Atlantic Organic Blog


    What is Talalay Latex?

    Talalay latex maintains a consistent cell structure. It has the same density throughout, and keeps resilience much longer. Slightly softer, more expensive, more uniform batches and shape recovery. Talalay comes in both natural and blended versions (part natural latex, part synthetic).

    What is Dunlop Latex

    The Dunlop process involves frothing the liquid latex, pouring it into a mold and baking it- like Talalay but without the freezing. This process produces latex with a firmer bottom (the latex particles sink during baking) and a lighter top. Dunlop latex is firmer, less expensive and less uniform batch to batch. Dunlop comes in both natural and blended versions (part natural latex, part synthetic latex).

    If you have an allergy to latex will sleeping on a latex mattress trigger an allergic reaction?

    100% pure natural latex is inherently hypoallergenic, anti-microbial as well as dust mite resistant. In fact latex is 300% more resistant to dust mites than any other foam. The latex that is used to make doctor gloves are made of a closed cell structure, making it impossible to wash out the proteins that some people can be allergic to. The latex used in a mattress is a foam with open cells. The latex we use in our mattresses are washed repeatedly to get rid of these proteins. They will not trigger an allergic reaction, they are encased in wool and sealed in a protective outer layer of cotton and poly/cotton blend ticking.

    What are VOC’s?

    Volatile Organic Compounds. These are emitted as gases from certain liquids or solids. VOC’s have a variety of chemicals, some of which can cause short-term or long-term health problems. With our organic mattresses there are NO VOC’s.

    Important Questions When Purchasing A Mattress

    Shopping for latex beds can sometimes be confusing. Not all latex mattresses are the same – in fact, some aren’t even really latex! It’s important to compare the various models to make sure you’re getting the one you want. Here are some key questions to ask that will make shopping for a latex bed simple.

    How many inches of latex rubber is in the mattress?
    There are 11” mattresses with 3 inches of latex in them (and the remainder foam or other things) and there are 11” mattresses with 11” of latex in the mattress. There is a huge difference between the two, both from a construction and a benefit standpoint.

    What kind of Latex is used: Talalay or Dunlop?
    Talalay Latex Rubber is made in a vacuum mold that both freezes and vulcanizes the material and requires over 14 hours to manufacture. The Talalay process produces a circular cell structure. Dunlop latex is latex that is manufactured like foam on a line and takes less than one hour to make and produces a snowflake cell structure.

    Where is the Latex made?
    Latex made in the United States is superior to most processes around the world. The primary difference is the cleanliness of the material produced. Talalay Latex made in the United States is rinsed five times to remove proteins. Talalay Latex made in most parts of the world is rinsed only once or not at all.

    What is the Latex Rubber blend?
    The industry has two latex classifications: “Natural” and “All Natural.” “Natural” blends deliver the healthy benefits of latex and provide more comfort, more pressure relief and are more durable. “All Natural” latex is more natural and purer, although it is also harder, heavier, more expensive, and not as durable.

    Where is the Latex in the mattress?
    Is it really a “Latex” bed?  It’s important to be able to discern a “latex mattress” from a “mattress with latex in it.” A lot of mattresses categorized as “latex mattresses” are not. Many contain very little latex (less than 25%) and the design of the mattress either waters down the benefits of latex or dilutes them all together. The law label is a great guide to understand the latex content in any brand mattress. The more latex in a mattress, the more support, pressure relief, durability, and resilience it offers.

    Relax & Relieve

    The most important thing a PBL mattress does is help relax muscles, which relieves tension. Spinal alignment is important when selecting a mattress but buying a mattress that helps muscles relax is equally as important. If we buy a mattress that creates pressure on our body, that pressure will cause our muscles to be tense and can even pull our spine out of alignment.

    One of the common problems of our generation is that our muscles are too tense. This is one of the reasons why massage is at an all time high. The primary cause of muscle tension is stress. Followed by poor posture, prolonged sitting and inappropriate sleep surfaces.

    If we allow our muscles to relax, our body will relax including our overstressed mind. Relaxing our muscles can help relieve stress, manage anxiety, relieve stiffness, control blood pressure and boost immunity. Insomnia often comes from the inability of our muscles to relax. Chronic muscle tension also uses up energy, which can make us fatigue easier during the day.


    Muscle relaxation occurs based on the round cell structure of the Talalay Latex rubber in our PBL mattresses. An all-Talalay Latex mattress allows your body to be lifted back up to the surface instead of sink down into the mattress and bottom out like fiber and foam do. This pressure-less feeling helps relieve tension by completely relaxing your muscles.

    Good For the Environment

    Natural Talalay Latex Rubber is Naturally Breathable which dissipates body heat. It’s Mold and Mildew Proof which can provide an allergen free environment. It’s Dust Mite Resistant which can prevent runny noses, nasal congestion, or asthma attacks caused by dust mite manifestation. It’s Antibacterial and Antifungal which may reduce the spread of bacteria.It’s Naturally Hypoallergenic because it does not produce toxic off-gases.It’s extremely resilient and durable for lifetime performance.

    Chemicals in Mattresses

    First and foremost, taking note of what the adhesives are (what holds the mattress components together) in the construction of the mattress may be far more important than the layers if you are looking at chemicals. Solvent-based adhesives appear to be far more challenging than components themselves. These articles state that solvent based adhesives have 48 toxic chemicals in them (too many to detail), 1 non toxic chemical (diphenyl diisocyanate,) and 1 natural material (water.) These articles state Poly Foam and Visco Foam has 7 toxic chemicals (1,1,1,2 Tetrachoroethane, acetone, and dimethylformamide, Methyl benzene, Methylene dianiline, toluene-neoprene and Vinilideine chloride,) 1 non-toxic chemical (diphenyl diisocyanate,) and 1 natural material (water.) These articles state Synthetic Latex has 5 non-toxic chemicals (2-chloro-1–3-butadiene, diphenyl diisocyanate, metallic oxides, Phenol-melamine resins, sulfur, Tellerium) and 1 natural material (water.) These articles state Natural Latex has 6 non-toxic chemicals (acrylate resins, diphenyl diisocyanate, Phenol-melamine resins, Phenol-urea, Polyvinyl acetate and waxes styrene- butadiene copolymer) and 3 natural materials (fats, hevea brasiliensis milk, and water.)

    Fire Barrier 

    Our natural and all natural latex line uses Milliken’s Paladin product as an FR Barrier.

    It consists of these two ingredients:
    1. Rayon (a man made fiber generated from natural cellulose derived from wood pulp)
    2. Silica (sand)

    No topical or post treatments of chemicals are necessary on this product.


    Sleeping and Dieting 

    Sleep deprivation is associated with increased body fat even while dieting. Ten overweight volunteers slept 8.5 hours per night in one two-week session and 5.5 hours per night in another; during the day, their diet and activity were controlled. Total weight loss was about 6.5 pounds in both cases, but when the participants got less sleep, they lost less fat mass (1.3 pounds versus 3 pounds), were hungrier, and had higher levels of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin. This suggests that sleep-deprived dieters could be more prone to cheating, says Plamen Penev, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. They will also have a harder time keeping the weight off, because the more lean muscle people lose, the more their metabolism slows down, he says.
    Take A Nap, Change Your Life

    Now for something we wish we’d known in college: New research from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center shows that dreaming makes you learn better. The study, reported in last week’s online edition of the journal Current Biology, found that when people who took a 90-minute nap between two “virtual maze tasks” and dreamed about the first test, they did ten times better than those who didn’t nap. Erin Wamsley, one of the study’s authors, said they found that the subjects who dreamed about the test had found it hard and suggested they’d had the dreams it because the sleeping brain “‘knows’ you need to work on it to get better.”