Best Mattresses Without Fiberglass in 2023

Fiberglass is cheap to use as a flame retardant, and it easily meets safety standards. It does a good job of preventing your mattress from burning fast if it catches on fire. However, you’re exposed to fiberglass the moment your bed is damaged. This is why people are wary because exposing yourself to fiberglass can result in eye and skin irritation and even damage to the lungs and respiratory tract.

Fiberglass is a composite made from reinforced plastic and glass. Apart from mattresses, you can find fiberglass in cars, appliances, roofing material, insulation, and bathtubs, as it’s durable, cheap, and malleable. These fibers can be used in various ways depending on the product.

• Don’t go with the cheapest option – More often than not, the cheapest mattresses have fiberglass because it’s efficient and inexpensive to use in mattress manufacturing. The price makes it attractive to brands making cheap beds, so try to steer clear of those if you want to avoid fiberglass.
• Ask the company directly – If you’re unsure if a bed has fiberglass or not, it’s best to ask the company. Most brands have live chats on their website, or you can send an email or call them to ask if they use fiberglass as a flame retardant.
• Check the label – Most brands that don’t use fiberglass will like to say that out loud. For this reason, there’s likely a label somewhere on the mattress indicating the product is free of fiberglass. In addition, beds now have a label with a list of all the materials used.
• Research where it was made – Brands that are transparent about where and how their beds are made are always the best choice. This insight allows you to learn about the materials, their sustainability, and their role in your mattress.
• Look for beds with more organic materials – Beds with organic materials like wool and cotton usually don’t have fiberglass because the two organic materials act as a fire barrier instead.

Some mattresses contain fiberglass as a fire retardant to help ensure the bed doesn’t burst into flames if caught on fire. One thing to keep in mind is that fiberglass is deep inside the mattress and is not dangerous until the bed is damaged and you’re exposed to it.

Fiberglass is found inside a mattress, and sometimes, we can be exposed to the inside of the bed without thinking too much about what’s inside. For example, if your bed has a removable cover, some fiberglass may be on the inside of the layers. In other cases, the cover could become torn, which could expose the sleeper to fiberglass.

In a 2022 study¹, the covers of four mattresses were inspected using tools that allowed the team to examine them on a microscopic level. What they found was that two of the mattresses had over 50 percent fiberglass in the inner sock layers, and 1 percent had made its way onto nearby fabric layers, which means if the cover’s zipper was even just slightly opened, the sleeper could be exposed.

• Memory Foam – Memory foam beds are excellent for pressure relief, and they usually have good motion isolation for couples and co-sleepers. However, they tend to sleep hot, which is why some brands use cooling covers or gel infusions.
• Latex – Latex can be either Talalay or Dunlop and is often combined with coils or other foams. Latex beds are durable, bouncy, and cooling because the material doesn’t retain heat like memory foam.
• Hybrid – Hybrid mattresses combine foam and coils. In some cases, it can be memory foam, poly foam, or even latex. These beds are a perfect combination of pressure relief and support, providing bounce with solid motion isolation.
• Innerspring – Innerspring beds also have coils, but they typically have fewer comfort layers than hybrid mattresses. These are typically supportive enough for average-weight people and very bouncy because not as much foam in the comfort layers and the coils may be interconnected rather than individually wrapped (as they are in hybrids).

• Side Sleepers – Side sleepers usually want a softer mattress that can adapt to their curves and relieve pressure in the hips, shoulders, and knees. Most side sleepers steer toward memory foam beds, but many can also enjoy a hybrid if it’s on the softer side or has a plush pillow top.
• Back Sleepers – Back sleepers do best with a medium firmness as they require a bit of contouring around the lower back and plenty of support to keep the spine aligned. Most back sleepers do well with memory foam and hybrid beds, but some may also like a latex mattress.
• Stomach Sleepers – Stomach sleepers should look for firmer mattresses that don’t allow the hips to sink into the comfort layers. Hybrid and innerspring beds are typically the best for people who sleep on their stomachs.
• Combination Sleepers – Combination sleepers need a responsive mattress that makes it easy to reposition, which is why they steer toward latex and innerspring models. Their preferred firmness should depend on what position they spend the most time in.

• Lightweight Sleepers – Lightweight sleepers weigh under 130 pounds, and they usually experience mattresses as firmer. For this reason, most lightweight people look for softer beds with plush comfort layers, Euro tops, or pillow tops. They can do with any mattress type as long as there’s enough cushioning on the mattress surface.
• Average-Weight Sleepers – Average-weight people weigh 130 to 230 pounds, but they can experience a mattress differently depending on their exact body weight. Most of these people enjoy medium firmness, although some may prefer softer or firmer beds depending on their preferred sleeping position.
• Heavyweight Sleepers – Heavyweight sleepers weigh above 230 pounds. They usually do best with the firmest mattresses, especially if they like sleeping on their side or stomach. Most people within this group should like hybrid and innerspring beds with good edge support.

No, not all mattresses have fiberglass. Although the material is efficient and affordable, it’s also potentially unhealthy, so organic and eco-friendly brands typically avoid using it. For this reason, we now have beds with wool as a fiberglass alternative.

Although fiberglass is most commonly found in memory foam beds, this doesn’t mean you won’t find it in hybrid or innerspring mattresses. It also doesn’t mean all memory foam mattresses have fiberglass.

Fiberglass is only harmful if you’re exposed to it. In other words, if it’s remained deep inside the mattress’ layers and there are no tears, it shouldn’t be a health risk. However, there’s a risk of exposure if your mattress is poorly made. If exposed to fiberglass, people can experience different complications, such as skin and eye irritation and even respiratory tract issues.

Yes, it’s legal to use fiberglass in mattresses because the material meets federal safety standards. However, it must be inside the mattress cover, contained in a way that ensures it cannot be released.

The first thing to remember is to always keep your mattress cover on because most of those fibers are easily found closer to the cover if not on the inside of it. It’s also a good idea to add a mattress protector as an extra barrier. Lastly, if your bed has fiberglass, and you notice the cover is damaged, you should replace it immediately.

References

1. “Fiberglass and Other Flame-Resistant Fibers in Mattress Covers”. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35162717/. 2022.