Latex mattresses are the crème of de la crème when it comes to mattress quality. If you want to have the best sleep experience or just want to pamper yourself every time you go home and rest, you need to get yourself a good latex mattress! There are a couple of steps before you decide to purchase your very first latex mattress but generally, people that plan to have the best mattress material in the world should be educated on how it is made and help people understand a little more about what makes the best mattress in the world and have confidence on the product you are about to purchase.
The Rubber Tree
Hevea Brasiliensis or familiarly known as Rubber Tree has been used commercially since the mid-1800’s and still continues to be one of the most used natural resources up to this day. Natural latex is far more superior than regular synthetic latex which of course, translates to better mattress quality. When it comes to creating the best mattress in the world there are actually two known methods that have been used by producers in the past years.
But before diving into the methods we would like you guys to know a few things about the whole rubber tree process and what it does to our environment.
- Jobs – Most of the rubber tree plantations today are either located in South or South East Asia creating jobs for third world countries. What’s amazing about this is that these rubber plantation sap harvestings are done manually; which prohibits the idea of machined production and harvest.
- Oxygen Source – Rubber trees are one of the greatest oxygen producers on the planet. Not only that, these trees help remove carbon dioxide from the air that we breathe. This means that the more plantations we have scattered around the world, the more it is productive for the Earth.
- Multiple Times – Did you know that one rubber tree can live up to a hundred years or more? This means that rubber plantations from around the world have existed for hundreds of years without any major plantations every ten decades. What this means is that plantation owners do not need to replace their trees every now and then as it can be used multiple times.
- Harvest Time – A rubber tree only needs six years to be mature and is able to be harvested every day until its end times. Just like the longevity of the tree, the fast maturity means faster profits for the owner and jobs for workers.
If you decide to get yourself a natural latex mattress you will not only be supporting an honest business but the people that are working to get the sap out of the tree and into your home where you will be able to get a good night rest after a long day at the office. In addition, natural latex mattresses mean that there are no artificial additives added into the rubber sap while making the mattress.
Two Methods
Now that you know a thing or two about rubber trees it’s time to talk about the two methods that are being used in order to create the best mattress in the world. For the benefit of our readers, we have decided to explain everything in this article as plainly as possible for you guys to understand it better. We would also like you to know that both methods that are used to create mattresses aren’t inferior to each other as they both have purposes.
Dunlop – The more “traditional” way of creating latex mattresses has been practiced for nearly a hundred years now. For as long as it has been practiced, people always see this method as the standard for latex mattresses until the other method was introduced (Talalay). As usual, both of the methods that we will be talking about today started with the rubber tree sap collected from the trees is whipped into a frothy foam. The process was first done manually until technology had the ability to provide mixing machines that create more foam. After the perfect consistency is achieved the liquid is then poured into molds then baked.
Compared to the Talalay method, Dunlop uses straightforward techniques in creating mattresses. During the creation of the mattress, sediments from the sap mixture will create a solid foundation which is noticeably different from Talalay. As mentioned, Dunlop is straightforward and uses fewer steps to create mattresses. Of course, this automatically means that people do not need to pay a fortune in order to own a quality mattress! Dunlop also provides firmer support to the back while sleeping which makes it the perfect choice for people that are experiencing back pains while sleeping.
Talalay – The process starts off just like Dunlop wherein rubber sap is taken from trees and into manufacturing plants. The mixture is then whipped (just like Dunlop) with air and poured into molds, just like the previously mentioned method. After the rubber has been poured into the molds this is where similarities end because the “cooking” process is quite different.
With the more expensive method which we call “Talalay” after the rubber is poured into the mold, it will be sealed and air will be taken out through a very strong vacuum to remove air pockets inside the mold. With Dunlop, the settling was part of the process while in Talalay settling isn’t allowed to happen and is disrupted by freezing the foam which results in zero particles settling on the bottom (which creates the firmness in Dunlop). Once it reaches a freezing temperature below zero it is then cooked of up to temperatures above 200 degrees to create the actual Talalay latex mattress. The process involved in creating Talalay mattresses results in a much softer feel on latex mattresses.
The Difference and Application
The difference between Dunlop and Talalay process is the way the final product is presented in the market. It’s a difference between soft and hard, new and old techniques but definitely not inferior to one another. There are people that would prefer Dunlop latex due to its price or just simply they want the firm feel that it gives. The much pricier Talalay method comes with a price due to the process that it goes through but nonetheless both these techniques produce high-end quality mattresses.
That is why there are a lot of establishments in the hotel industry today that support latex beds due to the comfort and feel that it gives. It may be a little bit pricier compared to regular mattresses but the feel and the sleeping experience you get from it can be easily distinguished and felt.
Conclusion
Now that we all know the process of creating the best mattress in the world is like, we can easily understand the prices of each type of latex mattress we purchase. With the general know-how of things and specializes in production of latex mattress by LatexBear, we will easily understand why people list the mattress as their number one choice when it comes to mattresses that not only provide comfort but the best quality for the money being spent.
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