Chemical free mattress: reduce VOCs today!

VOCs are also known as ‘volatile organic compounds’. These are chemical gases that tend to have a high vapour pressure at room temperature. They are often emitted into the air by certain household products, ones we all commonly use. These VOCs can be regularly found in paint, cleaning products, aerosols, or even candles. They are also commonly found in many of our mattresses. Many people are completely unaware of these chemicals and the potential risks they can cause. Throughout this article, we will talk through the potential risks of regularly inhaling VOCs, and the benefits of investing in a chemical free mattress.

Here at Ely Mattresses, we’ve spent over forty years in the mattress industry. This has led us to our greatest creation yet, the Ely. Our mattresses have been designed by experts with love and care to ensure the best potential sleep for our customers. We truly feel that natural, chemical free mattresses provide a huge range of benefits, and one of those is reducing your exposure to VOCs.

Why are VOCs used in a mattress?

VOCs are frequently found in adhesives or foams, both of which are common mattress materials. They are mainly used because they are a cost-effective way of making your mattress flame retardant. Many people may notice a particular smell coming from their mattress when they first unpackage it. This is what is called ‘off-gassing’, and is the VOCs leaving your mattress. This process can continue to happen throughout the night as we sleep, which could be putting us in danger.

The health risks of VOCs

It is argued that these harmful chemicals or vapours can be unsafe for your health, so you should be concerned if you think you might be breathing in VOCs like benzenes and formaldehyde while you sleep. Common health effects associated with VOCs can include eye, nose, and throat irritation, or headaches. Certain VOCs have also been linked to a number of more serious health conditions and risks. These include organ damage, certain cancers, and fertility problems.

Our mattresses are made from natural materials like sheep’s wool and horsehair. This means that our mattresses are completely toxin free. Using these products to make our mattresses means that you can sleep soundly, and be assured that your health is not at risk whilst you do.

The impact on the carbon footprint

VOCs play a significant role in the contribution of greenhouse gases to the Earth’s atmosphere. This can contribute to negative consequences for all of us, including climate change. VOCs also add to the degeneration of the ozone layer. Worse even still, many mattresses end up in landfills each year, and materials such as foam or adhesives are not biodegradable.

We love taking care of our customer’s health, but we also like to take care of the planet. The environment is a huge priority for us, too. Our aim isn’t just to provide the best quality natural mattress, but to also minimise the world’s carbon footprint. Using materials like horsehair or wool is more sustainable, and means Ely mattresses are more environmentally friendly. Our products are also locally sourced in Yorkshire to support UK businesses.

To continue even further with our aim, we responsibly recycle your old mattress without using harmful chemicals or gases. This is contributing to reducing the number of old mattresses which end up in landfills each year. When it comes to upgrading your Ely in the future, the use of natural materials means your mattress should last longer than other products. Lastly, because the materials in our mattresses are natural, they are biodegradable.

Flame retardants

As we have previously mentioned, the main reason VOCs are used when making mattresses is due to their ability to ensure your mattress is flame retardant. This is important from a health and safety perspective and helps to avoid the risk of combustion.

We understand the importance of health and safety when it comes to your mattress, but there is no need to use these harmful chemicals in order to guarantee this important factor. Fortunately, natural materials such as wool and horsehair are naturally fire resistant. For instance, wool has a protective lanolin coating making it resistant to fire without the need for unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals.

Why the Ely mattress?

Here at Ely mattress, we take the health and wellbeing of our customers seriously. For this reason, we categorically never use unnecessary chemicals when making our products. We’ve created the very best environmentally friendly mattress, with a whole range of health benefits.

We want to give you the greatest chance of improving your sleep. If you’re ready to buy, please visit our online store. If you want to know more about our materials and how they’re changing the way people sleep, read more about our thirteen layers here.