Whether or not you’ve ever experienced the horror of bed bugs first-hand, a full mattress encasement is a good idea to keep your mattress safe, clean, and critter-free. These full covers can also help protect against dust mites and reduce allergy symptoms. Here are the best non-toxic, organic mattress encasements to help you rest easy.
Table of Contents
The best waterproof mattress encasement
Sleep & Beyond Organic Cotton Zippered Waterproof Mattress Encasement
The best cotton mattress encasement
The best lab-tested cotton mattress encasement
Runner-up for best waterproof mattress encasement
Mattresses are a haven for dust mites and are very attractive to bed bugs too. Keeping these pests out of your mattress takes some effort, but it’s far easier and cheaper to use a full mattress encasement than to dispose of an infested mattress.
The good news is that you don’t need to swaddle your beautiful new organic mattress in layers of plastic to keep it critter-free. Smart design means that fully organic mattress encasements work just as well, if not better. They’re breathable, letting through water vapor, but don’t let through bugs, their eggs, or their feces.
Here are our top picks for sustainable and safe mattress encasements that keep out bugs without costing the earth (literally or figuratively).
Curious about bed bugs and dust mites? Indulge yourself here.
The Best Organic, Non-Toxic Bed Bug Mattress Encasements
Sleep & Beyond Organic Cotton Zippered Waterproof Mattress Encasement
Highlights: Made with GOTS certified organic cotton and TPU from corn starch, this 360-degree mattress encasement is the best choice for full mattress protection against liquids, bed bugs, dust mites, allergens, and off-gassing.
- GOTS certified organic full mattress encasement
- Affordable
- Made with TPU from non-GMO corn starch
- Smart zipper design to keep out bed bugs
- 360-degree protection, fully reversible
- Noiseless, breathable, and no off-gassing
- Machine washable and can be tumble dried
- Non-toxic and sustainable
- Made in a GOTS factory
- 10-year warranty
- Only fits up to a 14-inch mattress depth (could stretch to 16-inch though)
At a glance:
Materials: Organic cotton stretch jersey, TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane, from non-GMO corn starch)
Product certifications: GOTS, Greenguard Gold, Oeko-Tex 100
Company/Factory certifications: GOTS, Sedex, ISO Certified 9001:2015, ISO Certified 14001:2015, Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), Fair Trade certified.
Cost: $109-$299
Sizes available: Crib, Twin, Twin XL (Split King), Full, Queen, King, Cali King
Depths: Fits 6-14 inch deep mattresses (depending on mattress size)
Sleep & Beyond offers the best non-toxic, organic full mattress encasement around. It is both waterproof and bed bug-proof, and is made with natural materials, even for the layer of thermoplastic polyurethane (it comes from corn starch!).
I love that this protector is available in sizes from Crib to Cali King, and even the largest sizes are under $300. It carries all the right green certifications and has a ton of positive reviews.
Sleep & Beyond packages this protector in its own reusable organic cotton bag, with no plastic. The company offers an astonishing 10-year warranty on the protector, demonstrating serious confidence in its durability and performance.
The only downside to this protector is that it will only fit up to a 14-inch mattress. If you have a mattress plus topper combination that measures more than 14-inches, you may still want to consider getting this encasement for the mattress alone. It will still help to protect the largest part of your bed set-up.
AllergyCare Zippered Mattress Encasement
Highlights: Fully GOTS certified organic cotton mattress encasement to protect against dust mites, bed bugs, and larger allergens.
- GOTS certified organic cotton only
- No plastics
- Fully zippered
- 5.9 micron pores keep out dust mites and bed bugs
- Pore size could let through smaller dander and dust mite feces or body parts
At a glance:
Materials: Organic cotton, metal zippers, nylon zipper threads
Product certifications: GOTS, Oeko-Tex 100
Cost: $107-$218
Sizes available: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King
Depths: 9-, 12-, 16-, and 18-inch options
The AllergyCare™ organic cotton dust mite barrier is plastic-free and totally natural. It has a pore size of just 5.9 microns, meaning it can keep out bed bugs and dust mites. It may not, however, keep out all allergens, given that these can sneak through pores as small as 3 microns.
AllergyCare doesn’t use any harsh chemicals, bleaches, dyes, or treatments on its organic cotton zippered encasement. Instead, this cover is fully GOTS certified. It has a 233 thread count and is double-stitched for durability.
Heavy-gauge nylon zipper treads and rust-proof metal zipper pulls add to the durability and ease of use. You can also wash this cover in hot water and machine dry on medium. Avoid chlorine bleach though, to preserve the natural fibers. Make sure the cover is fully dry before you put it back on your mattress.
It’s best to wash the cover before first use as it is deliberately made slightly large to allow for some initial shrinkage.
This cover is made in the U.S. and has a limited lifetime warranty.
BedCare Organic All-Cotton 12 in. Deep Mattress Encasing
Highlights: Fully tested, GOTS and Oeko-Tex certified bed bug and dust mite resistant mattress encasement. Comprises organic cotton with BugShield zipper on one short side.
- GOTS certified organic cotton only
- No plastics
- Oeko-Tex 100 certified
- Tested by bed bug, dust mite, and allergen experts
- BugShield technology on the zipper
- 4.8 micron pores keep out dust mites and bed bugs
- Made in the U.S.
- Lifetime warranty
- Pore size could let through smaller dander and dust mite feces or body parts
- Expensive
- Limited sizes available
- Zipper is on one short side only (unsuitable for many mattresses)
- Fits up to 12-inch mattress only
- Packaged in plastic
At a glance:
Materials: Organic cotton, metal zippers
Product certifications: GOTS, Oeko-Tex 100
Cost: $188-$288
Sizes available: Twin, Full, Queen, King, Cali King
Depths: 12-inch
The BedCare Organic All-Cotton Mattress Cover comprises unbleached GOTS certified organic cotton with a pore size of 4.8 microns. This breathable mattress encasement has been tested by Snell Scientifics and other entities to be bed bug proof and dust mite proof and can also protect against most allergens.
The encasement zipper has BugShield technology to prevent the zipper backsliding and opening by itself. It also has a double closure at the end of the zipper to really keep out those bugs.
This cover is machine washable in warm water and can be line dried or dried on low. It is also sanforized, meaning it won’t shrink when washed. It’s best to wash this cover (zipped up) every six weeks or so to eliminate allergens. The manufacturer recommends also using a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter to fully vacuum the cover every 10-14 days.
The major downside to this mattress encasement, and the main reason why I’ve knocked off a leaf, is that the zipper is only on one short end of the cover. That makes it incredibly hard, if not impossible, to get this cover on and off a latex mattress or other less structured or layered mattress.
If you have the Botanical Bliss mattress, for instance, this cover is not for you!
Rawganique Waterproof Organic Cotton Mattress Barrier Cover
Highlights: Fully organic and waterproof with bio-based non-GMO TPU membrane between organic cotton covers. Zippered and protective against spills, bed bugs, and allergens. Unknown pore size though and very expensive.
- GOTS certified organic cotton
- Waterproof bio-based non-GMO corn starch TPU membrane
- Fully zippered
- Keeps out liquids, dust mites and bed bugs
- Sustainable packaging
- Very expensive
- Only fits up to an 8-inch mattress (best for kids)
- Unknown construction means bugs and allergens could sneak through small openings
At a glance:
Materials: Organic cotton, metal zippers, nylon zipper threads
Product certifications: GOTS
Cost: $425-$824
Sizes available: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, Eastern King, Cali King
Depths: 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-inch options
Rawganique offers a full mattress encasement that keeps out bed bugs and dust mites as well as liquids. This waterproof cover comprises a layer of corn starch-derived TPU between layers of organic cotton and zips up with a YKK safety zipper.
Rawganique’s membrane meets GOTS standards and is biodegradable at end of life. The cover is also machine washable (in cold water only) and should be hung to dry.
Rawganique doesn’t give a pore size for the organic cotton but the TPU will keep out bed bugs, dust mites, and allergens, as well as liquids. The weak spots may be any edges or seams, and the zipper, where bugs could sneak through.
This cover is only available in depths up to 8-inches, making it most suitable for children’s beds and futons, rather than full-size mattresses. It is phenomenally expensive, costing as much as a new mattress in some cases. For the price, I would expect to see more specific details on construction at least. If you love the company though, this is a great choice for a mattress barrier with built-in waterproofing.
Rawganique packages its products sustainably, using plastic only where requested or absolutely necessary.