Sleep is — without a doubt — one of the best forms of self-care. Good quality sleep is essential for healthy immune function, positive moods, mental clarity, and healthy relationships. Sleep refills your tank so you can conquer your day, but sleep isn’t just about the number of hours you log. It’s about the quality of sleep you get. And good sleep starts with a good mattress.
So what qualities constitute a good mattress? Comfortable? Check. Safe and non-toxic? Check and check. After all, you spend 1/3 of your life in bed. Best to be a healthy place! That’s why we recently replaced our kids’ mattresses when we moved into our new house with a Nectar Classic Full and a Nectar Premier Full.
In this article, we’ll share our experience with Nectar and answer common questions like:
- Is Nectar mattress safe for kids?
- Is a memory foam mattress good for a child?
- What firmness of mattress is best for a child?
- Do Nectar mattresses off-gas?
- Is Nectar an organic mattress?
- Is Nectar an organic mattress?
- Do nectar mattresses have Formaldehyde?
- Are nectar mattresses healthy?
My Experience with Nectar Classic Full and Premier Full
Nectar mattresses are a nice mattress-in-a-box option. What’s more convenient than ordering a mattress online and having it show up on your doorstep days later? No delivery to schedule. No need to mess with lugging a mattress home on top of our car. The convenience is a win, but what we really like about them is that they’re CertiPUR, which means there are no flame retardants and chemicals.
Because we got these mattresses for our children, the CertiPUR certification made a big difference. Not all big name brands have this certification, and for us, this made all of the difference.
What’s the deal with CertiPUR?
The CertiPUR-US program is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on foam products. Specifically, this program zeros in on the flexible polyurethane foam that’s used in bedding and upholstered furniture. CertiPUR certification is awarded to products that are produced with low emissions, perform well, and are durable.
In other words, when a product earns the CertiPUR certification, it means the foam used in the mattress meets (or exceeds) CertiPUR-US’ rigorous standards for emissions, performance, and durability. A mattress with CertiPUR certification means:
- It’s made without ozone depleters
- It’s free from flame retardants such as PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”)
What do our kids say?
Our kids love these mattresses! Although I’m not sure we notice a big difference between the Nectar Classic and the Nectar Premier, the number one takeaway is that our kids are happy, sleeping well, and totally comfortable at night.
My daughter’s Nectar mattress setup.
Is Nectar Mattress Safe for Kids?
I know what you’re thinking: are memory foam mattresses really safe? The answer: it depends.
Not all foam mattresses are safe for kids, but the Nectar mattresses aren’t your average foam mattresses. They have been awarded CertiPUR-US certification, and remember that the CertiPUR-US program demands foam mattresses must be made with very low levels of the substances in the foam which can be harmful to people’s health and/or the environment.
Is a Memory Foam Mattress Good for a Child?
In the not-so-distant past, most people slept on mattresses with coils. These coils (steel springs) weren’t always the most comfortable, and they were notorious for causing back pain, slipped discs, and even nerve damage as the coils started to lose tension over the years. Foam mattresses, however, are becoming increasingly more popular, and the reason is simple: foam mattresses are delightfully comfortable.
But is that the right solution for kids? Memory foam can be comfortable for children. These mattresses support your child’s spinal alignment and offer great pressure relief thanks to their many layers:
- A quilted, breathable cover
- A 3-inch layer of gel-infused foam layer to keep your child comfortable (no more hot nights on a non-breathable foam mattresses!)
- A 2-inch layer of dynamically adjusting foam to provide proper spinal alignment
- A 7-inch base layer to support the other layers
Another reason to try memory foam for your kids: they have very low motion transfer, which is excellent for any child who shares a bed with a sibling or with you. Motion transfer refers to how much (or little) the mattress will wiggle, shake, or bounce when someone else tosses and turns. Low motion transfer = better sleep for all parties involved!
So is the Nectar memory foam mattress good for children? Yes! Memory foam mattresses are comfortable, and the Nectar mattresses don’t disappoint. They are comfortable from a spinal alignment point-of-view, but they are also comfortable from a temperature regulation point-of-view too. Add in the CertiPUR certification, and we were sold!
My son’s nectar mattress setup. Pardon sleeping bag. Waiting on his bedding to arrive.
What Firmness of Mattress is Best for a Child?
When you were shopping for a crib mattress, you probably found out quickly that babies need firm sleep surfaces to help prevent SIDS. But is that true for all children? As it turns out, too-squishy mattresses aren’t good for anyone, kids included. Mattresses that are too soft just don’t support your spine in the way it needs to be supported.
The best firmness for children is medium-firm. Medium-firm supports proper spinal alignment, and it accommodates sleepers in all positions. No matter which position your little one prefers, the adaptive foam relieves pressure on pressure points i.e., shoulders, hips, and legs.
Additionally, since kids can easily overheat at night, a good mattress must be medium-firm and feature cooling properties to help stabilize your child’s body temperature.
Do Nectar Mattresses Off-Gas?
Off-gassing is a hot topic when it comes to upholstered items, and that includes mattresses, new furniture, and new carpet. So what is off-gassing and do Nectar mattresses off-gas? Off-gassing happens when new, manufactured items (which includes furniture, carpet, wall paint, and more) release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals into the air. Off-gassing produces the tell-tale smell after you paint or after you unwrap your mattress-in-a-box.
Just like there is low-VOC paint, mattresses with the CertiPUR certification off-gas less than their un-certified counterparts.
New memory foam mattresses needs time to off-gas, but these mattresses need far less time than non-certified mattresses. Here are a few tips for off-gassing:
- Open your mattress in an empty room and open all the windows
- Let the mattress stay in this room for 1-3 days until the odor dissipates (Nectar states its ready within 24 hours, but you can always let it air out a little longer if you want.)
- Do not put a mattress cover or sheets on the mattress until off-gassing is complete
Tip: You can run an air purifier during this process as well. (I’ll be honest; we did do this process as I noticed no smell.)
Is Nectar an Organic Mattress?
Nectar Mattresses are eco-friendly, and they also feature organic components. The cotton used for the Nectar mattresses are sourced ethically using Fair Trade standards, hand-picked, loomed, and even dyed with low-impact dyes. The cotton (think: breathable quilted cover?) is made finest Fair Trade & GOTS certified non-GMO organic cotton.
What is GOTS mean? (No, not Game of Thrones!) GOTS stands for The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and is recognized as the world’s leading processing standard for textiles — like fabric, yarn, etc. — made from organic fibers. The independent certification includes processing standards, ecological standards, and social standards as well.
Do Nectar Mattresses Contain Formaldehyde?
You don’t have to look too far to find a foam mattress with formaldehyde or toxic flame retardants, but thankfully, Nectar isn’t lumped into that category — and you can thank CertiPUR-US for that. Remember, any product with CertiPUR certification means it does not contain any of the following:
- PBDEs or flame retardants
- Heavy metals
- Formaldehyde
- Ozone depleters
- Phthalates.
It also has low emissions of VOCs for the best indoor air quality.
Are Nectar Mattresses Healthy?
This was a big concern for us when we were shopping for new mattresses for our children, and after a lot of research, here are our key takeaways:
- All foam used in Nectar mattresses is certified by the CertiPUR-US program
- Nectar has the lowest VOC emissions
- All cotton used in Nectar mattresses is organic and GOTS-certified
- The adaptive temperature foam keeps your kids cool while they sleep (and cool sleep is healthy sleep!)
- The memory foam supports proper spinal alignment which is essential for healthy bones and joints
Psst! They also make a version for your doggos!
Catch Some Zzz’s with Your Own Nectar Mattress!
Are you looking for a new mattress?
The Nectar Classic or the Nectar Premier Mattress might be good for you if you…
- Prefer a medium-firm memory foam mattress.
- Want a mattress conveniently delivered right to your home.
- Need a mattress with low motion transfer.
- Want an adaptive foam that supports your pressure points and regulates body temperature.
- Are on a budget.
- Are the hunt for a CertiPUR-certified foam mattress with GOTS-certified cotton components.
- Want a 365 night trial and lifetime warranty. (Woowhoo!)
