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Mattresses & bedding

Every product in this category we have reviewed, and where each one stands with us. We don’t sell anything: add the ones you want to a list, then send them all to your Amazon cart or buy each one where it’s sold. In a hurry? The cheat sheet below is the short list.

Reviewed
47
On a cheat sheet
44
Brands
19
★ Start here · the cheat sheet

Crib mattress, on one page

A winner for each way people buy it, then what to skip. Ask which part of the mattress each claim covers, and look for GREENGUARD Gold (emissions from the finished product) before any other badge.

8 winners1 thing to skip10 of these products are on it

Open the cheat sheet
The crib mattress cheat sheetthe winner for each cut
  1. Our top pick (the one we have reviewed)Naturepedic Organic Baby Crib MattressOrganic cotton, a food-grade polyethylene waterproof surface, no PVC and no polyurethane foam core; expensive, and the review says so. See the latex note in the tips.
  2. Best for the toddler years (2-stage)Naturepedic Organic Baby Crib MattressThe lightweight two-stage Naturepedic build, with a polyethylene foam core per the maker's line description; the maker states it meets flammability standards without added flame-retardant chemicals. See the latex note in the tips.
  3. Organic hybrid, if latex and wool are fineAvocado Green Mattress Avocado Organic Crib MattressOrganic cotton, wool, natural latex and coconut fiber over innerspring coils, with no polyurethane foam or vinyl per the maker. It contains latex and wool, so skip it if either allergy runs in the family. The most expensive mattress here.
  4. Lowest price with no polyurethane foamDaVinci Complete Slumber Crib & Toddler MattressA high-density polyester-fiber core the maker says is free of polyurethane foam, vinyl and chemical flame retardants, with GREENGUARD Gold displayed by the maker. Conventional materials, not organic.
  5. Best waterproof protectorNaturepedic Organic Waterproof Crib Mattress PadOrganic cotton the maker lists as GOTS-certified, with a thin TPU waterproof layer; made without vinyl, PVC or phthalates, per the maker. Buy the fitted style, never a loose pad.
  6. Best washable (air-core build)Newton Baby Essential Crib MattressA polymer-fiber core the maker calls 90% air, with the maker's "ultra breathable" claim, and a machine-washable cover; GREENGUARD Gold is displayed by the maker.
  7. A foam optionGraco Premium Foam Baby Crib & Toddler Bed MattressA polyurethane foam core. Stork Craft, which makes it under the Graco name, displays CertiPUR-US and GREENGUARD Gold; certifications we could not check ourselves. In 2015 Stork Craft recalled two other models, 06710-100 and 06710-200 (made August 2014 to January 2015), for failing the federal open-flame standard; CPSC reported no injuries and the fix was a free barrier cover.
  8. Same maker, same standard: changing padNaturepedic Organic Contoured Changing PadOrganic cotton the maker lists as GOTS-certified, with a sugarcane-derived waterproof coating instead of vinyl over a food-grade polyethylene foam core, per the maker. The last thing on this sheet to spend on: a baby is on a pad for minutes, not sleeping hours.

SkipA vinyl surface over a polyurethane foam core

What to know about mattresses & bedding

The full guide →

Eight hours a night, face close to the surface, in a room with the door shut — one of the longest stretches of daily contact with any manufactured object. Two different questions decide it: what the mattress is made of, and what comes out of it into the air. Different certifications answer each, and neither means "no chemicals".

Common risks

  • "Organic" read as covering the whole mattress — it may describe only the cotton cover
  • "Non-toxic" on a tag, which certifies nothing
  • Assuming either certification means no chemicals — both mean a defined list was measured

What to look for

  • GREENGUARD Gold, for emissions tested against limits set with children in mind
  • CertiPUR-US, for what is in the polyurethane foam
  • A stated scope — which part of the mattress a claim actually covers
  • GOTS or GOLS, for organic cotton, wool or latex, with a certificate number you can look up and a scope that names this kind of product

The free change

Air a new mattress out in a ventilated room for a few days before regular use.

GREENGUARD Gold is an emissions standard — what comes out into the air, which is the sleep question. CertiPUR-US is a content standard for the polyurethane foam only.

More cheat sheets

One page each: the winners, then what to skip.All cheat sheets →
Guides with picks:Adult and kids' mattresses compared by what is insideCrib mattresses compared by what is insideMattress protectors and toppers compared by what the layer isBedding Certifications Explained: What GOTS, GREENGUARD Gold, OEKO-TEX, CertiPUR-US and MADE SAFE Cover

Brands in this category

19 brands. The ones with a product on a cheat sheet come first.Every brand, A–Z →

47 reviewed safer mattresses, bedding & pillows

Cheat sheet winners first
Too many to choose from? The cheat sheet is the short list.8 winners for crib mattress, on one page that prints.Open the cheat sheet

Mattresses & bedding: common questions

Which certification matters most for a crib mattress?

No single label settles it. GREENGUARD Gold is the one that measures emissions from the finished product, but we could not search UL's database, so every GREENGUARD claim on our pages is the maker's. Airing the mattress out and keeping the crib bare matter as much.

Does CertiPUR-US cover the whole mattress?

No. It is a content standard for the polyurethane foam — no specified flame retardants, low VOC emissions, restrictions on certain substances. It says nothing about the rest.

Is an "organic" mattress a safe bet?

Not on its own. The word can describe the cotton cover while saying nothing about the foam core, the adhesives or the fire barrier.

More in the mattresses & bedding guide →
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