The Best Non-Toxic Mattress for Lighter Adults

If you weigh 130 pounds or less, many mattresses weren’t built with you in mind. Most will feel too firm and not at all comfortable for a good night’s sleep. We round up the best organic and non-toxic mattresses for lighter adults, designed to provide soft contouring and pressure relief.

(with Pillow-Top) Best sustainable mattress for lighter adults

Avocado Green Mattress

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Best all-latex mattress for lighter adults

PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Mattress

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The best customizable hybrid mattress for lighter adults

Savvy Rest Serenity Spring

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Best affordable mattress-in-a-box for lighter adults

Avocado Eco Organic Mattress

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Best luxury customizable

Obasan Mattress

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(with Topper) – Best budget mattress for younger, lighter adults

Happsy Organic Mattress

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Runner-up for best customizable all-latex mattress for lighter adults

Savvy Rest Serenity Mattress

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Best budget customizable mattress for lighter adult couples or lighter singles

Spindle Natural Latex Mattress

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Best for lighter side-sleepers

Nolah Natural mattress

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The best non-toxic mattresses for lighter adults

Avocado Green Mattress – Best sustainable mattress for lighter adults

Leaf Score

Highlights: The Pillow-Top Avocado Green is a medium-firm mattress well suited to lighter adults, including side-sleepers. Made in the U.S. by arguably the most sustainable mattress company around. Offers excellent edge support and zoned hip and shoulder support. Durable, affordable, top quality, hybrid latex and innerspring mattress.

View on Avocado

At a glance:

• Pricing (with Pillow-Top): $1,799 – $3,199 (Queen is $2,499)
• Materials: Organic Fair Trade cotton, organic wool, organic Dunlop latex, upcycled steel coils 
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, Made Safe, GreenGuard Gold, Climate Neutral certified, FSC, Responsible Wool Standard, Formaldehyde Free (UL), Eco Institut, Fair Trade, 1% for the Planet, B Corporation, Sustainable Furnishings Council
• Sleep Trial: 365-night sleep trial
• Firmness: Gentle-firm (with pillow-top)
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Double/Full, Queen, King, Cali King
• Best for: Lighter adults

I tend to sleep hot and my husband normal – and it’s the perfect temperature for both of us. I am a smaller than average athlete and a side sleeper. I prefer a medium support my husband is heavier and prefers a firmer. We chose the pillow top to add a touch more softness to the medium firm mattress and it is perfect for both of us. 

Nancy B., 2018

The Avocado Green signature mattress is too firm for lighter adults but if you choose the Pillow-Top option you get a fantastic mattress that rates 6/10 for firmness and should suit most adults under 130 lb. very well.

This mattress is Made Safe certified non-toxic and is made by an industry-leading Benefit Corporation in the U.S. Avocado is Fair Trade and Climate Neutral certified (and carbon negative) and is an award-winning 1% for the Planet member. In short, Avocado is the world’s most sustainable mattress company!

Note: Order two Twin XL mattresses to make a Split King mattress.

What’s in it?

There are more individually wrapped pocket coils in the Avocado Green mattress than in any other latex hybrid we’ve seen. Larger sizes boast up to 1,418 pocket coils, with more than 1,200 in the Queen size. These all move independently, creating inch-by-inch support while vastly reducing motion transfer.

Top to bottom, the Avocado Green with Pillow-Top comprises:                

• Organic wool and cotton
• 2-inch layer of GOLS organic Dunlop latex (D65) (in the pillow-top)
• 2-inch layer of GOLS organic Dunlop latex (D65)
• 8-inch upcycled steel coil unit
• 1-inch layer of latex in the base
• Organic cotton encasement.

Avocado uses upcycled 16-gauge perimeter coils for reinforced edging, narrower 17 gauge coils in the middle of the mattress, and wider 14 gauge coils at the shoulder and hip for zoned support. This is unusual for a budget mattress, with most companies using the same coil gauge and count across the mattress.

Avocado hand-tufts the Green together and uses steel rings to connect the coil unit. There are no glues or adhesives, no chemical flame retardants or other materials or chemicals of concern in any Avocado mattresses. The company is incredibly vertically integrated, co-owning or owning the farms where it sources most of its organic materials. These materials carry far more ethical and green certifications than most, including:

• GOTS organic wool certified to the Responsible Wool Standard
• GOLS, FSC, Eco Institut, and Rainforest Alliance certified organic Dunlop latex
• GOTS certified cotton
• Upcycled steel coils with Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certification.

How it performs

Lighter adults will likely love the Avocado Green mattress with pillow-top. This set-up provides plushness and buoyancy with excellent underlying zoned support and feels gentle-firm (6/10) overall.

With the pillow-top, lighter side-sleepers, back-sleepers, and even most stomach-sleepers will enjoy pressure relief and comfort. The smart design provides additional support in the hips and shoulders and at the edges, helping to maintain good spinal posture all night.

Lighter adults will sink in a little to the pillow-top but it’s still very easy to move around on this mattress. The Avocado Green with pillow-top is also a top choice for petite athletes and lighter adults who sleep hot, have existing aches and pains, or need more spinal support than their current mattress provides.

Enjoy excellent edge support, full use of the entire mattress surface, and very little motion transfer with the Avocado Green with Pillow-Top.

Downsides

Most folks will love the ready-assembled design of the Avocado Green with Pillow-Top, but the downside of convenience is the inability to switch out layers after the fact. Unlike home assembly mattresses with layers you can switch out, the Green is what it is.

If you choose the Pillow-Top option, you can, technically, unzip the pillow-top encasement and remove the latex layer. However, the empty encasement will bunch under sheets and bulge at the sides, so isn’t ideal for flexibility. If you’re unsure about which firmness will suit you best, you may want to get the standard Avocado Green and add your own organic pillow-top later if needed.

One other downside to the Avocado Green is that there are only two handles on the long sides of the mattress. We would love to see an extra handle on sizes Queen and above, given that you can’t move this mattress layer by layer.

Packaging and shipping

Avocado ships its mattresses for free and more sustainably than any other mattress company. All shipping is carbon neutral and Avocado has switched (for 90% of its mattresses) the plastic wrap for paper wrap. Your compressed mattress will still be vacuum sealed in plastic, but by using paper instead of extra layers of polyethylene wrap, Avocado saves up to 30 feet of plastic with each order.

PlushBeds Botanical Bliss 9-inch [Staff tried and tested] – Best all-latex mattress for lighter adults

Leaf Score

Highlights: A great choice for adults of any weight. Dual-firmness options available for couples with different sleep needs. Made with organic latex, wool, and cotton with no innersprings. Lifetime warranty and layer exchanges for ongoing customization!

View on Plushbeds website

At a glance:

• Pricing: $2,799 – $3,798 (Queen $3,299 – $2,049 on sale at time of writing!)
• Materials: GOTS cotton, GOTS wool, GOLS latex
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, GreenGuard Gold, Eco Institut
• Sleep Trial: 100-night sleep trial
• Firmness: Medium / Medium-Firm / dual firmness option
• Depth: 9-, 10-, and 12-inch options
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split Queen, Split King, Split Cal King
• Best for: Everyone!

I wanted a non-toxic mattress with pressure point relief for my shoulder. I’m a petite woman, 5′ 3.5″ and 120 lbs. I learned that light-weight sleepers, and especially side sleepers, need a softer mattress to avoid a lot of pressure on their joints. Latex is good for pressure point relief and I got the medium firmness mattress with the softest layer on top. I was excited that I could switch around and customize layers if I wanted to.

Priscilla S., 2021

Most lighter adults will love the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss in a medium firmness. This all-latex layered mattress is available in 9-, 10-, and 12-inch builds. We recommend the 9-inch for lighter adult couples or solo sleepers, or a deeper model if sleeping with a heavier partner.

The Botanical Bliss is handmade to order in the U.S. in the PlushBeds factory which is GOTS/GOLS certified. The company offers an impressive lifetime warranty and 100-night sleep trial, and a full range of sizes, including split-sizes for dual firmness.

What’s in it?

Top to bottom, the Botanical Bliss comprises:

• Zippered GOTS certified organic cotton cover in circular knit for added pressure relief
• British organic (GOTS) wool (natural flame barrier)
• GOTS organic cotton to prevent the wool from bunching
• Two or three inch Talalay comfort layer
• One or two layers of ultra-dense Arpico latex.

The Botanical Bliss is available in a 9-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch design. Lighter adults do best with the 9-inch design, though side-sleepers might prefer the deeper 10-inch design with an extra inch of Talalay latex on top. All three builds feature a 6-inch Arpico latex core, with an additional 3-inch Arpico layer in the 12-inch mattress for greater lower back support.

In general, adults under 225 lb. do best with the 9-inch model, while adults weighing more than 275 lb. do best with the 12-inch model. The 10-inch works for folks up to 250 lb.

This mattress doesn’t contain any synthetic materials, chemical flame retardant, or toxic chemicals.

How it performs

Adults weighing up to 130 lb. typically find the medium Botanical Bliss ideal for sinking into just enough to relieve pressure on joints but not so much that you put your spine out of alignment and actually cause back pain. The medium-firm Botanical Bliss is usually too firm for lighter adults, though some stomach-sleepers under 130 lb. may prefer this build.

The top layer of the mattress is Talalay latex, which is airy, breathable, soft, and responsive. Underneath, the ultra-dense Aprico latex provides excellent support for good sleep posture. In the 10-inch model there’s an extra inch of Talalay latex, making this a good choice for petite side-sleepers needing a touch more cushioning on top, especially if you have an hourglass shape.

The Botanical Bliss has all the spring of latex, making it easy to move around without too much bounce. Talalay latex is also airier than Dunlop latex and may offer better breathability overall. The wool layer and cotton also help with temperature regulation, moisture-wicking, and breathability.

The zippered, layered design of the Botanical Bliss means you can move layers around to your liking. This isn’t something you’ll want to do very often, given the weight of the layers, but it is nice to have the flexibility compared to a ready-assembled mattress. PlushBeds also offers a Comfort Exchange program and 100 Night Comfort Guarantee, which you can use to swap layers or buy replacement layers even years after your initial purchase. This smart design makes the Botanical Bliss a more eco-friendly mattress overall.

We also love that PlushBeds stitches four or six (size-depending) handles onto the Botanical Bliss. These very robust, but flush, handles look great and make it so much easier to move and lift the assembled mattress. In contrast, the Naturepedic EOS, Obasan, and Spindle don’t have any handles!

We tested the Botanical Bliss and offer a full review here.

Downsides

An all-latex mattress, especially one with ultra-dense latex, is always going to be heavier than a hybrid latex mattress. This is the main drawback of the Botanical Bliss, especially as you have to assemble the mattress at home, meaning you need to unpack each layer, get it into the cover, and then zip up the whole thing. Expect to need help with that, unless you’re very tall and strong with a long arm-span and a stubborn nature. We strongly recommend watching the helpful PlushBeds set-up videos in advance.

One other downside of the Botanical Bliss is shared by most all-latex mattresses: less robust edge support versus some hybrid mattresses. The Botanical Bliss may actually offer a little more edge support than some all-latex builds, though, thanks to the ultra-dense Arpico latex core layer(s), and will definitely offer a firmer edge than a memory foam mattress or polyfoam.

Packaging and shipping

The Botanical Bliss ships in three or more boxes depending on size and design. The layers are vacuum sealed in plastic and wrapped in plastic. You can recycle these in some places in the U.S., but we’d love to see PlushBeds switch some of its plastic wrap for paper.

Shipping is free in the contiguous U.S. PlushBeds doesn’t offer a white glove service currently, so if you need help with assembly, you’ll need to arrange that yourself. Expect your made to order mattress to ship within 7-9 business days for standard builds and 14-18 days for split sizes and custom designs.

Savvy Rest Serenity Spring – The best customizable hybrid mattress for lighter adults

Leaf Score

Highlights: Superb latex and coil mattress. Fully customizable on both sides, making this a great choice for lighter adults with a heavier sleep partner. White glove set-up available and a comfort layer exchange program!

View on Savvy Rest

At a glance:

• Pricing: $1,599 – $3,299 (Queen from $2,199)
• Materials: Organic latex, organic cotton, organic wool, recycled steel coils
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS
• Sleep Trial: None
• Firmness: Whatever you want!
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King, Split-sizes
• Depth: 12-inch
• Best for: Everyone!

The Savvy Rest Serenity Spring mattress is the most customizable latex hybrid mattress we’ve seen, with options to choose the firmness of the top latex comfort layer and the coils below. For lighter adults who find innerspring mattresses too firm, the Serenity Spring might be just the thing!

What’s in it?

Top to bottom, the Serenity Spring comprises:

• GOTS certified organic cotton cover
• GOTS certified organic wool batting, quilted to prevent bunching
• 3-inch layer of Talalay or Dunlop latex in soft, medium, or firm, customizable on both sides
• 8-inch pocket coil layer, customizable in firm or plush and on both sides.

The coils are made with recycled steel and pocket wrapped in PLA (a plant-derived polymer). Savvy Rest makes the coil unit in-house, heat-sealing the coils together without glues or adhesives. You won’t find any chemical flame retardants or other synthetic chemicals in the Serenity Spring either.

Savvy Rest uses GOLS organic Dunlop latex and Cradle to Cradle Gold Talalay latex.

How it performs

Lighter adults who need a plusher mattress in general will love the Serenity Spring. You can choose a soft Talalay top layer and Plush coils for superior comfort and pressure relief while still enjoying support for spinal posture.

Many hybrid latex mattresses only have one firmness for the coil layer, meaning that top latex layer has to provide all the cushioning. For lighter adults who don’t sink into a mattress much, this can make most mattresses feel too firm to be comfortable. The Serenity Spring works for all kinds of sleepers, whatever their body type.

Thanks to the zippered design and option to switch out comfort layers later, the Serenity Spring a great choice if you’re lighter now but gain weight later on. And if the soft latex proves too soft, you can take advantage of Savvy Rest’s 90-day latex exchange to try a firmer comfort layer.

Lighter sleepers with a heavier sleep partner will also benefit from the split design option. This way, no one needs to compromise on sleep comfort. And because the Serenity Spring is a 12-inch build, it won’t bottom out, even for heavier adults.

We also like that the pocket coils and latex make the Serenity Spring nice and breathable. For hot sleepers, especially in humid climates, this mattress will help you keep your cool.

Note, too, that the Serenity Spring is easy to move around on, even in a plush build, and the pocket coils minimize motion transfer for less sleep disruption.

Use the Serenity Spring on a rigid or slatted foundation or platform bed only. For slats wider than two inches apart, Savvy Rest requires a bed rug under the mattress, otherwise you’ll void your 20-year warranty.

Downsides

There are two main downsides to the Serenity Spring: a lack of handles and a lack of refunds.

To move the Serenity Spring more easily, you can, of course, disassemble it. We’d rather see handles added, though, to make it easier to lift for basic housekeeping and such.

As for the return policy, Savvy Rest doesn’t offer refunds unless there’s a manufacturing defect. Because you can customize this mattress so much, though, it’s very likely you won’t want to return it anyway.

Packaging and shipping

Your Serenity Spring ships for free in three or four boxes, depending on which size you choose. Savvy Rest offers clear instructional videos to guide set-up and carefully labels every box and piece for convenience.

For lighter adults who don’t feel inclined or able to lift heavy latex layers into place, note that Savvy Rest offers a white glove delivery and set-up service. They can also remove your old mattress.

Should you need to exchange layers, you do need to pay a shipping fee. If you upgrade from Dunlop to Talalay, you’ll also need to pay an extra fee (though there’s no credit if you go the other way).

Obasan Organic 10-inch Classic – Most customizable for lighter adults

Leaf Score

Highlights: The most customizable mattress around, made with organic materials in a carbon-neutral factory in Canada. Customize both sides and zones and then re-customize later if your sleep needs change!

View on Obasan

At a glance:

• Pricing: $2,599 – $6,499+ (Queen from $4,299)
• Materials: Organic latex, organic cotton, organic wool
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS
• Sleep Trial: 180-night sleep trial
• Firmness: Whatever you want!
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King
• Depth: 10-inch, 13-inch
• Best for: Everyone!

An Obasan mattress may be a bit overkill for lighter adults but if you’re looking for the ultimate in tailored luxury sleep, this is it. Obasan makes its layered, zoned, all-latex mattresses in a carbon-neutral factory in Canada and has a longstanding reputation for impeccable products and customer service.

Lighter adults with a larger sleep partner can customize both sides of their mattress to ensure great sleep for both parties. Unlike other latex layered mattresses, the Obasan design has a middle layer with three zones. This means you can tailor support based on your body type. So, if you’re a lighter adult with an hourglass figure, and you’re a side-sleeper, Obasan is a fantastic choice that will likely perform much better than off-the-rack, non-zoned mattresses for lighter adults.

An Obasan mattress is also much more flexible than most. The zippered design lets you reconfigure layers as needed, such as for convalescence from injury or illness, during pregnancy, after major weight changes or changes in sleep partner, and even for guests with different sleep needs!

What’s in it?

Obasan offers the No. 1 (Classic) mattress which contains eight inches of latex and the Deluxe mattress with ten inches of latex. For lighter adults, the Classic will usually be sufficient. If you’re heavier or average weight, the Deluxe offers the required deeper support.

The Classic comprises a wool and cotton topper over:

• A 2-inch top layer of soft latex
• 4-inch customizable latex cores with head to toe zoning
• A 2-inch base layer of firm latex.

The Classic has a 9-inch profile and the firmness of the latex layers depends on the information you plug into the automated design tool at the Obasan website.

Obasan never uses glues or adhesives in its mattresses and these all-latex products are free of poly-foam, VOCs, flame retardants, or synthetic materials.

How it performs

An Obasan mattress is a dreamy choice for lighter adults. The tailored design means you can expect the perfect balance of comfort, pressure relief, and spinal support. You won’t sink in too much or too little and the zoned layer helps keep even petite sleepers’ spines in line.

If you’re a lighter adult who tends to sleep hot and sweaty, consider upgrading to the Deluxe build with pillow-top. While the Classic is plenty breathable, the Deluxe has an extra layer of airier latex and wool to help wick away moisture, support airflow, and help you regulate your temperature.

Downsides

An Obasan mattress is hand-made to your specific needs. That means you can’t return the Obasan for a full refund if you change your mind. Exceptions include where there’s a manufacturing defect or if the boxes are unopened (in some cases). Fortunately, Obasan cares about its customers and has a fantastic team committed to working to get things right for a good night’s sleep.

The other major downside to the Obasan mattress is its cost. Luckily, lighter adults will usually do well with the Classic design which is a little less expensive than the Deluxe. For the added flexibility of reconfiguration down the line, and the zoned all-latex build, the price is well worth it for those with the budget for an Obasan.

Expect to need to invest a little time and effort in getting the build just right, though. Obasan has an amazing team that works with customers to rejig layers for the perfect fit. So, if the suggested design isn’t amazingly comfortable after a brief break-in period, contact Obasan for assistance.

Packaging and shipping

Obasan ships its boxed mattress layers in vacuum plastic bags and plastic wrap but is working to find more eco-friendly packaging.

As a custom mattress, an Obasan will usually take around two weeks to arrive after ordering. Shipping is free on orders over $400, except for the Obasan Foundation (which costs $400 to ship in the U.S.).

Savvy Rest Serenity – Runner-up for best customizable all-latex mattress for lighter adults

Leaf Score

Highlights: Mid-price, fully customizable, 10-inch layered latex mattress ideal for lighter adults. Can choose between Talalay and Dunlop! Made in the U.S. by a staff-owned B Corp!

View on Savvy Rest

At a glance:

• Pricing: $1,799 – $3,999 (Queen from $2,699)
• Materials: Organic latex, organic cotton, organic wool
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS
• Sleep Trial: 90-day Latex Exchange (no sleep trial or returns)
• Firmness: Whatever you want!
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King, Split-sizes
• Depth: 10-inch
• Best for: Lighter to average-weight people

The Savvy Rest Serenity mattress is a 10-inch, all-latex, layered design ideal for lighter to average weight adults. For heavier folks, this mattress may bottom out and prove uncomfortable, however.  

Savvy Rest makes the Serenity in the U.S. in its GOTS factory and offers a wide range of sizes, including split sizes. You can also ask for this mattress in custom dimensions and shapes.

Savvy Rest is a B Corp, employee-owned, and operates a charitable program donating new pillows to domestic violence shelters across the U.S.

Our one checkmark against Savvy Rest is that you can’t return your mattress for a full refund. However, with the layered Serenity mattress, you can make use of the 90-day Latex Exchange. This lets you change latex layers for softer or firmer layers if your initial set-up doesn’t meet your needs. Upgrades from Dunlop to Talalay incur an upgrade fee and shipping costs, however.

What’s in it?

The Savvy Rest Serenity is an all-latex design comprising:

• Organic cotton casing with brass zipper
• Organic wool batting (quilted to prevent bunching)
• Three 3-inch layers of natural latex (Dunlop or Talalay) in soft, medium, and firm.

At first glance, the Savvy Rest Serenity may look similar to most other customizable latex mattresses. However, with the Serenity you not only get to choose between soft, medium, and firm latex, you also get a choice of Talalay and Dunlop. This means you have twice as many options to customize the feel of your new mattress.

Savvy Rest’s Dunlop latex is USDA and GOLS organic, while its Talalay latex has Cradle to Cradle Gold certification. The rest of the Serenity comprises GOTS wool and GOTS organic cotton.

How it performs

The Serenity is breathable, moisture-wicking, and supports temperature regulation for a blissful sleep.

For lighter adults, a typical set-up, top to bottom, might look like:

1. Soft Talalay
2. Soft Dunlop
3. Medium Dunlop.

For a plusher feel overall but good underlying support, petite adults, may also choose:

• Soft Talalay
• Soft Talalay
• Firm Dunlop.

This is a particularly good set-up for anyone needing more pressure-point relief, such as lighter adults with chronic pain.

Because you can customize the Serenity, it’s a great choice whether you’re a lighter adult side-sleeper, back-sleeper, or stomach-sleeper. If you’re the latter, though, you may want to choose more Dunlop than Talalay and a soft, medium, firm build overall.

If you’re not sure what to choose, use the Savvy Rest mattress design tool to help you get started.

Note, too, that the Dunlop layers have a former and softer side. Typically, these layers have the softer side (with smaller perforations) facing up. To make the mattress feel a little firmer, flip the Dunlop upside down, so the larger perforations face up.

It’s best to use the Serenity on a rigid, slatted foundation or platform bed. This mattress isn’t suitable for Murphy beds. Savvy Rest offers a split Serenity for use with adjustable beds.

Downsides

The Serenity is a heavy mattress, and even the split layers are heavy and hard to move, especially if you’re a petite adult. There are also no handles on the Serenity encasement, making it hard to move once you’ve assembled it. The good news is that Savvy Rest offers white glove delivery and set-up.

The other main downside is that Savvy Rest doesn’t allow returns, with the exception of defective mattresses. Other mattress companies at least offer refunds and donate returned mattresses, so it’s odd that Savvy Rest is inflexible on this.

Packaging and shipping

Your Serenity ships free in three or more boxes, depending on size. For convenience, Savvy Rest labels each box and each piece, with color coordination too!

Note that you have to pay shipping costs both ways for the 90-day layer exchange, with costs depending on the layer size.

Avocado Eco Organic [Staff tried and tested] – Best affordable mattress-in-a-box for lighter adults

Leaf Score

Highlights: A very affordable, eco-friendly, 10-inch, non-toxic mattress! Best suited to lighter adults or teen side-sleepers. Made by an award-winning B Corporation with organic latex, wool, and cotton, with recycled steel coils and no toxic chemicals.

View on Avocado

At a glance:

• Pricing: $699 – $1,599 (Queen is $1,299)
• Materials: Organic Fair Trade cotton, organic wool, organic Dunlop latex, upcycled steel coils  
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, Made Safe, GreenGuard Gold, Climate Neutral certified, FSC, Responsible Wool Standard, Formaldehyde Free (UL), Eco Institut, Fair Trade, 1% for the Planet, B Corporation, Sustainable Furnishings Council
• Sleep Trial: 365-night sleep trial
• Firmness: Gentle-firm (5/10)
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Double, Queen, King, Cali King
• Best for: Lighter adults, teens, children

The mattress is great. I’m 21 and pretty petite so I don’t really know anything about how firm and soft a mattress should be, but for the price and saving the environment, it’s well worth it. I expect to have this mattress for years to come!

Serenity J., 2022

The Avocado Eco Organic is a fantastic affordable, non-toxic, eco-friendly option best suited for lighter adults, teens, or kids. Heavier adults will likely find this mattress lacks sufficient support for a comfortable sleep.

Avocado makes the Eco Organic to order in its GOTS certified factory in the U.S. The mattress is Made Safe certified non-toxic and Avocado is an award-winning 1% for the Planet member and B Corp on its way to operating the first certified zero-waste mattress factory in the world.

The Leaf Score team has tried and tested the Eco Organic and loves it!

What’s in it?

Top to bottom, the Eco Organic hybrid latex mattress-in-a-box comprises:

• GOTS organic cotton cover
• GOTS certified wool batting (natural flame retardant)
• 2-inch layer of GOLS certified organic Dunlop latex (D65 / 14-19 ILD)
• 8-inch double-tempered, recycled steel coil unit
• Organic wool batting
• Organic cotton canvas bottom cover.

Compared to the Avocado Green, My Green Mattress Kiwi, and (we think) the Happsy, the Eco Organic has fewer coils overall. The Green also has an extra layer of latex in the base, which makes for an overall sturdier build (reflected by the 25-year warranty versus the 10-year warranty for the Eco).

The Eco Organic does include up to 988 coils with varying gauges, however. For better edge support and comfort, Avocado uses 14.5-gauge upcycled steel coils at the edge and 12-gauge coils in the interior.

There is no glue, adhesive, or synthetic material in the Avocado Eco Organic and the company uses steel rings to keep the coil unit together. As for sourcing, Avocado get top marks for sustainable, transparent, and ethical supply chains. In fact, it co-owns or owns most of its material suppliers, meaning it can be absolutely certain of the organic, non-toxic nature of everything that goes into the Eco Organic, as well as the welfare standards for the sheep providing the wool.

How it performs

The Eco Organic is best suited to lighter adults on the younger side, given that this mattress has no zoning for targeted hip and shoulder support. If you have aches and pains already, or are heavier than around 200 lb., the Eco Organic will probably not provide sufficient support for your needs`

The Eco Organic rates 5/10 (medium) for firmness, making it softer than the My Green Mattress Kiwi and the Happsy (which is about a 5/10 with the Pillow-Top). This means it offers enough softness for lighter adults to sink into for pressure relief and comfort without so much sinkage you get trapped or put your back out of whack.

Expect a little more motion transfer and bounce to the Eco Organic, compared to the Avocado Green, Birch, and Happsy. If you or your partner are restless sleepers, this might not be a great choice for you. For solo, lighter, younger adults, teens, or kids, the Eco Organic is ideal for most sleep positions.

The design is also very breathable, supports good temperature regulation, and helps to wick away moisture. It’s also a lot lighter than all-latex mattresses and hybrid mattresses with more coils and more latex. There are also four handles on each mattress, though we’d love to see three on each side for larger sizes.

Downsides

The Eco Organic is a top budget choice of non-toxic mattress for lighter adults. Made with organic, natural, and recycled materials, this mattress packs a lot in for such a low price.

That said, the mattress feels less robust overall than the signature Avocado Green and has just a 10-year warranty.

The Eco Organic suffers from a little more motion transfer than more expensive, higher coil-count, mattresses, and the lack of zoning could be a problem if you develop back issues a few years into this mattress’s life.

Packaging and shipping

The Eco Organic ships carbon-neutral in a cardboard box and a mixture of plastic and paper wrap. This saves up to 30 feet of plastic versus fully plastic-wrapped mattresses.

Avocado offers a white glove service, but this is rather pricey.

Happsy Organic Mattress – Best budget mattress for younger, lighter adults

Leaf Score

Highlights: Incredibly affordable, non-toxic, organic mattress with Made Safe certification. With the plush Pillow-Top this very firm mattress becomes much softer (5/10), making it a great budget choice for younger and lighter adults. Hybrid coil and latex mattress with little motion transfer and plenty of support where you need it.

View on Happsy

At a glance:

• Pricing (with Pillow-Top): $1,148 – $2,198 (Queen is $1,798)
• Materials: Organic cotton, organic wool, organic latex, recycled steel coils 
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, Made Safe, GreenGuard Gold, UL Formaldehyde Free, Zero Toxics Product Registry, Rainforest Alliance, FSC, Green America certified business, 1% for the Planet, Sustainable Furnishings Council,
• Sleep Trial: 120-night sleep trial
• Firmness: Medium (with Pillow-Top)
• Depth: 12.5-inch (with topper; 10-inch without topper)
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King
• Best for: Lighter, younger adults

The Happsy mattress topper on top of the Happsy mattress has really made a difference! The mattress is good and I appreciate the quality of the materials but being a side sleeper with shoulder problems, it wasn’t quite soft enough. From the first night, the topper provided enough cushion to let me sleep very comfortably. So simple! 

VelleDa S., 2021

The Happsy mattress is on the firmer side. Add the topper, though, and you get a medium firmness mattress (5/10) that is a great budget choice for lighter, younger, pain-free adults. Even with the topper this mattress costs well under $2,000 for a Queen-size!

Lest you think budget means you have to compromise on eco-friendliness and safety, rest assured that Happsy is one of just a few mattress companies with Made Safe non-toxic certification. The company may look like any old start-up mattress-in-a-box maker but Happsy is actually owned by Naturepedic, one of our favorite eco-friendly mattress companies. By piggybacking on Naturepedic’s robust ethical supply chains for organic materials, Happsy can offer an incredibly affordable, quality product that carries all the right green mattress certifications.

What’s in it?

Happsy is not super transparent about its exact mattress design, but we’ve pieced together the following:

• GOTS certified organic cotton encasement (zippered for easier disposal)
• Organic cotton batting
• Organic wool batting
• GOLS certified organic latex (likely Dunlop; likely 26 – 29 ILD and D75)
• 8-inch pocket coil layer with polypropylene wrap (GOTS approved)
• Organic cotton batting on the bottom and sides
• Organic cotton cover.

The pillow-top comprises an extra 2-inch layer of plush latex (19 ILD) in an organic cotton cover and sits on top of your mattress. As such, the Happsy is a vegan mattress topper that you could add to a vegan mattress such as the Naturepedic EOS or Avocado Green Vegan.

How it performs

The Happsy mattress with pillow-top has a 12.5-inch overall depth that makes it a good choice for many adults, especially those who are younger, pain-free, and on the lighter side to average weight. Even with the pillow-top, however, this mattress may still feel too firm for very light adults who weigh significantly less than 130 lb., and for lighter or much heavier side-sleepers or anyone with existing back or joint pain.

The Happsy mattress is made with firmer Dunlop latex and the topper with plush Dunlop latex. Overall, this means less bounce and motion transfer, and easier movement on the bed surface. If you like a bit more bounce for sex, though, the Happsy (with or without the topper) might not be for you. You could add a second topper though, but would want to use grip pads.

The underlying coil layer in the Happsy is not zoned but does feature individually wrapped pocket coils that are heat-sealed together. This makes for excellent motion isolation and targeted pressure relief. The Happsy also has reinforced edge support.

The Happsy performs well in terms of breathability and helps to wick away moisture and regulate body temperature. We also love that the pillow-top is fully detachable as this makes for more flexibility should your sleep needs change or should you want to pass on the mattress to someone needing a firmer build.

Is there a workaround for the Happsy, to save you returning it if it’s still feeling too firm? Yes! Many folks have purchased an extra topper and find that the Happsy plus two toppers makes for a soft, comfortable, 15-inch mattress that still costs less than most standard mattresses without a topper.

Downsides

Happsy’s mattress with pillow-top has no zoning in the coil unit or otherwise. Unlike the Avocado Green with Pillow-Top, then, the Happsy may not provide enough targeted support for side-sleepers or folks with larger hips or shoulders.

Overall, the Happsy may be a little less durably built than the Avocado Green and My Green Mattress Kiwi and Natural Escape. This is because it has a zippered cover rather than a fully stitched cover. Because the mattress topper just sits on top of the mattress, some folks find it moves around, unlike with the Avocado Green with Pillow-Top and other built-in toppers. If this happens, you can get grip pads to go between the mattress and the topper.

Happsy also uses polypropylene (synthetic) fabric to wrap its coils. This is allowed under GOTS organic certification rules and Made Safe non-toxic certification rules, and the plastic is zero-VOC certified by GreenGuard Gold. It does mean, though, that the coil unit is less durable than a fabric encased coil unit (which is more expensive).

The Happsy uses firmer latex than most mattresses, though it uses softer latex in the topper. Some folks will still find the mattress and topper combination too firm. For plusher comfort, you could add two toppers.

One other downside of the Happsy is the lack of split size options, meaning this one won’t work on some split adjustable bed bases. With just one firmness choice too, the Happsy isn’t a good fit for couples with very different sleep needs. Note that while you could buy two Twin XLs to make a split King, the reinforced edging would create more firmness in the mid-line of the mattress.

Luckily, Happsy offers a 120-night free trial and free returns. This means you can try the mattress with and without the pillow-top and can get a full refund for both or either as needed.

Packaging and delivery

Happsy is a convenient mattress-in-a-box. It’s quick to unwrap, isn’t too heavy, and arrives quickly as it’s not made to order. Expect yours to arrive within 1-2 weeks (keep the cardboard box in case you need to return the mattress or pillow-top).

Shipping is free for Happsy in the contiguous U.S. Orders to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada are subject to fees.

Spindle– Best budget customizable mattress for lighter adult couples or lighter singles

Leaf Score

Highlights: Zippered 10-inch mattress ideal for lighter side-sleepers and some back-sleepers. Made with mostly organic and natural materials and free of toxic chemicals. Three-layer design allows for custom comfort and layer exchanges at a later date.

View on Spindle

At a glance:

• Pricing: $1,749 to $2,599 (Queen is $2,299)
• Materials: FSC/GOLS latex; GOTS cotton; GOTS wool; zipper with nylon teeth, a metal trolley and metal pull tab; tiny amount of polyester thread (less than 0.1% of mattress weight); tiny amount of heat-resistant Kevlar thread (less than 0.001% of mattress weight)
• Certifications: GOTS, GOLS, FSC, Oeko-Tex
• Sleep Trial: 365-night sleep trial
• Firmness: Soft to firm (depends on configuration)
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Double, Queen, King
• Best for: Lighter side-sleepers and back-sleepers

I was surprised after sleeping on Spindle for a couple of nights that my back/hip pain was almost gone (which is the reason we bought it). I was skeptical that it wouldn’t last, but now it’s been a couple of months and it has never returned! And not only that, but I had IT band issues that I thought had to do with running (and age); I had made an appointment to see a physical therapist – but surprise, surprise, Spindle “fixed” that problem, too! I was able to cancel the appointment and run pain-free for the first time in a year. Plus, I am able to sleep on my side again. My only regret is we didn’t buy Spindle sooner!

Paul b., 2018

The Spindle 10-inch organic latex mattress is a great choice for lighter adults who sleep on their side or back. The standard layered latex design may be too soft for stomach-sleepers and heavier adults, though you can customize the firmness and adjust the layers at home.

What’s in it?

Spindle is very transparent about its materials. As such, we know that a Spindle mattress comprises:

• GOLS certified organic latex – three layers, in firm, medium, or soft (at your choosing)
• GOTS certified organic cotton – for the sleep surface (circular knit), side and bottom fabric (cotton canvas)
• GOTS certified organic wool – as a flame barrier around the mattress
• A zipper – for the cotton encasement
• Polyester thread – to stitch the mattress together
• Kevlar taping – to seal vulnerable seams where flame could sneak past the wool.

The polyester thread and Kevlar tape are allowed under GOTS rules and comprise less than 0.1% and 0.001% of the mattress, respectively. This means that Spindle doesn’t have to list these materials on its law label or reveal their presence to consumers.

While we applaud Spindle for its transparency, and have no concerns about the materials’ toxicity, we’d love to see Spindle use recycled polyester or natural thread instead and to design the mattress so that Kevlar tape wasn’t necessary to pass flammability tests.

In its favor, Spindle tries to source all of its organic cotton in the U.S., from New Mexico or Texas. When this isn’t possible, it sources organic cotton from India. The cotton is woven in Canada and is all GOTS certified.

Spindle exclusively uses Dunlop latex made in Sri Lanka and is very transparent about the ILD and density of the latex. Overall, it has a springiness of around 4/10, according to Spindle, and comes in the following firmness levels:

• Soft: 20 – 23 ILD and D65 (kg/m³)
• Medium: 26 – 29 ILD and D75
• Firm: 34 – 37 ILD and D85.

How it performs

The Spindle has built a reputation as a fantastic mattress for a wide range of folks, large and small. Its exact performance will depend on your choices when ordering, how you configure it at home, and how you sleep in general.

We love that you can shuffle the layers to try out various configurations, and how Spindle lets you return layers for replacements with a different firmness if your initial set-up isn’t working for you. This is much easier and more eco-friendly than returning an entire mattress.

Down the line, should you need replacement layers or find your sleep needs have changed significantly, Spindle offers a 30% discount on new layers for previous mattress customers.

Overall, the Spindle is best for lighter adults (close to 130 lb. and less than 230 lb.) who sleep on their side or back. We recommend a medium, medium, firm set-up for most lighter adults, though some side-sleepers might prefer a soft, medium, firm design.

Downsides

Spindle only offers Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, and King sizes, with no Cali King or split size options. This means you can’t configure the two sides of the mattress to meet different sleep needs. You could, however, choose two Twin XLs to make a dual firmness King size mattress, though you’d want a King size topper to even out the gap in the middle.

The other main downside to the Spindle is that it is a bit bouncier than hybrid mattresses and firmer all-latex models. This can be good for sex but bad for motion transfer if you or your sleep partner is restless.

Spindle mattresses are also heavy and more unwieldy than some other all-latex designs. That’s because Spindle uses solid blocks of latex for each layer, even in the King-size (which weighs more than 180 lb.!). If you’re a lighter, petite adult, expect to need one or even two helpers to get the layers in place.

Spindle mattress also take a little while to deliver; around two to four weeks typically. This is because they’re handmade to order. Some popular builds are usually already in process, so these may arrive earlier. Note that you may receive one or two boxes a day or so after the rest of your order. Check you have all your boxes before beginning set-up.

Packaging and shipping

Spindle doesn’t offer mattress removal or white glove delivery.

Spindle ships for free in the contiguous U.S. but not to Alaska, Hawaii, or Canada. You will also have to pay return/exchange shipping fees to those locations.

Nolah Natural (Staff tried and tested) – Best for lighter side-sleepers

Leaf Score

Highlight: Mid-price mattress made using sustainable and natural materials including natural latex, organic cotton and wool, and individually wrapped recycled steel coils. A good choice for lighter side-sleepers and very light back-sleepers.

View on Nolah

At a glance:

• Pricing: $1,499 to $3,198 (Queen is $1,899)
• Materials: Talalay latex, GOTS cotton and wool, recycled steel coils
• Certifications: GOTS, Eco-INSTITUT, OEKO-TEX 100, Rainforest Alliance
• Sleep Trial: 120-night sleep trial
• Firmness: Medium (6/10)
• Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Double, Queen, King, Cali King, Split King
• Depth: 10-inch
• Best for: Lighter side-sleepers and very light back-sleepers

I’m a side sleeper and was worried it would be too firm, but it’s perfect. It feels firm when I sit and lay on it but even after 8 hours in the same (side) position, I have no pains and aches. I’m beyond thrilled and can’t recommend this mattress enough for side sleepers

Edward M., 2021

The Nolah Natural is a latex hybrid mattress that rates around 6/10 for firmness (medium). It is best suited to lighter adult side-sleepers and very light back-sleepers. It’s too soft for stomach-sleepers and too shallow for heavier adults. You can purchase the Nolah Natural in a wide range of sizes, including split sizes, but there’s only one firmness option.

Nolah predominantly makes polyfoam or memory foam mattresses. The Natural is Nolah’s only organic, non-toxic mattress.

What’s in it?

Top to bottom, the Nolah Natural comprises:

• GOTS organic cotton cover
• GOTS organic wool layer
• 2-inch layer of Talalay latex for comfort
• 1-inch layer of supportive Talalay latex
• HDMax™ Tri-Zone™ Support Coil System – 8-inch recycled steel coils
• Organic wool and cotton, with organic cotton cover.

Nolah wraps each coil individually in organic cotton, which is nice to see for an industry that typically uses synthetic fabrics or plastic. The mattress is also zoned, with 25% more coils in the hips and shoulders, and at the edges for better perimeter support.

How it performs

I’ve slept on a Nolah Natural mattress for more than nine months and find it breathable and generally quite comfortable when I sleep on my side. I prefer sleeping on my stomach, though, and at 140 lb. or less, I find the Nolah Natural too soft for good spinal support.

Lighter back sleepers (under 130 lb.) without an hourglass figure may find the Nolah Natural offers a good balance of softness and support. If you weigh more than 130 lb., though, I suspect you’ll find, like me, that this mattress allows for too much sinkage and leads to back pain.

Likely because of the three inches of Talalay latex on top, the Nolah Natural suffers from a lack of edge support. I’ve actually rolled off the side on a few occasions. It’s also more responsive than mattresses that use firmer latex or a thinner comfort layer. I can definitely feel motion transfer on this mattress, even from a sub-25-lb. toddler.

All that said, the mattress is great for temperature regulation and breathability. I sleep hot and my wife sleeps cool and we both feel comfortable on the Nolah Natural, whatever the season.

Downsides

Drawbacks of the Nolah Natural include not insignificant motion transfer, less edge support than you’d expect with a latex hybrid, and poor lumbar support.

This mattress is also very heavy and is wrapped in an astonishing amount of plastic that’s hard to remove fast enough for the mattress to safely expand without constricting itself. My mattress also arrived in an almost entirely destroyed cardboard box that fell apart before I even got it into the house. My experience doesn’t seem to be a one-off either, with other customers noting similarly poor delivery.

Read more about my Nolah Natural experience.

For a nearly $2,000 mattress, I would also expect better quality stitching and more robust handles, as well as full mattress expansion to the size as stated on the website. Nearly ten months after unwrapping, my mattress is still short by four inches, leaving a dangerous gap at the end of my bedframe, and an inch narrower than it should be on both long sides.

It’s possible that I received a mattress that had been stored compressed for too long. If you get a freshly made Nolah Natural, yours may expand fully and be in better shape.

Packaging and shipping

Nolah ships free using FedEx in the contiguous U.S. It offers a mattress set-up and removal service ($125 each or $225 for both).

Nolah also offers a $100 discount if you remove the 120-night sleep trial during which you can get a free return and refund. Given you might be out nearly $2,000 if you dislike the mattress, I wouldn’t recommend this discount option.

The Nolah Natural comes with a lifetime warranty, though Nolah has only been around for a few years, so it’s not clear how meaningful that warranty will be.

FAQs