life but you have had – I assume – eight or so years of comfortable nights. Or have you?
You do draw upon an irrefutable fact which we go into at some depth on Soft, Medium or Firm Mattressses about how when selecting your mattress you should be looking at comfort coupled with longevity. Mattresses do get softer as time goes by. Selecting a mattress that you find perfectly comfortable from day one will of course get softer from that day onwards. In your case, if you had of selected a medium spring tension eight years ago rather than soft [and the difference in spring gauge between these two levels are not that vast] you would have probably been able to squeeze another year or two out of your current mattress.
As for our reccomendation? We would most certainly suggest the Artisan 1200. This is as bespoke as you can get – not an off the peg model, but built specifically to your own individualised bodyweights. The Sequence Latex will be far too firm for your bodyweights. The Origins Latex would also be a contender but as you have Harrisons in the past The Artisan Naturals would be an ideal choice
As for Yanis Organic latex? Not really too sure or informed enough to give an opinion. I was always under the impression that only Latexco International had the financial resourse to segregate and plant anew a rubber plantation that was able to be certified as organic. The processing equipment has also been duplicated in separate facility to avoid any cross contamination and so on. This has been an ongoing investment that has been a ten years or so process and I’m not too sure if anything came from it. And hence my sceptism about an organic latex mattress – they should come at a price.
Secondly, Ryan and I are still rather old fashioned about mattresses. In our eyes, Vacuum packed mattresses do not represent a quality product. We like to see tailoring, tufting and tape edging. Not a zipped covering that takes no skill or craftsmanship to produce or assemble.
Please give Ryan a call on the number above and he will be able to go through all the options with you. John.
I have a couple of concerns about latex as a material in mattresses related to breathability and possible adverse dermatological reaction. Assuming I don’t have a specific allergy to latex are my concerns in any way valid?
Many thanks, Louise.
Hi Louise. I remember reading an article [can't remember where] stating that the risk of an allergic reaction to 100% Natural Latex is so rare it need not be a concern. The analogy of surgeons gloves being latex added credence to the statement. However, as latex is one of the most expensive natural components it stands to reason that there are latex blended products that may have petro/chemical constituents that could be the source of a posible allergic reaction. What these are or indeed could be I do not precisely know. Hope this helps and I would be interested to know what spurred you to ask this particular question. John.
Sorry to keep asking but we are looking for a new 4′ 6″ bed to replace our Dunlopillow (17 years old). Have tried a Salus 1500 retailing at £550 at present, it seems very comfortable but difficult to know how it will last. Says 5 year warranty. Cant’ really afford Dunlopillow again any suggestions as we really like the feel of latex (medium). It is a Connoisseur but now seems to be £1000 + for just the mattress. Anything with say pocket springing and deep latex top or alternative to Dunlopillow even if it last slightly less?
Many thanks. Elaine.
Hi Elaine, Let me give you my choice – The Origins 1500 Pocket Latex at £645 (Double). It also has a five year full repair or replace guarantee. Hope this helps in narrowing down your choce. John.