Many Avocado products, including our Green Mattress, are MADE SAFE® certified. That means they bear America’s stamp of approval for everyday products developed with 100 percent healthy ingredients. By approving our materials, MADE SAFE has determined that these products meet their rigorous safety standards.

A CONVERSATION WITH MADE SAFE® CEO AMY ZIFF:

WHAT MADE SAFE MEANS

At Avocado Green, we’re dedicated to eliminating harmful chemicals in our household products. MADE SAFE has provided us with third-party validation that we’re doing just that. In their process, researchers thoroughly analyze everyday items to determine whether all materials and ingredients are safe. (You can read more about that process here.) In 2018, they screened 10,058 ingredients from 91 brands. By approving many of our Avocado products, MADE SAFE has determined that all of the materials we use in them are free from ingredients linked to or suspected to cause harm to humans, animals, or ecosystems. And that’s good news for you, your family, and the planet.

Americans spend, on average, 90 percent of their days inside. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be five times more polluted than what’s outside. These toxins come from cleaning products, furniture, flooring, cabinets, paint, and other building materials. We have agencies to regulate outdoor air pollution. That’s not the case with indoor air. The best thing we can do to protect ourselves and our families is to reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals. That’s where MADE SAFE comes in. Children are especially vulnerable. (If you want to go really deep down this rabbit hole, read the New Yorker’s excellent long-form feature on the subject.)

Indoor toxins can be really dangerous. The EPA estimates that thousands of products release invisible gasses, known as volatile organic compounds (or VOCs), which can cause all sorts of nasty ailments. Think eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, and nausea. They can damage the liver, kidney, and central nervous system, and some are suspected or known to cause cancer. Children are especially vulnerable.

According to MADE SAFE, the polyurethane foam found in some mattresses is a source of VOC emissions. That material, which is made from ingredients derived from fossil fuels, is also highly combustible, so it’s often treated with flame retardants, which are, in turn, associated with severe health and environmental impacts.

MADE SAFE and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention are also seriously concerned about isocyanates, a family of chemical compounds. (Read more about their impacts here). The properties of isocyanates make them great for foam products, in which they’re widely used. But exposure to them can cause asthma attacks, respiratory diseases, skin inflammation, and general chemical sensitivity. That’s why MADE SAFE encourages the use of healthier natural and organic certified materials. With this in mind, we only use organic-certified latex, cotton, and wool in our mattresses, pillows, sheets, and mattress toppers. It’s a distinction that matters.