Choosing the Best Non Toxic Crib Mattress
Choosing the best organic and nontoxic crib mattress is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your baby. If they sleep in their crib, your baby will spend most of their early days touching and inhaling the materials around them.
It goes beyond choosing organic versus non-organic or latex fibers versus rubber or cotton. And don’t get me started about finding out which companies are GOTS certified through the entire process.
When it comes to researching nontoxic baby gear, the items your baby will use the most should be a priority. Babies spend a lot of time sleeping. And whether that’s in a bassinet, co-sleeper, or crib, you’ll want to make sure they’re not breathing or touching harmful chemicals.
As much time as parents take designing an adorable nursery, an organic crib mattress is often an afterthought determined by cost rather than quality. That said, there is unnerving data around the effects of chemicals made in traditional baby mattress production.
“Our research shows mattresses can be a significant source of chemical contaminants in the nursery and bedroom,” says Dr. Brandon E. Boor, an assistant professor of civil engineering at Purdue (source).
Crib mattresses are generally composed of polyurethane foam, a petroleum-derived synthetic material. And they often contain adhesives and other chemical additives. The foam core is usually enveloped with a waterproof cover. These mattress components can release harmful VOCs, some of which can cause respiratory and nervous system damage (source).
First, here’s what to look for when buying a crib mattress plus our recommendations. Or if you’re looking to start off with baby in your room, take a look at our guide to safe, nontoxic bassinets.
What To Look For & Avoid in an Organic Crib Mattress
Choosing the best nontoxic mattress for your baby is more important than you might realize. With the right information, you can make an informed choice. Keep these requirements in mind:
- GOTS or GOLS certification – This ensures the finished product was made in a certified facility with rigorous standards.
- USA or Canada made – Higher manufacturing standards and transparency.
- Organic cotton, wool, and latex – Natural, breathable, safe materials.
- No flame retardants or polyurethane foam – Linked to numerous health risks.
- No vinyl (PVC) waterproofing – Choose food-grade polyethylene or use a separate organic waterproof pad.
The Best Organic Crib Mattresses for 2025
From our team’s personal experience over the last 13 years with 14 children among our team members, here are our top picks for the best crib mattresses that meet all the criteria outlined in this guide.
Naturepedic Classic Organic Crib Mattresses
I have two Naturepedic mattresses in my home. And while my kids are long past the crib stage, I have hands-on experience with their crib mattresses through a family member and our reviewers for Green Child. Through my practical knowledge, their classic organic crib mattress is the easiest and best choice to give you peace of mind as a new parent.
Naturepedic leads our mattress recommendations in every category because they’ve been creating safe, nontoxic bedding for the last 20 years. I’ve known their team since 2012. Their owner, Barry Cik, is a board-certified environmental engineer who personally, professionally, and politically advocates for healthier products.
Naturepedic mattresses are:
- GOTS, GOLS, Non-GMO, Greenguard Gold, and Green America certified
- Made in the USA without flame retardants, polyurethane foam, or vinyl
- Free from chemical odors
- Designed with a snug crib fit and patented waterproofing
- Covered by a 100-night trial, lifetime warranty, and excellent customer service
Year round, you can use code GREENCHILD15 to get 15% off the purchase of Naturepedic top-rated, Greenguard gold certified organic mattresses and accessories.
Obasan Organic Crib Mattress
Obasan’s crib mattress is handcrafted in Canada from GOTS and GOLS certified organic latex, coconut husk, and cotton. You’ll find no off-gassing, no chemical flame retardants, no vinyl waterproofing, and no polyurethane foams close to your baby.
I recently took a virtual tour of Obasan’s Ottawa headquarters. Their manufacturing area is clean, efficient, sustainable, and extremely well organized. Every mattress – from crib to king – is hand sewn. You can feel the commitment to making a worthwhile product from their kind and friendly team members.
Another great benefit of Obasan’s crib mattress is that it comes with its own complimentary fitted organic wool moisture cover. Most brands offer them separately. We found the cover to be very soft, and the mattress is very easy to get out and in the crib. The fit is also snug inside the crib to ensure a safe space for your little one.
Obasan crib mattresses also feature:
- Made with moisture-wicking wool for temperature control.
- Dual 2” layers made of organic material. One extra-firm rubber layer and one natural rubberized coconut fiber layer which forms a firm base. Made with different cotton fabrics for two varying feels.
- Fits all standard North American crib frames.
- Complimentary organic wool cover acts as an all-natural fire barrier and is easy to remove and spot clean.
- Obasan has also been awarded their GOTS and GOLS certifications directly. They do not piggyback off of certifications from any third party supplier.
My Green Mattress Crib Mattress
I’ve personally worked with My Green Mattress since 2016 and have watched their commitment to transparency and safe bedding components grow over the last decade.
My son has their full sized Kiwi mattress, and it is the most comfortable kids’ mattress we’ve ever had. It’s actually more comfortable than many adult mattresses I’ve owned.
Organic Emily Crib Mattress
Their certified organic Emily Crib Mattress is made with a layer of breathable, GOLS certified organic coconut coir—a supportive, firm, yet pressure-relieving pad made from organic coconut fibers that are bound together using organic latex.
The Emily is an innerspring mattress, and it’s covered in GOTS-certified organic cotton and GOTS certified organic wool, which acts a a natural flame retardant. Our research shows this combination protects your baby from the off-gassing chemicals (detailed below) that are found in most flame retardants and polyurethane foams.
MyGreenMattress’ crib mattress comes with a 10-year warranty and a 365 Night Sleep Trial.
Lullaby Earth Crib Mattresses
Lullaby Earth is owned by Naturepedic. So, you get the same quality, safe product in a line of bedding created specifically for babies and toddlers. They’ve also earned the MadeSafe certification.
They’ve created a reliable line of safe, organic mattresses for babies and toddlers. Our reviewer said, “I learned from the research and from using this mattress that it provides more airflow than our previous crib mattress. Our daughter (age 4 months) actually started sleeping longer when we switched to this mattress. And I love that this one has no odor.”
Lullaby Earth mattresses are made without polyurethane foam and pass all government flammability standards without any flame retardant chemicals. And of course, they also avoid formaldehyde, vinyl, PVC, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), pesticides, glues/adhesives, and GMOs.
Breathe Safe Breathable Crib Mattress 2-Stage
This crib mattress offers excellent airflow via its breathable cover. It’s made from a 3-dimensional structure that allows air to flow through the fabric and under the baby for 360 degree air circulation. Since air is able to pass freely, your baby can breathe right through it.
The two stages make it an easy transition from infant to toddler. Also comes with a lifetime limited warranty.
Healthy Support Waterproof Crib Mattress
This mattress also contains none of the common potential allergens or chemicals like formaldehyde, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), pesticides, glues/adhesives, and GMOs.
From our testing, we discovered that their safe waterproofing components make it super easy to clean. It’s also one of the more affordable options in the nontoxic crib mattress category.
You & Baby Can Rest Easily
If you plan on co-sleeping, be sure to follow safe co-sleeping guidelines and make sure your own bed is safe from harmful off-gassing chemicals. For big kid and adult size beds, we recommend the high-quality, nontoxic mattresses from Naturepedic, Obasan, and Happsy.
When you choose one of these non-toxic crib mattresses, you won’t have to worry about chemicals might wafting around your baby’s sleeping space… because there simply won’t be any.
More Baby + Sleep Resources
Creating a Healthy Sleep Environment for Your Child
The Best Nontoxic Bassinets
Montessori Floor Beds
Natural Sleep Aids for Baby
How Daylight Resets the Circadian Rhythm and Improves Sleep
How to Choose the Best Organic Mattress
Is Your Child Ready for a Big Kid Bed?
Best Kids’ Guided Meditations for Sleep
Our Review of Naturepedic’s Verse Mattress for Kids
Our Review of Happsy’s Organic Mattress for Kids
This guide was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2025.
