Mattress Forum

http://www.latexallergyresources.org/resourcemanual/section4/latex_allergy_everyone.cfm

If I were you, I would explain the situation to the store and to the manufacturer and see whether either one of them will take it back. You didn't mention which brand you bought, but with the description you've given, I'd assume they are selling it as a "healthy" brand of bed. This could be addressed under a theory of implied warranty if the store or manufacturer does not make an express warranty that the product is suited for the purpose for which it was sold. The manufacturer in particular may have insurance coverage to cover liability claims for triggering latex allergies, or they should if they don't. If neither company is willing to work with you to resolve this problem, then you could probably find an attorney willing to help you get the purchase money back and the costs of having the mattress removed from your environment. This could be handled in small claims court if you get an attorney experienced with latex allergy claims, or possibly resolved through an out-of-court settlement with the manufacturer and/or the store.

Good luck with it. It is important for people to learn about these hidden risks of latex and other substances that can indeed pose serious health problems for some individuals. Thank you for sharing your experience with this forum.

This is very interesting given all the online hype about the safety of natural rubber latex, and the stores promoting them as 'free of offgassing' 'safe and healthy' etc.  Contractor, can you point me in the direction of more information on the lack of stability of natural latex rubber and the toxicity of its chemical components?  

Thanks.  JanisB

Good resource.  Thanks.  They point out that people with Type IV sensitivity reactions -- which it probably what I have -- are often sensitive to a long list of chemicals used in the processing of latex.  The estimate on that site was 7-14% of the population!  If this is indeed the case, then companies should not promote 100% natural rubber latex as a product that is safe for the environment, free of offgassing, and healthy for people.

I got the bed from designsleep.com, located about 2 hours from me.

JanisB
 

" Janis,

It seems that the "expanded foam" mattresses, latex or 
otherwise, has caught on based on a larger number of 
companies selling them. 

I've consulted with a few clients and we have found that 
sometimes - not always, but often - the various pieces which 
make up the complete unit (they are not one-piece) are 
manufactured in different companies in different countries then 
some of the parts (not all) "certified" in yet a different country with 
little traceable between them. 

The confusion between retailer, wholesaler, importer, exporter, 
and manufacturer is even more confusing making any sort of 
information or remedy difficult if not impossible.

Sometimes the "new" mattress is composed of pieces from 
product returned because of owner reactivity. We found reports 
of required pesticide treatment before shipping to the US, little 
environmental control during shipment (especially on boats), and 
even admissions of spilling pesticides directly onto the foam 
rubber and other components.

These incidents seem to be very rare, but when they occur are 
catastrophic. The effects reported seem to be a combination of 
chemical and physical properties which are especially tenacious, 
usually driving people from their homes and unable to return or 
tolerate contents. "

This same person suggested that myessentia.com had a safe mattress.  Anyone have experience with them?

That is one reason I want to move towards wool. The last mattress I bought, back in the age of dinosaurs, was before the new frlame retardant laws were passed. Yeah, those were the good old days, when innerspring mattresses lasted, they weren't wrapped in loads of foam that breaks down in a year or two, and they weren't enveloped in toxic chemicals.

Anyway, I suggest you might want to check with the seller as to what flame retardant was used, if you don't know, if you aren't able to pinpoint thte source of your irritation, so that hopefully you can avoid it in any future purchase.

I too would be interested in more from Contractor about what he is referring to.

We have to keep our eyes open these days, do we not?

The real kicker with bad mattresses is how difficult it is to find out if they will work for you, how hard it is to return or replace them, how huge they are to move and how hard they are hard to dispose of, plus the significant expense involved.

That's why this forum is really making me think we need a consumer protection law that REQUIRES mattress manufacturers to be much more explicit about EXACTLY what is used in their mattresses, and how they are constructed.

Essentia makes a latex based mattress as well...if someone is saying that latex is toxic and then recommends a latex bed (that involves more ingredients and complex processing than other companies) it seems fishy.  If this is a chemical reaction to the latex and not allergy based then you probably want to sleep on an all wool mattress or an organic innerspring mattress without foam of any kind.  I am very curious about how your latex allergy tests come out...I have never heard of someone buying a natural latex mattress and having a chemical issue...allergy yes.  You mentioned Savvy Rest but you did not specifically mention that you purchased a Savvy Rest...which brand of mattress did you purchase?

Edit: Sorry I did not see before that you mentioned designsleep.com as the company you purchased from.  

This link is specifically talking about the chemicals used in processing latex gloves, not natural latex foam rubber (although there are some similarities), but the % of people that potentially can be affected should be a whole order of magnitude lower.  I would reference test results from companies like Eco Institut as proof enough that there are high quality natural foam rubbers that do not offgas.  

Great to hear from you, Budgy, on this point! Could you please explain a little more fully for us novices why you think the affected percentage of people would be a whole order of magnitude lower with latex mattresses than latex gloves?

Thanks!