Nook Pebble Pure Crib Mattress Review

Nook Pebble Pure Crib Mattress

Leaf Score

Highlights: Mattress is dual sided, meaning that it can be used in infancy and through the toddler years. Has a breathable cover without the typical plastic wraps on other mattresses. Waterproof with a removable and washable cover.

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Nook Pebble Pure Crib Mattress at a glance:

Overview

But… what’s in that poly blend? Nook are strangely evasive on that front, but nod at some kind of nanomaterial composition, claiming that their crib mattress surface is waterproof thanks to ‘Nanosphere technology’ that mirrors the natural properties of plant materials. They also loudly proclaim how natural their mattresses are and how other mattress companies use non-organic medical/food-grade plastics and polymers or metal innersprings. Frankly, I’d much rather a mattress company be upfront about all of their materials, even if some are food-grade plastics.

Because the Pebble Pure mattress is made to be waterproof, with a removable and washable cover, Nook offer the mattress in a plethora of colors designed to be used without sheets or additional puddle pads and such. They don’t, however, offer any information on the dyes or other chemicals that go into these covers, but they do say that their products are GOTS certified, which means they shouldn’t’ include any toxic azo dyes.

Nook recommend that you wash the Pebble mattress cover before use as with any other bedding. To extend the life of your wrap, they suggest washing it inside out, alone, with mild baby detergent, and then drying on tumble low.

This mattress is dual sided, meaning that it can be used in infancy and through the toddler years. The infant side of the Pebble Pure is the side where the Wool Fire Barrier flaps fold. The side that is flush is the slightly softer side for toddler sleep. Nook also offer a similar mattress for mini cribs and the Stokke Sleepi, as well as custom sized mattresses.

Nook’s biggest selling point for the Pebble Pure is that it has a breathable cover without the typical plastic wraps on other mattresses. They explicitly promote the mattress as helping to reduce SIDS, which I’m not sure is legal in the US as such a claim means the mattress falls under the jurisdiction of medical devices, at which point Nook would need to prove that the mattress actually does help reduce the risk of SIDS. The company does, however, donate a portion of every sale made through their website to SIDS.org to help prevent SIDS.

Nook also use certified CertiPUR-US polyurethane foam in their Lite and Air mattresses, their ChangePad, and their Lounger along with BPA-free recycled bottle plastic in the Lite mattress. New to the Nook family, the Dream Cotton crib mattress is made with 100% upcycled cotton denim and wool as a natural fire barrier, along with the same washable cover. There’s no foam in this mattress, and I do like the upcycled concept as it helps keep old clothing out of landfill. However, that cover still gives me pause.

All in all, the Nook Pebble Pure mattress may well be an excellent choice for a non-toxic eco-friendly nursery, and Nook may well be serious in their commitment to safe sleep, but I am not a fan of their lack of transparency and their cavalier attitude to making health claims without evidence to back up these claims. 

Nook vs. Naturepedic, Lullaby Earth, OMI, Savvy Rest, and My Green Mattress

If you’re looking for a mattress with a waterproof cover that’s removable, washable, comes in bright colors, and has a stylish design, Nook’s Pebble Pure is a decent option. However, if you’re concerned about buying an eco-friendly and non-toxic mattress, I’d argue that Naturepedic’s mattresses are your best bet (with the exception of the non-waterproof single-sided quilted mattress). Even Lullaby Earth with their recycled polyester and polyethylene mattress have some advantages over Nook, given the questions hanging over the precise make-up of the Nook crib mattress and the significant price difference between the two (Nook is more than twice the price of the Lullaby Earth crib mattress).

For all the other mattresses I recommend at LeafScore, you’ll need to use wool puddle pads and/or a waterproof crib mattress cover or pad. The two best options I can find are Holy Lamb and Home of wool.

Non-toxic and eco-friendly credentials

Nook have no clear certifications for their Pebble Pure mattress, despite hitting all the right notes for marketing copy. There’s a chance their mattress has GOTS certification for the cotton components, but this is unclear. I’ve asked for clarification and am awaiting a response. 

So, if you are concerned about multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) or simply want a high-quality crib mattress free from toxic chemicals and made with care from sustainably and humanely sourced materials, OMI are the top choice. OMI crib mattresses carry more certifications than Savvy Rest, Soaring Heart, Naturepedic, and every other mattress on the market. Their adult mattresses have been rigorously tested and found to be durable and high-performance, but they are quite a bit more expensive than most other crib mattresses.

Soaring Heart mattresses are a little less expensive than OMI but are more expensive than My Green Mattress, who carry a wealth of certifications. Both companies are transparent about the materials and processes they use, which is nice, while Soaring Heart have been around for just as long as OMI and have a great reputation. Nook simply aren’t transparent and instead make health claims for their mattress without offer substantiating evidence.

Wool and fire resistance

If you’d rather not have wool in your crib mattress, Nook is not the company for you and neither are OMI, Soaring Heart, Sleep Lily, or Savvy Rest. Lullaby Earth offer a decent wool-free crib mattress (View Price on Amazon) made with recycled polyester and polyethylene, but it’s not entirely clear how Lullaby Earth meet fire safety standards. Naturepedic offer some of the best wool-free options and are transparent about using a mixture of baking soda, silica, and eucalyptus as a natural flame retardant instead of wool.

Cost

The Nook Pebble Pure Crib Mattress retails for around $395 and is made with organic coconut coir blended with natural latex foam and covered in organic wool. However, I’m not all that confident in the non-toxic, eco-credentials of this mattress either, given the lack of transparency over the cover materials including an organic cotton ‘non-toxic poly blend’.

Given these reservations, I’d highly recommend choosing a lower priced mattress such as a Naturepedic Organic Cotton Classic or Lightweight Classic, which cost between $255 and $299 and also boast a waterproof cover. Or, choose My Green Mattress’s Emily Mattress (View Price on Amazon) and get a separate cover and/or puddle pads.

Savvy Rest offer a similar mattress to the Nook Pebble Pure but it is also priced at $399 and does not have a waterproof cover. It does, however, have more eco-friendly credentials and Savvy Rest are transparent about their use of non-toxic materials. 

Size

Nook is one of the larger mattresses amongst those I’ve recommended at LeafScore. This may be because the mattress is designed to be used without crib sheets or covers, meaning a snugger fit is necessary to ensure no gaps between the crib and mattress. 

The Soaring Heart mattress is also at the top end of the standard size measurements for a crib mattress, although it’s thinner than the Nook and others at just 3.5 inches compared to most crib mattresses measuring 5 or 6 inches. Savvy Rest’s crib mattress (View Price on Savvy Rest) is slightly longer and wider than Naturepedic’s crib mattresses, My Green Mattress’s Emily, and Lullaby Earth’s mattress, while OMI’s mattresses are as long but a little wider. For comparison, here are the mattresses listed from largest to smallest in terms of width and length:

• Nook Pebble Pure – 28” x 53” x 4”
• Soaring Heart – 28 5/8” x 52 3/8” x 3 ½ “
• Sleep Lily – 28” x 52” x 6”
• OMI – 28” x 52” x 6” 
• NaturalMat – 28” x 52” x 6”
• Savvy Baby – 27 ½” x 52” x 6
• My Green Mattress – 27 1/4″ x 52″ x 6″ 
• Naturepedic – 27 ¼” x 51 5/8” x 6” 
• Lullaby Earth – 27 ¼” x 51 5/8” x 6”

Weight

And, speaking of weight, it’s worth noting that both of the Sleep Lily crib mattresses are very heavy, weighing in at 33 and 35 lbs for the innerspring and latex mattresses respectively. In comparison, the My Green Mattress latex, coconut coir, wool, cotton, and innerspring mattress weighs just 15 lbs and 6 ounces, while the Naturepedic models weigh between 21 and 25 lbs for the cotton and innerspring models and just 8 lbs for their Lightweight mattress. Nook’s Pebble Pure mattress weighs in at 25 lbs, but there are no weight details available for OMI, Soaring Heart, Lullaby Earth, or Savvy Rest unfortunately, nor for NaturalMat.

CSR

Nook, Sleep Lily, and NaturalMat don’t mention any charitable side to their business and seem focused purely on their products, as are OMI.

In contrast, Savvy Rest can boast a robust charitable giving program and B Corp status (none of the other mattress companies have this currently). Soaring Heart are also socially engaged, with quarterly Charity Pillow Builds and a goal is to direct 1% of annual gross sales to charitable causes. Soaring Heart also created a Scholarship at Seattle’s Pride Foundation to fund students working in the area of mental health and compassionate care. 

Naturepedic are members of 1% for the Planet, at least, although they don’t seem to do much else. My Green Mattress offers a discount to members of the U.S. military, but there’s no indication that the company has a charitable arm other a donation/refund program if you return your mattress after your 100 night comfort trial.

Warranty and refunds

Nook offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty on the Pebble Pure, Lite and Air Mattress Core from date of purchase with proof of purchase. They also offer a 100-night sleep trial, beginning when you register for the trial, meaning you can safely buy your mattress in advance of baby arriving.

OMI offer a 90-day sleep trial and a 20-year limited warranty on all mattresses. Savvy Rest are rather miserly in terms of their return policy. Unlike most other companies, they just don’t do returns, claiming that to do so would necessitate them spraying their products with toxic chemicals. 

My Green Mattress has a 100-night sleep trial and if you don’t want to keep the mattress after your 100 nights, My Green Mattress will work with you to donate it to a local charity and then refund your money. All Naturepedic crib mattresses come with a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee provided the product was purchased directly from Naturepedic. You have to pay all shipping costs (including outbound costs associated with any promotions), however. Naturepedic have a 10-year warranty against manufacturing defects, with full coverage in the first 5 years and pro-rated coverage thereafter.

All in all, Nook’s Pebble Pure is a stylish option for a crib mattress that may be simpler to use than some other crib mattresses. However, it has some marks against it for lack of transparency and lack of certifications. As such, given the cost of the Nook Pebble Pure, there are better options available, such as the lower priced My Green Mattress Emily, and even the Lullaby Earth recycled polyester and polyethylene mattress. And, if a waterproof and lightweight mattress is what you’re after, the Naturepedic Lightweight Cotton Classic may be just the ticket.