Fiberglass in Mattress is a Real Thing. Here’s How to Avoid It

When I started this website around the time my daughter was born, I never expected I’d end up going deep down into a fiberglass in mattress covers rabbit hole.

To the casual observer, it sounds so outlandish. Would mattress manufacturers seriously add tiny glass particles into the mattresses we sleep on for 6 to 9 hours per day? The same stuff I remember looking at in the attic walls of my mom’s house … in my mattress?

It all seems so absurd to me…I figured it has to be fake, right?

Wrong.

Fiberglass in mattresses is a real thing.

Collage showing the outer cover of a mattress being unzipped on the left and a close up of fiberglass on the right. Text over the image says "Fiberglass in your mattress? What Families Need to Know"

And it’s an issue that families in particular need to be aware of when shopping for a new mattress or handling and caring for the existing mattresses in our homes.

Especially families with young, curious kids who could get into some trouble if they accidentally exposed the fiberglass inside a mattress without knowing what’s in there (which is one reason I think natural, non toxic and organic kids mattresses and crib mattresses are so important!).

Disclaimer/Terms of Use: Note, I’ve tried to ensure this post and the information contained within is accurate. However, there’s always a chance a mattress company could switch the materials they use, or that I make a mistake, so it’s important you double check everything for yourself before buying. The use of this website and/or its contents is at your own risk. The content on this website may include errors (technical, typographic, and/or other types of errors). This website and all content within is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind.

Key Takeaways When Looking for a Fiberglass Free Mattress

  • Some mattress manufacturers use fiberglass in mattresses because it serves as an inexpensive flame retardant, and allows them to market their mattresses as free from fire retardant chemicals. These companies argue the material is safe if mattress instructions are followed. Other mattress companies argue it’s not worth the risk.
  • Fiberglass is most common in mattresses with memory foam, and in memory foam mattress covers, so it’s important to either avoid memory foam and polyurethane foam all together, or do your diligence when shopping and purchase a foam mattress without memory foam (Nolah Mattress, Tuft & Needle, and Sweetnight all make foam mattresses, according to my communications with these companies or their websites).
  • Fiberglass in your mattress shouldn’t cause problems if you’re not directly exposed to it. However, if the cover is removed or damaged, it can expose the fiberglass particles. This can cause significant health hazards and be the source of a costly third-party cleanup of your home.
  • Since children can be quite rough on mattresses, and are known to pick at existing holes (often without an adult’s knowledge) it seems prudent for families to purchase a fiberglass free mattress, as well as look for mattresses free from other harmful materials, such as VOCs.
  • Based on my research, the following companies make fiberglass free mattresses: Naturepedic, Happsy, Plush Beds, My Green Mattress, Nolah Mattress, Eco Terra, Avocado, Tuft & Needle, and Sweetnight
  • There are other companies that make mattresses without fiberglass, but those brands may or may not also contain some flame retardant chemicals. Mattresses that are CertiPUR-US® certified are certified to use foam that is free from PBDEs, TDCPP and TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants. However, the certification doesn’t seem to certify against ALL flame retardant chemicals, and thus consumers may want to conduct further research into mattresses with CertiPUR-US® certified foam to determine possible use of other fire retardant chemicals. Research suggests the certification may also only apply to the foam component of the mattress, not the finished product.
  • Mattress label laws appear to lag behind the issue, and public health researchers have suggested some mattress manufactures might advertise their products as free from harmful chemicals based on the fact that the fiberglass is contained in an inner cover, rather than the mattress core itself.
  • I found some lawsuits in progress around the issue, and it will be interesting to see what changes as a result. In the mean time, consumers may want to research any mattress they plan to buy to ensure it’s fiberglass free.

TLDR: Fiberglass Free Mattress Makers

Here’s a quick list of the fiberglass free mattress companies I was able to find in my research. If you want more details, I go into the “how” of how I know they are free from fiberglass a little bit lower down in this post. Again, I’ve tried to ensure this list is accurate, and present my research further in this post. However, you should know this website may contain errors, and you should confirm for yourself.

  1. Naturepedic Organic Mattresses

    Made in the USA in a GOTS and GOLS certified organic factory, Naturepedic doesn't use any fiberglass, fire barriers, or fire resistant chemicals in their products, passing federal flammability standards with the use of natural and organic materials. Greenguard Gold, UL validated Formaldehyde Free, and MADE SAFE certified. Naturepedic makes crib mattresses, kids mattresses, and adult mattresses in Twin to Cal. King.


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    We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. In the past, Naturepedic has provided me with a mattress free of charge in exchange for review.

  2. Happsy Organic Mattress

    Happsy uses wool to meet federal flammability standards without using fiberglass, other synthetic flame barriers, or other fire retardant chemicals. Made in a GOTS and GOLS certified factory. Greenguard Gold, UL validated Formaldehyde Free, and MADE SAFE certified. Available in Twin to California King.


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    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at not extra charge to you. In the past, Happsy has provided me with a mattress free of charge in exchange for honest review.

  3. Tuft & Needle Original

    The T&N Original mattress is a classic foam "bed in a box" option. The updated for 2023 Original uses a proprietary high density foam that is CertiPUR certified, along with an OEKO-TEX certified outer mattress cover/sleep surface. This mattresses uses a rayon-polyester blend fire sock with silica. My husband and I slept on a T&N Original mattress for several years before switching to a Happsy.


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  4. Sweetnight Mattresses

    The company confirmed all Sweetnight mattresses are fiberglass free (as of the time of publishing in Dec. 2022). Sweetnight uses cotton for fireproofing, and a component of the mattresses even has Oeko-Tex certification.

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  5. My Green Mattress

    My Green Mattress uses no fiberglass in their mattresses, and no toxic flame retardants, either. GOTS certified organic wool serves as a natural flame barrier across all their products, which includes crib mattress, kids mattresses, and adult mattresses.

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  6. Avocado Green Mattress | Organic Mattresses, Pillows and Bedding

    Avocado is another 100% fiberglass free brand. They use organic wool to meet flammability standards in many of their mattresses. In their vegan mattresses (which are wool free), they use either graphite infused latex, or hydrated silica. MADE SAFE certified and Greenguard Gold.

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  7. PlushBeds

    Plush Beds uses two different fire proofing methods, all of which are fiberglass free. In their wool-containing mattresses, the wool serves as a natural fire barrier. In mattresses that don't use wool, they use a "plant based natural fire barrier." This is common in the mattress industry, and is most often a cellulose viscose/rayon synthetic fabric. Plush Beds makes children and adult mattresses, as well as sofa bed and RV mattresses.

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  8. Nolah Mattress

    Nolah mattresses are entirely fiberglass-free, and the company uses a fire retardant sock with woven silica to meet flammability standards. Nolah Mattress makes foam mattresses, hybrid mattresses, and natural latex models, giving you a lot to choose from. They also have a child mattress in addition to their adult range.

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  9. Eco Terra

    The Eco Terra mattress hybrid latex mattress is free from rayon, polyester, chemical flame retardants, and fiberglass. They use wool as a natural fire barrier. Available in twin to Cal. king sizes.

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What’s the Deal with Fiberglass Mattresses?

Chemical Flame Retardants are Bad, But Catching Fire is also Bad

Mattresses sold in the United States have to meet the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) flammability standards CFR Parts 1632 and 1633.

This is a good thing, of course, as no one wants highly flammable furniture in their homes.

The issue is around how mattress makers have typically adhered to these mattress flammability standards.

The Rise and Fall of Flame Retardant Chemicals in Mattresses

Since CPSC flammability standards were passed in the early 1970s until the turn of the century, many mattresses have simply been doused in cheap flame retardant chemicals.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, however, evidence emerged that the fire retardant chemicals being used were bad news for human health and the environment.

Around the turn of the century, in 2002, Europe started banning and restricting a specific class of fire retardants containing polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).

US industry followed in 2004/2005, voluntarily phasing out PBDEs.

However, other flame retardant chemicals have come in to take its place – many of which are proprietary, under-studied, and as far as I know, not covered under certifications such as CertiPUR-US®, leaving a lot of question marks around safety (along with a body of evidence suggesting the replacement chemicals aren’t safe either, as I outline in this post).

Inherently Fire Proof Inner Mattress Cover As an Alternative

As concerns mounted from both the scientific community and consumers, some mattress manufacturers began to look for alternative ways to meet federal flammability standards.

Some of the best companies (in my opinion) have chosen to incorporate natural materials to meet open flame fire resistance requirements: namely, natural wool or cotton, which is inherently fire resistant when used properly. This results in fairly natural and non toxic mattresses, but since wool is expensive (along with the organic cotton and organic latex that is often used in conjunction with wool), these mattresses can be expensive, too.

Other companies have identified manmade synthetic fibers that can be used in place of fire retardant chemicals, and added those synthetic fibers to mattresses as either an inner cover or sewn it into the main mattress covers to establish fire resistance.

Rayon – often combined with hydrated silica – is commonly used for inner covers or fire socks on mattresses due to being “inherently” fire proof and non-toxic.

This is also where fiberglass mattresses come into the story.

Some mattress companies use fiberglass within an inner “protective layer” to achieve flame resistance. If your mattress were to catch fire, the glass fibers in the fiberglass would melt, sealing off the combustible materials deeper within your mattress and slowing the spread.

Memory Foam Mattresses In Particular Deserve A Close Look Before Purchasing

Many memory foam mattresses contain a fiberglass fire barrier, so if you’re considering memory foam, it’s worth looking into it a bit further.

Not all memory foam mattresses sold in the US contain fiberglass, but many do.

If you’re considering a memory foam mattress, ensure you understand how the company meets fire proofing requirements without the use of fiberglass or chemical retardants.

Why is Fiberglass Used in Mattresses?

Fiberglass is a composite material consisting of reinforced plastic and tiny glass fibers. As a material, it has a lot of pros. Namely, it’s cheap, durable, easy to work with, and – critical to the fiberglass mattress story – inherently flame retardant.

According to this article in the LA Times (paywalled):

“using another fire-resistant material instead of fiberglass adds about $5 to the production cost of a mattress.”

Ease of use, durability, and cost savings, combine with the fact that the online mattress industry is highly competitive. Given this, it’s easy for me to see why many mattress companies would be tempted by fiberglass as a way to solve the fire resistance problem.

Consumers in the know no longer want chemical fire retardants, but natural materials like wool are expensive. Even synthetic blends like rayon with hydrated silica are more expensive than the fiberglass option.

Why Is Fiberglass Dangerous in Mattresses?

Fiberglass isn’t dangerous if you’re not directly exposed to it.

In theory, mattresses that contain fiberglass should be fine, as long as the fiberglass is sealed away, such as in an inner cover that isn’t meant to be exposed.

If, however, that system fails somehow (as it allegedly has with families in the past), fiberglass can have a number of (typically temporary) health effects.

Fiberglass has been known to be a skin irritant since the 1940s, when new workers who started work at a fiberglass factory, and existing workers who returned to the factory after vacation, were observed to experience temporary skin irritation.

Studies conducted since have confirmed touching fiberglass fibers can cause micro-cuts and abrasions on your skin, as well as causing itching, dermititis, blistering, rashes, and other skin irritation.

Likewise, exposure to fiberglass dust has the potential to cause eye injury, including conjunctivitis and abscess (source).

Fiberglass also effects the respiratory system, and inhaling fiberglass has been linked to coughing, wheezing, and worsening of asthma and bronchitis at higher levels (source and source). Chest infections and pulmonary fibrosis is also a concern at occupational levels of exposure.

While the health effects of fiberglass exposure are typically short lived, and can resolve when exposure is stopped, it seems fiberglass can be a major pain for homeowners.

Airborne fiberglass can spread the tiny glass fibers around your entire room or home, as allegedly happened in this story.

It can get into the HVAC system (heating, ventilation, and air conditioner), and one fiberglass mattress owner alleges they have spent thousands of dollars and lost household goods to get rid of fiberglass that spread around their home from a mattress.

Speaking of a parent, I can’t even imagine the lost sleep and lost working time I’d experience if we found fiberglass in our mattresses, or spreading throughout our home due to a mattress. Even worse? How much I’d worry if my daughter started experiencing any of the symptoms above.

We just went through a suspected dust mite allergy, which involved several days of extreme cleaning, 24/7 air purifying, freezing of stuffies, and a ton of laundry. It was a ton of extra labour for my husband and I on top of everyday responsibilities of work and parenting, and it massively (but temporarily) disrupted our house as we worked to make sure she was okay, comfortable, and the problem was solved.

If we had fiberglass spread all over our house due to a mattress in our home? I can’t even imagine the amount of work and remediation we would have had to go through. Plus the emotional toll of watching our daughter if she developed symptoms.

I’d frankly feel pretty devastated.

How Would Fiberglass Exposure Occur Via a Mattress?

  • Mattress’ outer cover is damaged, or experiences more than usual wear and tear. Many mattresses contain a stretch knit outer cover that in my experience is fairly thin. I can certainly imagine a cover being damaged.
  • The outer cover is removed. While mattresses containing fiberglass should have a tag that warns users not to remove the mattress’ cover, some of these covers still have zippers the entire way around. If someone hasn’t read the tag, it would be quite easy to mistakenly assume it’s okay to remove the cover. This scenario has apparently happened.
  • Independent testing has found the fiberglass fibers in the inner sock of the mattress can migrate onto the inside of the mattress’ outer cover. If the outer shell is then unzipped, you may be exposed.
  • If you leave a sharp object on your mattress, such as scissors, you could accidentally puncture the protective layer on the outside of the mattress.

Fiberglass in Mattress Covers: What Research is Being Done?

According to this (abbreviated) quote from The Consumer Product Safety Commission in the LA Times story:

“Most consumer complaints about fiberglass being released from mattresses that have been reviewed by staff involved the outer cover being removed or damaged…. If the outer cover remains intact, then the exposure to fiberglass particles is expected to be minimal.”

However, facing mounting public concern around fiberglass in new and existing mattresses, and following a California Department of Public Health investigation into a 6-year old child with skin and respiratory irritation linked to suspected fiberglass leakage from a mattress, the CDPH published a 2022 study analyzing 4 newly purchased mattresses using a variety of different techniques to assess fiberglass content and potential harms.

The study concluded (bolding emphasis is mine):

“Two of the mattress covers contained over 50% fiberglass in their inner sock layers. Up to 1% of the fiberglass had migrated to adjacent fabric layers, representing a potential risk of consumer exposure if the zipper on the outer cover is opened. The observed fiberglass fragments had calculated aerodynamic diameters ranging between 30 and 50 µm, suggesting they are potentially inhalable into the nose, mouth, and throat, but are likely too large to penetrate deeper into the lungs. No fiberglass was observed on the brand new mattresses’ outer surfaces. Synthetic fibers also present in the sock layers were consistent with flame resistant modacrylic containing vinyl chloride and antimony. The use of fiberglass and other chemicals in mattress covers poses a potential health risk if these materials are not adequately contained.”

Particularly concerning to families is the fact that one of the mattresses analyzed in the CDPH study was a crib mattress made by a popular crib mattress manufacturer that contained fiberglass.

Fiberglass Free Mattresses and Fiberglass Free Mattress Covers

The following mattress makers (below) have explicitly stated they make their mattresses without fiberglass, either through information published on their website, or via my communications with the company via a general support email or the live chat on their websites.

Naturepedic

Naturepedic explicitly states they don’t use any flame retardant chemicals, fire barriers and/or fiberglass in their mattresses, meaning all are safe and free from harmful substances.

Their products hold a number of third-party certifications to demonstrate product safety (including MADE SAFE, which ensures the product doesn’t contain a long list of chemicals or materials that can cause adverse health effects).

All of the company’s mattresses are handmade in the USA, as well, meaning you don’t have to worry about harmful materials sneaking in through potentially less stringent overseas safety standards. Furthermore, the factory itself is certified organic by both GOTS and GOLS.

For what it’s worth, my daughter currently sleeps on a Naturepedic crib mattress, and we also have a new Naturepedic 2-in-1 organic kids mattress ready for her when she moves into a big kid bed.

A woman's finger holds down the mattress tag on a Naturepedic 2-in-1 mattress which shows this mattress is fiberglass free
Mattress tag on my daughter’s Naturepedic 2-in-1 mattress

Naturepedic makes mattresses for the whole family, including adult, kids, and Naturepedic crib mattresses (and mini crib mattresses).

Happsy Organic Mattresses

Happsy states they don’t use fiberglass in their products, without explicitly naming “fiberglass” as a product:

“Wool is naturally resistant to burning, which helps us pass flammability standards without any fire retardant chemicals or synthetic flame barriers.”

This is great news, because I happen to own a Happsy Organic Mattress – it’s what my husband and I sleep on, with the mattress topper, and we love it.

Just look at this Happsy mattress tag on my mattress at home. I must say, it’s extremely comforting to look at the ingredients in this mattress.

Label on a Happsy organic mattress with red circle outlines to show the materials used. Materials listed include molded latex foam rubber, cotton batting, blended fiber batting consisting of wool and staple cotton, and a coil spring unit. As well as organic cotton fabric (sleep surface as well as bottoms and sides), organic wool, organic cotton, organic/FSC latex, and encased support coils

Like Naturepedic, Happsy is manufactured in the USA in a GOTS and GOLS certified organic factory. Happsy doesn’t use fire resistant chemicals or synthetic flame barriers of any kind, and is free from sneaky chemicals and harmful materials.

Happsy makes one mattress model, suitable as an organic kids mattress and for adults, but they don’t have a lineup of crib mattresses.

A woman stands next to a box containing a Happsy mattress with scissors, ready to begin unboxing it
Getting ready to unbox our Happsy mattress...and smiling because there’s no fiberglass inside!

Plush Beds

I couldn’t find anything on Plush Bed’s website about the issue, so I reached out to the company via their online chat.

Happily, they confirmed all Plush Beds models are free from fiberglass.

Screen shot of a live help chat from the Plush Beds website that confirms all plush beds mattresses are fiberglass free
Screen shot of my live chat with Plush Beds in December 2022

What about other harmful substances?

Like Naturepedic and Happsy, Plush Beds manufactures in a GOTS certified and GOLS certified organic factory in the USA. GOTS and GOLS factory certifications involve regular audits, and prohibit the use of harmful chemicals.

The company states on their website they use wool as a fire barrier in their latex mattresses. In mattresses that don’t use wool, they use a “plant based natural fire barrier” which I interpret to mean a cellulose viscose/rayon synthetic fabric.

Plush Beds makes adult and child mattresses, as well as those for use in RVs and sofa beds!

My Green Mattress

My Green Mattress is another zero fiberglass, zero chemical retardants company. Here’s what I found confirming this on their website (emphasis in bold is mine):

“At My Green Mattress we use zero toxic flame retardants and no fiberglass in our mattresses. We use GOTS certified organic wool as the only natural flame retardant to meet federal safety standards and pass flammability tests without the use of chemical flame retardants.”

My Green Mattress makes adult and child mattresses, including one intended for bunk beds, as well as one crib mattress (the Emily).

Nolah Natural Latex Mattress

Nolah’s CEO is on the record against the use of fiberglass in mattresses, and the company confirms it right on their website, under the “safety/certifications” section of their FAQs:

“Nolah is committed to our customers’ comfort and safety, and all our mattresses are 100 percent fiberglass-free. Rigorous testing and strict certifications demonstrate the safety of all materials used in our mattresses.”

Screenshot from the Nolah Mattress website FAQS, taken Dec. 5, 2022

Likewise, the company has confirmed it doesn’t use fire retardant chemicals, either. Instead, Nolah uses a “fire retardant sock made of woven silica.”

Nolah makes a range of mattresses, including those that contain polyurethane foam (including the Original, Signature, and Evolution), as well as a foam-free mattress (the Natural and the kid-focused Nurture), which use natural latex.

Eco Terra

Eco Terra, like Happsy, is a one mattress company (their Hybrid Latex mattress), making it easy to choose.

According to the company:

“We don’t skimp on quality and you won’t find any rayon, polyester, or chemical flame retardants.”

Just to be sure, I asked in their live chat:

Screen shot of a live chat with Eco Terra mattress company confirming the company does not use fiberglass or glass wool of any type in their mattresses

One thing I love? They post a photo of their mattress label online, so you can see for yourself it doesn’t list glass wool, fiberglass, or anything of the sort. You can see the picture here: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1390/2279/files/faqs_img_01.jpg?1642

Their mattress is available in twin to California king.

Avocado

Avocado is fairly well known player in the “green mattress” space – it’s even in their name (Avocado Green!)

As I would expect, Avocado does not use fiberglass in their mattresses. From the company website:

At Avocado, we do not use fiberglass in any part our Organic Certified Mattresses — including the covers or as a flame retardant — due to important health and safety considerations.

Like Naturepedic and Happsy, Avocado also holds the MADE SAFE certification, and doesn’t use chemicals to achieve fire resistance, or synthetic fire barriers, either. For most of their mattresses, they achieve fire resistance through the use of organic wool.

For their vegan mattresses, they use either graphite infused latex, or hydrated silica.

Avocado has a wide range of mattresses, including adult, kids, and baby/crib.

Tuft & Needle

A Tuft & Needle mattress is what we slept on before we got our Happsy, so this is another brand I can speak about with personal experience.

Checking back through my photos of my old Tuft & Needle mattress (which I no longer have), at first I was alarmed to see this warning: “Do not remove this mattress cover as it’s designed to add to the safety of the mattress.”

Mattress covers that you can’t remove can be a sign there is fiberglass inside…but not always.

A woman's finger holds a mattress tag on her Tuft & Needle mattress. The warning not to remove the mattress cover due to safety considerations is circled in red, with an arrow pointing to it.

So I contacted Tuft & Needle to ask.

I’m happy to report, at the time of publishing, Tuft & Needle mattresses do not contain fiberglass. They use a salt additive (as the company confirmed in the chat below) and/or silica (as I found on the Amazon product page Q&A section) to meet federal flammability requirements, which likely explains why the cover shouldn’t be removed.

A screen shot of a customer service response from Tuft & Needle confirming their mattresses do not contain fiberglass
Screen shot of my live chat on the Tuft & Needle website in December 2022

For memory foam mattresses like the Tuft & Needle, I think this is particularly good news. The mattress we owned (the Tuft & Needle Original) had a stretch knit outer cover that is very soft silky to the touch.

Up close of the corner of a Tuft & Needle original mattress, showing the thin and stretchy outer cover

Tuft & Needle sells on Amazon.

SweetNight Mattresses

In the past, it seems some SweetNight mattresses might have contained fiberglass, whereas others did not.

This can make mattress shopping super confusing, and puts the burden on the consumer to do even more research. Who has time for that?

That’s why I’m happy to learn that all SweetNight mattresses are now fiberglass free. From the SweetNight website:

“Do SweetNight Mattresses or Toppers Contain Any Fiberglass?

We take your safety and satisfaction as our top priority. We do not use it anymore to make sure that our items are the best for our buyer’s sleep experiences. Our mattresses, toppers, etc. do not contain any fiberglass at all.”

Screen shot from the SweetNight mattress website. Text says "Do SweetNight Mattresses or Toppers Contain Any Fiberglass?We take your safety and satisfaction as our top priority. We do not use it anymore to make sure that our items are the best for our buyer's sleep experiences. Our mattresses, toppers, etc. do not contain any fiberglass at all."
Screenshot from the SweetNight website. Captured December 2, 2022 from this page.

Unfortunately, I was unable to confirm on their website whether SweetNight uses flame retardant chemicals of any sort. So I asked the company by emailing their support address, and here’s what they had to say:

There is no fiberglass in our mattresses. All of the mattresses are made of eco-friendly materials and they are no harm to humans. 

We use fireproof cotton as a fire retardant in our mattresses. Our fireproof cotton is exposed to heat in the manufacturing process which makes it fireproof.
Our mattress past the test of Oeko Tex, please don’t worry about that.
 
Here is our law tag on the mattress. We offer a 100-day free trial and a 10-year warranty, if there are any quality problems during this period, we would try our best to help you.

Happily, SweetNight uses CertiPUR-US® certified foam. This means the foam component has been independently verified to not are certified to be free from PBDEs, TDCPP and TCEP (“Tris”) fire retardants. However, it doesn’t certify against ALL flame retardant chemicals, and thus mattresses with CertiPUR-US® certified foam may require further research and confirmation around possible use of chemical fire retardants.

With regard to the Oeko-Tex certification, SweetNight sent through a label with their Oeko-Tex certification number, and I looked it up to ensure it’s valid (it is – as of December, 2022). This is the certification language (which makes me think it’s likely the mattress’ outer cover or sleep surface specifically that has certification):

“Tri-dimensional knitted fabric (incl. 3D mesh fabric) made of: – white or dope-dyed polyester; white or natural colour ultrahigh molecular polyethylene, cotton, graphene, viscose, viscose from bamboo fiber, TENCEL®, nylon, PES/metallic yarn, PES/spandex, bamboo charcoal yarn knitted fabric as shell fabric; – white or black polyester fiber as interlining; – white or dope-dyed polyester yarn knitted fabric as backing fabric (in a limited range of 3 colourants) and finished; – woven fabric made of polyester/polypropylene with sizing, in colour white.”

SweetNight mattresses come in a range of models. You can buy direct from Sweetnight.com or get their mattresses via Amazon.

Research Process & Criteria for Being On This List

I Need an Explicit “NO We Don’t Use Fiberglass” From the Company

To be included on this list, the company needs to come out and say outright they don’t use fiberglass.

If I couldn’t find info right on their website, it raised my “skepticism” alarm.

However, I didn’t want to assume. And to be sure, not all mattresses – not even all memory foam mattresses – contain fiberglass.

So I went ahead and reached out to popular 13 mattress brands to ask them directly.

I researched the following mattress companies. First, I checked their website. If I was unable to confirm by the information they have online, I asked them directly, via their online live chat, or by emailing the company directly, if they use fiberglass in their mattresses (*companies I needed to contact are indicated by an asterisk):

  • Naturepedic
  • Happsy
  • Plush Beds*
  • My Green Mattress
  • Nolah Mattress
  • Eco Terra
  • Avocado
  • Tuft & Needle
  • SweetNight*
  • Nectar Mattress*
  • Linen Spa*
  • Lucid Mattress*
  • Zinus*

Some of the companies didn’t respond with what I considered to be an adequate, transparent answer; a few companies confirmed they do in fact use fiberglass somewhere in their mattress layers.

Here is an email from one well-known company confirming their mattresses may contain fiberglass:

“[BRAND NAME] mattresses are made with a protective fire-retardant knit sock to protect consumers from fire hazards without the use of harmful chemicals. The fire-retardant sock on some of our mattresses may contain silica or glass fiber infused in the yarn or woven into the knit fabric to meet federal fire protection standards. In the event of a fire, the sock encapsulates the mattress, providing a barrier from the fire.”

The mattress and knit sock are covered by the outer mattress cover. We recommend spot-cleaning the outer cover only, and use of a water and stain-resistant mattress protector. Removing the outer cover will void the warranty and may result in disruption to the protective fire sock or mattress layers.”

Screen shot of an email response from a mattress company confirming their products may use fiberglass. Email is marked up to redact brand name and underline relevant portions of text.

And then here is my email communication with a well-known “bed in a box” brand that is even listed by some other bloggers and website owners as making mattresses that are free from fiberglass:

All of our mattresses have been tested and do meet or exceed the federal, state, and municipal safety standards. We only employ CPSC-approved materials to meet those federal, state and municipal standards. The employed materials are considered safe and do not pose a threat to human health or safety per the CPSC.

When I responded saying they didn’t answer my question, and asking for further clarification, this is what I got:

Thank you for getting back to us. That is all of the information we have available. Our mattresses only use materials that are considered safe and do not post a threat to human health or safety per the CPSC. Let us know if you have any other questions, and we are happy to help you out!

You can see a screenshot of this email conversation below:

Screenshots of a string of email communications with a mattress company about the issue of fiberglass in mattress products. The company doesn't answer whether they use fiberglass in their mattresses or not.

It Still Needs to Be Free from Fire Retardant Chemicals

Unfortunately, since many customers feel that flame retardant chemicals are worth avoiding, it’s possible for companies to say they don’t use “flame retardant chemicals” when they are still using fiberglass since fiberglass isn’t a chemical.

This puts the burden on customers to do their own research, and ensure any mattress they’re considering purchasing is both fiberglass free, and free from fire retardant chemicals.

It’s all kind of exhausting, isn’t it?

In my opinion, the best option is to figure out how, exactly, a company achieves fire proofing, and also look for third-party certifications such as MADE SAFE, which is one of the best around in my opinion.

MADE SAFE certification requires entire products (i.e. the thing the end user actually takes home, not just individual components of that product as with some other certifications) be screened against the 6,500 substances on MADE SAFE’s banned and restricted list.

So you really need to be sure it specifically outlines how it fireproofs, and ideally beyond that states specifically there is no glass fibers or fiberglass in the mattress.

My Nightmare Situation

This post is a bit out of left field maybe for some readers.

But here’s the thing…kids are insane little imagination machines. And there’s no telling what they’ll do when they get in the zone and are working on a project.

My concern with fiberglass in mattresses? It’s not the decisions I’m going to make. I know I can follow the label and ensure I don’t open the zipper or try to remove the cover if I’m not supposed to.

But my kid? I’m not so confident.

Kids transition from a toddler mattress to a “big kid” mattress around 4 to 6 years old.

And I do not trust my 4 year old, or my friends’ 5 year old, to NOT unzip the cover on the mattress to see if they can make a cozy fort, hide inside, or do something else that’s super imaginative (but potentially dangerous).

The thought of my own kid or one that is playing at our house unzipping an outer cover to reveal an inner mattress cover that is filled with glass fibers that then SPREAD ALL OVER OUR HOUSE? Causing potential health risks for our entire family, plus anyone who is here at the time, or comes into our house after if we don’t detect it? Plus the possibility of thousands of dollars in remidiation?

That’s a big fat nope for me.

(Also, frankly, I simply don’t want a fiberglass layer right next to my body for 6 to 9 hours per night, day after day).

This is one of the reasons I went all in on getting an organic kids mattress for my daughter, and why we sleep on an organic and non toxic mattress for ourselves.

The good news is, you don’t actually need to buy an organic mattress to avoid fiberglass. While you can go organic (and organic mattresses are coming down in price, too), you can also go for a standard bed in a box, memory foam option that is simply free from fire retardant chemicals and free from fiberglass.

There’s enough consumer choice out there these days that with a little research, you can easily avoid buying a fiberglass mattress.

Do You Currently Own a Fiberglass Mattress?

If you’re not sure whether or not the mattresses in your home contain fiberglass, first check the mattress tag, if it’s still attached. Mattresses containing fiberglass will have a warning on the tag that you should never remove the mattress cover.

If you see that warning, it’s a hint there may be fiberglass inside. Other signs to look out for and things to do:

  • Always read mattress labels. It may list glass wool or fiberglass on the label.
  • It’s made of memory foam, and the method of fire proofing isn’t clear or explicit when it comes to the use of fiberglass and chemicals.
  • Contact customer service and ask outright. I did this as part of my research for this article, and most companies were quite quick to get back to – within a few days or so. Some companies, however, really didn’t directly answer my question, which felt like a red flag. Other companies immediately confirmed they do use fiberglass, which was helpful.
  • If a company isn’t being direct about your fiberglass questions, ask them if the outer cover is removable. If it is removable, it means it doesn’t contain fiberglass within, because removing it would allow the glass fiber to potentially spread. If it’s not removable, it doesn’t automatically mean it contains fiberglass. However, a not removable cover, plus a company that doesn’t answer my questions directly, would be a pretty big red flag to me.

Safety Tips if You Have a Mattress with Fiberglass

  • Don’t remove the cover
  • Ensure there are no cuts, etc in the cover that could expose the tiny fibers.
  • Don’t ever put sharp objects on your mattress, such as scissors
  • Invest in an additional layer to go over top of your outer mattress cover, such as a mattress protector for additional protection.
  • Stay calm. While there are very real health risks to fiberglass exposure, it isn’t classified as a carcinogen.

What About Baby? Get a Crib Mattress without Fiberglass from the Following Companies

Some of the companies mentioned above make crib mattresses, too. Those include Naturepedic, My Green Mattress, and Avocado.

However, there are also other companies that also make fiberglass free crib mattresses, including but not limited to:

Final Thoughts

I hope my research and personal experience has helped you make an informed decision for your own family when it comes to avoiding fiberglass in mattresses you use in your home.

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