We only use a handful of natural materials to build our natural beds, toppers, pillows, and mattress pads. Scan down the page to find some basic information of the unique properties and production techniques of cotton, wool, and latex, as well as some facts about materials in other products we carry, like down and silk. We've also included a bit of information about some of the non-natural elements we occasionally incorporate, like polyfoam and visil.

Cotton batting

Cotton fiber or "batting" is the most common fill ingredient in traditional futons. Cotton is durable and strong, and it provides plenty of firm support with just enough flexibility to be a great natural foundation for any bed. As with all of our ingredients, we cross-align layers to provide a consistent even surface. All cotton layers we use are made from a blend of two parts of the cotton plant: the long staple fibers and the resilient linter fibers. The staple fiber is a long, strong fiber that provides strength and durability. The linter is a short, curly fiber that provides some softness and cohesion.

We use two kinds of cotton batting. For most natural beds, we use standard cotton, but we can also use organic cotton (practically a requirement for people who suffer with chemical sensitivities). Because we do not add boric acid to our organic cotton, it doesn't meet current Federal fire safety standards (16 CFR part 1633), so in order to sell you an organic all-cotton bed, we need a prescription from your physician stating that you need a bed without flame retardants. It's an odd loophole, but it's the only way we can legally sell a mattress without flame retardants. Fortunately, our organic cotton beds made with an outer layer of naturally flame-retardant wool have recently passed the latest flame testing, so they no longer require a prescription.

• Standard cotton  Conventionally grown cotton accounts for 10% of all pesticide use and 25% of insecticide use worldwide, while only representing two percent of all agricultural products. Trace amounts of these toxins are present in the cotton used for making beds and clothes.
  
  Our conventionally grown standard cotton batting is treated with boric acid powder, which acts as a flame retardant. Boric acid powder is a mineral salt that is also used in Borax cleaner and in some eye wash solutions. In addition, during manufacture, a baking-grade mineral oil is used to keep the cotton dust to a minimum when the cotton is being laid out in layers. This mineral oil also insures that there is no loose boric acid powder floating around in the cotton batting.
  
  People frequently ask us if boric acid powder is toxic. It is slightly more toxic than baking soda, with about the same toxicity as table salt, and three times less toxic than aspirin. Any of these chemical elements in large amounts would adversely affect a human body, but so little is actually incorporated in the cotton batting, you'd pretty much have to eat your futon for it to affect you.
  
  Additionally, dust mites and other little critters stay away from boric acid powder: it is the best way New Yorkers have learned to control cockroaches, because the powder coats and clogs their external airways.



• Organic cotton  This is an ideal natural bed ingredient for people with extreme chemical sensitivities. We use 100% certified organically grown cotton without boric acid powder or mineral oil.
  
  When cotton is grown organically, pesticide use in the world is drastically reduced. Organic farming does not employ synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, making organically grown cotton a very clean, pure, natural product without any toxins whatsoever. Organic farming also depends on healthy soil management that reduces erosion and runoff.
  
  Organic cotton is not only healthier for our beds, it is healthier for the natural environments in our farming communities. It usually costs more to purchase organic products, but if you can afford them, it's worth the extra expense.

100% cotton cases

The 100% cotton case is a key component of any natural fiber bed. In order to take advantage of the breathable cotton or wool fill in your bed, the fill must be cased in a breathable outer shell. Most futon casings and mattress ticking contain synthetic polyester. Polyester is used to create a durable, inexpensive fabric that may look great, but it doesn't necessarily breathe as well as all-cotton fabric. Like a cotton-polyester blend T-shirt, a cotton-polyester blend natural bed casing traps body heat and moisture, making the skin feel hot and clammy.

We use 9.5 ounce cotton twill for casing fabric for our standard cotton beds. This fabric has been scoured to remove sizing, which makes it softer and less flammable. Without sizing, the densely woven fabric does not burn easily and does not require flame retardants or any other chemical treatments.

Organic cotton casings

For our organic cotton natural beds, we use 10-ounce cotton twill made with 100% organic-certified cotton. This fabric has been scoured to remove the corn starch sizing. For a small additional fee, we can do another pre-wash for you before building your bed to remove any residual dust accumulated post-manufacture.

Wool

Here at Soaring Heart, we work exclusively with Premium Eco-Wool. Premium Eco-Wool is a blend of both certified organic and non-certified organic wool from American sheep raised on the Pacific coast. Incorporating wool from non-certified organic farms into the Eco-Wool blend produces a better, stronger, more durable product than using wool from certified organic farms alone - without sacrificing any of the chemical-free healthiness of naturally raised sheep.

Wool is a marvelous ingredient in any sleeping system. Soft, resilient, and an amazing insulator, the naturally complex structure of wool is unmatched by anything made by humans. The surface of wool fiber is comprised of overlapping scales and a thin, finely porous membrane. This unique layered structure gives wool the ability to quickly absorb and disperse water vapor while repelling actual water droplets. Wool is stronger and more resilient than most fibers. It lasts longer because its natural crimp acts like a spring, continually flexing and bouncing back to its original shape.

The lofty softness of wool batting creates a supple cushion for curvy, substantial body parts such as shoulders and hips. And a the same time, wool's resilience fills in the curves that naturally occur in backs and sides, gently supporting them. It is the perfect softening top layer of a bed or for use in a pillow.

Wool is an incredible insulator. It surrounds the body with a layer of body temperature air, so wool has the remarkable property of keeping you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. "Wool in the summer?" you ask. Think of the Bedouins in the desert, loosely dressed in lightweight clothing made from the wool of their own goats and sheep, insulated from the searing sun.

Wool not only keeps in warmth and keeps out excess heat, it also breathes, meaning that air can cycle through the spaces in the fibers. This means the body will stay dry while finding the temperature range it needs for the most restful sleep. Wool makes a great comforter, keeping you warm without making it too hot or damp to interfere with your sleep cycle.

Because it turns to ash when exposed to flame, wool cannot ignite and therefore requires no fire retardant. Incorporating wool as the outer layer of any bed we build makes that bed more fire-resistant as well.

Did you know that most people who think they're allergic to wool actually aren't? Most perceived wool allergies are merely contact irritation from the texture of the wool fibers rubbing against the skin. Actual wool allergies are usually from a chemical reaction to the lanolin in wool. Because the wool in our products is separated from the body by at least the cotton casing and ideally a 100% cotton mattress pad as well, there is rarely any reaction to the wool used in our beds.

Wool also helps to reduce dust mites. Dust mites are the biggest source of airborne allergies in the United States, and since wool disperses moisture so quickly, dust mites can't thrive in its low humidity. And because it stays so dry, wool also resists mold and mildew. So for people with allergies, wool can offer some major benefits.

Wool possesses other therapeutic properties as well. Wool often makes sleep possible for people with arthritis. Because it keeps joints from heating up while supporting the body, wool relieves the inflammation and stress of arthritis. People who suffer from fibromyalgia also sleep better on wool, because it reduces and relieves pain felt at pressure points, which makes sleep possible and deep sleep achievable. Some studies have even shown that preemie babies thrive better in incubators lined with wool.

Latex Foam Rubber

Latex is an amazing material. Strong and durable while being very comfortable and healthy. With its natural elasticity, latex supports and conforms to the geography of entire body, easing pressure on hips and shoulders while also supporting the small of the back and the waist. Studies have shown that Talalay process latex relieves 30% more pressure than memory foam, even.

Latex lasts an impressively long time. A latex mattress can be around for 10, 20, even 30 years or more without any significant change in support or softness. It can easily carry a person from childhood well into adulthood, and will likely outlast most adults who purchase one. Latex does not dip or flatten out over time. After a few decades, however, natural oxidation makes the latex begin to crumble slightly, which is normal.

There are two basic types of latex foam rubber that we use here at Soaring Heart: natural latex and blended latex. Natural latex is rubber that is made entirely from rubber tree sap and does not contain any petrochemicals. Blended latex is a combination of 20%-30% natural latex and 70%-80% synthetic latex, also called styrene-butadeine rubber, or SBR. And while it's true that styrene and butadeine are irritants when separate, together they form a completely harmless, inert molecule that is not only almost identical to natural latex, it's even more durable and elastic. In fact, butadeine-based synthetic rubber is the primary ingredient in most chewing gum.

But let's go back to the beginning. Latex in its natural form is a milky substance from the Hevea rubber tree that flows in ducts just outside of where the sap runs. The tapper harvests latex by scoring the bark of the tree with a knife just deep enough to reach the latex ducts. The dripping latex is collected and mixed with thinning agents such as ammonia that keep it in liquid form until it is ready to be processed.

There are two main methods of processing latex into foam rubber for mattresses: the Dunlop process and the Talalay process.

• The Dunlop process, used to make our natural latex, is relatively straightforward: compressed air is mixed with the latex and the mixture is whipped like a cake batter. Then the mixture of latex and air is poured into a mold and baked until it is firm. The firmness of the final product depends on the ratio of air to latex.


• The Talalay process is used to make our natural/synthetic blended latex and is a bit more complex. This process also starts with the whipping of air into the latex and pouring the mixture into a mold, but then a vacuum is applied to the mold which evenly distributes the air and latex. The latex and air suspension is then flash frozen in the mold before undergoing vulcanization. This process of vacuuming then freezing is computer controlled, and it produces very accurate and consistent firmnesses.

In both production methods, small amounts of other compounds are added to the latex in order to produce the final foamed product. These include sulfur, zinc oxide, ammonia, and soda ash. Foamed latex in both methods of production also undergoes multiple rinses and wringings to wash away and evaporate most residual traces of these additives.

Regardless of fabrication method, the resulting latex foam rubber is a comfortable, healthy, highly durable material for beds. Latex is inert, stable and breaks down very slowly, and even synthetic latex off-gases at non-toxic levels. The few gases detectible from the latex we use are found at concentration levels well below some of the most stringent standards for protecting human health.

Structurally, foamed latex rubber is like a sponge; laced with millions of tiny holes that compress and rebound with your body weight. And as you can see in the photo above, a series of pinholes perforate the surface where rods in the molds were. To an extent, these pockets of air allow for some breathability in the latex, but some people may sleep a little too warm unless a layer of cotton or wool is placed between the body and the latex itself. For some, a cotton mattress pad will do the trick. For others, a wool topper is ideal.

More than 20 years of practical experience has taught us that latex is safe for just about everyone. We have many customers with extreme chemical sensitivities who don't feel any adverse effects from latex. And if any human can act as the 'canary in the coalmine' to identify the negative health effects of latex, it is a chemically sensitive human.

You may already know that we like to give out samples of the materials we use to make our beds. Chemically sensitive people use these samples to test their reactions, so they can pick the best bed materials for their conditions. In these samples, we include both 100% natural latex and the natural/synthetic blended latex that we use. Most chemically sensitive people have no problem with either type, while some cannot tolerate latex at all. Of the people who have reacted to one type or the other, about half the people are irritated by the blend and about half are irritated by the 100% all natural latex. From this, we have deduced that both types of latex are healthy for most people. When you need samples, please just call us or email and we can arrange to send you a set.

Here come the bonuses: dust mites do not like latex, so its inclusion as a bed component for people with dust mite allergies is a plus. Latex is also anti-fungal and resists bacteria, making for a more hygienic bed. And Talalay process latex, in particular, has been shown to relieve more pressure on the body than memory foam.

Feel free to research the latex we use at the websites of our suppliers. Our Talalay latex is from here: www.Latex International.com, and our Dunlop latex is from here: www.Latex LatexCo.com.

Silk

Although we don't incorporate silk in the building of our beds, we do carry pillows and comforters that are filled with soft, airy, hypo-allergenic silk fibers.

Silk is a strong, soft, shiny protein filament that comes from the cocoons of mulberry worms or other caterpillars. To make pillows or comforters, the cocoons aren't spun like when making silk cloth, they're stretched in all directions at once, each cocoon expanding to make an individual coherent layer of silk batting. When laid upon each other, these layers naturally cling to one another, so they're remarkably stable and don't shift or wander, and therefore require little stitching or quilting.

When used as filling for comforters, silk behaves similarly to wool in that it is a remarkably good insulator, allowing the body to stay at its own internal temperature regardless of the warmth or coldness of the air outside. Silk also shares some of the same moisture-wicking properties as wool. Silk comforters, however, are considerably lighter and thinner than their wool counterparts, and this is preferable to many people.

As a pillow filling, silk fibers behave much like down, in that they can be molded and shaped throughout the night to fit any position. Unlike down, silk doesn't bunch or flatten over time, and it doesn't break down the way feathers do - which is good news for allergy sufferers.

It should be noted that the majority of silk comes from China, so be aware if you are avoiding Chinese-made products for whatever reason.

It must also be said that the caterpillars are, in fact, killed when their cocoons are boiled in the silk-making process. Therefore, vegans and animal rights advocates may wish to steer clear of silk products.

Down and feathers

Down—the first plumage of a young bird and the undergrowth of some adult feathers—is a great natural way to trap heat when necessary. For people who prefer to sleep in cooler environments, or for those who live in a cold climate, down comforters are natural gifts that produce wonderful, warm sleeping environments. Since down traps heat, down comforters can keep us warm and protect us from the cold air. This also means that when we do not need the extra heat, down can be too hot. Some people find down to be hotter than their body wants for sleeping most of the year when the ambient temperature in the sleeping area is warmer.

In pillows, feathers and down are soft, fluffy, and shapeable so they can comfort the head and support the neck in a variety of positions. Down products are also machine-washable.

Buckwheat hulls

Buckwheat hulls are a byproduct of milling buckwheat, and in the Japanese tradition, they are used as filling for pillows. We buy organic buckwheat hulls that growers have carefully selected for use in pillows, insuring that the hulls contain no mold spores. As well, the miller has taken care to remove dust and flower parts from the batches of hulls.

The hulls move freely within the pillow casing, meaning that they fill in the contours presented to them, then settle together to hold the weight with a passive, totally custom and breathable support.

Buckwheat hulls also retain very little body heat, so sleeping on a buckwheat pillow is always cool and dry.

Polyurethane Foam

Polyurethane foam is our biggest concession to using any synthetic materials. Because it is essentially a foamed plastic made from petroleum products, polyurethane is continually releasing the chemicals and gases used in its composition. This breakdown and release of molecules into the air has been recently termed "offgassing". Technically speaking, everything offgasses, be it natural or synthetic. But natural things tend to break down into non-toxic molecules, and synthetic items offgas whatever molecules they were made with - the buildup of which may be toxic to the human body over time.

Soaring Heart uses high-density foam that breaks down more slowly, so it lasts longer and off-gasses less intensely than low-density foam. Our polyurethane foam has a density of 1.8 pounds per square foot and is rated medium-firm.

We use polyfoam primarily as an inexpensive, sturdy core for our cotton sofa futons to keep them from slouching when upright. We feel that when polyfoam is incorporated in a futon primarily used for sitting or for occasional guest sleeping, the time spent in proximity to the polyfoam is limited, and any possible health concern from offgassing is therefore minimal.

We use boric acid powder as our only fire retardant in our products that contain standard cotton batting. The name sounds sounds kind of scary, but boric acid is just a natural mineral salt with a similar toxicity to humans as common table salt. The powder is also not floating around loose inside the cotton beds - it is bound to the cotton fibers with natural mineral oil.

Boric acid is generally considered harmless in the amounts used in the cotton batting, and being that its primary toxicity would come as a result of ingestion, you'd pretty much have to eat your bed in order for it to harm you!

There are, of course, a few fanatical websites out there that over-stress or exaggerate the negative effects of boric acid, but all the legitimate information sources we've studied in our quarter-century of experience has led us to believe in it's safety when used in bedding.

We've also been in contact with representatives from the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) who assure us that not only is boric acid safe to use in cotton batting, but also that it simply cannot come through the canvas cases we use, either.

We do encourage people to do their own research and come to their own conclusions about boric acid, though. Especially those individuals who are extremely chemically sensitive or unusually allergic.

We don't use boric acid powder in our organic cotton beds.

You can view the Wikipedia entry for boric acid here.