A New Mattress!

This...


                  HASTENS


Not that...
 
                    Courtesy of



The new year brings mattress shopping for a lot of people. I am included this year.
Hastens, from Sweden, is a splurge but well worth the investment.
There are increasing numbers of options in the mid range.  I like the offerings at Keetsa.  Both have stores to "test drive" in Manhattan.

Why is this important?

Fire Retardants - As toxic as you can get for human health!
All Mattresses have to comply with federal regulations for fire compliance. All mainstream brands use chemical fire retardants to solve this problem.  The problem is they have been shown to be toxic to ones health through the off gassing they produce in the indoor environment. They also end up being ingested in the body.  As I have said before...90 percent of our time is spent indoors.
A mattress is something you spend at least 7 hours on a night. That adds up!

Low Toxicity Furniture - There are health issues to think about when purchasing furniture. What to look for? Was the piece of furniture sprayed with Fire Retardants, Formaldehyde Glues, Plastic Foam Inserts?  All of these materials create VOC's (Volitile Organic Compounds) which off gas into your home. In children these harmful chemicals have been proven to be endocrine disruptor's. Causing life long health issues. For adults they can cause asthma and reproductive issues.  The Greenseal Certification will be displayed by the company if they are omitting harmful VOC's from their products. I feel, the most important piece of furniture you should think about is your family sofa. Whether it be den or living room. You know a piece of furniture is off gassing if it generally smells like new car smell. Look for materials such as wool, cotton, and down or a soy based foam insert. Research the company and always see what type of Certifications they hold and how they explain their manufacturing process. (for more information on furniture please refer to my previous blog on buying environmentally friendly furniture).

Natural Materials - Cotton, Wool, and natural Latex can all be used instead of chemical based petrochemical options.


Responsible Vendors -Working with responsible vendors who care about not only the bottom line but the overall health and safety of their customers is a win-win in my opinion! Support those who care about others and the impact they are having.

If you have a choice. Why not do better?

Article with more vendors:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-best-organic-and-ecofriend-127844


Be Well,
Kim