Written by KC Ennis
Latex mattresses are quickly finding their way into bedrooms across the country.....again. Latex foam was first created by a Dunlop research scientist in 1929 by whisking together liquid latex, soap and gelling agents and baking them in a steam oven. Latex quickly became popular for automotive cushions, seating for cinemas and, of course, latex mattresses and pillows. The supply of rubber was interrupted during the 1940’s by the war, but quickly resumed when the supply from rubber plantations was again available. Sears produced rubber (latex) mattresses in the 40’s and the 50’s, latex mattresses that proved so durable that families passed them down through generations.
The 1960’s saw the introduction of the more advanced Talalay Latex process, which added the additional steps of freezing the latex foam to capture the bubbles and then gelling it with carbon dioxide gas. The result is a product with greater uniformity and consistency that can be washed. Synthetic latex (SBR) can be blended with natural latex in either the original Dunlop Latex process or the Talalay Latex process. Both processes will also produced an All Natural Latex, without the addition of any synthetics.
The popularity of the all natural latex mattress is a result of its amazing combination of comfort and durability. Latex can be produced in a variety of firmness levels, which can be layered to create the perfect combination of body support, weight distribution and relief of pressure points. Quality manufactures have begun building All Natural Latex mattresses by utilizing layers incorporating latex cores, toppers and covers of organic cotton and natural wool to produce a custom feel for individual firmness levels.
The fact that natural latex is a sustainable resource, produced from the rubber tree, is an attractive quality to many who are looking for alternatives in the materials that they utilize for their home environment. In addition, the use of wool batting in organic covers with a latex mattress provides sufficient protection to by-pass the widespread use of the chemical fire-retardants that saturate most conventional inner-spring mattresses. The experience of sleeping on a high quality latex mattress is a reminder that nature often does know best!
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