by Orianna
This post includes affiliate links.
I ordered a new bed!
I looked at beds for 2-3 years and did a LOT of research about sustainable mattresses.
But before I talk about purchasing, I want to talk about recycling...
Where to Recycle a Mattress
I am amazed at the lack of recycling options for mattresses. I read a 2017 report (link below) published by Cascade Alliance that estimates there are 20 million mattresses discarded in the US every year. That is about 55,000 every day!!
Obviously, we need a solution for thoughtful disposal of such a large waste item, so I am currently looking for resources here in North Carolina for mattress recycling. I found the site Bye Bye Mattress (link below) which lists the available recycling programs by state. While this GREAT, there are only four places here in NC.
The closest facility is 2 hours away from me. I have a sedan, so cannot fit my queen mattress into my current vehicle. Therefore, I am looking at renting a van to drive the mattress two hours away to drop it off. (I had to think about the impact of using gas for this, but decided that the proper physical disposal takes precedence…)
The recycling facility breaks down the mattress so that soft fibers are compressed and recycled, the wire coils are sent to scrap metal recyclers and the wood is used as a fuel source.
If you are very handy, breaking down your mattress is a project you could take on yourself. My mom actually found a YouTube video about how to do it, but I decided it was perhaps too big of a job for me to do myself so I have gone the route of finding a program.
A theme this week for me has been that doing the “right” thing is not always convenient.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that acting with integrity must be inconvenient; however, it's important to stand by our principles even when it’s not “easy.”
When we put in a little more effort to take the actions that care for the environment, others around us notice. And if solutions (like mattress recycling) are being used and are in demand, the market will make more of these solutions available.
So, bottom line, my mattress is getting recycled!
If you have a need for this coming up, please check the link in the p.s. below and look for a facility near you.
Now, on to the fun stuff...
Where to Get a New Green Mattress
How long does a mattress last? If you are wondering, the typical length is 7 to 10 years but it varies based on the product quality. My mattress is 12 years old, which in my opinion is probably the upper limit. We want to keep things as long as we can to reduce waste, though we also need to care for our posture and health.
I am not going to get into the details of every brand of sustainable mattress, but Birch, Eco Terra and Avocado Green are all GREAT choices.
After researching for a couple of years, I decided to purchase from Avocado Green. When I started Product Love, I also signed up with the company as an affiliate because I really like what they are doing - so you may have already seen some of their products on my website.
I liked that Avocado Green mattresses are non-toxic, organic and handmade in the US. The company is a certified B-Corp and is Climate Neutral Certified. Their factories are powered by renewable energy and they are approaching zero waste. They also donate 1% of all their profits to 1% For the Planet, an organization that supports vetted environmentally focused non profits.
The Avocado Green mattress I ordered is luxurious and affordable – especially because there are ways to get 0% financing if you need help to make a large purchase.
The company's qualities I have listed above tie in so nicely with my buyer values. I am probably Avocado Green’s target demographic customer and if you are reading this, you probably are too! 😊
If you are thinking of getting a new mattress, here is an affiliate link for the one I purchased, the Avocado Green Mattress with Pillowtop.
I also ordered the Eco Base Pro which is an adjustable frame upholstered with GOTS organic certified cotton and wool and has real wood legs.
It feels so great to finally get a bed that is not only high quality but also aligns with my values!
p.s. Click here to go to a listing of mattress recycling facilities by US state; Click here to see the 2017 report ‘The State of the Mattress Recycling Industry’ published by Cascade Alliance.
p.p.s. Click here to check out Avocado Green! In addition to mattresses, they have sustainable bedding and other green household products.
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