Latex Mattress Buying Guide

Latex mattresses are a luxury product known for offering a mix of support, comfort, breathability, and eco-friendly options. But as anyone who begins researching latex mattresses discovers quickly, there’s a lot of information to consider when selecting the best latex mattress for you.

The sleep experts at Texas Mattress Makers answer your questions and more in our latex mattress buying guide.

What is a Latex Mattress

How Latex Mattresses Feel

Pros and Cons

Types of Latex Mattresses

Latex Allergies: What You Need to Know

Need more basic information? Check out our guide on How to Choose a Mattress.

What is a Latex Mattress?

Latex begins as a liquid that is tapped from rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) in the same way that we tap syrup from maple trees. Once extracted, the liquid is whipped, poured into a mattress mold, and baked until it forms soft, bouncy mattress material. 

At Texas Mattress Makers, we sell Talalay latex mattresses made using clean products from the rubber tree. Talalay refers to the type of manufacturing process used to form the mattress material from rubber tree’s liquid. Latex mattresses can be made up entirely of latex or use latex in the comfort layer.

How do Latex Mattresses Feel? 

Latex mattresses offer the comfort and contouring of a memory foam mattress but with a higher level of resiliency, making it easier to change sleeping positions or move from laying down to sitting up. Sleepers who enjoy the feel of a foam mattress but want a mattress that bounces back more quickly could benefit from a latex mattress. 100% latex mattresses and latex comfort layers are also perforated, which allows for better air circulation and cooling than foam mattresses.

However, keep in mind that not everyone’s body is suited for 100% foam or latex mattresses. In fact, most people tend to fare better on a hybrid mattress that includes individually wrapped coils as a base and a foam or latex comfort layer. 

Our latex mattress components come in a range of firmness levels, from soft to firm. These are: 

• Celsion Latex: The softest of our latex options, Celsion latex is a phase-changing latex that helps keep your body cool throughout the night. 
• Copper-infused Latex: Our medium firmness latex option, copper-infused latex helps promote joint pain relief and can be ideal for those suffering from arthritis.  
• Graphite-infused Latex: The firmest of our latex options, graphite-infused latex helps give you pressure point relief while the graphite helps wick away heat as you sleep at night to promote cooler sleep.

The Pros and Cons of a Latex Mattress

Many sleepers love latex mattresses for their comfort and eco-friendly options. That said, latex mattresses may not be the perfect fit for every sleeper. These are the pros and cons of latex mattresses you should know before you start shopping.

Latex mattress pros:

• Eco-friendly (natural latex only)
• Durable
• Resilient with exceptional contouring
• Provides pressure point relief while bouncing back quicker compared to other foams
• Minimal motion transfer
• Multiple firmness options
• Great for humid climates
• Allergen-resistant

Potential latex mattress cons: 

• Price point can be high (although it is entirely possible to find reasonable options)
• Heavy, so potentially not ideal if you move frequently

What to Keep in Mind While Shopping for Your Latex Mattress:

• How important the eco-friendly element of a natural latex mattress is to your purchase
• Your preferred firmness level and an estimate of the corresponding ILD.
• Whether or not you want to purchase a glued latex mattresses
• Your individual sleeping needs

Getting Technical: Indentation Load Deflection Explained 

When shopping for latex mattresses, you may run into several terms you’ve never heard before. The most prominent is indentation load deflection, or ILD. Indentation load deflection is the measurement of mattress firmness. Specifically, it is the measurement of the amount of force required to indent 4 inches of foam by 25% (or 1 inch). Lower ILD levels (below 25) are soft mattresses, while mattresses with an ILD of (31 and up are considered firm. 

Types of Latex Mattresses  

1. Hybrid latex mattresses

Recently, there has been an increase in hybrid latex mattresses. Unlike blended latex mattresses, our hybrid latex mattresses combine individually wrapped coils as a base with a latex comfort layer top. These hybrid mattresses offer the best of both mattress types: the resilient comfort of latex with the support of individually wrapped coils. 

Latex mattress comfort layers are known for their resiliency, for bouncing back quickly when pressure is removed, for helping sleepers avoid that “sunken in” feeling, and for allowing sleepers to shift positions easily without disturbing their partners. The latex used in the comfort layers can be constructed using any of the latex components mentioned above, so that you can choose to have a comfort layer with cooling properties, that helps with joint pain and arthritis relief, and more.

For more information on our hybrid mattresses, please visit our Hybrid Mattress Buyers Guide.

2. 100% full latex mattresses

Natural latex mattresses come entirely from nature and can provide sleepers with an exceptional mix of both comfort and support. Latex simultaneously offers support for problem areas like the back and neck and relieves typical pressure points on the hips and shoulders. The material allows sleepers to experience the adaptivity of a foam mattress without feeling too “cradled.” Again, not all body types are ideally suited for a 100% latex mattress; many individuals see more benefits from a hybrid latex mattress.

Buyers beware: Natural latex mattresses are a luxury product made using material sourced from trees, a process which is more labor-intensive and timely, making natural latex mattresses ultimately more expensive. Some manufacturers mix synthetic and natural latex and then claim that their mattress is made with 100% natural latex. This clever wording can be used to gauge unsuspecting customers. If you have concerns, check the mattress maker’s credentials for certifications. All of Texas Mattress Makers’ Talalay latex mattresses are certified by CertiPUR-US®.

For more specific information about our 100% latex mattresses, please visit our pages for our 12” 100% Medium Latex Mattress and our 10″ 100% Firm Latex Mattress (which are both also available to try in-store at our Downtown Navigation location). 

3. Synthetic latex mattresses and blended latex mattresses

While synthetic and blended latex mattresses may share many of the same properties and characteristics of natural latex, they do have some downsides to their natural counterparts. The most obvious of these is their impact on the environment. Additionally, synthetic mattresses are slightly less durable (more prone to tearing) and can produce strong off-gassing (the release of gasses, volatile organic compounds (VOCs)).

Please note that Texas Mattress Makers does not sell synthetic or blended latex products.

A Quick Note on Latex Allergies

If you have a latex allergy, you may be concerned about whether or not it is safe for you to sleep on a latex mattress. Ultimately, you will want to speak with your doctor, but it’s generally considered safe for those with latex allergies to sleep on a latex mattress for two reasons:

1. Your latex mattress will be washed as part of the manufacturing process, removing the proteins that cause allergic reactions.
2. Most latex mattresses come with a protective cover that puts a barrier between you and the latex.

Your Best Latex Mattress Buying Guide? The Experts at Texas Mattress Makers.

Texas Mattress Makers is home to premium latex mattresses in Houston. Explore our full selection of handmade mattresses and choose to shop by either comfort level, mattress type, mattress size, or budget. 

If you would rather get a feel for a mattress before making a purchase, visit any of our Houston locations and speak with the mattress experts at Texas Mattress Makers. There, our sleep experts can help you find the best latex mattress for you.

Your good night’s sleep is our passion. Come and visit any of our convenient Houston locations today!