Have You Thought of Buying a Coir Mattress?

A coir mattress incorporates coco coir fibers into supplementary mattress materials, such as insulation padding and the outer cotton mattress cover. Each component of the mattress’s design, including the coir fibers, supplies a necessary part to provide comfort, support, and cooling — all working together to encourage good sleep.

The Construction

Coir mattress fibers are the short, fine fibers from the outside of the coconut that are covered in natural rubber (the sap of the rubber tree) to create mattress padding. 

As opposed to coconut fibers processed with water that are used to create products such as doormats and garden supplements and accessories, the initial processing of coir mattress fibers is done dry, without water or any other liquid. The next step, called defibering, separates the fibers from the pith (the plant’s spongy tissues) through a process of tumbling and sorting. Then the fibers are bound together into a bale or a rope. The coir fibers are later formed into rectangular shapes and covered with rubber for use in mattresses.

Benefits

Coir has a natural springy quality that prevents the need for metal springs inside the coir mattress. Rubberizing the coir helps the fibers stay together. The rubber combined with the coir fibers’ natural flexibility causes the mattress pads to act as weight support systems, distributing the weight evenly, unlike metal springs. Coco coir is long-lasting, as opposed to metal springs that wear over time, sometimes even poking through the mattress. Coir is also naturally elastic and eco-friendly. The flexibility of coir mattress pads makes them easy to transport and adds to the comfort they offer.

The coir mattress’s construction of coir fiber and rubber helps prevent back pain and supports the spine and joints, which might lead to better sleep and improved blood circulation. It also promotes motion isolation. In other words, the movement of one sleeper goes undetected by a sleeper on the other side of the bed. 

Coir rubberized for use in mattresses encourages cooling by allowing aeration between the fibers. This rubberized coir does not absorb water and, in turn, discourages moisture from absorbing into the other mattress layers. This helps prevent sagging, as well as bacteria and mildew accumulation, that can lead to the rotting that sometimes occurs in memory foam mattresses. Memory foam mattresses can also be uncomfortable to those sensitive to high temperatures, as they tend to retain heat.

Coir’s natural microbial ability to deter insects and pests discourages dust mites from settling into the mattress, which helps prevent respiratory problems. Coir is also flame-resistant. The natural materials used in coir mattresses are hypoallergenic and odor-free and don’t result in off-gassing. This is beneficial for those sensitive to chemical additives and toxic odors that non-natural substances sometimes give off.

Processed without harsh chemicals or additives, the natural materials used in the construction of coir mattresses makes them environmentally friendly. This is yet another advantage in addition to the many sleeping benefits a coir mattress offers.