Best Mattress without Fiberglass of 2025
Our accomplished team of sleep science coaches, engineers, and product evaluators meticulously assess hundreds of mattresses using our unique product methodology. Each article is reviewed for precision, citing only credible sources. Systematically reassessing our content and picks, we align with the latest scientific literature and expert counsel. Our top-rated mattresses have been personally assessed and highly rated.

Freshly Re-evaluated
We've recently updated our top mattress picks, incorporating new insights from our professional testers. If a mattress appears on this list, you can be sure that we've personally assessed it and granted it a high rating based on our stringent evaluation standards.
- Best Mattress without Fiberglass Overall: Amerisleep AS3
- Best Cooling Mattress without Fiberglass: Zoma Boost
- Best Memory Foam Mattress without Fiberglass: Zoma Start
- Best Affordable Mattress without Fiberglass: Vaya Hybrid
- Best Latex Mattress without Fiberglass: Nolah Natural 11
- Best Innerspring Mattress without Fiberglass: Saatva Classic
- Best Hybrid Mattress without Fiberglass: Bear Elite Hybrid
- Best Luxury Mattress without Fiberglass: Helix Midnight Luxe
- Best Natural Mattress without Fiberglass: Birch Natural Luxe
- Best Vegan Mattress without Fiberglass: Avocado Vegan Mattress
If you’ve been shopping for a mattress for a while, you may have realized that you need to get one without fiberglass because of all the different health issues this dangerous material can cause. The good news is there are plenty of mattresses out there without fiberglass.
The bad news is the sheer number of mattresses that do not contain fiberglass can make it hard to tell which one is the best. The fantastic news is we’ve done all the hard work for you. Below, you’ll find 10 of the best mattresses on the market that don’t have any fiberglass in them at all.
Best Mattresses without Fiberglass
If you want the most versatile mattress without fiberglass on the market, check out the Amerisleep AS3. This memory foam mattress offers a little something for everyone. Its plant-based memory foam is responsive for active sleepers and breathable for hot sleepers.
It’s also hypoallergenic for sleepers with allergies. The base foam is durable. The transition layer is pressure-relieving. And best of all, this is a very affordable mattress.
“As a chiropractor, I highly recommend the Amerisleep AS3 mattress for its exceptional design and commitment to your well-being,” says Dr. Jordan Burns. “It’s notable lack of fiberglass sets it apart, as it eliminates potential allergens and irritants that can negatively impact your sleep quality and overall health.”
“Rest easy on the AS3 mattress, knowing that its focus on safety and comfort aligns perfectly with my goal of promoting optimal spinal alignment and musculoskeletal health.”
Eachnight.com has also named the AS3 as the best memory foam mattress without fiberglass.
- 9 Value
- 10 Edge Support
- 9 Trial Period
- 9 Response Time
- 10 Motion Transfer
- 10 Cooling & Breathability
Lying down on the AS3, you’ll notice right away that it has several advantages over traditional memory foam. The plant-based memory foam is much more breathable than regular memory foam, which only features synthetic ingredients. This means this special type of foam can breathe to shed heat and ensure your sleep surface stays cool.
The plant-based memory foam is also much more responsive than traditional memory foam. So you won’t be dealing with body impressions or slow response time, and you won’t have to sacrifice any contouring or pressure relief to boot!
The AS3 starts off with a cooling and breathable cover known as the Refresh cover. This cover uses mineral infusions to convert your body heat into far infrared energy. Not only does this energy help disperse your body heat. It has also been shown to improve sleep quality.
Underneath, you’ll find a layer of plant-based Bio-Pur® memory foam. This memory foam swaps some petroleum-based ingredients for plant-based ones. This creates a semi-natural memory foam that offers much more comfort than the overly hot and unresponsive traditional kind.
Underneath the plant-based comfort layer, you’ll find the zoned HIVE® transition layer that offers five different zones of pressure relief and support to target each body area with the right mix that it needs. This is one of the things that makes the AS3 such a versatile mattress.
Finally, a layer of ultra-firm and highly dense base foam brings up the bottom of this memory foam mattress. This Bio-Core® foam provides sturdy support that will prevent sagging and soft spot development for at least 20 years, even as it keeps you lifted onto the sleep surface and fights sinkage all throughout the night.
If you want a cooling mattress without fiberglass, check out the newest offering from Zoma. The Zoma Boost features graphite infusions and breathability-enhancing technologies that help keep the sleep surface cool to the touch throughout the entire night, no matter how hot you sleep.
- 10 Value
- 10 Edge Support
- 9 Trial Period
- 9 Response Time
- 10 Motion Transfer
- 9 Cooling & Breathability
The Boost is Zoma’s softest offering, coming in around a medium-soft. This makes it perfect for side sleepers, petite sleepers, and others who need extra pressure relief. It’s also a wonderful option for those looking for a softer mattress that is not hot or slow to respond.
Of course, the thing you will notice the most about the Boost is its coolness. The cooling technologies in this mattress ensure that the sleep surface starts off with a cool-touch feel and stays pleasantly chilly throughout the night. Not many softer mattresses can fight heat buildup quite like this one.
The Boost starts with an advanced cooling cover that helps keep the sleep surface at the optimal temperature for sleep by inhaling cool air and exhaling hot air every time you move. Two layers of hypersoft quilt foam sit directly underneath this cover to create a plush and pressure-relieving feel.
The comfort layer of the Boost is a layer of graphite-infused memory foam. Not only does this highly thermally conductive material draw heat away from your body. It also creates a hostile environment for allergy-triggering microbes like mold, mildew, and bacteria.
Next, comes a highly responsive transition layer known as the Reactiv™ layer. This layer adds extra bounce to the sleep surface even over what the coils alone could provide. The support core of this mattress consists of highly responsive pocketed coils that can provide adaptable and dynamic support while also bouncing back underneath you as soon as you move.
Through our testing, we determined that the Zoma Start is an excellent choice for people who are sensitive to latex or simply prefer a memory foam mattress. While many memory foam mattresses rely on fiberglass as a fire barrier, whereas the Zoma Start does not.
Like all Zoma mattresses, the Zoma Start ships free and comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.
“As someone that is dedicated to enhancing my patients’ well-being, I whole-heartedly endorse the Zoma mattress for its exceptional qualities and commitment to a healthy sleep environment,” says Dr. Burns. “The absence of fiberglass in the Zoma mattress is a testament to its dedication to safety and comfort.”
“By eliminating potential allergens and irritants Zoma ensures that your sleep experience is free from unnecessary risks and promotes a healthier, more rejuvenating rest. Embrace the Zoma mattress, knowing that it aligns perfectly with my mission to prioritize spinal alignment and musculoskeletal health for a truly revitalizing sleep.”
- 10 Value
- 10 Edge Support
- 9 Trial Period
- 8 Response Time
- 9 Motion Transfer
- 9 Cooling & Breathability
Our research revealed that this cooling bed, which was originally designed for athlets, increases muscle repair and improves sleep quality. It’s also designed to promote relaxation with cooling, comfy support, with a medium feel that offers balanced support for most sleeping styles.
The elastic AirCloth cover on the Zoma Start is comfortable and moisture-wicking, staying cool at night. So in our experience, when you wake up in the morning, you won’t feel overheated or moist.
The comfort layer of the Zoma Start is made of gel memory foam. The foam is flexible and cushiony, easing pressure points without letting sleepers sink uncomfortably. Gel memory foam also works with the airy cover to keep the bed cool at night, as our tests found.
Following that is a layer of Reactiv™ transition foam. When you change positions or get out of bed, the Reactiv™ foam snaps back into shape, preventing you from feeling “stuck” in bed. The Reactiv™ layer aids in the distribution of your body weight, which helps to deter pain.
The Zoma Start’s base is made of long-lasting Support+ foam. The Support+ foam, as the name implies, supports not just your spine but also the bed itself. We noticed when we trialed this product that this foundation increases the longevity of the Zoma Start by being resistant to sags, lumps, and soft places.
If you have been looking for a mattress without fiberglass for any amount of time, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of them are not cheap. However, there are a few mattresses on the market that offer both fiberglass-free quality and an affordable price. The Vaya Hybrid is one such mattress. It is able to keep its price low by keeping its design simple.
- 10 Value
- 8 Edge Support
- 9 Trial Period
- 10 Response Time
- 8 Motion Transfer
- 8 Cooling & Breathability
The Vaya Hybrid sports a highly pressure-relieving feel that can provide you with all the cradling you want and support you need, thanks to its medium soft feel and extremely contouring foam.
This mattress is also designed to wick away heat and sweat, due to its unique combination of an incredibly breathable cover and ultra-porous foam that is just as talented at circulating air as the cover itself.
The first layer of the Vaya Hybrid is its layer of highly porous and contouring memory foam. This foam features millions upon millions of air pockets that push hot air out of the mattress and pull cool air in every time you move to ensure maximum comfort. The memory foam also offers deep compression to protect your pressure points. This is especially important for side sleepers.
Underneath the memory foam comfort layer, you will find a layer of pocketed coils. These individually wrapped coils can all move independently of one another. This means they are able to bounce back underneath you without transferring motion.
They are also highly adaptable because each one can compress without affecting the others. This offers highly contoured support.
Underneath these coils sits a layer of base foam that provides all the stability and support the coils need to be just as durable as their more expensive competitors. And all this comfort is wrapped in the plush, breathable fabric cover for cooling and moisture protection.
Those who want a natural hybrid mattress should check out the Natural 11 by Nolah. This mattress features the springiest and most breathable kind of latex combined with a layer of highly responsive coils for a feel that is almost as bouncy as an innerspring mattress.
- 9 Value
- 9 Edge Support
- 9 Trial Period
- 10 Response Time
- 8 Motion Transfer
- 9 Cooling & Breathability
When you lie down on the Natural, you’ll notice two things right away. The first thing you’ll notice is just how cool this mattress is. This is thanks to the natural breathability of both Talalay latex and pocketed coils. All the layers of this mattress work to circulate air, so that’s what you feel like you’re sleeping on.
The other thing you’ll notice is how responsive this mattress is. When you combine springy latex with bouncy coils, you get a mattress that responds to all your movements, no matter how small. This means it will bounce back as soon as you move, and you will never have to wait for body impressions to clear.
The Natural starts off with an organic cotton cover that helps keep the sleep surface cool and dry. This cover rests atop a fire barrier of organic wool that helps ensure total fire protection without the need for fiberglass. Best of all, the wool layer offers extra pressure relief and breathability.
Then, you’ll find the two layers of Talalay latex. The first layer is the plush and contouring comfort layer that absorbs pressure and provides deep compression. The next layer is the firmer transition layer that increases buoyancy and support.
The base of this mattress is made of tri-zoned coils that offer targeted support. You will find more pressure relief in the upper and lower areas, while the center and perimeter feature reinforced coils for maximum lumbar and edge support.
Most of the time, innerspring mattresses are not worth the cost to ship them. However, with a few tweaks to the traditional innerspring design, Saatva has created a mattress that fixes all the flaws of a traditional spring mattress while retaining its bounce and breathability. So say hello to the Saatva Classic.
- 7 Value
- 10 Edge Support
- 10 Trial Period
- 10 Response Time
- 9 Motion Transfer
- 9 Cooling & Breathability
Lying down on the Saatva Classic, you will notice right away that it bounces just like an innerspring mattress, and it circulates air just like one too. This is all thanks to its bottom support layer, which is made of open coils.
However, what you won’t notice is all the motion transfer, noise, and sagging that tends to come with regular innerspring mattresses. This is thanks to the pocketed coil layer of the Classic, which rests on top of the open coils and helps them sort out some of their issues.
The first layer of the Classic is an organic cotton cover treated with botanical antimicrobials to fight common allergens like dust mites, bacteria, and mold. This cooling quilted cover sits atop a three-inch Euro topper for additional comfort.
Underneath the Euro topper, a layer of high-density memory foam and the Lumbar Zone Active Spinal wire help provide extra lumbar support to keep your spine aligned and your back free from pain.
Next, comes the first support layer of this mattress. This layer of pocketed coils is the layer that gives the mattress its hybrid qualities. These individually wrapped coils adapt to your shape and isolate motion to keep partners happy and well-rested together.
Under the first support layer, the second support layer features 13-gauge tempered steel open coils. This is the layer that gives the Classic its traditional innerspring bounce and breathability. To prevent sagging and increase durability, a high-density foam perimeter rail system is in place for edge support.
Those who want a memory foam hybrid that features all the cooling and breathability of a latex hybrid without the allergy potential should check out the Bear Elite Hybrid. This mattress maintains its low temperature using copper infusions to draw heat away from your body.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Elite is that it features an extremely cool sleep surface that stays pleasantly chilly from the start of the night to the finish. This is all thanks to the highly thermally conductive copper infusions in the comfort layer.
You’ll also notice that this mattress offers the perfect balance of support and pressure relief, due to its zoned coils that offer more lift in the center and around the edges and more pressure relief on the two ends.
The Elite Hybrid starts out with a cooling quilted cover that combines PCM fabric and Celliant fibers to create a combination of thermal conductivity and breathability.
The cooling cover works with the copper-infused memory foam to pull body heat away from your skin and down into the mattress, where it can be dispersed by the pocketed coil support layer. This copper doesn’t just keep the sleep surface cool, but it also creates a hostile environment for all kinds of microbes that can cause allergy symptoms.
Next, a layer of dynamic transition foam provides ergonomic support and deep compression. It also offers seamless progression from the comfort foam layer to the pocketed coil support core.
Finally, a layer of pocketed coils provides extra lift through the middle and around the perimeter for superior lumbar and edge support. These coils also compress more underneath your shoulders and hips for maximum pressure relief.
Those who want a mattress with a soft and cradling feel that still offers tons of buoyancy and support should check out the Helix Midnight Luxe. This mattress offers all the softness you need for perfect pressure relief without losing the lift and support you need to keep your spine ideally aligned.
- 7 Value
- 10 Edge Support
- 9 Trial Period
- 9 Response Time
- 9 Motion Transfer
- 10 Cooling & Breathability
Lying down on the Midnight Luxe, you will immediately notice its amazing soft feel. The Luxe is a medium mattress, which means it offers lots of pressure relief but still maintains quite a bit of support. This is perfect for side sleepers and others who need more cradling but don’t want to lose the spinal support they need to avoid back pain.
You’ll also notice this mattress is extremely buoyant for a softer mattress. This is all thanks to its layers of high-density foam that help increase the support of the comfort layer without sacrificing deep compression or cushioning.
The Midnight Luxe starts off with a choice between cooling cover options. You can pick between a cooling GlacioTex™ cover that draws your body heat away from you, or you can pick a highly breathable TENCEL™ that circulates hot air away.
Whichever cover you choose, it will rest atop a premium quilted pillow top for extra comfort. This top sits on a layer of high-grade polyfoam that cradles and contours to your body for optimum pressure relief.
Next, a layer of copper gel memory foam is designed to draw body heat away from your and toward the bottom of the mattress, where it can be dissipated by the airflow in the coils. The gel memory foam comfort layer rests on top of a layer of high-density memory foam for a boost in buoyancy and support.
Finally, a layer of tri-zoned pocketed coils offers more support in the middle and around the perimeter to provide total spinal alignment and edge-to-edge support.
If you’re looking for another amazing latex hybrid without fiberglass, check out the Birch Luxe Natural Mattress. This latex hybrid offers all the benefits of both latex and pocketed coils, and it also features several layers of organic textiles for a cool and moisture-free sleep experience.
The Birch features multiple layers of wool and cashmere, so it offers a unique feel that provides more pressure relief and contour than latex foam alone. The wool is also temperature-neutral to offer comfort to both hot and cold sleepers at once.
This fiberglass-free mattress is perfect for back sleepers, not only because of its medium-firm feel, but also because of its zoned coils that offer extra support underneath the middle of your body to keep your heavier parts lifted in line with your lighter ones. This design feature also makes it an excellent mattress for back pain.
The Birch starts with an organic cotton cover with a matelasse finish for a smooth and beautiful look. This cover sits atop the first layer of wool – the all-natural fire barrier that eliminates the need for fiberglass inside the mattress.
Next, you’ll find the first layer of organic cashmere and organic wool. These textiles have natural thermoregulatory properties that allow them to remain temperature-neutral for both hot and cold sleepers alike.
Underneath, two comfort layers of organic wool offer elastic and hygroscopic properties to provide moisture-free pressure relief and comfort. These layers also offer tons of extra loft and breathability for added comfort.
Then, a transition layer of all-natural latex adds bounce and buoyancy to the layers of textiles to ensure minimal sink and prevent body impressions.
Finally, a layer of pocketed coils provides the support for this mattress. These coils offer three different zones. You’ll get more pressure relief on the two ends and more lift and support through the center to provide optimal spinal alignment.
If you’re looking for the ultimate vegan mattress without fiberglass, check out the Avocado Vegan Mattress. This mattress is the most animal-friendly and eco-friendly option on our list because it avoids using animal products entirely and is completely recyclable and biodegradable.
The Vegan is a Dunlop latex hybrid mattress. This means you’re going to notice several things when you lie down on it. The first thing you will notice is just how buoyant it is, thanks to Dunlop latex’s fantastic density and bounciness. The second thing you’ll notice is that this mattress is even cooler than your standard latex hybrid mattress.
This is because the organic Dunlop latex is infused with thermally conductive graphite. Graphite doesn’t just eliminate the need for a fiberglass fire barrier. It also acts as a thermal conductor to draw heat away from your body, making the already breathable natural latex even cooler than it would be on its own.
The Vegan Mattress starts off with an organic cotton cover that wicks away heat and sweat and only gets softer with time. Normally, in a natural mattress, the wool fire retardant comes directly underneath the mattress cover.
However, Avocado creates a fire barrier by infusing natural graphite into their organic latex foam. This creates a natural fire barrier by making the foam itself inflammable. While other mattresses simply cover their flammable foams, Avocado takes it a step further by making their foam itself inflammable.
After the organic latex layers, you’ll find a layer of up to 1,414 tempered steel coils arranged into five ergonomic zones targeted to each area of your body. These coils, as well as the organic latex and textiles above them, are recyclable. Furthermore, the textiles and latex foam are also biodegradable, so you can rest assured they won’t sit in a landfill for centuries.
Every piece of this mattress is eco-friendly and, best of all, cruelty-free. Avocado only uses the finest vegan ingredients in their mattresses. So you can rest assured that not only are you sleeping on a natural surface but no animals were harmed in the making of your mattress.
The Facts about Fiberglass in Mattresses
Unfortunately, there are lots of mattresses on the market nowadays that contain fiberglass. There are no real benefits to having fiberglass inside a mattress, so you might be wondering why any mattress would contain this potentially hazardous industrial material.
The reality is fiberglass is only in any mattress because it is cheap. This typically means it is more commonly found in mattresses that are marketed as affordable. That means you need to be especially careful with inexpensive mattresses, paying attention to their ingredients to ensure you are not purchasing a mattress that contains glass fiber.
“As someone that prioritizes the well-being and comfort of my patients, I hold quality standards in high regard. When it comes to mattresses, I highly recommend choosing ones that are free from fiberglass. Fiberglass, although commonly used as a fire retardant, can pose potential health risks and irritate the respiratory system,” says Dr. Jordan Burns.
“By opting for mattresses without fiberglass, you prioritize your health and ensure a safer sleep environment. Investing in quality mattresses that adhere to strict safety standards not only promotes better sleep but also supports your overall musculoskeletal health and well-being. Your comfort and safety are my top priorities, and I recommend mattresses without fiberglass to help you achieve a truly restorative and health-conscious sleep experience.”
What Fiberglass Is
Fiberglass is an industrial type of reinforced plastic that gets its strength from tiny shards of glass inside it. These glass particles increase the strength of the plastic without eliminating its flexibility. This makes fiberglass one of the most ubiquitous materials in the industrial world.
You will find fiberglass in just about anything. It’s in your car’s brake pads and under its hood. It’s in your home’s insulation and bathtub or shower. It might even be in your favorite sporting equipment, such as surfboards, boats, hockey sticks, and more.
Typically, you are safe from fiberglass exposure either because you will never come into contact with the fiberglass or because it is a type of fiberglass that has a rigid structure that cannot release glass particles. This is not the case for the fiberglass inside your mattress. Not only are you exposed to it every night, but it is a type that can easily release microscopic glass shards.
The type of fiberglass that goes inside mattresses is called glass cloth. With glass cloth, threads of fiberglass are woven into a sheet. This sheet is then made into a sock that covers the internal components of the mattress, sitting right under its cover and right next to your skin.
Why Mattresses Sometimes Contain Fiberglass
There’s only one reason mattresses would ever contain fiberglass: fire protection. It may surprise you to learn that the components inside your mattress are highly flammable, especially synthetic foam. To protect consumers from fire, all mattresses have to pass certain fire safety standards.
Mattresses are usually made fireproof by wrapping internal components in some sort of inflammable material to prevent the foam from bursting into flame. There are many different materials that can be used as a fireproof sock.
Fiberglass is the cheapest way to make a mattress sufficiently fire retardant. If exposed to high heat, fiberglass will melt rather than bursting into flame. When it melts, it forms a barrier over the flammable foam to keep it from igniting. There are plenty of other materials that can do this, but none are as inexpensive as fiberglass.
Dangers of Fiberglass
Fiberglass might be flame-retardant, but it is also quite dangerous. When you have fiberglass inside your mattress, there is the constant threat of fiberglass exposure – no matter what the mattress manufacturers say to the contrary.
When you’re exposed to fiberglass, it can cause all kinds of health issues ranging from eye irritation and vision problems to skin rashes and even chronic lung infections. This is because the tiny shards of glass inside fiberglass work their way out of this industrial material to fill the air and coat surfaces.
When you breathe in fiberglass or come into contact with it externally, it leaves tiny cuts all over every part of your body that it touches. This is why you can experience so many issues when exposed to fiberglass. It is literally injuring you.
Fiberglass Alternatives for Mattresses
Thankfully, you don’t have to have an industrial material inside your mattress. There are lots of alternatives that are much better at comfortably and safely protecting you from fire. Another affordable, synthetic fire barrier is silica fiber.
Silica is just as flame retardant as fiberglass, but it is much less of a threat to your health. Silica melts just like fiberglass does when it comes into contact with high heat. Unlike fiberglass, silica fibers cannot release microscopic glass shards into the air, which means they will not cause the same irritation.
There are lots of natural fibers that can also provide fire protection. Vegan mattresses often use some type of cellulose-based rayon, such as thistle or viscose. Other vegan mattresses may use mineral infusions to make their foam itself resistant to fire.
Wool is also another common natural fireproofing material. Wool is difficult to ignite and can often extinguish flame on its own. Furthermore, wool is also highly breathable and pressure-relieving. This means it doesn’t just protect you from fire, but it also adds another layer of comfort to your sleep surface.
How to Tell if a Mattress Has Fiberglass
All mattresses are legally required to come with a list of ingredients used inside them. This means that if you’re buying a brand-new mattress, it should be easy to tell if it has fiberglass as looking at this ingredients list.
If you want to know whether your existing mattress has fiberglass inside it, this may be a little harder. You could search for it online based on its brand and model number. If you can’t find it on the internet, look at the tag on the cover.
This tag often comes with instructions for how to care for the mattress. If this tag forbids you from removing the cover, that is a big clue that there is fiberglass underneath.
How to Choose the Best Mattress without Fiberglass
Being free of fiberglass is just one of several qualities your mattress needs to have in order to give you a quality night’s sleep. You’ll also need to think about your mattress’s material and its firmness for a truly perfect sleep experience.
Ideal Materials for Mattresses without Fiberglass
Your mattress’s material decides a lot about how the mattress feels. It decides everything from how buoyant it is to how cooling to how responsive and even how contouring.
This means you need to understand a little bit about your sleep needs before choosing your ideal type of mattress. Each different mattress material has different strengths and weaknesses that may or may not cater to you.
Memory Foam
Memory foam is one of the most popular mattress materials on the market for a lot of reasons. It is the absolute most contouring mattress material out there. A memory foam mattress is also highly affordable and decently durable. This makes for a comfortable bed that won’t break the bank or require you to replace it after only a few years.
Memory foam is also the material that offers the most pressure relief, thanks to its contouring nature. When you sleep on a memory foam mattress, it will mold itself to your body in a way that no other material can. This means memory foam is perfect for those who need pressure relief.
Memory foam’s affordability is also one of the things that attracts many people to this synthetic foam. Memory foam is more durable than the cheapest type of mattress (innerspring) and almost as inexpensive. This makes it the most affordable mattress material over time.
The main issues with a memory foam mattress are its slow response time and its tendency to retain heat. Memory foam mattresses tend to bounce back slowly in comparison to other materials. This may be a problem for you if you like to toss and turn in your sleep. Memory foam beds also tend to retain more body heat, which can be a problem for those who sleep hot.
Latex Foam
Natural latex foam comes from the sap of the rubber tree and is a fantastic alternative to memory foam for those who want responsiveness and breathability. Latex is naturally springy and breathable. This means it’s much more cooling and bouncy than memory foam.
Natural latex is also highly buoyant, meaning it’s a fantastic option for sleepers who like a more supportive feel. And it’s more durable than any other mattress material on the market. You can expect pure latex mattresses to last for decades.
Natural latex also is much more eco-friendly than memory foam. This is not only because latex manufacturing produces much less toxic waste than memory foam manufacturing, but also because natural latex is biodegradable and recyclable. Meanwhile, memory foam will sit in a landfill for just shy of forever.
The main problem with natural latex is its expense. Though it is the most durable mattress type, natural latex is also the most expensive type of mattress upfront. This can be prohibitive for many people who cannot plug down thousands of dollars for a mattress. Latex also has the potential to trigger symptoms in those allergic to it.
Hybrid
When it comes to comfort, it’s quite possible nothing beats a hybrid mattress. Hybrid mattresses combine a support layer of pocketed coils with a comfort layer of either latex or memory foam. There may also be foam transition layers in between. This means you get all the benefits of coils and all the benefits of foam all at the same time.
Hybrid mattresses feature coils that are individually wrapped in their own foam or fabric cases. This means the coils can all move independently of one another. This gives them the ability to adapt to your shape even better than base foam can. And they’re more responsive than base foam to boot – without all the motion transfer that comes with traditional open coils.
Pocketed coils are also more breathable than base foam, which means they keep more air flowing through the bottom of your mattress. This can make them another fantastic option for hot sleepers and active sleepers who need responsiveness.
The one issue with pocketed coils is the fact that they break down faster than base foam because they lose their tension. This means your hybrid mattress will not last as long as most pure foam mattresses. Combine that with their higher average initial price tag, and you have the most expensive mattress type over the course of its lifetime.
Innerspring
Innerspring mattresses are typically best avoided. They are created using older sleep technology that has a lot of problems that newer sleep technologies do not have, and that can include difficulty finding fiberglass-free mattress with traditional spring support. Comfort-wise, most of the innerspring mattress’s issues stem from its open coil support layer, in our experience.
Open coils do not have a fabric or foam casing and are wired together using steel cables. This means that the entire support core moves as one unit. Open coils do not contour very well because of this design flaw. They tend to sag under your heavier parts and exert pressure on areas they should compress underneath.
Furthermore, open coil support cores also amplify motion and transfer it all over the bed, making them a poor choice for couples. And the metal-to-metal contact from the unencased coils means most innerspring mattresses start making squeaking and creaking noises within a couple of years.
Open coils also lose tension and break down even faster than pocketed coils. You can expect to replace your innerspring mattress in less than 10 years. For all these reasons, we recommend hybrid mattresses for those who want a mattress with coils.
Ideal Firmness for Mattresses without Fiberglass
Your fiberglass-free mattress also has to have the right firmness in order to give you the best comfort. Firmness is measured on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the firmest.
Most of the time, you will not find mattresses that are firmer than about an eight or softer than about a three because all mattresses need at least some support or some compression, regardless of the ratio.
We compared some of the more common firmnesses in-depth in a few of our buying guides:
Your sleep position and body weight can both impact your firmness needs, though your sleep position is the thing that decides your firmness baseline.
Sleep Position
Your sleep position dictates your baseline firmness level because it decides how your body contacts the bed, where your pressure points are, and how much spinal support you need. This means you should decide your firmness based on how you sleep, and go up or down from there based on your body weight.
Back Sleepers
Back sleepers need a mix of support and pressure relief that slightly favors support. This is because back sleepers can have problems with both sinkage and a lack of contouring if they don’t get the right firmness mix.
When you sleep on your back, your body can sink into the bed if it is too soft. This will leave you sleeping in a hunched position and can cause back and neck pain. Conversely, if your mattress is too firm, it can allow your lumbar region to collapse onto the bed and leave you with lower back pain.
To get the right amount of support and contouring, back sleepers should generally choose medium-firm mattresses (6 of 10). These mattresses for back sleeping offer the perfect balance of lift and compression to follow the curve of your spine without letting you sink.
Combo Sleepers
Combination sleepers do not have a strong preference for any specific sleeping position. Rather, they may adopt any sleep position on any given night. This means they need a highly versatile mattress that can accommodate any sleep position without being designed for only one.
Typically, medium mattresses (5 of 10) fit this bill the best. Medium mattresses offer an even balance of pressure relief and support. This means they are firm enough for you to sleep on your stomach and back some of the time and soft enough for you to sleep on your side some of the time. This is perfect for most combination sleepers.
Side Sleepers
Side sleepers typically need softer mattresses. When you sleep on your side, your body weight pushes one of your shoulder and hip joints into the bed. If your mattress resists this pressure instead of absorbing it, this can leave you with pain in these sensitive pressure points. This means you need a mattress that can compress deeply to cushion your hips and shoulders.
Medium-soft mattresses (4 of 10) are typically best for side sleepers because they offer lots of pressure relief without sacrificing too much support. These mattresses for side sleeping help ensure the spine remains aligned and the joints are protected at the same time.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers typically need the firmest mattresses. This is because sleeping on your stomach allows your pelvis to sink into the bed. When this happens, it overarches your spine and can leave you with pain in your lumbar region.
Firm mattresses (7 of 10) counter sinkage and ensure your pelvis stays lifted to keep your spine aligned. For added spinal alignment, consider sleeping with a flat pillow or no pillow so that you do not have to twist your neck as much while you sleep.
Body Type
Your body type does not have as profound an impact on your firmness needs as your sleep position, but it can sometimes influence your firmness needs.
If you fall into what the mattress industry has labeled the average human weight range (130 to 230 pounds), then you don’t have to do anything with your firmness at all. You can just pick the mattress firmness level that corresponds to the way you like to sleep. If you fall outside of this range, you may have to take that into account.
Petite Sleepers
Those who weigh less than 130 pounds are considered petite sleepers. If you fall into this weight category, you usually need to go down a firmness level from the one that matches your sleep position.
This is because people who weigh less than 130 pounds tend to not get enough compression out of their mattresses for adequate pressure relief. Going one firmness level down can counter this issue.
For instance, a petite combination sleeper would go down from a medium to a medium-soft mattress to get the same amount of compression as an average-weight sleeper would get from a medium mattress.
Plus-Size Sleepers
Those who weigh more than 230 pounds are considered heavier or plus-size sleepers. When you are a heavier sleeper, you tend to have the opposite problem of a petite sleeper. You get too much compression out of a mattress that matches your sleep position.
Too much compression can lead to sinkage and spinal misalignment, so it’s important to ensure you get enough support by going up a firmness level from the one you would choose for your sleep position.
For instance, a heavier back sleeper would likely need to upgrade from a medium-firm to a firm mattress to get sufficient support for both their sleep position and their body weight.
Mattress Brands Reviewed
We understand how challenging and time-consuming it can be to find a fiberglass-free mattress. So we compiled a table to quickly look at what mattress brands do and don’t use fiberglass in their models.
Mattress Brand | Do They Use Fiberglass? |
---|---|
Allswell | Yes |
AmazonBasics | Yes |
Amerisleep | No |
Amorebeds | No |
Ashley Mattresses | Yes |
Avenco | No |
Avocado | No |
Awara | No |
Bear | No |
Best Price Mattress | Yes |
Big Fig | No |
Birch | No |
Brentwood Home | No |
Brooklyn Bedding | No |
Casper | Yes |
Classic Brands | Yes |
Crystli | Yes |
Dynasty Mattress | No |
Eco Terra | No |
Eight Sleep | Yes |
Emma | Yes |
Essentia | No |
Full Moon | Yes |
GhostBed | Yes |
Happsy | No |
Helix | No |
Joybed | No |
Keetsa | No |
Latex for Less | No |
Layla | Yes |
Leesa | Yes |
Linenspa | Yes |
Lucid | Yes |
Lull | Yes |
Mainstays | Yes |
Maxim | No |
Minocasa | No |
Mlily | No |
Molblly | Yes |
Molecule | Yes |
My Green Mattress | No |
NapQueen | Yes |
Natural Form | No |
Naturepedic | No |
Nectar | Yes |
Nest Bedding | No |
Nolah | No |
Novilla | No |
Oleesleep | Yes |
Perfect Cloud | Yes |
Plushbeds | No |
Puffy | Yes |
Purple | No |
Saatva | No |
Sealy | Yes |
Siena | Yes |
Signature Sleep | Yes |
Silk & Snow | No |
Sleep Innovations | Yes |
Sleepy’s by Mattress Firm | Yes |
Spindle | No |
Stearns & Foster | Yes |
Sunrising Bedding | No |
Sweetnight | No |
Tempurpedic | Yes |
Tuft & Needle | No |
tulo by Mattress Firm | Yes |
Vaya | No |
Vibe | Yes |
Winkbed | No |
Zinus | Yes |
Zoma | No |
Sleep Number | Uncertain but quite possible |
Saving on a Mattress without Fiberglass
When it comes to the best time to buy a mattress, it’s always when you see your current mattress is unfit for sleeping on. However, many prefer to wait until one of the year’s big mattress sales.
You can also save by shopping online. Online web stores tend to have more competitive prices due to fewer overhead costs, and with a lengthy sleep trial, you won’t miss the benefit of trying a mattress out at a showroom or furniture.
Bottom Line
If you want to find a fiberglass-free mattress, it’s easy. All you have to do is make sure you are reading the mattress’s ingredients list and picking one that fits your material and firmness needs according to your sleep style and preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Having fiberglass in your mattress is bad because fiberglass is a threat to your health. The fibers in glass cloth are actually tiny shards of glass. These tiny glass shards work their way out of the fiberglass sock around your mattress’s internal components and through the cover.
When they make their way to you, they can cause all kinds of issues from eye irritation to airway infections and skin rashes. Tiny fiberglass shards leave microscopic cuts all over you wherever they touch, meaning fiberglass exposure is not something you will ever get used to. This is the main reason why you want to avoid having fiberglass in your mattress.
No. The reality is that fiberglass in your mattress is never truly safe. There are ways to make exposure to the fiberglass in your mattress less likely. One common way is wrapping glass cloth threads in polyester or other synthetic fibers.
This can provide some protection but ultimately does not provide the same amount of protection as simply not having fiberglass in your mattress at all. In reality, as long as you have fiberglass inside your mattress, there is always the potential for exposure, no matter how many layers the manufacturer puts between the fiberglass and the cover.
There are plenty of wonderful fiberglass alternatives that can provide equal or even better fire protection than fiberglass itself. The best fiberglass alternative is likely wool. Wool is naturally flame retardant because fire cannot easily consume its fibers. This means it does not ignite easily and will often extinguish flame internally.
Additionally, wool is also a wonderful fire barrier because it adds even more comfort to your mattress. Wool is naturally breathable and temperature-neutral, and it also adds an extra layer of pressure relief and cushioning to the sleep surface. This means it is more than a fire barrier. It is an actual layer of the mattress.
If you find out that your existing mattress contains fiberglass, the best thing you can do is get rid of it. Only replacing your fiberglass mattress can truly eliminate all risk of fiberglass exposure. However, this is not always feasible. If replacing your mattress is not in your budget, there is something you can do.
Impermeable mattress protectors are intended to keep moisture and dirt from getting down into your mattress. But they can work in reverse by keeping fiberglass fibers inside the mattress and away from your body. This means if you cannot get rid of your fiberglass mattress, using a mattress protector is the best way to keep yourself from being exposed to the fiberglass inside.
Fiberglass is the cheapest fire barrier, but it is not excessively cheaper than other fire barriers. This means you shouldn’t expect to pay more than $100 to $150 for a fire barrier other than fiberglass.
That being said, mattresses that do not contain fiberglass are typically much higher in quality than mattresses that do contain this material. This means you may be paying several hundred dollars more for a fiberglass-free mattress. Just know that this price increase does not only reflects the lack of fiberglass but also the overall quality of the mattress.