Dunlop and Talalay

Video transcription talking about two different types of rubber used in a mattress Dunlop and Talalay.

A savvy rest organic mattress is made of three layers or more depending on whether you get a topper of natural latex rubber there are two different types natural latex the we use one is call Dunlop after the process that makes it the other is called Talalay they have very different characteristics ne is not better or more pure than the other, this is a layer of Dunlop it has because it’s a little bit less smoothed out in the processing a few more natural irregularities like tiny air bubbles, Dunlop is resilient and responsive to your body but not bouncy it works wonderfully as a support layer and is a good top layer for folks that need extra support all the way to the top for some kinds of back problems that’s important. Overall a layer of Dunlop will feel a little bit firmer and denser than a layer of Talalay.

This is a layer of Talalay, the Talalay process adds two steps not used in Dunlop, after the mixture is poured the mold is sealed inside a vacuum chamber the mold is also flash frozen before baking, these steps create a very even consistency, one way to imagine the difference in texture between natural Dunlop and Talalay, is to think of Dunlop as something of pound cake, and Talalay as angel food cake, when you press on a layer of Dunlop you’ll feel more resistance or support, Talalay yields more than Dunlop does, soft Talalay almost has a embracing feel, Talalay can be very helpful for people with soreness or pressure point problems, Here’s Dominic demonstrating the natural springiness of Talalay latex (apple drop)

Both types of latex we use come in firm, medium and soft. One way to think of the difference between them though is that in every stage Talalay is softer than Dunlop so Talalay soft is a little softer than Dunlop soft Talalay medium is softer and so on, the best way to learn how each type of latex works for you is to try different types of combinations at your savvy rest dealer, if there is no dealer near just call us for a free consultation you can also order free samples on our site, handling these will help you understand the materials, just click underneath contact us for the samples request form there are different ways to layer the latex in combinations but the general rule in Dunlop and Talalay is that either or both might work for you and will help you figure out what works best for your body.

So how to choose what layer is going to work for you and your mattress as we’ve said already our most model the Serenity is built with three layers but we also have the model called the Tranquility which is built with two layers the most common choice that probably was always recommended as best is to have a firm layer of latex as your base, most of the time its kind of a default choice I suggest firm Dunlop as a base layer, sometimes if a person is so sensitive to the feel of the full depth of the bed you may almost think of yourself as a prince or a princess in the pea sometimes for someone like that medium Dunlop makes a good base layer, the higher the density the more durable and this is going to be the layer that is bearing the most weight and being pressed against your foundation the real art is in deciding the top layer for surface cushioning and then figuring out what level of support you need in the center that’s really key for your back health. The next layer to choose depends on what it is your body needs for example if you need really good support and you are a body type that is maybe under 165 pounds then choosing medium Dunlop is an excellent choice because it has less density than the firm Dunlop below so offer better pressure relief on the top but it is still relatively solid and will still give support. Now depending on your body mass and what your body needs you may require something that gives significantly more support so you need really excellent support and you maybe weigh 180 or more you may want to go with a firm, firm medium this is generally the firmest configuration. Now one of the main thing you want to address is pressure relief, do you sleep on your side, are your shoulders sore, your hips are sore, you wake up with a little bit of numbness or shakiness in your shoulder or hip then you may want to go to the little bit of softer side of things, so in general you will have a firm layer on the bottom is always a good choice then depending on body choice a soft layer of Dunlop in the middle would be the way to go, you could do a firm with two softs in Dunlop this would still feel relatively solid and supportive unless you were over 200 pounds then this would probably feel not supportive enough. If you need pressure relief that’s a little bit more acute I would mix this combination and put a Talalay piece on the top will contour to your body better than Dunlop will. With different types of weight, sleeping preferences, and back issues or other concerns we can adjust it to really suit your body because each one is customized for each person, that also goes for each couple we will make each side personal for each person who’s going to sleep on it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SavvyRest#p/u/1/PYS3lDHYIfc

This is part 1 in our series of What You Need to Know Before Buying a Latex Mattress

Would you know the difference between a Natural Latex Mattress and a Blended Latex Mattress? The reason you need to is because the latex used inside of latex mattresses is not the same and is not created equally.   “100% natural latex that’s what we use in our latex mattresses” this is the claim made by both brick and mortar stores and retailers on the web and it can make things really confusing . The confusion comes when sales people make the claim that synthetic latex or man-made blended latex are one in the same is referred to as “100% latex”. While of course there is a difference between the two different kinds of foam rubber one being blended “100% latex” and the other being pure 100% natural latex. The fact is all to often way to much liberty is being done during sales presentations when synthetic latex is referred to as “100% latex”. Some sales people have gone even further to imply a history of long mattress life. The history that these sales people are referring to is that of Dunlop 100% natural rubber. A raw component that has been used since the late 1930’s and early 1940’s in mattress and furniture production. This history of latex has been well documented and it is a history that includes typically very high quality and longevity. A history that is included in the production of things like mattresses and sofa cushions.

Not All Latex Is The Same

Most people in the mattress industry including sales people, retail stores, and mattress manufacturers agree that 100% natural latex is more resilient, offers better elasticity, and conforms to the various weight, pressures, and body shapes applied to the real world daily mattress usage. In the case of synthetic man made / blended latex there is an collective agreement that it has a different feel. A feel that is often described as less lively, less responsive to body weight and pressure and just kind of absorbs it passively.  Synthetic blended latex rubber is commonly thought of by industry professionals is also thought to be less resilient, less durable, and more likely to break down over a shorter period of time than its more natural counterpart. If a latex mattress is what you desire and budget is a concern a synthetic blend may be a great durable alternative to the typical cookie cutter mattress and boxspring offered by the big brand name mattress builders.

When asked most manufacturers of blended latex say that their layers of latex rubber contains a percentage of natural latex. Those parameters are usually about 30-40% natural latex. I do not believe that 30, 35 or 40 percent is a guaranteed percentage only a guaranteed parameter.  The remaining percentages 60-70% is made up of synthetic latex and/or fillers. While this is not a bad thing you very well may be content with purchasing a mattress that contains synthetic blended latex. Just know that when shopping for a new mattress that you compare apples to apples.

It is important to know Latex Mattress Questions You Should Be Asking?  So is the latex 100% natural or is it a blend is an important one to ask when buying a new mattress because they are not all the same. If you are expecting 100% natural you can expect to pay more. However you would be paying  for a product that has proven itself for approximately 70 years a fact that is just hard to debate.

At Savvy Rest we understand that different people have different needs when it comes to getting a comfortable sleep, so we’ve designed a mattress that’s customizable and with this video we will show you different ways to make your choice and get the mattress that best fits your need.

Savvy Rest mattress is built in layers of naturally latex this is an example of our serenity mattress it has three layers inside and each layer is 3 inches thick. We have two kinds of latex Dunlop and Talalay, the Dunlop latex is slightly more dense which makes it firmer and more supportive, while the Talalay latex is softer and more cushy with makes it more pressure relieving. We have three different levels of firmness between Talalay and Dunlop, Firm, Medium and Soft. The main goal when you’re choosing the layers of a Savvy rest mattress is to accommodate your body needs for cushioning and also giving your back and spine the support it needs.

Just some tips and pointers, if you sleep on your back we recommend you go with something a little bit firmer, and if you sleep on your stomach we also recommend you go with something firmer. Some say firmer is better, while that is true in some cases that is true but sometimes softer is also better in some instances, if you hasve trouble falling asleep at night soft is probably better, if you have any lower back pain we recommend you go with something more firm for support. If you toss and turn a lot it’s better to have a soft top that way your muscles can relax and you’ll be able to sleep more soundly throughout the night. I’m going to show you some of our common configurations, one of our most popular is going firm, medium then adding soft, for a slightly firmer feel you can go with firm, soft, then medium. For a firmer configuration, firm, medium, medium, the firmest configuration we recommend is firm, firm, and medium. Going back to our firm medium soft, you can add medium relief and softness by adding a soft layer of Talalay, our softest configuration in Dunlop is medium soft, soft, our most Popular configuration in Talalay is Firm, medium and soft.

As you can see you can mix Dunlop and Talalay into any configuration to make the bed the best it is for you.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SavvyRest#p/u/3/rk3TlNPoyls

D: Hi my name is Dominic.

G: Hi my name is Gretchen.

D: And we’re here to show you how to assemble your savvy rest mattress

D: This is the finished product and it can be assembled and laid upon our foundations or on a platform bed like this one. Lets get started.

D:  The boxes will be marked to let you know what’s inside locate the box that has the casing in it and then set it up

G: The casing will come zipped together so always make sure the zipper is at the foot of the bed

D: Get your bottom layer bring the box close to the bed.

D:  And always pull the latex out of the box by grabbing the plastic do not grab the latex because it can tear, also tip the box over and allow it to spill out.

D: Double off latex will have a top side and a bottom side the top side has small holes the top size has large holes place the small holes facing up.

D: Use a flicking waving motion to move the latex into position.

D: Get the corners of the latex down into the corners of the casing and line the edge up with the seam of the fifing.

D: This will be a snug fit to prevent the latex from shifting around so don’t worry if you have to um push and zip squeeze it in tightly as you go along.

D: Then as a final step locate the fifing underneath and give it a gentle tug to make sure all the slack is taken up that maybe underneath the mattress so that it is coming out to the edge as much as possible giving your mattress a well rounded finish.

D: And there you go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vJIgs5mjOU

1. Does the natural latex have a layer of cotton or wool that will help with the heat?  And how thick is that layer

Answer: Sarah, Ours does but they don’t have to. I am not sure what you have read concerning latex and heat, but I can tell you if there are any issues with latex rubber, heat is rarely if ever one of those issues.

Will a Latex Mattress With Wool and Cotton Sleep Hot?

The reason for cotton and wool being used on latex is a multi-functional purpose. Cover breathability is something you did not mention in your question and can cause many of the heat issues we experience when sleeping. It sounds as though you are under the impression the wool is there to assist the breathability of the latex? The fact is the latex does a great job on its own. Most mattresses that contain all latex inside of them do so for its sustainability, eco friendly or the more organic aspect.

Cotton used in mattress covers can be grown organically, traditionally or transitionally. In the end as you would expect it is very breathable, durable, and of course sustainable. Wool is only now being used much more widely and liberally in mattress quilting construction. The main purpose of wool being added to mattress quilting in today’s beds is again the eco friendly or chemical free aspect it can provide. This is especially true if organic or certified organic wool is quilted into the top mattress cover panel. By doing this, most companies who want to get around necessary fire retardant chemicals can do so, rather than being added  to the mattress components. These chemical fire retardants are controversial but it does allow them to legally comply with recent fire safety laws.

Question: How thick is the wool or cotton layer?

Usually a thick layer of the wool is compressed and when finished isn’t much thicker than an inch or so but this does vary from brand to brand. Savvyrest, Land and Sky are the brands that we chose and I like them a lot. There are other good companies that do the same or similar quilting like Natura, OMI, Green Sleep or Sleeptek

Question:

2. Or would a mattress with coils be cooler/better? (I’m used to futons with foam in the middle, so not sure I’ll like springs.

Answer: The answer comes down to you test resting mattresses honestly. As far is which is cooler I don’t believe coils or latex would make a difference. Durability wise I prefer latex rubber, but latex over coils could offer some cost saving.

As far as putting the mattress on a platform bed I would say half of the beds we install are doing just that. The biggest issue with platform beds is spacing of the slats if you have a platform bed of this design. They need to be spaced two inches or less for proper mattress support.

Thanks Sarah for the great questions hope this will not only help you but assist others with the same questions.

and our all natural latex mattresses which really threw me for a loop. So I searched Google for the words “Botanical Latex” and sure enough I confirmed my belief. Someone had convinced this unsuspecting customer that 100 percent all natural latex was something different from 100% botanical latex. This question was posed to me in many different ways and most recently yesterday in a price comparison so we have decided to blog the answer. I believe the term botanical latex muddies the waters and creates misleading information. Today we set the record straight:

·    No windy sales pitch about latex rubber
·    No which is best Talalay or Dunlop question
·    No is it 100 percent natural
·    No talking about how it is made

Instead we are going to answer a simple question, what is Botanical Latex?

Truth is savvy researchers, I only wish the answer were simple. I will start by defining the word “botany” the study of all types of plants in general and is the word from which botanical is derived.  Botany is sometimes confused with Dendrology, which is the study of only wooded plants. Dendrology may be considered a subcategory of botany, which specializes in wooded plants. So for today’s blog and for argument sake we will be assuming that a rubber tree is botanical. The milky sap is derived from a “rubber tree” or “botanical tree” and is turned into the latex rubber we buy in the form of mattresses,  toppers, and pillows etc.

To make these products the industry uses a couple different manufacturing methods to convert the sap into a solid form like a mattress. One of these methods for producing latex rubber is the Talalay processing technique. The other is processed in the Dunlop method of production a.k.a. the original method of producing latex rubber.   Manufacturers call these finished products by many different names, which isn’t important. These many different types of finished products are often defined the following way; All natural rubber, latex rubber, 100 % all natural, synthetic latex or blended latex. The fact is it doesn’t matter what kind it is, if it contains any amount of the  milky white tree sap even a drop then it can arguably be called “botanical latex”.

Can consumers protect themselves from an industry with no descriptive standards for latex?

Its easy, consumers will want to know how much of the botanical latex rubber is contained in the product they are about to buy. The more botanical natural rubber the higher the cost will be of the end product, the less rubber the more economical the cost will be to the consumer.
How do consumers know how much rubber is in a mattress

• Weight can be one indicator For rubber is heavy
• Ask for a specification breakdown of the bed telling what each layer is made of thickness etc.
• Cost of a good finished 6” all rubber mattress or thicker cannot be purchased for $500 or even a $1000.00. Shop competing models with equivalent specifications. If what you are looking at is significantly cheaper they had to cut cost somewhere. Get the scoop from their competitors; they are often glad to share the reasoning for price differences.
• Do your homework and don’t just listen to a sales pitch. Mattress Forums, mattress manufacturers, and former customer’s reviews can be good sources for information.
• If the bed containing botanical latex is using organic materials like certified organic wool and cotton you can expect cost to be more.

The fact is all natural rubber mattresses don’t cost any more than other

so called top of the line premium mattresses like the Sleep Number Bed from Select Comfort and Tempur Pedic memory foam. It is true you won’t be able to buy one for the same price as the average queen size mattress set of $799 or $899 and your not comparing apples to apples. When a person compares like mattress and their price point, the similarities end. Quality latex mattresses are pack a lot of wallop for the money spent making everything else look like sour grapes.

All natural mattresses can and do often last up to 20-30 years and in some cases even longer.

This kind of useful life for a mattress is something that the average queen or king conventional pillow top mattress can’t do. Walk into most any retail store today and you will see brand name airbeds, visco elastic memory foam and conventional inner spring mattresses for $2000- $3000-$4000 or possibly even a lot more. Our suggestion is to put these mattresses to the test and really compare the differences.

One test you can give the mattresses is the weight test and when you investigate you will easily take notice of the differences in weight. Mainstream mattresses are typically half as heavy when compared to all natural-latex beds because they are using far less steel than even a few years ago. They have replaced the steel with low grade foams and padding materials. In the case of air beds well… the weight is much less and these seamed air bags are notorious for their numerous amount problems.

Delve into all natural latex rubber and we can begin to realize that it is not about price gouging as some believe, rather it comes down to production or manufacturing cost issues that are unique to an all natural rubber mattress. Natural rubber is not a petroleum-based product unlike synthetic foam which is. Rubber originates from the sap of a rubber tree, which takes 5 years to grow to production age, and usually ends at 20-30 years. Each tree only produces 3-5lbs of latex a year. It takes the production of 2000-2500 trees on 10-12 acres and 8-12 tappers one day to produce enough latex for one queen size mattress. These rubber plantations can cover tens of thousands of acres with millions of trees.

The quality of today’s rubber mattresses can vary greatly.

Blending the natural rubber with synthetics made from chemicals or fillers like sand and clay clearly cuts production cost but it also sacrifices the overall quality of the final product. Mattresses that use less rubber by replacing it with inferior foam layers or cut the quality of the rubber by using fillers sometimes appears to be as good through deceptive marketing and in the end the consumers are the losers. They don’t have the same feel and life expectancy of all-natural latex rubber and even worse many of these come from china where quality standards are not as high.

Benefits for these mattresses that cost no more than a high quality mattress
• Much longer life
• The resiliency an elasticity of rubber
• Conformity of rubber which can shape to the body’s natural curves
• Virtually chemical free
• Sustainable
• Biodegradable

So is it really cheaper or is it better to buy three mattress sets or more within 24 years? Is it ok to waste landfill space needlessly with products that don’t decompose? We believe for little if any additional cost people will reap the aforementioned benefits by purchasing just one mattress made of all natural latex rubber that can pretty much do it all? Simulate it to any high quality pair of shoes or a well engineered automobile because in the end one way or the other we will all pay the price.

What do you know about Talalay Latex Rubber and Dunlop Rubber?

a. There are two typed of latex used in bedding, Talalay & Dunlop
b. All latex is not created equal

Pure Latex BLISS™Uses Talalay all natural rubber in their mattresses which have No cushioning materials like

• Foam
• Fiber
• Quilt

This equals long term durability and virtually no body impressions.

No Foam

Polyurethane foams, including visco, are made entirely of petroleum products and are essentially plastic.  The cell structure of foam is not elastic like latex and breaks down with use creating sags in the mattress.

No Fiber

Fiber which is used by manufacturers is comprised mostly of air, it is used to create a soft feel but its’ life is limited.  During use it flattens out and this is the primary cause of body impressions.

No Quilt

Quilting reduces the ability for the cover to stretch.  Stretch in the cover material is essential for allowing the layers below to accommodate body contours to the maximum extent for mattress contouring and leading to better support, pressure relief and comfort.

What Does Comfort REALLY mean to you? How do WE define it?

• Bottomless Pressure Relief
• Uplifting Support
• Which = two dimensional rather than one dimensional (like all others)

Bottomless is the experience of NOT feeling the THUD of your body hitting the next layer of material below.

Bottomless reduces pressure, which reduces tossing, and turning.

Uplifting is the feeling you experience as your body nestles into the latex, it’s kind of like floating or a feeling of buoyancy.  “Uplifting” promotes proper posture and body alignment.”

Take Pure Latex BLISS™ Bench Test

1. Sit on naked bench
   No pressure relief.
2. Sit on a poly cushion
   The equivalent polyurethane foam material found in most mattresses = very little pressure relief.
3. Sit on visco/memory foam cushion
   You will notice that you still bottom out, only slower.
4. Sit on latex rubber cushion
   You will notice right away that you don’t bottom out and that it offers a floating feeling.  This sensation is bottomless pressure relief & uplifting support, which only occurs from Talalay latex rubber.

This noticeable difference of floating or buoyancy is actually Bottomless & Uplifting, for most people it is the true interpretation of COMFORT.

It only makes since that when you go into a store and ask for an all natural latex mattress that’s what will be sold to you, but regrettably that’s not always the case. It seems not all retailers are up front about the products they sell. Recently advertised I saw a latex mattress that was 12 inches thick and was claimed to regularly sell for $1000.00 but it was on sale for a mere $399.00 interested in what I would get for such a measly investment. The salesman seemed to know nothing about the bed and after looking at the description attached to the  mattress I found it was built with only 1 inch of latex and 11 inches of additional cheap filler materials.

Good quality latex mattresses cost $1500.00 and up which some people might consider a bit pricey and at first glance that may seem like the case, however when you consider they are very eco friendly in make up, that they can potentially last up to 25 maybe even 30 years, its not hard to see why they are usually considered the best built mattresses in the industry today offering a true value and money well spent.

So what’s the problem when stores claim to be selling latex mattresses cheap?

Claims of sustainable, durable, and organic are widely marketed and are impressive buzz worthy terms that can be misleading. Just because the bed has a layer of latex or two doesn’t make it stronger or even eco friendly for that matter. The fact is if it mostly contains low quality non replenishable petrol based polyurethane foams that develop body impressions, wear out quickly, and contain potentially harmful chemicals.

Advertising 12 inch thick latex mattresses that include a measly 1 to 2 inches are impressive to look at but are nothing more than marketing gimmicks.
We sacrifice durability by replacing what would normally be 6 or 7 inches high strength tempered steel coils with cheap low grade filler materials like polyurethane foam, fiber fill, and yes even a couple inches of latex. So much for the good deals we call these latex mattresses, latex hybrids because they are a mixture of cheaper material rather than durable latex rubber.

Shopping all natural latex do you know what you’re buying?

I wish I could say, “Case closed” and there is nothing else to this issue of latex mattress shopping but there is more. If a person is assuming that just because they are buying latex that it is all natural or even organic they best do a little more research when it comes to the purity of the latex. Whether you are purchasing one of 2 types of latex Dunlop or Talalay latex, make sure to get the best you can afford. Fillers and extenders are often used to reduce costs and as a result can compromise durability and life. There are also synthetic blends claimed to be as good but usually are not. Ask about the mixture which is commonly believed to significantly comprise the mattress’s life.
 
They can be 30% natural rubber and 70% synthetic rubber which have more chemicals and fillers that will not last as long. Our recommendation is layers of latex from top to bottom of the mattress, nothing else. Latex with no fillers, extenders. A latex mattress with no foam layers and fiber layers for cushioning, just a great combination of your favorite firm, medium, or soft latex foam rubber layers. This is what a real latex mattress is and it will give you the longest mattress life, most comfortable sleep, and earth friendly mattress you can buy.