You’re going to be sleeping for roughly 23 years of your life, on average, so why not choose the best organic mattress? These natural beds, bedsheets, and linens are easier on the environment and your health—and they feel like a dream.
Conventional mattresses often have questionable materials in them. Everything from polyurethane foams with formaldehyde and TCEP (a flame retardant) to phthalates can end up in nonorganic mattresses, off-gassing into your home. How much these substances impact you isn’t scientifically settled, but one way to avoid possible harm is to get a mattress made from natural, organic materials. Most natural mattresses are made of a combination of wool, natural latex, and cotton. The construction is similar to conventional mattresses but without the chemicals.
Members of the WIRED Reviews team have been testing mattresses for many years, and we have slept on every mattress on this list. We are always testing more, but these are our favorites right now. In general, we recommend hybrid mattresses with a core of individually wrapped springs because they feel more supportive and have better airflow, so they don’t sleep as hot. You may also find our Best Mattresses guide helpful. All of the prices below are for queen-size models unless specified.
Updated April 2025: We’ve added a brand-new mattress from Coyuchi, as well as a link to our full review of the Avocado mattress. We’ve also updated links and prices throughout.
What Makes a Mattress Organic?
To help you make sense of the often bewildering world of organic mattresses, here are some terms and certifications to know.
The big name in organic certifications, and organic cotton certification specifically is the Global Organic Textile Standard, generally abbreviated as GOTS. It looks not just at how the cotton is grown and processed but also at ecological and social criteria, and it uses third parties to independently verify that standards are being met. If you’re curious, you can read version 6 of the standard online.
Most of the mattress brands here have GOTS certification. Our top pick, Avocado Green Mattress, our favorite kids’ mattress, My Green Mattress, and the Birch Natural are all GOTS certified. Awara is not. But cotton is not the end of the story for these mattresses, which usually also contain latex, which has its own certifications like GOTS. In fact, the latex certification is called Global Organic Latex Standard and is more or less the same as GOTS, but for latex instead of cotton. Again, the goal of GOLS is to look at the entire supply chain, not just the finished product. Avocado and My Green Mattress are the only ones in this guide certified by GOLS and GOTS.
While we especially like the big-picture approach of GOTS and GOLS, there are other certifications that test the finished product. Awara organic mattresses are independently tested by Oeko-Tex, which certifies that an item is “tested for harmful substances and that the article, therefore, is harmless for human health.” Another thing to look for is the Greenguard Gold certification and UL Environment’s Formaldehyde Free label, which both certify that there are no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or formaldehyde in your mattress.
Another term you might see shopping for organic mattresses is “needle-tufted.” This means the mattress is sewn rather than glued (assuming it’s 100 percent needle-tufted). Since needle-tufted mattresses use no adhesives, you don’t need to worry about VOCs.
How We Tested and What to Look for in an Organic Mattress
Mattresses are large, and testing them is time- and space-consuming. Members of the WIRED Gear team have been testing mattresses for many years, and we have slept on every mattress on this list for at least a couple of weeks, often longer—in many cases, years longer. That said, there’s no way for us to test them all. Here are a few general tips, tricks, and things to look for when shopping for an organic mattress online.
- Know What Kind of Sleeper You Are: Different mattresses are designed for different sleeping styles. Are you a side sleeper? Stomach sleeper? Back sleeper? Or are you like me, a little bit of everything (which they call a combination sleeper)? Knowing the answer to this question can help narrow down your search to mattresses that are a good fit for your sleeping habits. This is where mattress reviews like ours come in handy; we test for every kind of sleeper.
- Do You Like Firm, Soft, Medium? Mattresses come in different firmness options, often within the same model. Whichever one is right for you depends on which firmness you enjoy, as well as any issues you may have, like back pain.
- Innerspring vs. Foam: Organic mattresses come in two basic flavors: the traditional innerspring coil design and pure foam. We’ve primarily tested and recommend innerspring in this guide, though pure foam designs have improved in recent years, and we’re in the process of testing a few now. The big difference in my experience is the amount of heat that foam retains. It’s a good choice for those who sleep cold, while those who sleep hot are better off with a traditional pocketed coil design.
- Look for a Trial Period: Everyone makes mistakes; to avoid having to live with a potential mistake, make sure the mattress you’re considering offers a sleep trial. Everything listed here offers some kind of sleep trial period after which, if you’re not happy, you can return the mattress.
- More Expensive Doesn’t Mean Better: Organic mattresses aren’t cheap, but there’s no reason to spend a fortune just to get a good, eco-friendly night’s sleep.
- Check the Warranty: Lifetime warranties are rare these days, but most of the mattresses we’ve tested offer around 25-year warranties. Some companies cap it at 10 years, but view those with suspicion. A good mattress should last more than 10 years, and good companies are willing to stand behind their products for that long.
- Wait for a Sale: Mattresses go on sale all the time, usually every few months for most brands. Unless you need a new mattress right now, you’re probably better off waiting for the next big sale.
Organic? Like Organic Organic?
It’s all good and well to say a mattress is organic, but how does anyone know these companies living up to their claims?
As noted above, there are independent standards that have to be met in some cases, but in the particular case of GOLS, the latex certification, the fine print says “organically grown natural rubber latex”. Unfortunately, while it’s great that the rubber trees are grown without harmful chemicals, that doesn’t mean those weren’t added somewhere in the process that transforms rubber tree sap into something you can sleep on. It’s a safe bet that just about any industrial process is going to have a detrimental effect on its source material. How detrimental and what that means for you is often difficult to know. Most companies, when you read the fine print, will say that latex foam is ≥95 percent certified organic latex, which is the highest possible standard. The remaining 5 percent represents the essential processing agents—required for any manufacturer to make latex foam.
In the end, it seems that while perfection may not be achievable, these mattresses are still much better for you and the planet than conventionally manufactured mattresses.
Table of Contents
The Best Organic Mattress
Birch’s Luxe organic mattress is our new favorite organic model. It strikes the best balance between firm and soft (Birch calls it medium-firm), making it a good choice for side sleepers, as well as those who prefer sleeping on their stomach or back. It’s also great for those of us who sleep every which way. It’s an all-around comfortable mattress that will make just about anyone have a good night’s sleep.
The medium-firm feel comes from individually wrapped steel coils, which are topped with layers of natural latex, wool, and a Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic cotton cover. The coils offer full lumbar support and are arranged to cradle your spine but are also stiff around the edge. There’s no sag in the Birch Luxe, and I had none of the lower-back pain I associate with softer mattresses. The wool and latex top layers provide truly exceptional temperature regulation, and the pillowy top provides a nice bit of softness. (The pillow top is the main thing that separates this from the cheaper, not-Luxe model, which we also recommend below).
Birch offers free shipping and a 100-night trial period, and all its mattresses have a 25-year warranty. Birch offers an in-home setup and removal of your old mattress through LoadUp; details can be found on Birch’s website. The Luxe arrived completely compressed, and while it was small, it was definitely heavy. If your mattress is headed up stairs, or you’re not comfortable lifting bulky, heavy objects, we recommend going for the in-home setup option.
The price ranges from $1,300 for a twin to $3,214 for a California king, although the mattresses are often discounted.
Another Great All-Around Mattress
Formerly our top pick, the Avocado Green hybrid mattress (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the only mattress my wife and I agree on. She likes a soft mattress, and I prefer a firm one. This model somehow manages to be both without being too much of either. It’s also good for combination sleepers like myself, who spend time in just about every position in the course of a night. After nearly two years of sleeping on this Avocado, there’s zero sagging or other issues.
There’s a one-year trial, a 25-year warranty, and free shipping available on all Avocado mattresses. Like other mattress-in-a-box options, the Avocado arrives compressed. If you prefer a soft feel, there’s a pillow-top option, or you can add a mattress topper, like the company’s luxurious (and sustainable) Alpaca fur mattress topper (see below).
The Avocado Green is 11 inches thick and made from organic latex, organic wool, and organic cotton. It’s also not toxic. It contains no polyurethane, fire retardants, memory foam, or chemical adhesives, according to the company.
The price ranges from $1,400 for a twin to $2,700 for a California king, although the mattresses are often discounted. There are additional costs for Medium Pillow-Top and Plush Box-Top that vary based on size.
Best Flippable Mattress
It’s assumed that most mattress shoppers are selecting between soft and firm, or trying to find a middle ground acceptable to partners with different preferences. But what if your tastes change with the seasons or how achy your muscles are after a long, active day? The Zenhaven lets you choose a side.
Saatva’s Zenhaven is made of organic latex protected by an organic wool liner and an organic cotton cover. The two sides, labeled Plush and Firm, don’t vary as much as dedicated soft and firm mattresses, with the company claiming an 18 percent difference in the two, but it does offer a nice change of pace. Beyond that, the Zenhaven is pricey but extremely well built (and heavy—this is not a mattress-in-a-box). It has great edge support, sleeps neither hot nor cool, and will last you years.
The price ranges from $1,999 for a twin to $4,799 for an Upper-Flex king.
Best Solid Latex Mattress
Solid natural latex mattresses can last for decades and strike a perfect balance between support and softness. However, because all-foam latex mattresses are solid blocks of vulcanized sap, they’re cumbersome and usually expensive. Also, because they’re so heavy, they’re often made and sold by local mattress companies that vary widely in reputation.
Turmerry aims to solve this problem by offering organic latex mattresses with three or four layers of natural foam that are zipped into an organic cotton cover. Each layer comes wrapped for shipping in a solid hunk of latex that feels like a cannonball. (Those layers are just light enough to be shipped by major carriers and for you to lug up the stairs.) Turmerry uses the Dunlop process to make latex, meaning it’s denser and more supportive than latex mattresses made using the Talalay process. The Turmerry system has foams of slightly varied firmness.
You can configure the beds in a variety of ways. WIRED reviewer Martin Cizmar tested this one with a medium-firm setup. A week of testing found that it performs like other natural latex mattresses—that is, very well, especially for anyone who likes the feel of firm foam. This is a foam mattress that sleeps closer to a traditional coil mattress, at least at first. Over time, natural latex will slowly shape itself to your main sleeping position in a process that’s not unlike what memory foam does, except over years instead of seconds.
The price ranges from $1,299 for a twin to $1,999 for a California king, although the mattresses are often discounted. Prices also vary based on mattress height, which comes in 7-, 10-, and 12-inch heights.
A Luxe Organic Mattress
The Awara Premier Luxury Hybrid mattress is the elevated big brother to the budget Awara Natural below. This mattress has a comfy (and cool) wool and rayon blend quilted cover top, followed by a layer of sustainable, GOLS- and FSC-certified organic foam, with coils on the bottom for spinal support and structure (including four handles for easier moving). This 12-inch mattress is listed as a 6 on the firmness scale (with 10 being the firmest), and it was slightly more firm than I usually like, but it was still comfortable.
I always slept coolly with that quilted top that helps increase airflow. The edge support was pretty solid, although the mattress top tended to bubble up in certain areas. The cool silkiness of this mattress just makes it feel elevated—you can tell it’s well-made using solid materials. I really liked this luxe organic mattress, I just wish it were a tad more plush. —Molly Higgins
The price ranges from $799 for a twin to $1,998 for a split king, although the mattresses are often discounted.
Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid for $849: Awara’s cheaper organic mattress is composed of a super-soft (dare I say silky?) wool and rayon blend quilted cover top; a layer of sustainable, GOLS- and FSC-certified organic foam; and coils for increased spinal support and structure. This mattress is supportive and bouncy, but the edge support didn’t deliver as promised, and you can feel the springs a bit more than in others I’ve tested. (You can literally feel the metal coils when you run your hand along the side of the mattress). I appreciated the solid motion transfer and breathable design that kept the mattress fairly cool, and after testing 20 mattresses I appreciated the handles on the sides for easy moving. This hybrid, organic mattress is inexpensive for what it is, but it was a little too firm, and those springs were a little too pronounced for my taste. —Molly Higgins
Another Luxury Organic Mattress
Organic bedding brand Coyuchi recently launched its own organic mattress, combining cotton, wool, and Dunlop latex atop individually wrapped coils. While Coyuchi’s linen sheets are excellent, I was a little nervous to try the company’s first mattress effort. Bedding is not a mattress, after all, and expertise does not always transfer across endeavors. In this case, though, it did. Coyuchi’s organic Natural REM Mattress is wonderfully firm without being too firm and perfect for those of us who lack a sleeping style and tend to sleep every which way—side, back, stomach. I was never uncomfortable on this mattress.
The design starts with encased coils on a wool pad and then, like a Midwestern dip, layers in smaller coils, latex, and then wool, and tops it off with an organic cotton cover. There’s surprisingly good edge support considering the distance between the coils and the top, and the mattress provides good motion isolation as well. Coyuchi says the Natural REM can be used with or without a box spring. I tested it for a few months on a box spring and then spent a week with it just on the floor and did not notice a difference. At 11 inches deep, theres room for a topper, though I did not feel the need.
The cotton and wool layers are GOTS-certified organic, while the Dunlop latex carries the GOLS certification. The mattress is undyed, which is great for anyone bothered by industrial dyes. As with most of these mattresses, the Coyuchi is made without chemicals, foam, or glues. Coyuchi’s Natural REM organic mattress is made to order in the United States and comes with a 100-night trial, which means you can get a full refund if it doesn’t work for you.
Prices range from $1,400 for a twin to $2,400 for a king or California king.
A Vegan Organic Mattress
Essentia’s Tatami is a vegan mattress, meaning there’s no wool or animal byproducts used, and all materials have been sustainably sourced from farms that follow sustainable and ethical farming practices, including fair trade and labor standards. The mattress has a zippered organic cotton cover that can be easily removed for cleaning, and it has a nontoxic, allergy-free Kevlar fabric barrier. The mattress is made of an organic latex support core with holes for breathability, and the active organic foam helps spinal alignment and contouring support for pressure points.
Without springs, the mattress is super-comfortable, and the foam really contorts to your body’s curves and pressure points. The Tatami has free shipping, a 120-night sleep trial, and a 20-year warranty. The organic, sustainably sourced, and sustainably made bed is expensive, but it delivers on its high price by being well-balanced with both structure and support (without needing springs). —Molly Higgins
Price ranges from $2,448 for a twin to $4,675 for a California king.
Best Organic Mattress for Kids
My whole pursuit of an environmentally friendly mattress started with my kids. I care a lot more about what they’re sleeping on than what I’m sleeping on. Still, as much as I love the Avocado Green mattress, it’s not cheap. For my kids, I bought the more affordable Kiwi Mattress by My Green Mattress. The Kiwi is similar to the Avocado. It’s a hybrid mattress with pocketed springs and natural materials: certified organic cotton, wool, and latex. It’s also something of a rarity; organic twin mattresses are somewhat difficult to find.
One nice twist that makes the Kiwi appealing for kids is the two-sided option. It costs a little more upfront but being able to flip it over extends its life, which is handy if your kids think beds are actually trampolines in disguise.
My Green Mattress offers a 20-year warranty and a 120-night trial. The Kiwi is definitely a firmer mattress, but I think it’s comfortable, and my children all say it’s the most comfortable mattress they’ve slept on.
The price ranges from $775 for a twin to $1,699 for a California king, although the mattresses are often discounted.
Good for Side Sleepers
We still like the Luxe version of this mattress and the Avocado above more, but this Birch is a good alternative for side sleepers. WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe says she sucks at sleeping: “I toss and turn all night. My blankets need to be arranged specifically. I can’t deal with light, and I require a sound machine to run in the background. I didn’t expect a mattress to change much, but this one from Birch pleasantly surprised me.” It’s an eco-friendly mattress made by Helix, the maker of our other favorite bed.
The Birch Natural is made of natural latex and wool, with individually wrapped coils that lend a plush and bouncy experience without feeling too squishy. It’s great for stomach and side sleeping, and it’s comfortable enough that Strampe could actually sleep on her back. A small, visible indented outline formed where she and her partner each slept, with a ridge between them, but after a year it was still bearable. If it’s warm in your room at night or you’re a hot sleeper, the Birch may not be for you.
The price ranges from $1,374 for a twin to $2,248 for a California king, although the mattresses are often discounted.
Honorable Mention
There are a lot of organic mattresses out there, here’s another we tried that’s worth considering.
My initial impressions of WinkBeds’ EcoCloud mattress were not great. It didn’t have any of the firmness I loved from the original WinkBed, which I had been sleeping on for more than a year, and it felt like I was just sinking in. But after a week, the mattress firmed up a little more, and now after four months, I’ve come to like the plush quilt cover, which is made from 100 percent GOTS-certified organic cotton and New Zealand wool. It kind of feels like jumping on a posh hotel bed. Yet despite the pillowy softness, my back feels well-supported thanks to the four-inch Talalay latex layer supported by an innerspring system made from recycled steel. Still, if you generally prefer a medium-firm mattress, you probably will want to look elsewhere as this is on the softer side.
This hypoallergenic mattress has been Oeko-Tex-certified, which means it has been independently vetted for harmful substances, but it’s worth noting that the latex isn’t certified organic. My main gripes with this mattress have to do with motion transfer—unlike the original WinkBed, my partner frequently wakes when I hop into bed after her. Edge support is also lackluster; there have been several times that I felt like I’d roll off the bed if I was but an inch closer to the edge. Finally, while the original WinkBed fit my queen-size bed frame perfectly, the EcoCloud has a bit of a gap at the top and bottom. Over time, the bed slides down the frame and creates a gap between my headboard and the mattress—my pillow went down the abyss once. I haven’t had this problem with another mattress. —Julian Chokkattu
The price ranges from $1,399 for a twin to $2,399 for a California king, although the mattresses are often discounted.
Best Firm Mattress Topper
A new mattress is a huge investment, and sometimes all you need is a little refresh for your existing one. If your current bed isn’t sagging, you might be able to get a whole new feel just by adding a mattress topper like this organic latex topper from My Green Mattress (for more options, check out our guide to the Best Mattress Toppers).
This topper is 2 inches of certified organic latex wrapped in an organic cotton cover, with a zipper so you can remove the latex pad (though I am not sure why you’d want to). It’s lightweight but does a good job of staying in place even without any straps to hold it down.
This is a reasonably firm topper, compared to something like a down or wool topper, but it still contours nicely to your body and is comfortable even if you sleep on your side. Lying on my stomach or back, I don’t even touch my actual mattress anymore with this on top. I do when I roll on my side, but just barely. All of which is to say, you can bring a whole new life to your bed without spending a fortune.
Best Firm Topper Upgrade
Want an even thicker topper? PlushBed’s 3-inch topper is a dream to sleep on and it will likely get you quite a bit of extra time out of your mattress, as long as your old bed isn’t horribly sagging in the middle. PlushBed offers five firmness levels ranging from “soft” to “extra firm.” I went for extra firm and could not be happier. It’s the firmest topper or mattress I’ve ever tried. If you too love sleeping on very hard beds, this is the best you’re going to find. If you don’t, consider one of the other four levels of firmness.
PlushBed’s latex topper is made of Gols-certified Talalay latex. The company claims there are no fillers, chemical dyes, pesticides, bleach, carcinogenic adhesives, or chemical flame retardants.
Best Value Organic Topper
Turmerry’s natural latex mattress topper is one of the best value toppers you can get. The 2-inch model can be had for under $300, and we’ve seen it on sale for even less. The cover is sold separately, which will drive up the price if you want one, but after a couple of months of testing, I’ve found that you really don’t need it.
Turmerry uses a five-zone design in its topper, putting different-size holes at different points on the topper so that, for example, it’s firmer around your head and neck and a bit softer at the shoulders to let you sink down some and straighten your spine (if you’re sleeping on your side anyway). I found it to be very comfortable. It’s worth noting that Turmerry’s organic mattress above includes the same five-zone topper that gets zipped into the cover with the other layers. The topper is made of organic Dunlop latex foam (≥95 percent organic, see our note on organic standards below).
