We tested the Avocado Green Mattress at the Avocado store in La Jolla, California. Here are the pros and cons of buying the Avocado Green Mattress.
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Avocado Green Mattress
Highlights: Mattresses are made from Eco-Institut certified 100 percent natural Dunlop latex, Oeko-Tex and GOTS certified New Zealand wool, recycled steel coils, GOTS-certified organic cotton. Vegan alternatives for all standard mattresses with the same level of certifications as their standard are available. Mattresses are button-tufted by hand to anchor the mattress layers without need for chemical adhesives
Avocado Green Mattress at a glance:
| Country of Origin: | USA |
| Materials: | 100 percent natural Dunlop latex, GOTS cotton, Oeko-Tex and GOTS wool (in some models), recycled steel coils, food-grade polypropylene fabric (non-woven and non-toxic) (in some models), natural hydrated silica fire retardant, acrylic yarn (in the vegan mattress) |
| Certifications: | Greenguard Gold (entire mattress, and pillows) – See Certificate, GOLS – See Certificate, Made Safe (for organic cotton mattress pad protectors and pillows) – See Certificate, GOTS (wool and cotton) – See Certificate, Eco-Institut (for latex supplier) – See Certificate |
Our Review
- Made in USA
- Greenguard Gold certified
- VOC free
- Workers paid a fair wage
- Too expensive for many households
All standard sizes are available, ranging from $959-$1,699 for the Avocado Green (View Prices on Avocado), or $1,199-$2,199 for the Avocado Green plus Pillow Top. The prices are the same for the Avocado Green Vegan Mattress (View Prices on Avocado) and pillow top. All of the mattresses are suitable for adjustable bed frames.
Avocado are also Greenguard Gold certified for all their mattresses, toppers, and pillows, meaning they have been tested and found to satisfy strict criteria for emissions standards for chemical exposure and pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde and phthalates.
As with many mattress company stories, the founders established Avocado after trying and failing to find an affordable, non-toxic mattress for their child. To them, that meant a mattress free from polyurethane, toxic fire retardants, pesticides and other risk chemicals. The greenwashing in the industry disappointed them, so Avocado was born.
The company makes mattresses to order by hand in California, paying their workers a fair and living wage. The mattresses are button-tufted by hand to anchor the mattress layers without need for chemical adhesives. They also ship non-toxic mattresses using packaging that has at least 60% recycled content and is fully recyclable. Avocado are also members of 1% for the Planet, meaning that they give back 1% of profits to environmental initiatives, and they use CarbonFund to offset their emissions. They also have an impressive track record of donating to and otherwise supporting a range of social and environmental initiatives.
Avocado offer a 100-night sleep trial with free shipping and returns. The mattresses are shipped compressed in a box, and they offer an in-home delivery service for $199 anywhere in the USA, including Hawaii and Alaska. They can also remove and recycle your old mattress.
Avocado mattresses have a 25-year warranty, with full replacement value and free return pickup service for the first 10 years (pro-rated after that). Customer service seems to be above and beyond at Avocado, with many happy customers lauding their commitment to making sure you have a good experience and the perfect mattress. All this and they were named the number one innerspring mattress of 2018 by Consumer Reports.
Avocado Green Mattress materials
The Avocado pillow-top model adds 2” to the profile of the lower-priced Avocado Green mattress. Consumer Reports highly rates the Avocado Green mattress and pillow-top for durability and found that the mattress and pillow-top combination offers Very Good support for almost all types of sleepers but middling support for large and tall back sleepers. The Avocado Green mattress by itself has the top rating for support and durability, with no noticeable changes in performance after eight years of simulated use. Also of note, the pillow-top model sleeps warmer than the mattress by itself.
The zoned support comes courtesy of individually wrapped recycled steel coils that also help reduce motion transfer (although this could be better, and some ‘bounce’ may be an issue for larger and particularly active sleepers). The coils are high-quality, single-tempered steel, giving extended performance and durability.
The Green and Vegan mattresses have four side grips for easy handling, and the Green weighs 119 pounds, with the Green Pillowtop weighing 130 pounds. The Green has an 11” profile and the pillowtop adds 2” to that.
Consumer Reports found that the “Avocado Green without the pillowtop provides better support for more body sizes and sleep styles”, earning it top spot for innerspring mattress. However, the Green Pillowtop outranked dozens of other innerspring mattresses in the Consumer Reports ratings, taking third position out of more than 70 models, and is a better option if you like a softer mattress that’s a little warmer.
The entire Avocado Green Mattress is GREENGUARD Gold Certified® by UL Environment (rather than just select components). It contains 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex and is constructed as follows (listed from top to bottom):
- Organic Cotton Ticking — 100% GOTS® organic certified (wraps whole mattress).
• Natural Hydrated Silica Fire Barrier
• Organic Wool — 1 ounce per sq. ft. — 100% GOTS® organic certified and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified wool. (Note: For Avocado Vegan Mattress, this is replaced with 100% GOTS® organic certified cotton batting.)
• Natural Dunlop Latex — D65 / 14-19 ILD, Soft, 2 inches — eco-INSTITUT® certified.
• Leggett & Platt Quantum Edge® Elite Combi-Zone®— Up to 1,414 pocketed support coils in 3 zones with 2 reinforced perimeters.
• Natural Dunlop Latex — D65 / 14-19 ILD, Soft, 1 inch — eco-INSTITUT® certified.
• Cotton Canvas — 100% GOTS® organic certified, Herringbone pattern
The Avocado Green Mattress with Pillow-Top has a 13” profile and is made with the same construction as above but with an extra 2” of natural Dunlop latex. The wool and cotton sewing thread used in the stitching and embroidery on an Avocado Green Mattress, topper and pillow are OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Certified for environmental compliance in production. It is also manufactured in a factory that is ISO 9001 accredited for quality management.
Both the Vegan and the Green mattresses use hydrated silica as the primary fire barrier. Hydrated silica is naturally derived from silica (silicon dioxide), an abundant compound that forms about 12 percent of the earth’s surface. Basically, silicon dioxide is found in nature as sand or quartz. To make hydrated silica, sand is heated with sodium carbonate and dissolved in water to form liquid sodium silicate. This liquid is then mixed with an acid to make hydrated silica, an odorless, tasteless, white powder. Hydrated silica has a long history of safe use as an ingredient in food products and is listed by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). It is inert and acts as a non-toxic natural flame retardant. In the case of the silica used by Avocado, it is manufactured in a U.S. facility that does not produce crystalline silica in any capacity.
Avocado Green vs. OMI vs. Savvy Rest
Avocado’s Green Mattress earned top spot from Consumer Reports for innerspring mattresses with an impressive score of 85. The OrganicPedic mattress by OMI (Stella) got a 71 score, with a much lower firmness rating (4 vs. 7 for Avocado Green). The OMI mattress is likely better for petite sleepers however, with an excellent rating from Consumer Reports. It also has an excellent durability rating and a very good rating for average back sleepers and large/tall back sleepers, while everything else got a good rating. The Avocado Green Mattress Pillowtop earned a 79 score overall, with a 5 for firmness, making it a very good option for sleepers of all sizes and shapes, although the Avocado Green mattress without the pillow top is better for large/tall back sleepers.
Avocado carry fewer certifications than OMI, though, and are not manufactured under such strict chemical-free conditions. They are, however, much more active in terms of charitable giving, having supported multiple non-profits in their short life, including a wide range of environmental organizations. OMI don’t do any of that, and neither do most of the other companies making quality eco-friendly mattresses. Savvy Rest, Swiss Dream Beds, My Green Mattress, and PlushBeds, do have some charitable endeavors, but these are no match for those of Avocado. So, OMI are the top choice if you have multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) or your priority is a high-quality mattress free from toxic chemicals and made with care from sustainably and humanely sourced materials. These mattresses carry more certifications than any other mattress on the market, have been rigorously tested and found to be durable and high-performance, and the OMI REST collection is comparable in price to most other eco-friendly innerspring mattresses with fewer certifications.
If you’d rather not have wool in your mattress, OMI is not the company for you, though, as all OMI mattresses contain some amount of wool as a natural fire barrier.
In addition to Avocado’s Vegan Mattress (which contains coils), PlushBeds Natural Bliss (all-latex) (View Prices on PlushBeds) or Naturepedic EOS Trilux (all-latex) are other good vegan options. For quick reference, Avocado have a 100-night sleep trial and offer a 25-year limited warranty, which is the same as My Green Mattress. The latter company will work with you to donate a mattress to a local charity if, after your free trial, you decide not to keep it, and will then send you a refund once the donation is confirmed. OMI offer a 90-day sleep trial and a 20-year limited warranty on all mattresses, which is comparable to most other companies in the eco-friendly mattress market, with the exception of Savvy Rest who don’t allow returns at all. Soaring Heart only offer a 30-day comfort trial and are rather miserly with their return policy, but they do offer a 20-year limited warranty. Most Naturepedic mattresses (EOS Series, Serenade, Halcyon, and Vegan) come with a limited 20-year warranty.
The Chorus mattresses and baby and kids mattresses have a 10-year warranty. As for cost, Avocado’s innerspring models range from $959-$2,199, while Savvy Rest’s similar Earthspring™ mattresses range in price from $999 to $1,599 and their higher-end models cost $1,799 to $3,699. Naturepedic’s innerspring mattresses range from $1199-$4,799, and My Green Mattress’s Natural Escape mattress ranges in price from $829-$1,594; their Pure Echo ranges from $640-$1,389. OMI mattresses are about twice as costly, but significantly cheaper than Soaring Heart’s, ranging from $1,699-$3,899, compared to Soaring Heart’s $3,499-$5,499 for their innerspring models.
Bottom of the pile are Eco Terra’s innerspring mattresses (View Prices on Eco Terra), at $549-$1,099, possibly for good reason, though, given their lack of transparency over materials and possible foam content. All in all, OMI’s REST mattress is your best bet for a non-toxic, eco-friendly, high-quality, innerspring mattress at a great price point. If you’re looking for a budget option, choose My Green Mattress or Savvy Rest’s Earthspring model (View Prices on Savvy Rest). And, for a quality mattress at a great price, from a company that gives back, Avocado are your best bet as they carry good eco-credentials, are a socially responsible company, and have been highly rated for comfort and durability. For vegan innerspring mattresses, Avocado are your best hands down.
Avocado Green Mattress
Highlights: Mattresses are made from Eco-Institut certified 100 percent natural Dunlop latex, Oeko-Tex and GOTS certified New Zealand wool, recycled steel coils, GOTS-certified organic cotton. Vegan alternatives for all standard mattresses with the same level of certifications as their standard are available. Mattresses are button-tufted by hand to anchor the mattress layers without need for chemical adhesives
Avocado Green Mattress FAQ
Avocado have a gentle-firm standard Avocado Green mattress that is ideal if you’re a back or stomach sleeper. For side sleepers or anyone looking for back pain relief, the pillow-top mattress is a great option. Both mattresses have zoned support for hip and shoulders, and they have reinforced edging.
The Vegan mattress uses all the same materials as the Green except for the wool. Instead, the Vegan mattress predominantly uses cotton where the Green uses wool. The description for the Vegan mattress gets a little confusing in regard to the yarn used to hold the cotton batting in place. In one place Avocado say that acrylic yarn is used to cap the button tufts, and elsewhere they state that they use cotton yarn rosettes. I asked them to clarify and they confirmed via email that they currently use acrylic yarn in the Vegan mattress to cap the GOTS cotton button tufts/rosettes but are hoping to switch to just GOTS cotton for all the stitching soon.
The Avocado Vegan Mattress, Green Pillows, Mattress Protector and Vegan Latex Mattress Toppers are certified by Vegan Action.