Off-gassing is the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from materials into the air you breathe. It happens when chemical compounds in a product evaporate at room temperature. It is invisible and often odorless at low concentrations — which is why independent certification, not smell, is the only reliable way to assess it.

Mattresses are one of the higher-risk household sources of VOC exposure because of how they're used: direct skin contact and close-range inhalation for 8 or more hours every night, on a surface that retains body heat — which increases VOC emissions from the materials beneath you.

Research published in Environmental Science & Technology (Boor et al., 2014) found that VOC concentrations at the mattress surface can be approximately twice those in the surrounding room air. For infants sleeping face-down on a conventional foam mattress, the exposure is concentrated at the point of highest emission, for the longest duration, during the developmental window of greatest vulnerability. The EPA estimates indoor air can carry higher concentrations of certain VOC pollutants than outdoor air.

The primary source of VOC off-gassing in conventional mattresses is polyurethane foam — a petroleum-derived material that releases compounds including formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and acetaldehyde as it ages and is exposed to body heat. Chemical flame retardants and synthetic adhesives between comfort layers are additional VOC sources.

Some of the VOC classes associated with these materials are linked to respiratory irritation, headaches, endocrine disruption, and at higher exposures, liver, kidney, and central nervous system effects. Several are classified as probable or known carcinogens by the EPA and IARC. None of these inputs are required to be disclosed on a mattress label. See: What Chemicals Are in a Conventional Mattress?

GREENGUARD Gold — the standard that governs chemical emissions in bedrooms and children's rooms — sets specific limits on VOC concentrations and tests the finished product against them. It is administered by UL Solutions and reflects actual indoor air quality conditions rather than generic material standards. Every Avocado mattress is GREENGUARD Gold certified. See: What Is GREENGUARD Gold Certification?

UL® Formaldehyde-Free independently confirms that Avocado products contain no added formaldehyde or formaldehyde precursors — one of the most commonly tested VOCs in mattress safety evaluation.

MADE SAFE® and EWG Verified® screen finished products against thousands of known and suspected harmful substances, including VOC-generating compounds, carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors. Together with GOTS and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Class I, these six certifications close the gap that no single standard can cover on its own.

Avocado mattresses contain no polyurethane foam, no memory foam, no chemical flame retardants, and no chemical adhesives between comfort layers — the primary VOC sources in conventional mattresses. The materials in their place — GOLS-certified organic latex, GOTS-certified organic wool, and GOTS-certified organic cotton — are natural materials with significantly lower VOC profiles, independently verified to emit within safe limits under GREENGUARD Gold.

For the full answer on what Avocado mattresses emit and what to expect when your mattress arrives, see Do Avocado Mattresses Emit a Gas or Chemical Odor?

Off-gassing is most intense when a mattress is new — the "new mattress smell" — and declines over time as volatile compounds are released. Residual low-level emissions from polyurethane foam continue throughout the product's life, not just during a defined "off-gassing period." GREENGUARD Gold tests products under conditions simulating ongoing use, not just when new. Avocado mattresses built without foam have no polyurethane off-gassing profile at any point in their life.

No. Natural materials like latex, wool, and cotton have their own natural scent — particularly when new. This is not the same as synthetic VOC emissions. Natural material scent dissipates within days to weeks and does not carry the toxicological profile associated with polyurethane foam emissions. Avocado's GREENGUARD Gold certification independently confirms that chemical emissions are within safe limits regardless of any scent.

For any new mattress: unbox it in a well-ventilated space and allow it to air for 24–72 hours before sleeping on it. Open windows to increase airflow. The better long-term solution is a mattress built without the materials that cause ongoing emissions — particularly polyurethane foam, chemical flame retardants, and chemical adhesives.

GREENGUARD Gold is the most directly relevant certification for VOC emissions — it specifically tests finished products against strict indoor air quality limits for bedrooms and children's rooms. It works alongside GOTS (which prohibits the chemical inputs that cause off-gassing), UL® Formaldehyde-Free (which verifies no formaldehyde), MADE SAFE®, and EWG Verified® to create a compounding system of protection. See: Why One Certification Is Never Enough.