Where conventional mattresses are mostly made of polyurethane foam and other synthetics, non-toxic mattresses use more natural and organic materials like organic cotton, wool, and latex. As mentioned above, third-party certifications can be one way to combat greenwashing and provide a level of accountability for ingredient quality and sourcing. Even though these certifications each come with their pros and cons, they do add up to create a level of consumer confidence. It can be difficult to sort through all of those different labels and acronyms, so here's a quick breakdown of what each one means: GOTS: This stands for Global Organic Textile Standard. When it comes to mattresses, the GOTS certification is usually referencing the cotton and wool used, indicating that it's been organically grown and processed without things like herbicides and pesticides. GOLS: GOLS is like GOTS, but for latex (Global Organic Latex Standard). This is actually the first standard for latex and it means that the latex used in the mattress comes from certified organic rubber trees. This is better than synthetic latex, which is basically just plastic. GREENGUARD: The GREENGUARD certification indicates that the product has been tested and confirmed to have no or low levels of over 360 VOCs (such as formaldehyde). Look for GREENGUARD Gold when possible, because it means the product has been tested for an additional set of chemicals. MADE SAFE: This is another certification that looks at a wide variety of toxins, from flame retardants to VOCs, carcinogens to heavy metals, and more. This is a pretty strict and comprehensive certification, so you can trust that a product is made with safe ingredients! This is one of the few certifications that looks at the product as a whole rather than just certain parts of it. OEKO-TEX: Just because a certain material, like cotton, is grown organically doesn't mean there aren't toxic chemicals added later on in the manufacturing process. This is where OEKO-TEX comes in. This certification indicates the finished product is free from a list of chemicals known to be harmful to humans. Although this list is not comprehensive (for example, it excludes some PFAS), it's still a good thing to look for. Rainforest Alliance: This one refers to material that comes from trees (like latex for example), and how it was sourced. Rainforest Alliance certified products mean the materials were sourced in an environmentally-responsible way that doesn't lead to deforestation. This certification is helpful from any eco-conscious standpoint, but doesn't really have anything to do with toxins. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): This one is similar to the Rainforest Alliance in that it ensures that various plant-based materials (like bamboo or latex) are sourced from responsibly-managed forests. Still more (less common) certifications you'll see on non-toxic and organic mattresses include things like: Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), which means the wool was sourced in an ethical and sustainable way. PETA-Approved Vegan, which means the mattress is completely free from wool or any other animal products. Formaldehyde-Free by UL (although formaldehyde is also covered by several of the other certifications above so this one could be redundant) B Corp, which verifies that the company as a whole meets certain overarching social and environmental standards 1% for the Planet, which means the company gives back 1% of profits to environmental non-profits And of course, the most common certification you'll see on mattresses is CertiPUR. Let's talk about that one...