More About Non-Toxic Pillows

Click on bolded statements for links to research and more information.

Are organic pillows worth it?

Yes! Your pillow is probably the object you’re in the closest contact with in your entire house — even your toothbrush you only spend a few minutes with every day. Meanwhile, your pillow is snuggled right up against your face for one third of your life, including your nose and mouth, which of course lead to your airway and gut. With skin contact as well, the materials its made of have a huge impact on your health. For these reason, I even recommend buying organic pillows before investing in an organic mattress when budgeting is a concern.

What does GOTS certified mean?

GOTS is short for the Global Organic Textile Standard.

It is the gold standard 3rd party certification for organic fabrics made from natural fibers like wool, cotton, linen, and others.

Fabric with the GOTS-certified organic label means that at least 95% of the starting fibers are certified organic, and ensures that the fabric remains healthy throughout the entire manufacturing process. This means the dyes and other chemicals used are safer for human and ecological health than standard fabric processing methods. No harmful finishes may be added to the final product.

What is OEKO TEX?

OEKO TEX certification applies to the finished product only, and is for both natural and synthetic textiles. Organic fibers, as well as man-made fabrics like polyester can both qualify, depending on what chemicals, and how much of them, are left in the final product. It does allow for some harmful chemicals, but in much lower quantities than are used in standard textile processing. You can see their limits, which are updated annually, here.

Are memory foam pillows toxic?

In short, yes. The first step in making memory foam is mixing diisocyanates and polyols (they come from petroleum) to make the basic structure of foam. The EPA is concerned that these two ingredients aren’t fully cured in pillows and mattresses and shed out, impacting health (read about it here.) Additional chemicals are mixed into foam to change its reaction speed, density, smell, fire resistance, and other properties. One of these is stannous octoate, a catalyst, that is a Reprotoxic 1B chemical that may damage unborn children (fetuses). This can also include antimicrobials and flame retardants, which are endocrine disruptors. All of the above are linked with various health issues, which you can read more about here.

What is latex?

Latex is the same thing as natural rubber. It comes from the Hevea brasiliensis tree. It is a milky white liquid that can be baked to form a springy, foam-like substance. It is often confused with synthetic (lab-made) latex, which is the chemical mixture styrene-butadiene.

What is Dunlop latex? How is Dunlop latex foam made?

First, the latex must be from an organic latex tree farm, grown without pesticides. The latex rubber “milk” from the tree is poured into a mold, mixed with Zinc, Sulfur, and soaps to make it a “gel,” then is baked into shape. It’s washed to remove impurities, and then is baked again to dry it out. This process has been used for about 100 years, and the result is a dense foam. To meet the the GOLS standard, it must be composed of at least 95% organic latex. Because the Dunlop process uses minimal ingredients, and is from organic trees, it can meet this requirement.

What is Talalay latex? How is Talalay latex foam made?

To make a less dense, softer, latex foam, the Talalay method was created in the 1940s. The natural rubber “milk” is poured into a mold, but only filled partway. At this point, chemicals are added to the mixture, and a vacuum seal is applied so that the foam puffs up and the air pockets are dispersed evenly. Then, it is flash-frozen with carbon dioxide to hold its shape, and baked. This process makes an airier foam than Dunlop, which is how it gets its softness.

Talalay latex isn’t organic, so cannot be GOLS certified. This can be OK, and truly natural Talalay is a fantastic choice compared to regular polyurethane foam. The only issue is that some manufacturers do not disclose what additives are used. Unfortunately, and confusing to many, this can still be sold as “100% natural latex,” even with additives.

Unless they have third party certification! Look for ecoINSTITUT, or C2C Gold or Platinum, certification, which ensures that 100% of the ingredients have been disclosed and confirmed that they are safe for humanhealth. If you are choosing a mattress made with Talalay, make sure the company states exactly where it is from, and if it has legitimate certifications like C2C or ecoINSTITUT.

Finally, because Talalay is less dense than Dunlop, a large single sheet (the size of a mattress, for example) is harder to achieve. Instead, several smaller pieces may be glued together. This can be avoided by mattresses that come in slabs that you stack yourself. Or, some brands will use safe adhesives, even sometimes using a liquid version of latex.

To sum it up, Talalay can sometimes be almost as healthy as Dunlop, but you have to make sure it was processed correctly, and that the company isn’t using it as a healthwashing technique.