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You may not want to hear this but a lot of popular mattress brands aren’t exactly fiberglass-free. Mattresses that contain fiberglass have come under scrutiny – with some brands even facing lawsuits – due to complications arising from consumers who have experienced serious health issues when they were exposed to fiberglass particles from their mattresses. And we’re here to tell you the exact brands that have fiberglass in their mattresses.
What mattresses have fiberglass? (full list)
| Mattress brand | Does it have fiberglass? |
|---|---|
| Zinus | Yes |
| Ashley Furniture | Yes |
| Molblly | Yes |
| Leesa | Yes |
| Lucid | Yes |
| Olee Sleep | Yes |
| Allswell Mattresses | Yes |
| Linenspa | Yes |
| Vibe Mattresses (Classic Brands) | Yes |
| Lull Mattresses | Yes |
| Siena Mattresses | Yes |
| Amazon Basics Mattress | Yes |
| Nectar | Yes |
| GhostBed | Yes |
As you can tell from our table above, most mattress brands that have mattresses with fiberglass fall on the cheaper side of the spectrum although there are some higher-end brands included on there too.
A few brands (such as Zinus Mattress and Ashley Furniture) have even faced lawsuits from consumers claiming that their mattresses have caused them to suffer adverse health effects such as skin irritation and respiratory problems. Most of these lawsuits are still pending a verdict while the rest have been settled out of court.
But if fiberglass is so dangerous, why do mattress manufacturers still keep using it?
Fiberglass or glass fiber reinforced plastic is typically used as a cheaper (and what was thought to be safer) alternative to flame retardant chemicals. All-foam mattresses such as memory foam mattresses are prone to catching fire when exposed to open flame hence why safety regulations have been set by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission which includes the use of a fire barrier or flame retardants in mattresses.
Most mattress companies opt to use a blend of natural materials such as organic wool, viscose and horse hair as flame retardants in fiberglass-free mattresses such as Avocado Mattresses. These types of natural fire barriers usually act as a protective layer and sit on top of the mattress right underneath the mattress cover. These types of flame retardants are also more expensive to produce and assemble.
Mattresses that contain fiberglass differ slightly in composition.
Although some mattresses may also have a glass reinforced plastic fire barrier – which is basically like one whole sheet of glass fibers right on top of your mattress underneath the cover – others have glass wool or fiberglass reinforced plastic woven within or in between the foam layers.
Although it’s rare for fiberglass particles to escape expertly made mattress covers, mattress brands that offer cheap mattresses often skimp on the quality of their mattresses’ outer cover allowing these tiny, microscopic particles to seep through.
There are also some mattress companies that use chemical flame retardants and while they are technically approved for use in mattresses, these chemicals may also pose a whole set of other problems.
But is fiberglass in mattresses really dangerous as some people say? Read on to find out.
How to tell if a mattress brand contains fiberglass
There are a few telltale signs that can let you know that a mattress contains fiberglass.
- Check the mattress label – By law, mattress brands are required to state the materials used in the composition of their mattresses. If you see the words glass wool, glass fiber or glass reinforced plastic – these are all fiberglass.
- Price to good to be true – If a mattress (especially a true memory foam mattress) is being sold for a price that’s a little too low for what it’s being marketed for, you can bet your bottom dollar that it’s made with cheap and questionable materials like fiberglass. But then again, also bear in mind that just because it’s a cheap mattress it doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. Some mattress brands offer inexpensive mattresses that do not contain any fiberglass.
- Made overseas – Mattresses made in countries such as China may not follow the same rules and safety regulations such as mattresses made here in the USA. Some countries also focus more on output rather than quality which requires the use of quick, easy and cheap materials.
- Non-removable covers – If a mattress tag explicitly states not to remove the mattress cover or outer cover, more often than not it’s because the mattress has fiberglass inside. Removing a cover and subsequently washing it will allow the fiberglass to escape.
- All-foam mattresses – Mattresses made from polyurethane foam are more prone to catch fire than mattresses that are made up of spring coils or a combination of both coils and foam. Not all foam mattresses contain fiberglass but always err on the side of caution and check the mattress label.
Is sleeping on a fiberglass mattress dangerous?
The short answer to this is – it depends.
Cheap mattresses are often poorly made with low grade materials which can result in a mattress cover that’s thin and flimsy. Even though these covers are non-removable, the tiny fibers of fiberglass can still seep through and contaminate your bed, the air and basically your whole house if left unchecked.
Fiberglass exposure can pose serious health risks. These risks include skin and eye irritations, throat irritations and respiratory tract infections. If a lot of fiberglass particles are inhaled, these can even travel to the lungs causing microscopic tears!
And yes, fiberglass can affect both humans and animals so they may also affect your pet if you have one.
But on the other side of the coin, well-made mattresses that contain fiberglass are can be pretty safe to sleep on, especially if the covers are reinforced and the fiberglass is woven in between the foam layers and not sitting directly underneath the cover.
Not all mattresses that contain fiberglass are dangerous to sleep on. If you’ve confirmed that your current mattress does indeed contain fiberglass and you are certain that it hasn’t leaked, you can add an extra layer of protection by using a mattress protector.
If you notice that there are tears in your mattress, you can check for leaks by shining a flashlight on your mattress surface. If it glints and gleams, you might have a leak. If you feel like the leak is contained within one area, you could take steps to clean the fiberglass from the mattress.
If it has leaked out onto your bedroom and into your HVAC system, you may need to enlist the help of professionals to help clean your entire home.
It may also be time to invest in a new mattress that’s free from fiberglass.
Why mattress brands put fiberglass in their mattresses
We’re not going to beat around the bush here – mattress companies use fiberglass in a mattress to cut costs and hasten the production line.
Fiberglass is cheap, easy to produce and fire retardant. In order to comply with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, mattress brands have found a way to churn out mattresses at a faster rate with low-cost materials that will pass all safety checks.
Other companies prefer to spend more money on their foam layers and skimp on their fire barriers. This can allow them to sell a mattress that’s a bit more expensive and yet they’d still be able to save on materials.
FAQs
Fiberglass can definitely come out of a mattress through tears and cuts on the mattress surface or cover. Some mattresses even leak fiberglass through a flimsy and poorly made outer cover. If you think you’ve been exposed, carefully check for leaks and tears and do the necessary precautions.
Conclusion
Mattresses that contain fiberglass can be safe to sleep on if they are made well and consumers take the necessary steps to protect themselves in the event of a leak. But there are also some mattresses that can expose you to fiberglass even without any tears, purely because they are made with cheap materials.
If you’re on the hunt for a new mattress, it’s better to be safe now than sorry later on by investing in a fiberglass-free mattress.
Next step: Read our Saatva mattress review. Saatva is a premium brand that DOES NOT use fiberglass in their mattresses. If you want a safe sleeping environment, you can’t go wrong with Saatva.
Michelline loves nothing more than a cozy bed, with a stack of books at her side. She loves getting lost when she travels, can bake an entire British afternoon tea from scratch, is obsessed with all things analogue and does calligraphy on the side. She currently suffers from mild insomnia and is more than happy to be your guinea pig, so you won’t have to go through all the trouble of finding out what works best for you.
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