There are many properties of foam. The two most important are Density and ILD. Density is nothing more than how much a piece of foam weighs. It is determined by taking a cubic foot of foam (12" x 12" x 12") and weighing it. If the foam cube weighs 5 pounds, the density is 5.0. If it weighs 2.5 pounds, the density is 2.5. The higher the density, the longer the foam should last.

ILD stands for Indentation Load Deflection and refers to the firmness of a piece of foam. The lab puts a 4" x 15" x 15" piece of foam on a flat surface. Then a round metal plate, 8" in diameter, pushes down on that piece of foam. The amount of pounds of pressure it takes to squeeze the 4" piece of foam to 3 inches (25% compression) is referred to as the ILD. A low ILD, such as 14, doesn't offer much resistance and is an extremely soft piece of foam. One that takes 44 pounds of pressure is an extra firm piece of foam. Generally speaking, ILD's of 14-22 are considered soft, 23-29 are medium, 30-37 are firm, and 38+ are considered extra firm. The comfort range for most people is 25-35.

Foam does soften slightly with regular use. Polyurethane foam and Latex foam are the two types primarily used in the furniture industry for cushions and mattresses. Polyurethane foam is made by mixing various petroleum based chemicals. The most popular types of polyurethanes are Visco Elastic (Memory) Foam and High Resilient Foam. Latex foam is made by using the milky white liquid from the rubber tree. The most popular types of Latex are Talalay and Dunlop. Even though polyurethane is a cost effective alternative to Latex, it is not a natural product, is not as comfortable, and will not last as long.

Latex is derived from the rubber tree. It is a natural, biodegradable material that is inherently anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and dust mite free. Latex inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, fungus, and bacteria. This makes it the best option for health conscious consumers and those who suffer from allergies. We have not seen a foam product that comes close to the quality and resilience of Latex.

Latex starts as a milky white liquid composed of rubber, dispersed in water. Latex has a pin-core construction with hundreds of tiny air channels. Because of this natural ventilation, it provides more breath-ability, keeping you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The density of the Latex core is approximately 5 pounds per cubic foot. More weight means longer life. It is available in Soft, Medium, Firm, and Extra Firm. There is no resilience like Latex. If you have slept a night on it, you know.

The two main types of Latex are Talalay and Dunlop. These names refer to the manufacturing process in which they are made. The liquid Latex that goes into each can be 100% natural or a blended mix. This gives you many choices. We sell the 100% Natural Talalay which has a very sophisticated, hi tech manufacturing process. This material is whipped with air to form foam, which is frozen in place to make the Latex core.  Talalay Latex is very resilient, very cushy, and very comfortable. We also sell the 100% Natural Dunlop Latex.  Dunlop is the more traditional method of manufacturing. In the past 10 - 20 years, Dunlop Latex has progressed to the point where it nearly emulates the resilience of Talalay.

Below is a table of the latex specs we carry:

Manufacturing Process	Talalay	Dunlop
Natural Latex Content	100%	100%
Density of Soft	4.4	4.0
Density of Medium	5.0	4.7
Density of Firm	5.4	5.3
Density of Extra Firm	5.9	5.9
Density of XX Firm	N/A	6.9
(Note: Density amounts can range 0.2±)
ILD of Soft	18	18
ILD of Medium	27	26
ILD of Firm	32	32
ILD of Extra Firm	38	38
ILD of XX Firm	N/A	63
(Note: ILD amounts can range 2±)

100% Natural Dunlop
The Eco-Institute certification verifies that there are no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and the latex cores contain only Natural Rubber. Our Dunlop latex is 100% Natural.  There is no synthetic latex added.

100% Natural Talalay
The Oeko-Tex certification tests for harmful chemicals. Our Talalay latex is certified Class 1 which is baby safe. It is 100% Natural.

Certain sizes of Talalay Latex will have a glue seam because the size of the layer exceeds the size of the mold it is made in.  Water based glue is used on 3 sizes and should not be a concern. You will not feel the seam through the mattress cover.

If you absolutely do not want a glue seam and are buying one of the 3 sizes that have one, we would suggest you buy all dunlop layers. No dunlop has a glue seam.

Yes and No. It depends on the reason.

Good Reasons:

• I weigh 105 pounds and my husband weighs 260. I need my side softer than he does.
• I grew up sleeping on a futon and like the mattress real firm. My wife has arthritis and needs it soft.

Not So Good Reasons:

• We are planning to move 3 years from now and want to make transporting this mattress as easy as possible.
• I sleep alone right now, but I am hoping I won't be within a few years. I think he (or she) will weigh about...

We feel that it is better not to split layers (at least not the top layer). Even though it allows you to further customize the mattress, there is a tradeoff. Any couple that wants to meet in the middle will be straddling that area where the 2 different layers come together.

We talk to a lot of people. Here are the two extremes of what we have been told about sleeping habits:

• "I stay on my side, he stays on his side and he better not touch me during the night."
• "We are like one big 375 pound blob in the middle of the bed all night long."

Bottom Line: There are times when splitting the layers makes total sense and other times it doesn't.

There is no additional charge for splitting layers. Even though we do not get a lot of requests, it is not uncommon to process an order with at least one split layer.

Directions for ordering: Go through the shopping cart as if you are ordering whole layers of latex. In the comment box, let us know exactly which layers you want split. Here is an example:

• 1st layer - Complete Layer Soft Talalay
• 2nd layer - Medium Talalay/Firm Talalay
• 3rd layer - Firm Talalay/Xtra Firm Dunlop
• 4th layer - Xtra firm Dunlop/XX Dunlop

With our MINI-STACK system, you can buy a mattress that has 3, 4, or 5 layers of 3" Latex. Since we do not glue these layers to each other, it gives the customer the ability to rearrange the layers within the zippered mattress cover. This allows multiple configuration options to get the comfort needed for a restful night's sleep.  The MINI-STACK system has nearly eliminated the need to exchange a layer, which is a good thing for both the customer and us.

The quilted mattress cover encases the Latex and holds the layers in place. Because of the friction of the Latex and the snugness of the cover, these layers will not move or slide once the mattress is zipped.

We agree with the stats.  The 4 layer (13") mattress is the right choice in achieving the best comfort for the price.  When we had a showroom, we had the 3 layer mattresses right across the aisle from the 4 layer mattresses.  Nearly every day, someone would ask why the 4 layer mattresses felt so much more comfortable than the equivalent 3 layer mattress.  Even though we agreed, we really didn't know the answer.  We think the more latex in a mattress, the more comfortable the bed will be.

The plush cotton/wool cover adds 1/2" of thickness to the top and 1/2" of thickness to the bottom of the mattress, thus adding an inch of thickness to the mattress.

• 10" (3 layers) - 6 possible configurations (23% of sales)
  
• People who want a somewhat firm to very firm mattress
• People who have few or no aches or pains
• People who are on a semi tight budget
  
• 13" (4 layers) - 24 possible configurations (70% of sales)
• People who want the most comfort in relation to the price
• People who go to bed in pain
  
• 16" (5 layers) - 120 possible configurations (7% of sales)
• People who want the biggest and best
• People who need a mattress to complement their beautiful bedroom set
• People who want the very best shot at comfort

As you know, the beauty of the Mini Stack system is that you can rearrange the 3" layers.  Soft is intended for the top only, but the other layers can be rearranged in any order to give you different degrees of firmness.

It is entirely your decision which layers to buy, but here is a list of the most popular configurations that we sell:

If you are in doubt, give us a call.  We have been doing this a long time and are usually right.  Our goal is to get the purchase correct the first time.

Our mattresses do not need a foundation for support. If you have a Platform Bed or Captain's Bed, you can place it directly on the slats or plywood. If you need an extra 6-10 inches to achieve the desired height, you can use your current box spring or foundation as long as it doesn't sag. If it does sag, you can either get a new foundation or put 3/4" plywood over your existing base to level it.

Adjustable foundations are also an option.

YES. You need to protect this major purchase from animals, children, spills, and yourself. We sell two types of mattress pads. Both are machine washable. 

The Urban Green Natural mattress pad is made with a 1/2" layer of Joma wool quilted between two layers of 100% Natural cotton fabric. Not only will the wool add a little plushness to the top of your mattress, it will also wick small spills and sweat. We started manufacturing this product in response to customer feedback, one of which said, "After spending this amount of money to buy a mattress that is totally natural, why would I want to put a polyester mattress pad on my bed?"

The Waterproof mattress pad is waterproof. It is not a plastic feeling, crunchy sounding pad most of us are used to.  It is as natural as can be for a waterproof pad.

Lately, many people have been buying both mattress pads. They get the Waterproof mattress pad to protect their mattress and the Urban Green for added comfort and a 2nd layer of protection.

Bottom Line: Whether you buy it from us or not, you NEED a mattress pad. You do not want to be calling us to order a new mattress cover. Currently, the new covers range from $300 - $500.