New IKEA Mausund Mattress

October 23, 2018, by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from Concerned Mom

Hi Debra,

I noticed that Ikea recently came out with a new latex/cotton/wool mattress called Mausund. We are preparing to move to Europe and will need to buy mattresses for our three young children and this mattress is available there. It appears as though the materials in the US and EU version of the mattress are similar. Would this be a 'safer' option for my young kids to sleep on (ages 3, 6 and 9)? No one has any diagnosed allergies or sensitivities, I simply don't want them sleeping on mattresses that off gas harmful chemicals. The price of the mattress in the EU is more reasonable than here, making it within our budget. Thanks.

Debra's Answer

Well this is an improvement for IKEA but the materials list doesn’t quite match the description.

The first thing you read on the MAUSUND page is

"You’re right to be fussy about what you sleep on. Natural materials like natural latex, coconut fiber, cotton and woolprovide comfort and pull away moisture. This makes for a pleasant sleeping environment with a cool and even sleep temperature."

But when you click on the “Materials and environment” tap, here’s what it says about what the mattress is really made from:

Ticking/ Ticking/ Lining: 100 % cotton
Filling: Wool wadding
Ticking, side/ Piping/ Handles/ Total composition: 53 % linen, 47 % viscose/rayon
Comfort material: 85 % natural/ 15 % synthetic latex

At least 50% (weight) of this product is made from renewable materials.
Product possible to recycle or use for energy recovery, if available in your community.
All the cotton in our products comes from more sustainable sources. This means that the cotton is either recycled, or grown with less water, less fertilizers and less pesticides, while increasing profit margins for the farmers.

The fabric on the TOP is cotton. Not organic cotton but less pesticides, and it’s a fabric, so much if not all of the pesticides are removed during processing.

Wool is also not organic, but it’s unprocessed so anything applied to the wool (unknown) would still be there.

The fabric on the sides is linen and rayon (a manufactured fabric that starts as bits of natural fibers).

The filling is latex, but natural latex, not organic, and 15% is synthetic.

Oops! They missed the coconut fiber ?????

So up to you. It’s not a mattress I would recommend, but it’s a lot better than a synthetic mattress.

If this is what is available and affordable, it’s a “better” choice. But I have concerns about the unknowns in the wool, and mostly about the synthetic latex, which is made from petroleum.