Are Synthetic Mattresses Eco-Friendly & Sustainable? A Life-Cycle Assessment
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Many manufacturers and marketers have promoted their synthetic mattresses as not only being exceptionally comfortable, but apparently fully recyclable. However, the question must be asked, how much does recyclability mean to sustainability? Or is greenwashing at play here? So, we had to ask: How sustainable are synthetic mattresses?
Synthetic mattresses made from 100% fossil-derived materials are unsustainable. Extracting, refining, and processing fossil-based raw materials uses a lot of energy, exacerbates the climate crisis, and causes environmental pollution. Also, synthetic mattresses are not biodegradable.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the life-cycle of synthetic mattresses. Then, we will evaluate their sustainability, potential, and shortfalls. And in the end, we’ll show you some tips for buying more sustainable mattresses made with synthetic materials.
Here’s How We Assessed the Sustainability of Synthetic Mattresses
Synthetic mattresses are conventionally made with raw materials synthesized from petrochemicals, which is the key factor in their sustainability.
“Sustainable: The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level | Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”
Oxford Dictionary
To understand the sustainability of synthetic mattresses, we must assess their life-cycle and each stage’s sustainability. This life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a method to evaluate the environmental impacts of products and materials. Over the years, companies have strategically used LCAs to research and create more sustainable products. So, let’s have a look at the LCA of synthetic mattresses!
| The life-cycle stages of synthetic mattresses | Each stage’s sustainability |
| Sourcing of synthetic mattresses | Sourcing fossil-derived materials for synthetic mattresses is highly unsustainable due to the nonrenewable nature of fossil fuels. The extraction and refining of these fuels not only creates a significant energy demand but also contributes to the climate crisis and environmental pollution. |
| Manufacturing of synthetic mattresses | Manufacturing synthetic mattresses is generally unsustainable because of the intensive use of energy and chemicals. |
| Transporting of synthetic mattresses | Transporting can be a carbon-intensive stage in the life-cycle of synthetic mattresses because of the emissions associated with the transportation and delivery vehicles. Synthetic mattresses typically travel from mines to processing factories and then to sorting centers, shops, and consumers’ homes before going to recycling centers or landfills. |
| Usage of synthetic mattresses | The sustainability of using natural mattresses varies depending on their lifespan. In particular, airbeds, waterbeds, and synthetic latex are relatively durable, leading to a sustainable usage stage. In contrast, polyurethane foam mattresses and air mattresses don’t tend to last long. Additionally, using synthetic mattresses releases microplastics. |
| End-of-life of synthetic mattresses | The end-of-life stage of synthetic mattresses is unsustainable because they don’t biodegrade. However, there are established ways to recycle certain plastics to make new mattresses. |
Overall, we can say that synthetic mattresses are unsustainable. However, the actual environmental impact of a particular synthetic mattress depends on more specific factors, including:
- the sourcing of raw materials
- the type of energy used in manufacturing and usage
- the distance and mode of transportation
Let’s dive deeper into each life-cycle stage and find out how you can buy synthetic mattresses more sustainably.
How Sustainable Is the Sourcing of Raw Materials for Synthetic Mattresses
Sourcing fossil-derived materials for synthetic mattresses is highly unsustainable due to the nonrenewable nature of fossil fuels. The extraction and refining of these fuels not only creates a significant energy demand but also contributes to the climate crisis and environmental pollution.
What Raw Materials Are Used for Synthetic Mattresses
A synthetic mattress typically contains a core and a textile cover.
Synthetic mattresses can have their core based on one or several layers of the following synthetic components:
- flexible polyurethane foam (as in polyurethane foam mattresses, memory foam mattresses, gel mattresses)
- synthetic latex
- air chambers (as in airbeds or air mattresses)
- water capsules (as in waterbeds)
Some manufacturers would also position pocket coils in the core to make the synthetic mattresses more supportive.
The covers can be made of various textile materials, either natural fabrics or synthetic fabrics.
It is important to note that a synthetic mattress can contain many components, made of various materials. Before making your purchase, you should also look at the sustainability of all the components, from what is inside the core to the cover. You can refer to our relevant articles for more information.
In the following section, we’ll focus on sourcing fossil fuels for synthetic mattresses.
How Does Sourcing Fossil Fuels for Making Synthetic Mattress Impact the Environment
Sourcing fossil fuels for synthetic mattresses is not sustainable because extracting and refining fossil fuels depletes nonrenewable reserves, accelerates the climate crisis, and pollutes the environment.
- Non-renewability: It takes millions of years and certain geological conditions to turn dead plants into fossil fuels, and the current depletion rate means replacement is not realistically feasible.
- Severe adverse environmental impacts: Extracting and refining fossil fuels causes air and water pollution, habitat degradation and destruction, mass deaths of marine species, and several other disruptions to wildlife. Additionally, it demands a lot of energy, exacerbating the climate crisis.
The adverse environmental impacts of the sourcing stage in synthetic mattresses can be alleviated in a few ways:
- Utilize bio-based raw ingredients (such as soy and castor beans used to make polyurethane foam).
- Replace all or part of the virgin plastic with recycled plastic (for example, recycled polyester can be used for the air chambers in airbed mattresses).
- Substitute toxic synthetic plastics with less harmful alternatives (such as using TPU instead of PVC in waterbeds or air mattresses).
Yet, it is important to note the greenwashing practices that draw consumers’ attention to these more environmentally friendly raw materials in synthetic mattresses, even if the use of such “greener” content is minimal in some cases.
Where Are the Raw Materials for Synthetic Mattresses Usually Sourced From
Tracking the origin of the fossil-derived raw materials in a specific synthetic mattress is often very challenging.
There are two reasons for this:
- The supply chain of fossil derivatives is extremely complex.
- A certain type of polymer used in synthetic mattress foam can be made in many factories using various ingredients, depending on the manufacturer and desired properties.
How Sustainable Is the Manufacturing of Synthetic Mattresses
Manufacturing synthetic mattresses is generally unsustainable because of the intensive use of energy and chemicals.
The typical process of manufacturing synthetic mattress includes the following steps:
- Make the synthetic core:
- Create the starting monomers.
- Polymerization.
- Molding and solidifying.
- Add other components, such as steel coils for support, a fire barrier for safety, and any extra comfort layers.
- Add covers.
Let’s now dive into a few key sustainable issues of this life-cycle stage.
Producing Synthetic Mattresses Is a Chemical-Intensive Process
The polymerization process typically relies on chemicals as raw materials and catalysts. Its chemical-intensive nature underscores the need for careful management to mitigate potential risks.
For instance, the production of memory foam is a complex process that could involve using around 60 chemicals, highlighting the extensive chemical use in this industry.
Toxic off-gassing is a high-risk factor in synthetic mattresses, especially the ones using PVC, such as air mattresses or waterbeds.
- Manufacturing PVC releases toxic phthalates, which are associated with many health problems. Specifically, phthalates have been found to damage the reproductive system in both males and females.
- Dioxin, a by-product of PVC, is the most potent synthetic carcinogen ever tested in laboratory animals and is a known human carcinogen.
- PVC production releases mercury into the environment.
Manufacturing Synthetic Mattress Uses a Lot of Energy
Manufacturing synthetic mattresses often requires a lot of energy, largely due to the power-hungry polymerization process. Manufacturing the starting monomers is also energy-intensive.
For example, the primary energy demand for 1kg of flexible polyurethane foam is from 85MJ to 95MJ, depending on the foam density (cradle-to-gate), according to a study of polyurethane mattresses made in Europe. This could have a serious knock-on environmental impact when manufacturing depends largely on fossil fuels.
According to the same study, the global warming potential (GWP) of 1kg of flexible polyurethane foam varies from 3 to 3.5 kg CO2 eq, depending on the density of the foam (cradle-to-gate). Manufacturing and processing chemicals account for the highest percentage of GWP( 93%).
At this stage, using renewable energy (solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass) would significantly reduce carbon emissions.
How Sustainable Is the Transportation of Synthetic Mattresses
Transporting can be a carbon-intensive stage in the life-cycle of synthetic mattresses because of the emissions associated with the transportation and delivery vehicles. Synthetic mattresses typically travel from mines to processing factories and then to sorting centers, shops, and consumers’ homes before going to recycling centers or landfills.
In the life-cycle of synthetic mattresses, transportation typically occurs as follows:
- from mines where raw materials are extracted to the manufacturing locations where synthetic mattress and mattresses are made and put together,
- from the manufacturing location to sorting centers and/or physical shops,
- from sorting centers and/or physical shops to the consumer’s home, and
- from the consumer’s home to the centers for recycling and/or disposal.
Traveling Distances of Synthetic Mattresses Vary Depending on Their Country of Origin
It is uncommon for synthetic mattresses to have raw materials mined, processed, and sold in one town, country, or even continent.
Here are some scenarios for transporting synthetic mattresses:
- Fossil fuels are mined in Alberta, Canada, and transported to a factory in Canada to be made into flexible polyurethane foam. The foam is then transported to a mattress manufacturer in the US, and the synthetic (foam) mattresses are sold across North America.
- Manufacturers source petroleum mined in the Congo Basin and produce water capsules in China before assembling synthetic (waterbed) mattresses at other manufacturers in China. The final products are shipped to the US to be sold to consumers.
You can reduce the transporting carbon footprint by choosing synthetic mattresses that travel a shorter distance from the mines and are made closer to your home.
The Carbon Footprint of Transporting Synthetic Mattresses Depends Largely on the Vehicle of Transportation
During its life-cycle, a synthetic mattress can be transported using various types of vehicles, including:
- large container ships
- planes
- freight trains
- long-distance trucks
- short-distance delivering vans
And these various types of transportation vehicles have different carbon footprint impacts, as follows:
- Large container ships are generally the most carbon-efficient option for international transportation of goods, while planes are the heaviest carbon emitter.
Large container ships emit, per unit of weight and distance, half as much carbon dioxide as a train and one-fifth and one-fiftieth as much as a truck and a plane (respectively). - Deliveries made by planes—for example, to fulfill fast shipping options—are the mode of transportation with the highest carbon footprint.
To reduce the carbon footprint of your purchase as a consumer, you can choose not to pick a fast delivery option when ordering your synthetic mattress.
How Sustainable Is the Usage of Synthetic Mattresses
The sustainability of using natural mattresses varies depending on their lifespan. In particular, airbeds, waterbeds, and synthetic latex are relatively durable, leading to a sustainable usage stage. In contrast, polyurethane foam mattresses and air mattresses don’t tend to last long. Additionally, using synthetic mattresses releases microplastics.
The lifespan of synthetic mattresses varies, depending on the frequency of use, the level of care, and the materials.
While a well-made waterbed mattress can last 10 to 15 years, a synthetic mattress made with polyurethane foam generally has a lifespan of only a few years.
Durability in mattresses means consumers don’t need to replace them too frequently, reducing waste generation and conserving resources.
It is also important to note that using and washing synthetic mattresses could release microplastics.
How Sustainable Is the End-of-Life of Synthetic Mattresses
The end-of-life stage of synthetic mattresses is unsustainable because they don’t biodegrade. However, there are established ways to recycle certain plastics to make new mattresses.
Conventional synthetic mattresses don’t biodegrade and can sit in landfills for a thousand years. Thus, they are less sustainable compared to natural mattresses.
However, in controlled biodegradation experiments, some partial bio-based synthetic mattresses have shown significant degradation in much shorter timeframes (four weeks to twelve weeks).
How Circular Are Mattresses Made of Synthetic Mattress
As a principle, products made with one type of material are easier to disassemble and recycle than products made with a blend of materials.
Several established ways to recycle various types of plastics used in synthetic materials exist.
For example, flexible polyurethane foam, the base of polyurethane foam, memory foam, and gel mattresses, can be recycled in mechanical and chemical processes.
- Mechanical recycling: Flexible synthetic mattress is reused in its polymer form, recovered pre-industrial (production trims) or post-consumer (discarded mattresses).
- Chemical recycling: Discarded materials (flexible polyurethane and other waste) are broken down in a reactor to recover the main raw materials it was made from. Various chemical recycling methods (glycolysis, hydrolysis, pyrolysis, hydrogenation) result in different chemicals, from polyols to gas and oils.
“The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting. The circular economy tackles climate change and other global challenges, like biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution, by decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources.”
Ellen Macarthur Foundation
Mattresses are bulky waste that take up significant space in landfills—often for a long time, too. Luckily, many companies have made great efforts to include recycled content in synthetic mattresses, moving toward circularity.
Why Is It Important to Buy Mattresses Made of More Sustainable Materials
It is important to buy mattresses made of more sustainable materials because such materials generally have lower carbon footprints, put less pressure on natural resources, and are safer for both consumers and workers.
Buying Mattresses Made of More Sustainable Materials Reduces Toxic Chemicals In Your Sleeping Environment
Many mattresses are made with synthetic materials in chemical-intensive processes, exposing factory workers and end users to health risks, especially regarding the respiratory system. For example, one memory foam model was found to emit 61 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including the known carcinogens benzene and naphthalene.
In contrast, mattresses made of more sustainable materials, such as plant-based latex or organic wool, are generally safer, as they don’t contain toxic chemicals and are produced in more responsible processes.
Buying Mattresses Made of More Sustainable Materials Reduces Your Carbon Footprint
Conventional synthetic materials used in mattresses are fossil-derived and, thus, have a high carbon footprint. On the other hand, mattresses made with more sustainable materials, either organic or recycled, have relatively low carbon footprints.
Buying Mattresses Made of More Sustainable Materials Reduces Demand for Natural Resources and Waste Management
Buying mattresses made with more sustainable materials, such as organic or recycled ones, means that you can avoid fossil-derived mattress foams, which contribute to the depletion of nonrenewable resources.
Additionally, using organic materials for mattresses lessens the pressure on landfill space. On that note, keep the following in mind:
- Mattresses are bulky waste that take up significant space in landfills.
- Over 50,000 mattresses are thrown out every day in the US and about 20 million of those end up in landfills annually.
Considering that synthetic materials don’t break down for hundreds of years, opting for organic mattresses that are biodegradable and recyclable is a great idea, as these mattresses significantly lower the pressure on landfills.
Buying Mattresses Made of More Sustainable Plant-Based Materials Encourages Sustainable Management of Forests and Ecosystems
Sustainable plant-based mattress materials, such as natural latex, are made with raw materials from forests and plantations that are sustainably managed.
When you buy sustainable plant-based materials, you discourage unsustainable practices like clearing biodiverse forests for cattle raising. Furthermore, you help reduce deforestation, biodiversity loss, and the effects of climate change.
Final Thoughts
Synthetic mattresses are generally unsustainable. The raw materials come from nonrenewable fossil fuels, and the manufacturing process is energy-intensive and chemical-intensive. Additionally, synthetic mattresses are not biodegradable.
However, you can make your use of synthetic mattresses more sustainable by following these steps:
- Buy recycled or upcycled synthetic mattresses.
- Keep your synthetic mattress for as long as possible.
- At the end-of-life of your synthetic mattress, upcycle the material to extend its usage and arrange for it to be recycled or properly disposed of.
Stay impactful,
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