OMI FAQ

What is the difference between an organic mattress and a mainstream mattress?

What are the natural materials used in OMI organic mattresses?

Do organic mattresses come in different firmnesses, and do they have innersprings?

How is an OMI organic mattress made?

What is the difference between natural rubber latex and the latex used in other mattresses?

Our natural rubber latex is 100% pure. Other companies use synthetic latex or a blend of natural rubber latex and synthetic materials.

If organic mattresses don't have flame retardants, are they safe from fire?

OMI's mattresses have been tested at an independent testing facility. They meet both federal and California open-flame standards using only our Eco-Wool™, without the use of chemical flame retardants, suspected to be health and environmental hazards.

Can a new organic mattress be placed on an old box spring?

A foundation is meant to support a mattress, and using an old box-spring foundation under an innerspring mattress will affect the comfort of the mattress and shorten its life. Our natural rubber mattresses are intended to be placed on a wood-slat foundation or platform slat bed.

How long will my organic mattress last?

Our mattresses are backed by an industry-leading 20-year limited warranty.

What sizes do organic mattresses come in?

We make mattresses from crib size to Eastern or California king, we can even make many custom sized natural rubber mattresses.

Are OMI's organic top-of-bed products also made with organic materials?

Yes! Our pillows, mattress pads, and comforters are made with the same organic materials we use in our mattresses.

Why doesn't OMI use machine-washable wool?

Almost all antifelting (getting wool not to felt or shrink) is accomplished today using what is known as the Chlorine-Hercosett process. The process removes the scales of the natural wool fibers and creates a modified smooth synthetic-type fiber by using a strongly acidic chlorine solution followed by a polymer resin.

This method has two dimensions that concern us: Individual health risks and environmental degradation. Plus, the textile industry consumes a high level of water for their various processes.

Chlorine is recognized worldwide as a hazardous chemical, and has been linked to cancer, lung disease, and heart disease for years. People with pre-existing lung or heart disease may be particularly sensitive to the effects of chlorine.

Usually combined with other chemicals, chlorine is used to disinfect water, purify metals, bleach wood pulp, and modify wool fibers. Exposure to chlorine gas can come in the form of outgassing from wool products that have been treated with a chlorine process.

The body absorbs chlorine gas when small amounts pass through the skin and lungs. Chlorine levels in the range of 0.01-0.019 parts per million can be discerned by most noses, but it is our opinion that risks from inhalation are present when even low-level, long-term exposures are considered.

As stated by OMI president Walt Bader in his book Sleep Safe in a Toxic World, our philosophy has always been to avoid as many products as possible that cause potential chemical exposure.

Wastewater from wool plants using the Chlorine-Hercosett process have high levels of absorbable organic halogen compounds (AOX). AOXes can be volatile substances such as trichloromethane (chloroform), chlorophenols, chlorobenzenes, or complex organic molecules such as dioxins or furans. However, most AOXes are chlorine-containing molecules, and it is generally accepted that chlorinated chemicals within the AOX family are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms at low concentrations.

Machine-washable wool may sound great, but we have seen no consumer information that establishes that long-term exposure to these products is without risk.