What does modern foam hides?

When they hear the phrase “foam mattress,” many imagine a soft, out-of-shape bedding that their grandmother used to sleep on or that could be found in Soviet sanatoriums and summer vacation camps. It’s amazing: we see how smartphones, cars, and computers have advanced in the last five years, but we don’t think about the fact that progress is also penetrating into other industries. “Polyurethane” has long ago turned into a modern and high-tech material for filling mattresses – you won’t find it on the entresols for sure. It is time to dispel existing stereotypes and reveal the truth about “polyurethane foam”, or as it is correctly called, polyurethane foam PPU .

The most popular brands of polyurethane foam

Stereotype One. The foam is too soft, and the mattress will be the same

“Many consumers are confident in the softness of foam simply because they have no idea how versatile polyurethane foams are. The specialists of our research center are continuously developing foams and improving the existing formulations. Today we produce more than 130 different brands of polyurethane foam, which are divided into groups depending on their properties,

– Natalia Sverdlova, the head of “Mattress blanks” department of FoamLine Group, the developer of ready-made solutions for foam mattresses, tells. –

The most popular brands of polyurethane foam of standard groups can be both medium and high hardness, and soft. There are special markings on the production of polyurethane foam that help determine its group and properties.”.

But it’s not enough to know that foams vary in stiffness – you need to be able to choose the right mattress. The weight and age of the person is always taken into account. A proper sleeping place must provide good support for the body. Thin people should choose softer mattresses, buyers of normal build opt for models of medium hardness, and the fat – to prefer a stiffer.

For children, experts advise to sleep on mattresses of medium and above medium hardness, which will not create a hammock effect. The elderly, on the contrary, need mattresses with soft surface: they reduce the pressure on the joints and blood vessels.

Given the many features of the selection of products for sleep, the best option in terms of comfort, is a multilayer mattress with the stuffing of several types of foam. In it a rigid base is responsible for supporting the body, and a soft top layer provides comfort.

The second stereotype. Foam mattresses are not suitable for people with spinal problems

This prejudice is groundless: foam mattresses are successfully certified as orthopedic products. They are used in medical facilities for patients with musculoskeletal injuries.

Polyurethane foam is able to provide a physiological position of the body during sleep, including through the memory effect, which is essential for the spine and blood vessels. Products made of polyurethane memory foam can hold the outlines of the lying person for several minutes until it cools down and restores its original shape. So that the latest generation of foam mattresses perfectly follows the contours of the body of the sleeper, providing support, relaxing muscles and do not put excessive pressure on the joints. There are models with a massage effect, which will alleviate painful symptoms of back problems.

The third stereotype. A foam mattress will last half as long as a spring mattress

The lifespan of both spring and polyurethane foam mattresses varies depending on the design.

“Sleeping goods made of quality polyurethane foam provide comfortable use for several decades. The secret is the density of the material: the higher it is the longer the product will last without degradation of the performance characteristics. It is important to understand that the density of polyurethane foam is not connected with stiffness: a comfortable mattress can be made of a fairly soft material, but of high density,

– comments Natalia Sverdlova.

The service life of spring structures is limited by the physical properties: due to cyclic loads some micro-destruction is accumulated in the metal, some elements “sag” and form failures in the mattress. This disadvantage is particularly evident in “bonnell”, i.e.e. Dependent sprung blocks, models. Sellers say their average lifespan is five years.

The service life of mattresses with independent spring blocks in the premium price segment is 10 years and more, which is comparable with foam mattresses.

The fourth stereotype. Foam is not a natural material, and therefore can cause allergies

“Foam mattresses are environmentally friendly, they do not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere, do not emit odors and will not be a source of allergies, – claims Alena Trofimova, the product manager of TH “Oratek”. – The materials are subjected to strict quality control at all stages of production.

Unlike polyurethane foam, natural materials are potentially more dangerous. So, coconut coir is often glued with formaldehyde-containing solutions. And when it gets wet, it starts to grow fungus, which can lead to allergies. Another “irritant” among the materials – natural latex. It is allergic to 8% of the population. And many American housewives wash dishes every day with sponges made of FPU, having no doubt about their ecological compatibility and hypoallergenic properties.

Of course, the quality of polyurethane foam should be confirmed – for example, certification according to the European standard CertiPUR. The presence of a sign on the package or in the instructions of a mattress shows that it complies with the severe requirements on the emissions of airborne volatiles. It is also important that no ozone depleting substances, lead, mercury, formaldehyde, bromine-based flame retardants or banned phthalates have been used in the manufacture of such sleep products. Their production does not harm the nature and can not cause harm to humans during use.

Stereotype Five. You sweat more on a foam mattress

“The unique property inherent in the latest generation of polyurethane foam is thermal regulation. The new materials achieve a cooling effect with their open cell structure and gel-like component. Excessive heat is removed, and the person, sleeping on such a mattress, does not sweat,

– explains Michael Malakhovsky, marketing director of TH “Oratek. –

With mattresses made of such polyurethane foam the overheating during sleep is impossible: you won’t have to throw off the blanket several times during the night and cover yourself with it again.

Natural materials are inferior to modern foams in terms of breathability. For example, latex is virtually airtight, as seen in medical gloves. Even perforations in the top layer of a natural latex mattress do not solve the problem of overheating and sweating.

In the quest for the perfect comfortable sleeper, we shouldn’t discard anything made of polyurethane foam just because of common prejudices. Thanks to advances in the chemical industry, products made of polyurethane foam are not only diverse in characteristics, but also presented in completely different price segments. Every customer will find the best option.