Organic Mattress Retailing Series - Part 8: Proper Organic Mattress Messaging

Furniture World News Desk on 10/5/2023

The first seven installments in this series explained the following topics:

•  What an organic mattress is.
• Why organic mattresses are going mainstream.
• What certifications are associated with organic mattresses.
• What chemicals and materials are and are not used in organic mattresses.
• Specific issues regarding baby & kid’s mattresses, and more.

As a mattress retailer, it’s one thing to know the above information so you can differentiate fact from fiction when buying organic mattresses for your store. It’s quite another to know the best ways to relate this information to your customers.

When advertising to reach out to the buying public or interacting with them online or in-store, some terms should not be used when presenting or selling organic mattresses.

Sustainable vs. Eco-Friendly:  There is an important underlying distinction when presenting mattresses as sustainable, eco-friendly and natural. That’s because many, if not most, consumers do not trust environmental claims made by businesses about consumer products, including mattresses.

Many people in the mattress business believe this lack of consumer engagement is a sign that most don’t feel that buying environmentally friendly products is a priority and won’t pay more to purchase them. I disagree.

My experience is that consumers aren’t interested in hearing about or paying more for mattresses that are presented using questionable environmental posturing using terms like sustainable, eco-friendly and natural, for which there are no concise definitions. However, a substantial percentage of mattress buyers can be convinced to pay more for
mattress products that meet clear evidence-based standards.

Take Care With Retail Messaging: The challenge for retailers who want to offer an expanded product selection to meet a growing desire among consumers to buy organic, healthier bedding is to find better ways to make explainable, embraceable, and defensible organic mattress claims.

How to Present “Organic” Brands: For starters, when it comes to “organic” mattresses, educated consumers largely prefer to purchase mattresses made by manufacturers who only use materials certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard). On the retail sales floor, presenting this kind of commitment by a manufacturing brand is essential to building trust and establishing that any claims made are not merely brand posturing.

Avoid Medical Claims: Another best practice is to avoid making specific medical claims about “organic” mattresses. For example, the term “hypo-allergenic” is technically a medical claim that the FDA might one day crack down on. This term should be used carefully when selling organic or other mattresses.

Other Produce Claims to Avoid: Other product terms that can be problematic when advertising or selling mattresses are the words compostable, biodegradable, free-of…, recyclable and made with recycled content. We’ll review all these and more in upcoming articles.

About Barry A. Cik: Barry A. Cik is a Board Certified Environmental Engineer and founder and technical director of Naturepedic Organic Mattresses & Bedding. Since 2003, Naturepedic has been on a mission to protect the lives of families through safer, healthier organic-based products that have a positive impact on the environment. A brand with purpose, transparency, and ethical practices, Naturepedic is the recipient of many certifications and is highly respected by numerous health and environmental organizations (https://www.naturepedic.com/certifications) and is an EPA Green Power Partner. Since its inception, Naturepedic has been a consistent and generous advocate and supporter of NGOs and nonprofits advocating for the “Right to Know” about what is in the products that people bring into their homes.

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