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Standard & Talalay latex – what makes them different?
Trouble is, comparing latex mattresses between manufacturers is like comparing car insurance. It’s almost impossible to drill down to the essential information and compare features and benefits. Confusing lingo and complicated explanations surround what should be simple decision – buying a supportive, healthy mattress that’s also comfortable.
If you’re new to latex mattresses, you’ll soon hear all about Talalay and Standard latex. Both can be made synthetically or naturally. Pull up a chair and learn the differences.
Natural Standard Latex
Latex is the end product of harvested liquid rubber from rubber trees. During the Standard process, the rubber milk is frothed to add air (like mixing egg whites). The more air added, the softer the latex; less air added equals firmer latex.
The mixture is poured into molds that are sealed and then heated to cure the latex into its finished form. The latex is removed from the molds and washed repeatedly before being cut into slabs.
Standard latex is just what the name suggests, an economical, efficient way to turn rubber into latex.
Talalay Latex
The process for creating Talalay latex is similar to Standard latex but more involved – think of it as an upgrade.
Instead of simple molds, Talalay latex molds look like nail beds with thousands of pins that create channels for air in the finished product. The channels soften the feel of the finished product, but they also increase the breathability.
Before it’s cured, the latex is flash-frozen. The pins conduct cold and heat through to the core, cooking it more thoroughly. As well, more air is added and then removed to create millions of tiny air bubbles in the latex. When you lie on a Talalay latex mattress, those bubbles cushion and support with more buoyancy than firmer Standard latex.
The open cell structure of Talalay latex provides superior resilience and durability. It springs back quicker than Standard latex, which has less bounce. As well, body heat and moisture travel quickly through the channels, maintaining an even mattress temperature.
Synthetic Talalay Latex
Because latex is natural, each new latex mattress is a slight variation on the last. Synthetic latex is produced from petrochemicals, but has a similar molecular structure to natural latex. And while our suppliers adhere to strict standards on allowable differences, the argument for synthetic Talalay latex is the absolute consistency of the finished product.
Natura’s synthetic Talalay latex blends 30% natural latex with 70% synthetic. After testing a plethora of blends, this is the one we feel preserves consistency without an overuse of synthetic materials.
Latex Allergies
Latex proteins, harmless to most of us, can cause severe allergic reactions in some people. Most proteins (98.5%) are washed away during the manufacturing process and all of our mattresses fall well below the regulated standard allowed in latex products that come in contact with human skin (allowable in gloves: 50 units of protein per gram, in Natura mattresses: 11.8 units of protein per gram).
Latex is a touch allergy, which is why it’s regulated in most consumer products (gloves, condoms, balloons) – but not mattresses. When’s the last time you opened up your mattress and inspected the core?
If you’re looking for a latex mattress, understand that the most important feature is how it feels. Standard, Talalay or synthetic isn’t as important as whether it feels good when you lie down on it.
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