Best organic mattress in 2023: 6 top eco-friendly sleep options

Best organic mattress in 2023: 6 top eco-friendly sleep options

Looking for the best organic mattress on the market, but not sure where to start? Our pick of the top organic mattresses should give you plenty of ideas and help you choose the best mattress for your sleeping needs.

You may be wondering what makes a mattress organic. A true organic mattress is one made from materials that aren’t treated with any chemicals or toxic materials. They’re also eco-friendly mattresses, that support sustainable farming methods and have a lower carbon footprint, aren’t treated with non-degradable chemicals and don’t use polyurethane (which has been linked to respiratory health issues). The mattress will also have components that have received certification from authorities such as the Global Organic Textile or Latex Standard (GOTS / GOLS) and the US Department of Agriculture.

Of course, these materials often come with a higher price tag, so in addition to listing today’s best prices for each featured mattress, we’ve also rounded up this month’s biggest mattress sales to save you more money. Bear in mind also that the Presidents' Day mattress sales are happening now, making this one of the best times of year to treat yourself to an organic mattress.

If you’re looking for a mattress that’s kind to the environment, our selection of organic and natural mattresses should fit the bill.

The best organic mattress in 2023 – as chosen by experts

(Image credit: Saatva)

We’ve awarded the Saatva Zenhaven the number one spot due to its clever dual sided design and the overwhelmingly positive customer reviews it receives (4.9/5). The mattress can work for a large range of sleepers and manages to offer excellent pressure relief on both sides. The Luxury Plush side is particularly suitable for side sleepers, who need a softer feel to cradle the shoulders and hips. The Gentle Firm side is repeatedly praised for its ability to help with back pain, and stomach sleepers should also benefit from their spine being kept aligned by the firmer feel.

Made from natural wool, cotton and latex, the Zenhaven does a great job of keeping sleepers cool with naturally breathable materials and the bounce from the latex makes it easy for combination sleepers to change position. We haven’t had a chance to test the mattress as yet, but the overwhelmingly positive reviews for it praise it for excellent pressure relief and helping with aches and pains.

(Image credit: Awara)

Organic mattresses are generally an expensive investment, but the Awara Natural Hybrid mattress is one of the more reasonably priced options on the market. This is particularly impressive considering that it’s certified by the Rainforest Alliance and uses GOLS-certified latex and GOTS-certified New Zealand wool.

This is one of our recommended best mattresses for side sleepers, with excellent pressure relief at the shoulders, hips and knees. Lighter sleepers might find the mattress a little on the firmer side, but heavier sleepers should appreciate the slightly firmer feel of the mattress, with customers saying how comfortable the mattress is from day one. The Dunlop latex is combined with coils, meaning this is a particularly bouncy mattress. It’s great for combination sleepers, who will find it easy to change position during the night. But it’s not a great choice for those sharing a bed with a restless sleeper – both the latex and coils make this a buoyant mattress with a lot of motion transfer. 

(Image credit: Michele Ross)

One of the most popular organic mattresses on the market, the Avocado Green is particularly well suited to back sleepers, heavier sleepers and co-sleepers as we found in our Avocado Green mattress review. It offers the support that these sleepers need and can support a combined weight of 700lbs.

The Avocado Green is made from a combination of wool, cotton, Dunlop latex and pocketed coils and is GOTS and GOLS-certified, as well as Greenguard Gold certified. The pocketed coils are divided into five ‘strategic zones’, which are designed to support the shoulders, hips and lower back in different ways. Despite the combination of latex and coils, this is a slightly firmer mattress with minimal motion transfer and great edge support, making it a good choice for couples. Side sleepers and those of a lighter build are likely to find it too firm however, with it not being soft enough to cushion pressure points. We’re big fans of the Avocado – it’s one of our best mattress choices, as well as one of the best mattresses in a box and best hybrid mattresses.

• Read more: Avocado Green mattress review

(Image credit: Birch)

If you sleep hot but still want an organic and natural mattress, the Birch Natural mattress is an excellent choice. It’s one of the most cooling organic mattresses on the market, with breathable wool and ventilated latex and coil layers to keep sleepers cool at night. It’s also one of the cheaper offerings in our lineup, but it doesn’t scrimp on materials, with the mattress being 100% organic and certified.

Although we haven’t tested the mattress yet, customers who sleep on their backs or stomachs are big fans of the Birch. Back and shoulder pains are eased by the more traditional taut, springy feel of the mattress, with it offering good support and pressure relief. It’s too firm for side sleepers and does have a strong off-gassing smell, particularly when compared to other organic mattresses. This does fade after 24 hours though.

(Image credit: WinkBeds)

The WinkBeds Eco Cloud Hybrid mattress is one of the most sustainable mattresses available, with a host of eco-friendly materials including natural latex, organic cotton and wool and recycled steel coils. It’s a fantastic choice for combination sleepers, who appreciate how easy it is to change positions throughout the night due to its bouncy feel.

We haven’t yet tested this mattress, but customers repeatedly praise it for helping to ease and combat back pain, due to the zoned support that helps promote a straight spinal alignment. The mattress is also breathable and scores highly with hot sleepers, who say they’re kept cool throughout the night. It’s not firm enough for strict stomach sleepers though, who are likely to find their hips sinking too far into the mattress and the high motion transfer means it’s not a good choice if you share your bed with a restless sleeper.

(Image credit: Amerisleep)

The Amerisleep Organica is softer than many organic mattresses, due to its thicker wool comfort layer. This gives the mattress a pillow top feel and makes this the best organic mattress for side sleepers, who should find their pressure points cushioned and supported. Indeed, the Organica offers excellent pressure relief in all positions, with customer reviews supporting how comfortable the mattress is.

This is still a firmer mattress than one containing memory foam, but the wool comfort layer and pocketed coils do a good job of reducing motion transfer. The coils are also designed to offer targeted support to areas that need pressure relief. If you’re a lightweight sleeper of under 130lbs, we think you’ll probably still find the mattress a little too firm, even with the wool comfort layer. Temperature regulation is excellent however, making this another good choice for hot sleepers.

How do you choose an organic mattress?

Once you’ve decided to invest in an organic mattress, you’ll probably be wondering how you should choose one out of the selection on the market. First things first: what’s your sleeping style? Your sleeping position puts pressure on certain parts of your body, so you need a mattress firmness that doesn’t throw your spine out of alignment. In general, organic mattresses contain latex, which has a firmer feel and is particularly suited for back and front sleepers who need firmer support to keep their spines aligned.

Latex is bouncy, which also helps combination sleepers who will probably prefer a hybrid organic mattress. The addition of coils helps make changing positions even easier. Many organic mattresses are too firm for side sleepers, so look for those with extra wool comfort layers that provide a softer sleep surface.

The breathable materials of organic mattresses make them a great choice for hot sleepers, but bear in mind that latex is a bouncy material that often means these mattresses will give you a bit of motion transfer.

Are organic mattresses any good?

In short, yes. Organic mattresses are a great choice for most sleep styles and because they’re made with latex you can expect them to be long-lasting. They may cost a little more, but you’ll make the money back with the lifespan. They’re a great choice for allergy sufferers as they’re toxin-free and made from natural materials (obviously they’re not ideal if you’re allergic to latex or wool) and are extremely environmentally friendly.

The firmer feel of many organic mattresses means they’re adept at helping to ease aches and pains, plus the breathable materials mean that hot sleepers won’t overheat at night. These are high-quality mattresses that will give many sleepers a very comfortable night’s rest.