I previously published this article saying Tempur do not use fiberglass in their mattresses. This was based on a chat directly with Tempur customer services on their website. But then a reader contacted me, showing me the label of their Tempur mattress. I pushed Tempur on this issue and yes, Tempur does use fiberglass in their mattresses. They call it “glass fiber”.
I also went to my local Tempur stockist and pulled apart some Tempur mattresses to have a really good look inside current Tempur stock.
I’m pleased to see Tempur have now updated their chat-bot, so if you go onto the Tempur website and ask if there is fiberglass or glass fiber in the mattress you now get the TRUE answer.
In this newly updated article you’ll find the following information:
- Why I got it wrong the first time around
- Where you’ll find “glass fiber” in a Tempur mattress
- Is it a problem? And what gives with “fiberglass” or “glass fiber”, how are they different?
- Best fiberglass-free mattress alternatives (spoiler alert: they’re natural latex mattresses, not memory foam mattresses)
Why I Got It Wrong The First Time I Asked Tempur
Ok, so here’s the answer I got from Tempur when I asked them in 2021:
Silica is made from glass fiber, but is crushed up like sand (it won’t make shards that are the fiberglass particles everyone worries about), so I was happy to accept their answer at that time. However, this chat-bot was giving bad information.
The reader who contacted me has a Tempur mattress that pre-dates this chat, and the label clearly states it has glass fibers in it. Here’s their picture:
You can see that glass fiber is clearly stated as being 23% of the netting.
So, I messaged Tempur to ask what exactly was going on. At first, their chat-bot spat out a line that “Tempur has never used fiberglass” so at that point I asked to speak to a real human.
Here’s a copy/paste of the exact answer I got once an actual person was involved:
The glass fibers in our mattress products are comprised of a core-spun techonolgy that encases the glass in a flexible protective sheath housed within the internal mattress design and is completely safe and inaccessible in normal use, even if the cover is removed.
To ensure saftety and quality for our customers, Tempur Sealy only uses this core-spun glass fiber technology and regularly conducts indepent testing to esnure continued safety and that the mateirals within all Tempur Sealu products meet or exceed all regulatory compliance
Taylor, Tempur-Pedic Customer Services Representative
When I pressed Tempur on the issue of previously being told there was no fiberglass, or what even is the difference between fiberglass and glass fiber, they just kept spitting this line back at me.
Clearly this is an issue they’ve been told to speak very carefully to customers about as they won’t actually say much.
Where Is The Glass Fiber In A Tempur Mattress?
The glass fiber is not in the cover, and it’s not in the foam. Where is it then, you ask? It’s part of the netting.
The netting is the fire sock and is between the cover and the foams. It’s the stretchy layer you see when you unzip the removable cover.
Here’s the netting:
Tempur netting is typically a blue color, as shown above. As the glass fibers are woven inside you won’t see any when you take your Tempur mattress cover off.
Is The Glass Fiber A Problem?
This depends on your point of view. I have a problem with Tempur skirting around the issue, it makes them seem untrustworthy. Which is a shame, as they’ve got a reputation for innovation and quality in memory foam mattresses.
As for the glass fibers themselves: the fibers in Tempur won’t be able to get out of the mattress and contaminate your house like other cheaper brands. Why? The woven glass that Tempur use works quite differently to the fibers that have caused problems with cheaper brands. Here’s how that works:
- Tempur’s core-spun glass fibers are encased in a sheath and are inside the mattress.
- Basically, this means that you can use the mattress safely without any particles escaping, even when you remove the cover.
- Cheaper brands like Zinus use brittle and crumbly fiberglass (not protected in any sheath.
- Cheaper brands where problems have emerged do not weave the fibers into the mattress, rather it is a layer of fibers.
Unless you have concerns about one of your pets ripping your mattress up, you can safely use a Tempurpedic mattress. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if you’re happy buying one of their mattresses knowing the glass fibers are there, and if you’re happy supporting a brand who are a bit shady about what they say about it.
Keep in mind that Tempur is a very specific feeling mattress: it has a very contouring and sinking type of slow response foam which some people love. If this is you, I’d still buy Tempur as other brands don’t really replicate that feeling. Otherwise, I’d buy something else.
As for whether fiberglass is the same as glass fiber, I went down a giant rabbit hole of trying to figure this out on building materials and industry websites. And I’m no clearer on the answer. I think it comes down to semantics, and mattress companies who talk about glass fibers instead of fiberglass are just trying to sell you a feeling of security.
Best Tempur Alternatives With NO Glass Fiber
The best mattresses that you can rest assured have no fiberglass are natural latex mattresses. These mattresses focus on natural or organic materials and use wool or cotton in the fire barrier.
I’ve written a detailed article covering three of the top natural latex mattress options.
Alternatively, if you’d really like a memory foam mattress without fiberglass, these six are the best I could find and verify for you:
