Mattress makers like to plaster their product pages with certification logos their beds have attained, and they think that’s enough to assure shoppers their mattresses are as safe and healthy as possible! However, some of those mattress certification logos are better than the others.
Whether you’re shopping for a fiberglass free bed or an all-natural mattress, reconizing the certifications below will help you pick out the best mattresses with just a glance!
Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)
Control Union collaborated with internationally reputed latex manufacturers and trade associations to build on the concept of products made out of organically grown latex being certified progressively over time. This idea eventually evolved into the “Global Organic Latex Standard” of organic latex, GOLS for short.
Rating: Best
For a product to have the Global Organic Latex Standard certified label, it’s crucial that all raw materials used in the manufacturing be organic in origin. This means GOLS-certified organic mattresses only contain natural rubber latex, which may include the addition of other approved organic materials.
Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS)
The Global Organic Textile Standard is the leading worldwide standard for organic fiber certification that’s independently backed by 3rd parties. The GOTS label covers not only manufacturing, processing, labeling, packaging and distribution processes of products, but also ecological and social criteria of certified organic products.
Rating: Best
There are two GOTS-certified labels:
- There is a “Certified Organic” GOTS label, which means the textile is 95% or more organic in origin.
- There is also a GOTS label for products over 75% organic, but under 95%, that will list the actual organic percentage of the product.
If shopping for a purely Organic mattress, make sure the GOTS label says “Organic” and not a percentage!
USDA Certified Organic
USDA Certified Organic agricultural products have been tested and traced by National Organic Program (NOP) to ensure that they meet all USDA Organic Standards. The National Organic Program develops strict regulations and rules for producing, handling, labeling, and enforcing agricultural products to be considered USDA Organic Certified.
Rating: Best
USDA Certified Organic products can be labeled “100 Percent Organic” if they are fully organic, as well as “Organic” which means the product is at least 95% organic.
Texas Department of Agriculture Certified Organic
The Texas Department of Agriculture Organic Certification Program tests and certifies agricultural processors, distributors, and retailers in Texas to be organic according to the National Organic Program guidelines used by the USDA. Not only does the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) certify products as organic for the USDA, but they also provide products with their own certifications. Certified products are grown without synthetic, non-organic, or prohibited substances and cannot include GMOs or Ionizing Radiation.
Rating: Best
The most common TDA Certified Organic product used in mattresses is Cotton. Rest assured that if a mattress uses Texas Department of Agriculture Certified Organic Cotton that it’s authentic and was grown in Texas by farmers that care about the healthiness of their crops.
MADE SAFE
MADE SAFE is an ecosystem-focused certification that doesn’t compromise on ingredient safety. The MADE SAFE missions is to revolutionize how products are made by eliminating harmful chemicals and ingredients from products to ensure sustainability and safety for all.
Rating: Best
GREENGUARD & GREENGUARD Gold
Some Volatile Organic Compound gases (VOCs) may just be the source of a questionable odor, but others can be irritants of mucous membranes including eyes, noses, and throats. The worst VOCs can lead to chronic diseases and even cancer after long-term exposure. Products labeled GREENGUARD Gold are tested by UL and certified to be within safe levels of Volatile Organic Compound emissions for indoor use.
Rating: Good
There are two GREENGUARD certifications issued by UL:
- A “GREENGUARD Gold” Certification for mattresses means the product has the lowest chemical and organic emissions and complies with the strictest standards of healthy indoor air quality reserved for schools and hospitals.
- There is also a less strict UL certification label just called “GREENGUARD Certification” that tests for fewer emissions but is still a good standard. Make sure to look for that “GOLD” when choosing a mattress without fiberglass.
eco-INSTITUT
eco-INSTITUT created a certification label for products that fulfill the strictest of requirements regarding emissions and pollutants when tested using state of the art science and research. For over 10 years the eco-INSTITUT label has been a trusted sign on indoor products for low-emission and low-pollutant by over 100 manufacturers.
Rating: Good
CertiPUR-US
CertiPur-US is a non-profit organization that performs rigorous testing on foams to ensure and certify they are made without ozone depleters, PBDEs, mercury, lead, heavy metals, formaldehyde, CPSC regulated phthalates, or flame retardants such as TCEP, TDBPP, TDCPP or TEPA. CertiPur-US also checks for Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) off-gassing emissions at less than .5 parts per millions to ensure healthy indoor air quality.
Rating: Decent
CertiPUR-US does a great job at certifying that foams used in mattresses are free of toxins, VOCs, and other harmful chemicals, but it only certifies foam and not the many other parts of mattresses! A mattress with CertiPur-US certified foam may still contain fiberglass.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
OEKO TEX uses its partners to independently test mattress textiles and foams for an entire catalog of both unregulated and regulated substances that are potentially harmful or toxic to humans. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifications usually go far beyond national regulations and the catalog of substances is updated on a yearly basis.
Rating: Decent
If a product has the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, you can be sure that every piece of the product has been thoroughly tested for substances that are potentially harmful to humans. However, silica-based glass fibers are not tested for and an Oeko-Tex 100 Class 1 certification meant for babies can still contain fiberglass.
Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance seal means that the product or specified ingredient was grown on farms certified to the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard.
Forest Stewardship Council
The Forest Stewardship Council GmbH is an international non-profit, multistakeholder organization established in 1993 that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests via timber certification.
Green America
Green America is a nonprofit membership organization based in the United States that promotes environmentally aware, ethical consumerism.
PETA-Approved Vegan
More than 1,000 companies are using the “PETA-Approved Vegan” logo to highlight clothing, accessories, furniture, and home decor items made of vegan alternatives to animal-derived materials, such as leather, fur, silk, feathers, and bone. The logo helps consumers identify vegan items at a glance while shopping and make purchases that align with their values.
Rating: Good (for vegans)
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Federal laws require many consumer products to be compliant with safety regulations before being sold. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) doesn’t do any testing itself, and instead requires passing test results from 3rd party testing labs.
Rating: Worst
The Consumer Product Safety Commission still allows fibergass to be used in mattresses even though they have recieved numerous reports and evidence that verify the dangers and health risks associated with its use going back to at least 2014. Therefore, a CPSC seal on a mattress is basically meaningless.
Last Updated on March 6, 2024
While shopping for his daughter’s first “big girl” bed in 2019, John learned about the hidden dangers of fiberglass in mattresses. Since then, he’s made it his mission to expose as much hidden fiberglass in mattresses as possible. His ultimate goal is federal regulations that ban fiberglass from being used in mattresses, or at least a law that requires it to be listed as a material on required tags.