bedding – The Green Mom Review

PVC-Free, Non-Toxic Air Mattresses (2025 Update)

pvc air mattress non-toxic These days, when you need an extra bed, you’re more likely to pull out an air mattress than open a sofa sleeper and for camping, the inflatable air mattress will be found on most packing lists.

The problem, however, is that inflatable are often made with PVC, which outgasses harmful chemical fumes called phthalates long after that telltale “new mattress smell” has dissipated. (Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors that can cause a variety of health issues for unborn children, as well as adults. We strongly recommend avoiding them whenever possible)

As recently as ten years ago, those of us who objected to breathing in dangerous chemicals may have had little recourse other than to forgo the comfort of an air mattress and lump it—but thankfully, we now have many more options:

Intex TruAire Luxury Air Mattress: NEW! Made of TPU and free of PVC, BPA, phthalates and chlorine, this 13 inch air mattress is lightweight and compact. It also comes with a built-in air pump and features a multi-zone support system. Made of patented non-stretch fibers. Comes with a carrying bag.

Serta Queen TPU Perfect Sleeper Air Mattress: NEW! This premium 18 inch PVC-free air mattress is constructed with heavy-duty waterproof puncture-resistant TPU. The Serta Perfect Sleeper sits tall like a traditional bed, futon, or sofa bed. This luxury air bed also has 4 firmness settings on the built-in auto shutoff pump. Just set the pump to Plush, Medium, Firm, or Extra-Firm and enjoy a perfect night’s rest. Comes with a full two year warranty.

Intex TruAire TPU Luxury Camping Mattress: NEW! This 8.5 inch PVC-free air mattress is made of TPU material that provides superior properties with better elasticity, as well as stronger abrasion and puncture resistance for comfort. Comes with carry bags for mattress and pump and a USB air pump. Free of BPA, phthalates and chlorine.

KingCamp 2-Person PVC-Free Ultra Light Airbed with Pump: Made of 100% polyester with TPU coating, this 2-Person PVC-Free airbed is only 6 lbs, damp-proof, comfortable, durable and very firm with 192 stabilizers between the top and bottom. The Boston valve air tap and battery operated pump provide rapid inflation and deflation. It is convenient to adjust the comfort level of this airbed. Includes compression straps, an oversized oxford carrying bag and repair kit.

ALPS Mountaineering Vertex 2 Person Air Bed: Made with durable PVC-free fabric, this air bed is incredibly lightweight (the queen size weighs in at just over 4 lbs) which makes for easy transport. It utilizes a coil system for a more solid and comfortable sleeping area and comes with a carrying bag and state-of-the-art pump with multiple power options: wall outlet, car outlet or rechargeable battery. For indoor/outdoor use, it also inflates and deflates quickly and easily.

Lightspeed Outdoors Ultralight Flexform Curved Inflatable Single Air Bed: This indoor/outdoor super lightweight air bed (under 3 lbs) is made of PVC-free durable 30D stretch FlexForm polyester with TPU coating. Features a curved baffle design that cradles and conforms to body shape, a thicker 4.3 inches of inflation, built in pillow, adjustable firmness and inflates with 5-10 full bag pumps. Pump included!

Kelty Kush Queen Air Bed: Weighing in at just 5 lbs, this two person air bed is a plush 6 inches thick, PVC-free and made to last with abrasion-and-puncture resistant TPU laminated fabric. Comes with a battery operated air pump and carrying bag.

Sierra 2 Person Camping Air Bed Mattress: This budget-conscious queen size air mattress (Note: reviews say it’s more like a full) is made of phthalate-free TPU and is PVC-free. It features a built-in pillow, a free-flowing 2-part Boston Valve and includes an oversized storage bag and battery-operated pump.

Happy PVC-free sleeping!

Non-Toxic & PVC-Free Air Beds (Updated 2/25)

The problem, however, is that inflatable are commonly made with PVC, which outgasses harmful chemical fumes called phthalates long after that telltale “new mattress smell” has dissipated. (Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors that can cause a variety of insidious health issues for unborn children, as well as adults. We strongly recommend avoiding them whenever possible)

A few years ago, those of us who objected to breathing in dangerous chemicals may have had little recourse other than to forgo the luxury of an air mattress and lump it—but thankfully, we now have many more options:

Intex TruAire Luxury Air Mattress: Made of TPU and free of PVC, BPA, phthalates and chlorine, this 13 inch air mattress is lightweight and compact. It also comes with a built-in air pump and features a multi-zone support system. Made of patented non-stretch fibers. Comes with a carrying bag.

Happy PVC-free sleeping!

Organic Toddler Pillow

What: My Little Toddler Pillow

Features: Perfectly sized for smaller heads (ages 2-5) and made of 100% super-soft certified organic cotton shell, it is breathable, soft, and supportive, as well as machine washable and dryable. Filled with high quality soft, chemical-free, polyester cluster fiber that is 100% hypoallergenic.

Green Factor: Chemical-free with no mold and mildew resistance chemicals, flame retardants, or dust-mite and a certified organic cotton shell.

Bonus: Made in America with materials from U.S. based suppliers

Find It Here: Amazon

Green Nurseries on a Budget

If you follow celebrity news and gossip, there’s no doubt you’ve noticed the abundance of stories about green celebrity baby nurseries. The price tags on some of those eco-friendly digs, however, might lead you to believe that a safer, greener nursery is out of reach on anything but celebrity’s budget.

It’s absolutely true that a green nursery could easily cost a pretty penny but fortunately, with a little creativity, perserverance and time, you can give your bundle of joy some safer, greener digs without taking out a second mortgage.

1. Don’t be afraid to buy some things used.
I know with my firstborn, the idea of putting my baby in or on anything that wasn’t brand new was completely unacceptable to me. What I didn’t know then that I know now is that new stuff off-gasses all kinds of chemicals into the air and in your baby’s body. Getting something used (from friends, consignment stores or even Craigslist) means it’s probably already off-gassed those chemicals and also, buying used means you’re helping to conserve resources. You can’t get much greener than that! Ideal items to buy used are cribs (check models for recalls and other safety issues), dressers, gliders/rockers and changing tables. As these are also big ticket items, you’ll be saving plenty of green right out of the gate. Just make sure to clean everything really well with a NON-TOXIC cleaner.

2. Your baby’s bedding is one thing you should NOT skimp on.
Shop around online for good deals on organic cotton sheets, crib bumpers and swaddling blankets and most importantly, an organic crib mattress. There are several varieties — the key is to find one that contains no chemical flame retardants (wool is good natural choice of flame retardant) and contains no chemicals or non-organic materials. This is important because your baby will breathe in anything that is outgassing from the mattress. There has also been some speculation that the chemical cocktails used in conventional mattresses are a possible cause of SIDS because when babies lay on their bellies, they’re breathing them in with very little fresh air.

3. Use No-VOC paints.
Painting is almost always part of setting up a new baby’s room and the new, green No-VOC paints are the paints you want to use. No-VOC means “no volatile organic compounds” which really just means none of the toxic stuff that contributes to indoor air pollution and that you don’t want your baby (or you!) inhaling. No-VOC paint is more expensive than regular latex interior paint but for a bedroom, one gallon may be enough and trust me, it’s money well spent. No-VOC paint is available at most stores such as Home Depot. Just make sure it’s NO-VOC or Zero-VOC instead of Low-VOC.

4. If you have hardwood or tile floors, leave them.
Do NOT carpet the room. Carpet is the source of much indoor pollution and outgassing. You can pick up organic or natural area rugs for far less than re-carpeting a whole room — or consider FLOR. FLOR is eco-friendly, recyclable carpet that comes in self-stick squares so you can mix, match and make your own patterns while staying green. If you already have carpet and it’s not completely gross, leave it and use a green carpet cleaning system to clean it really well rather than install new carpeting.

5. Be picky with clothing.
Since clothing touches your baby nearly 24 hours a days, organic cotton or bamboo is the best choice. Regular cotton is grown with incredible amounts of pesticides and if you can avoid it, you don’t want that touching your baby’s sensitive skin. Scour eBay for deals on organic clothing. Try to approximate what season it will be when your baby is a certain size and you can get off-season clothing for far less. Also, there are oodles of stores on the web that sell incredibly cute organic clothing. Check their sale and clearance pages to score bargains. If you choose to cloth diaper, obviously organic cotton diapers are ideal. If you want to use disposable diapers that aren’t made with chlorine bleach and other chemicals, try G-Diapers. They’re totally biodegradable, flushable or compostable.

The quest to live a less toxic life in a very toxic world isn’t always easy or cheap but it can be done. Best of luck to you and your new green nursery!