Eachnight may earn commissions for products you purchase through our links. Our articles and reviews include affiliate links and advertisements, including amerisleep advertising. Learn more Updated November 13, 2024Fiberglass is a stalwart presence in the industrial business as a fire retardant. It has so many applications that listing them all would be futile. It undoubtedly sounds dangerous as a mix of plastic and glass fibers, especially if it gets in the air.One of the applications for fiberglass is fire protection inside mattresses. However, many manufacturers try to sidestep giving an upfront answer if their mattresses contain fiberglass or not, as the material can cause irritation if it escapes the mattress.Are you trying to find out whether the Leesa mattress contains fiberglass? You’ve come to the right place for your answer.Best Mattress without FiberglassAmerisleep AS3: The eco-friendly design of the Amerisleep AS3 includes plant-based memory foam and fiberglass-free flame protection, along with targeted comfort features and a versatile medium feel.Who Are Leesa Mattresses?Leesa is a company known for their bed in a box mattresses, offering memory foam and hybrid mattresses online, rather than traditional innerspring mattresses. They do also have brick-and-mortar stores across the country, however. Leesa is mainly known for their original memory foam mattress.Do Leesa Mattresses Have Fiberglass?According to Leesa Customer Service, there is no fiberglass in their mattresses’ exterior cover (fiberglass-free sock), which is tested for comfort and flammability performance. Additionally, Leesa mattresses are crafted in a fiberglass-free factory and use a fire-retardant yarn with a rayon barrier that is chemical-free and derived from 100% regenerated cellulose.This is great news as fiberglass can be harmful to you if it’s touched and it’s difficult to clean fiberglass from a mattress once it’s escaped the bed.SEE ALSO: Best Mattress for KidsWhat Is Fiberglass?Fiberglass is a composite material composed of glass and reinforced plastic. This material is frequently used in mattresses, particularly memory foam mattresses and mattress coverings. This material is noted for being both pliable and resilient, making it simple for producers to deal with. It’s also relatively effortless to mass produce at a low cost. Fiberglass may be used for various purposes, although it is most commonly associated with wall insulation.What Is the Purpose of a Fiberglass Mattress?In 2007, the Consumer Product Safety Commission established a flammability guideline for mattresses. Mattresses must fulfill the federal safety requirement for open-flame fire retardants, according to the Standard for the Flammability of Mattress Sets.Fiberglass is occasionally used in mattresses as a low-cost flame retardant. That comfortable, snug mattress in your bed is flammable, especially if it’s a memory foam mattress. If the mattress catches fire, the fiberglass melts, limiting the materials that can feed the flames.In the past, mattresses were produced from foam that contained flame retardants. Still, some of those chemicals have been linked to long-term health effects such as cancer and hormone disruption. As a result, many businesses chose fiberglass as the safest option since it is less expensive than other materials such as cotton, wool, rayon, latex, and custom mixes.SEE ALSO: Softest Mattress in a BoxShould I Be Concerned About Fiberglass Mattresses?The issue with all three methods of using fiberglass in mattress manufacturing is that the glass fibers may not remain where they are supposed to be. Whether the fiberglass is crushed into sheets, interwoven in fabric, or loosely contained in a “pocket,” it always manages to escape the mattress.Some folks mistakenly conclude that their mattress cover is detachable because it has a zipper. If you remove the cover to wash it, it can be a washer and drier filled with fiberglass particles. This is one example of a surefire way to have fiberglass fibers eventually become spread throughout your home and clothing.Fiberglass Irritates the SkinMany folks have reported waking up itching and covered in rashes after sleeping on their fiberglass mattresses. Often, these folks never unfastened their mattresses’ non-removable coverings. They could still see shimmering fiberglass protruding out of the tops of the beds using a flashlight in a dark area.Fiberglass Is an Irritant to the Eyes and NoseOthers reported having their eyes damaged by fiberglass shed from their mattresses after they were packed up and transported to a new residence. Or they reported having similar experiences when their children jumped on the bed. Some persons experience nosebleeds as a result of fiberglass in their mattresses. Such wear and tear may not be anticipated by mattress makers, and fiberglass particles can be exposed in the process.Fiberglass Is an Irritant to the Throat and LungsFiberglass particles in your living space, as well as airborne fiberglass, can cause lung discomfort if inhaled. You may cough or wheeze after breathing in fiberglass particles.Although there is no evidence that long-term inhalation of fiberglass particles is carcinogenic, it can nevertheless be a significant concern for persons with asthma and bronchitis. Avoid manufacturers who don’t make mattresses without fiberglass and than deal with that problem.The Benefits of Fiberglass in MattressesA mattress with fiberglass within its cover generally has only one purpose and that is to keep the mattress from catching fire too quickly. This added flame resistance is why the material is commonly seen in memory foam mattresses.Why? Even the best memory foam mattresses have a synthetic memory formed of poly-foam (memory foam), manufactured from petroleum. Petroleum is a highly flammable material that can cause your mattress to ignite and set fire to your home.With this in mind, if your room catches fire, the fiberglass tucked into the outer layer of the mattress cover will melt, saving the mattress from becoming inflamed.That is its primary function. Some mattress brands, such as Zinus mattresses, which acknowledged using fiberglass in their mattresses, said that the fiberglass is hidden inside the inner cover of the mattress, making it a safer alternative. Nonetheless, if your mattress has a hole in it, your house and health are in danger.SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses Without Memory FoamIs Fiberglass Dangerous to Your Home?Although this is an extreme case, fiberglass mattresses have been responsible for forcing families to leave their houses. That doesn’t happen frequently, but if the material breaks free from your mattress, it may quickly spread throughout your home, especially if it gets into your HVAC system.If you’ve ever worked with fiberglass, especially in the insulation sector, you know how unpleasant the material can be before it gets into your lungs. Even if you get rid of the mattress right away once you spot a fiberglass leak, the fibers that have already escaped have the potential to threaten everyone in your home in the long run.How to Tell if a Mattress Has FiberglassIf you are worried about fiberglass in your mattress, here are some easy techniques to determine whether or not your mattress contains fiberglass. If you are sensitive to fiberglass, even as a proprietary fire barrier, consider organic mattresses made of natural materials or a fiberglass-free option.PriceFiberglass is a relatively low-cost material that keeps down the price of the mattress. Low-cost mattresses (generally speaking, $600 or less for a queen size is a good starting point) are more likely to include fiberglass than not and possibly other hazardous elements.However, while cost-cutting is assumed to be used interchangeably with quality-cutting, it’s not always. Budget mattresses without fiberglass do exist, it can just take a little bit of digging to find one.Inquire with the CompanyWhen you look at an online mattress, you should look to see the materials that are used and which ingredients are expressly used as fire retardants. If it isn’t stated clearly on the company’s website or elsewhere on the internet, write a message or phone the mattress company.If the customer care representative is unable to provide you with a clear explanation and does not expressly state it is fiberglass-free, you should assume there is fiberglass and continue shopping. If you want a good idea of where to look elsewhere, organic latex mattresses are generally fiberglass free.Some mattress brands that have come under recent consumer fire for fiberglass in their beds include:Lucid mattressesAshley Furniture mattressesZinus mattressesNectar mattressesBig Lots mattressesAmazon mattressesVibe mattressesOlee Sleep mattressesLull mattressesCasper mattressesWayfair mattressesCheck the LabelAlways check the care label of the mattress you’re buying, and read up on mattress retardants to find out more about what the manufacturer employs. Typically, the label should state that users should not remove the cover. That is usually a dead giveaway that the mattress contains fiberglass. Another sign is creative wording such as ‘glass wool.’Is It a Memory Foam Mattress?Generally speaking, low-cost memory foam mattresses have fiberglass flame retardants and additional chemical treatments included in the molding to slow down fire spread. if you are looking for a fiberglass-free mattress, you may want to avoid cheap memory foam mattresses as part of the manufacturing process.SEE ALSO: Are Memory Foam Mattresses Safe?FAQsDoes fiberglass from a mattress stay in the air?If mattress coverings are removed or torn, fiberglass pieces can escape into the air, posing a possible inhalation threat as well as skin and eye discomfort. If inhaled, these pieces can irritate your airway and stomach, causing some severe discomfort. Airbourne pieces of fiberglass may eventually settle around the home with other dust particles, but in the meantime they can spread through a home’s air conditioning unit, causing irritation beyond the bedroom.Should I throw away clothes or bedding with fiberglass?After completing a project or working day in which you were exposed to fiberglass:Remove your clothes in a location where the particles will not splatter onto other materials.Take off your garments and keep them apart from your other laundry or furnishings.Do not, for example, lay it over a chair or over a bed, since the fibers may spread.It may be preferable to simply put the garment into an empty washing machine and plan on washing it separately rather than combining it with other items or just throwing the clothing away.How do I get rid of fiberglass in my house?While you can certainly remove a good amount of escaped fiberglass particles from your home, it isn’t easy to do a complete job. It takes specialized equipment like a HEPA vacuum to have a chance of removing small fiberglass pieces. Hiring a qualified, professional team specializing in removing fiberglass in your home is the only practical and feasible approach.Are mattresses still made with fiberglass?Many mattresses marketed in the United States, particularly those that are lower priced, have a layer of fiberglass insulation beneath the mattress cover. If you want to avoid buying a fiberglass-filled mattress, seek one labeled as such. Natural and eco-friendly mattresses can be especially good choices, as they tend to use flame-resistant wool and plant fibers for protection.How do you know if you have fiberglass in your mattress?If the label on your mattress indicates XX% glass fiber, it includes fiberglass. Your label should also state, “Do not remove the cover,” because doing so causes the fiberglass fragments to be released into the air. Not all mattresses with non-removable covers contain fiberglass, but it’s a good indiction to be wary and investigate further.ConclusionLeesa mattresses do not contain fiberglass. It’s important to note that unless the outer layer is weakened, you should not have a reaction to fiberglass in mattresses. Luckily, this is not a concern with Leesa. Here at eachnight.com we always recommend shoppers look for the best mattresses without fiberglass.About the author Eric RidenourEric Ridenour is a health and wellness writer with a focus on sleep and nutrition. He has studied health science and psychology at a university level and has consulted several businesses and individuals on the connection between sleep and overall well-being including the effect lack of sleep has on other aspects of health such as exercise, nutrition, and concentration. He is a published author working on his second book Find more articles by Eric Comments Cancel replyLeave a CommentYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment Name Email I agree to the Terms and Conditions of this website. Δ