This is my difficult search to locate a replacement, and a TRUE STORY about finding my perfect latex mattress 40 years past, when I bought my first bed.

 

I used to babysit our neighbor's kids, while growing up. She encouraged me to her home one day to propose I buy a latex mattress like hers when she discovered I'd gotten engaged. She pulled the sheets off her king size bed so that she could show me the mattress had not sagged, and pointed out how edges and the corners were still solid after an incredible period of time. I wish I could recall the exact variety of years she'd told me that she and her husband was using their mattress, but I do remember that because of her little demonstration, I understood that I needed to buy a latex mattress just like it even though I afterwards discovered that it would cost me about twice what the average 'spring' mattresses were selling for at the time. I sought the local furniture stores, but couldn't locate this latex mattress anyplace. I recalled that when we had proceeded south, my mother had purchased much of her furniture from a sales rep at a large furniture store in a nearby town. He said that although the store did not carry this mattress, he could purchase it, and I requested him to order a solid latex mattress for me "SIGHT UNSEEN."

 

As we grew old my husband and I slept on this latex mattress for 35 years without experiencing any aches or pains, and our freedom is partially attributed by us from the good health we enjoy to this latex mattress and medicine! It wasn't until about the 33rd year when we found that the cover exposing the latex in a few areas and was wearing out, so we simply set it in a zippered mattress cover. This worked nicely until the 34th year, when we started seeing body indentations and slight sagging. We then started our search to purchase another latex mattress like it. I searched online for exactly the same mattress-journal manufacturer, but was disappointed to discover that they had closed their doors. A neighbor suggested we visit a little, local mattress manufacturer in our area whose family was assembling mattresses for 3 generations. I needed to be sure that he could provide the latex that was same as that of our first latex mattress. I told the owner the name of its maker, and I remember him saying, "All latex is the same." He was incorrect! Having purchased three mattresses within a 3-year period, I consider I'm qualified to report: ALL latex is different!

 

About one year after, we noticed we weren't sleeping comfortably because our latex mattress that was new was sagging with little valleys on either side of the bed where each of us lay. We called the manufacturer. It took a while for him to come test on it, but when he did see it, he said that it did not appear like it was sagging. I reminded him that when I'd called him, I Had told him that he wouldn't see the sagging -- he had to lay on the bed to feel the valleys. He didn't lay on the bed, but he did shove his hands down into the mattress in several different places and he was surprised to see how deep his hands "sunk down" into the mattress... like there wasn't much support.

 

He ordered a fresh latex mattress to replace it, but this time he ordered the most solid one he could. This second latex replacement mattress did nicely until we'd had it nearly one year, and then once again we discovered sagging with little valleys where we lay. We made the trip one weekend only to find that the manner it was constructing its latex mattresses had been cheapened by the company. After talking to the store owner, we learned that the old manufacturing company had sold its company together with its company name, and the new owners were sandwiching a thin piece of latex in between layers of polyurethane foam, and edging it with polyurethane foam around the outside edges, which he said would prolong the life of this so called 'latex' mattress. We subsequently discovered the mattress was finished on ONE-SIDE ONLY. I 'll never comprehend how these new features would help the consumer, but I can see how the life of this so-called 'latex' mattress is shortened, which clearly benefits the mattress makers.

 

After studying the net and returning home, we currently understand what the huge mattress makers are doing. You'll find that nearly all the large mattress manufacturers, who've been in business for generations, have since resold their businesses. Many of investors and these new owners are interested in generating substantial, immediate returns on their investments. They advertised their mattresses to put big gains within their pockets and have redesigned, but the shortcuts they are making to raise their profits are reducing the useful life of their mattresses. If they decide to cut on the life of their products in half and all get together, we consumers are induced to buy their products MORE FREQUENTLY and they all profit more. Inside my search for the perfect latex mattress, I actually spoke to one mattress shop owner years past who declared she wished they'd 'bring back' the 2- .

 

We also learned that the two preceding sturdy latex mattresses we possessed began to "sink and fail" after one year because they weren't made of the firmer Dunlop Latex. They were made of the newer Talalay Latex, which is processed by including more air which soften over time and could possibly cause the mattress to compress. I relate an Angle Cake with the softer Talalay Latex after learning the differences between both production processes, and I link a Pound Cake with the more solid Dunlop Latex. I'd even spoke to the Talalay mattress manufacturer that made both of our latex mattresses which dampened after just one year. One of their customer service representatives told me that she loved how her Talalay mattress softened over time and "adjusted" to her body to cushion it. I told her what she considered cushioning, my husband and I considered valleys that were uncomfortable and that she was still quite youthful. We personally required and anticipated a mattress to provide the support our bodies five, or possibly seven years. That first Talalay mattress that neglected after the first year was replaced by the company, but they would not replace the second one. And, BUYER BEWARE: All mattress guarantees are not the same. Please read and "understand" ALL the states of your warranty BEFORE you buy your mattress.

 

I discovered an extremely caring and helpful mattress manufacturer, in continuing my on-line search for my perfect latex mattress. Lee Carter, the owner and now my new buddy, has a wealth of personal experience building mattresses and has an abundance of knowledge concerning the mattress business. He's revealed significant insider information that I was unaware of, such as a brand new government regulation which has induced mattress producers to use compounds to make fire resistant mattresses. Was the general public notified of this new regulation? Not only was I concerned about exposing my body to the potentially dangerous compounds in a brand new mattress, chemicals can also emit fumes and odors, which could cause me to become nauseated because of my sensitivity to smells. To my knowledge, Lee Carter owns the only company that offers its customers "chemical free" mattresses after simply obtaining an experienced prescription.