I hear from a lot of people who are concerned about odor and memory foam. Some have even shared stories about memory foam odor that was so foul and strong that it made them sick. Not surprisingly, the memory foam mattresses with the horrific odor usually come from China. As you may know just from the news stories about problems with children’s toys, China simply does not have the quality control that we have in the United States, Canada, or Europe. Our advice to memory foam purchasers, no matter where they buy, is to stay away from any memory foam product made in China.
So how do you find a safe, odor-free memory foam mattress, no matter where you buy it? The key is to look for foams (not just memory foam, but all the foams in a memory foam mattress) that are CertiPUR-US certified. This independent third party certification ensures that foams are:
✓ Made without ozone depleters
✓ Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (”Tris”) flame retardants
✓ Made without mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
✓ Made without formaldehyde
✓ Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
✓ Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
So to ensure you have the highest quality, odor-free memory foam mattress possible, stay away from memory foam mattresses made in China and buy foams that are CertiPUR-US certified.
At Healthy Foundations, we want you to make informed decisions when choosing a mattress. Check out our buyer’s guides for memory foam mattresses, latex mattresses, air beds, and adjustable beds to learn more about these specialty mattresses.