Are you shopping for a new mattress, but worried that mattresses may be riddled with dangerous chemicals?
Despite this, you may not be sure exactly what chemicals these are or how to look out for them.
In this article, we will review Casper Mattresses and discuss what substances you should look out for.
Read on to learn about:
- How some mattresses can be toxic for your health
- Whether Casper mattresses contain hazardous materials
- How environmentally friendly these mattresses are
- How Casper mattress safety compare to other brands.
Let’s get into it!
Understanding Mattress Toxicity
Although mattresses are a staple in our lives, they can be made of harmful, toxic substances.
These harmful materials and chemicals can have adverse effects on both our health and the environment.
What many people do not realize is that mattresses can be a significant source of exposure to various substances, such as harmful flame retardants, adhesives, foams, and other synthetic materials.
Some common toxic materials and chemicals include polyurethane foam which can emit volatile organic compounds that contribute to indoor air pollution.
While most mattresses contain some levels of these substances, different standards and certifications such as the CertiPUR-US ensure that these materials are in low enough concentration to be safe.
Other harmful chemicals include PBDEs which have been associated with health concerns such as thyroid disruption.
It is important to understand what chemicals and other substances are found in your mattress and to make conscious decisions to avoid these when buying a mattress. After all, we spend about a third of our lives in bed!
Casper Mattress Overview
Casper is a popular American mattress and bedding company founded in 2014.
The brand gained recognition for its direct-to-consumer approach, selling mattresses primarily online and delivering them directly to customers’ homes in a compact box – a revolutionary concept at the time.
The brand’s goal is to simplify the mattress purchasing process and cut out the middleman to help keep costs low. They also have a simple returns process, eliminating risks to the buyer.
They offer a wide range of mattresses, with their standard options for everyday comfort to specialist cooling mattresses and memory foam options.
Popular Casper Mattresses
Casper has a range of mattresses that they sell directly to its buyers. Each mattress is designed for certain people’s needs. Some of the most popular mattresses from their brand include:
Casper Original Mattress
The Casper Original is the brand’s original mattress that helped establish the brand’s reputation and put Casper on the playing field.
The Original Mattress is an all-foam mattress featuring a combination of memory foam and polyurethane foam layers.
The mattress is designed to provide a balanced feel with both support and comfort, which is ideal for most people’s needs.
Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress
The Casper Wave Hybrid is a premium mattress with a hybrid construction, meaning that it combines both foam layers with pocketed coils.
It is designed with advanced ergonomic support and targeted pressure relief, meaning it is good for people with medical conditions, those seeking enhanced support, and cooler sleepers who are prone to overheating at night.
Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress
The Casper Nova Hybrid is designed for enhanced plushness and support.
It features Casper’s Zoned Support Max, which aims to provide targeted support to different areas of the body (especially the neck and spine).
This mattress is popular amongst people who require the support of a spring mattress, without the firmness that is associated with other supportive mattresses.
Casper Element Mattress
The Casper Element is the brand’s most budget-friendly mattress option within the Casper mattress lineup.
It is an all-foam mattress designed to offer essential comfort and support at a more affordable price point.
While this is a popular choice amongst those on a tight budget, the spring-free build does not offer much support.
Casper Hybrid Mattress
The Casper Hybrid is a combination mattress featuring both foam and pocketed coils. It is designed to provide a balance of support, cooling, and comfort.
This mattress is often chosen by individuals who prefer the bounce and support of innerspring coils with the added comfort of foam.
Material Analysis of Casper Mattresses
There is a range of Casper mattresses made with different materials. For example, while some are spring-free, others have springs in them.
The brand’s most popular mattresses are made with the same memory and polyurethane foams, however. Here’s what we know from the most popular mattresses on offer:
Composition of Casper Foam
Casper’s foam is made of polyurethane foam, a type of synthetic foam that is widely used in various industries.
Polyurethane foam is known for its versatility and desirable properties, but can however cause some air pollution when present in high amounts.
While polyurethane foams are safe for humans, there are some environmental concerns associated with this foam type as it is not biodegradable.
The production of polyurethane foam also involves the processing of fossil fuels, where the environmental impact includes resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions that can contribute to climate change.
Certifications and Safety Standards
Casper’s mattresses are CertiPUR-US approved. This means that their mattresses are certified safe for both consumers and the environment.
The foams used are tested and verified to be free from certain harmful chemicals and substances such as ozone depleters, PBDE flame retardants, mercury, lead, heavy metals, and formaldehyde.
This certification means that the mattress has low air pollution and meets certain environmental guidelines.
Therefore, while it uses polyurethane, the mattress does not cause significant air pollution. It also means that the mattresses have passed performance and durability standards.
However, it is important to note that the CertiPUR certification doesn’t mean the foam is entirely free of chemicals like styrene, benzene, and formaldehyde.
Investigating Flame Retardants and Other Chemicals
In order to make mattresses safe to be used, flame retardants have to be used. These are chemicals that reduce the ability of mattresses to burn, making them safer in the event of a house fire.
Casper’s mattresses use fiberglass as their main retardant. Fiberglass is safe when your mattress is intact, but can release small particles that can be trapped in your lungs if your mattress is ripped into. Fiberglass is also notoriously difficult to biodegrade.
The good news is that fiberglass is a much safer retardant than PBDEs, which are unlikely to be used in this mattress given the use of fiberglass. BDEs can cause hormone disruption, as well as developmental and reproductive effects.
Greenwashing Concerns
Unfortunately, the mattress industry is notorious for greenwashing! Greenwashing refers to the deceptive practice of exaggerating or misleading consumers about a product’s environmental friendliness.
In the past, Casper has faced criticism for its greenwashing claims. Casper has been called out for its lack of transparency regarding the use of certain materials.
They do not disclose the specific details of their foam formulations, making it challenging for consumers to assess the environmental impact of the materials used.
Durability and Longevity of Casper Mattresses
On average, mattresses last between 7-10 years. Casper’s mattresses are known for their durability and usually last around the 10-year mark.
Some of their mattresses last longer than others; for example, hybrid models with pocketed coils may be more durable than all-foam models. The company also offers a 10-year warranty on their mattresses.
In general, the longer lasting the mattress is, the less environmental impact it will have!
Ensuring that your mattress is long-lasting means that you’ll have to replace and dispose of your mattress less often.
This reduces the amount of mattresses that end up in landfills, which contributes to waste and may take a long time to decompose.
Comparative Analysis with Other Brands
Many mattress companies make claims about their use of non-toxic materials and environmental friendliness.
However, Casper mattresses use CertiPUR-US® certified foam, meaning that it meets specific standards for emissions and the absence of certain harmful chemicals required for this certification.
Other brands with this certification include Tuft & Needle, Lull, and Nectar.
While Casper mattresses use pretty safe materials and are moderately environmentally friendly, they may not be the best brand out there.
Other mattress brands such as Saatva mattresses are constructed using a combination of materials, including organic cotton, CertiPUR-US® certified foams, and both recycled steel and natural thistle as a flame retardant instead of fiberglass.
Saatva aims to be transparent about its materials and manufacturing processes, providing information on its website about the components used in its mattresses.
This is in contrast to Casper, which does not disclose all the materials used in their mattresses.
Other mattress brands such as Tempur-Pedic mattresses are very similar to Casper mattresses.
Their memory foam mattresses are also made of polyurethane foam, which is CertiPUR-US® certified.
These mattresses also have some initial odors that are emitted (known as off-gassing), which some users claim is significantly more than noticeable in Casper mattresses.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
Casper’s mattresses are generally non-toxic and safe for use. The main ingredients that we should be worried about (such as certain fire retardants) are either not present or present in very low quantities.
While the mattresses do have some processes built in to reduce their environmental impact (such as using some recycled materials), other brands may have better options for environmental friendliness.
In general, Casper mattresses are a good middle-ground option, and will serve as long-lasting mattresses with a guarantee for their quality and comfort!
