The Organic Sleep Guide
Organic and latex mattress comparisons, checked at the source
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through a link on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and terms were checked on each brand's own website on November 5, 2026. What each standard means was checked on the standard's own website on November 7, 2026.

Explainer

Dunlop vs Talalay latex: two ways to make the same material

Brand figures checked against each brand's own website on November 5, 2026. Standards checked against each standard's own website on November 7, 2026. How we check

Latex concentrate becomes mattress foam by one of two processes, Dunlop or Talalay. Both include vulcanisation, the step that turns liquid latex into a foam with permanent elasticity.

In our comparison, the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss and the Avocado Green use Dunlop latex, and the Saatva Zenhaven uses Talalay. We do not rank one process above the other: no standards body we checked publishes a comparison of how they feel, and we have not slept on these beds.

At a glance

Which mattress uses which

As described on each brand's own website on November 5, 2026.
MattressLatex processBuildPrice
Our pickPlushBeds Botanical BlissDunlop: a 6 inch GOLS certified organic latex support core, ARPICO DunlopAll latexQueen $2,024 at 9 inches
Avocado Green MattressDunlop: GOLS certified organic DunlopHybridFrom $1,119, rising with size and feel
Saatva ZenhavenTalalay: natural Talalay with a five zone layer and vented airflow channels, GOLS certifiedAll latexFrom $1,861 at the smallest size

Our checked facts do not name the process for the Birch Natural or the Naturepedic EOS Classic Organic Vegan. Ask the brand if it matters to you.

The process

What the two processes share

eco-INSTITUT, a testing institute that certifies mattresses, describes two processes for turning latex concentrate into mattress foam: the Dunlop process and the Talalay process. In both, vulcanisation turns the liquid latex into a foam with permanent elasticity.

Small amounts of auxiliary agents, including dispersants and antioxidants, are added during vulcanisation, and most of the excess is washed out afterwards. Stabilisers are added to latex taken from the trees to stop it clumping.

Sources for the standards on this page

Each definition was read on the standard's own website on November 7, 2026. Brand figures come from each brand's own website on November 5, 2026.

Read carefully

What "100% natural latex" means

According to eco-INSTITUT, "100% natural latex" means the latex used consists entirely of natural latex rather than synthetic or mixed latex. It does not mean the core contains nothing but latex, because a very small proportion is made up of the auxiliary materials used in production.

Certification is the stronger signal. Every mattress in our comparison is built on GOLS certified organic latex. Our GOLS vs GOTS guide explains what that certification checks.

In detail

One of each

Our pick

Dunlop: PlushBeds Botanical Bliss

  • 100 night return trial
  • Separate 365 Night Comfort Guarantee for firmness adjustment
  • Warranty: confirm with the brand
  • Medium (5.5 of 10) or Medium Firm (8 of 10)
  • Who it is forAnyone who wants all latex and certified organic textiles, and the most latex for the money.
  • Who it is not forSomeone coming from a spring mattress who wants that familiar feel. The hybrids suit them better.
  • Honest weaknessThe paperwork. PlushBeds' own pages describe its trial and its warranty in more than one way, as the note under the table explains.

The Botanical Bliss is latex from top to bottom and certified organic in both its latex and its textiles. The build is six layers: a GOTS certified organic cotton cover, GOTS certified organic wool, a GOTS certified organic cotton panel, a natural latex comfort layer, a GOLS certified organic latex comfort layer on the 12 inch model, and a 6 inch GOLS certified organic latex support core. There are no coils and no synthetic foam layers to soften over time.

The support core is ARPICO Dunlop, 6 inches thick, which carries the support and most of the durability. You choose the height first, then one of two firmness levels. Medium, rated 5.5 out of 10 by the brand, is the one PlushBeds positions for side sleepers. Medium Firm, rated 8 out of 10, is positioned for back and stomach sleepers. Because the layers sit inside a zippered cover, the firmness can be adjusted under the brand's 365 Night Comfort Guarantee instead of returning the whole bed.

Check the price at PlushBeds Back to the comparison

Talalay: Saatva Zenhaven

  • 365 night trial
  • Lifetime warranty
  • Luxury Plush (4 to 5 of 10) or Gentle Firm (7 to 8 of 10)
  • Who it is forSomeone who cannot decide on firmness in advance and wants two feels in one bed.
  • Who it is not forPartners who want two different feels at the same time. The EOS Classic sets each side of the bed separately.
  • Honest weaknessReturns carry a $99 processing fee.

Zenhaven solves the firmness gamble by putting two feels in one mattress. Flip it one way for Luxury Plush, rated 4 to 5 out of 10, flip it the other way for Gentle Firm, rated 7 to 8 out of 10. The latex is natural Talalay with a five zone layer and vented airflow channels, over an organic New Zealand wool flame barrier, inside a cover that includes organic cotton. The latex is GOLS certified, and the mattress carries eco-INSTITUT and GREENGUARD Gold listings on the brand's page.

Saatva also delivers differently: free in room delivery, setup and old mattress removal, rather than a box at the door. The trial is 365 nights with a $99 processing fee on returns, and the warranty is lifetime.

Check the price at Saatva Back to the comparison

Decide

How to choose

Before you buy

Questions buyers ask

What is the difference between Dunlop and Talalay latex?

They are the two processes for turning latex concentrate into mattress foam. Both include vulcanisation. We do not rank one above the other, because no standards body we checked publishes a comparison of how they feel.

Which mattresses use Dunlop latex?

In our comparison, the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss, with a 6 inch ARPICO Dunlop core, and the Avocado Green Mattress, with GOLS certified organic Dunlop.

Which use Talalay?

The Saatva Zenhaven uses natural Talalay latex with a five zone layer and vented airflow channels.

Does "100% natural latex" mean nothing else is in it?

No. According to eco-INSTITUT, it means the latex itself is entirely natural, but a very small proportion of the core is made up of auxiliary materials used in production.

The short version

Our picks: Botanical Bliss for Dunlop, Zenhaven for Talalay

Both are all latex and built on GOLS certified latex. Choose on the build, the terms and the feel, not the process name alone.

Check the price at PlushBeds Check the price at Saatva