How It All Began
It all started back in the late '90s when we launched a baby website called Babyworld. After years of managing department stores in the '70s and '80s and then the largest baby store in the UK - focused on everything from birth to toddler - I became fascinated by the world of the internet. It felt like the perfect opportunity to combine my passion for great customer service with selling products that truly meet the needs of families, never compromising on quality. That's a principle that's stayed with me since my days at Marks & Spencer. From that idea the Cot Mattress Company was born.
A Voyage of Discovery
The baby mattress world turned out to be quite the voyage of discovery. Take the humble Moses basket for example - lovely to look at but open it up and the mattress inside often felt like part of the packaging: cheap, thin and definitely not what you'd want your newborn sleeping on for their first 2,500 hours in this world! The same went for many cribs - sold more for style and price than for comfort or purpose.
From the start, our mission was simple: to make the best baby mattresses we possibly could. We constantly source the finest materials for our range and will never compromise on quality just to join a price war.
Innovation at Our Core
As we searched for the perfect product, innovation became both our biggest driver and our greatest joy. We were actually the first company to put pocket springs into a baby mattress. People thought we were mad! "It's only a baby mattress," they said. Funny thing is now all good cot mattresses use pocket springs instead of the old-fashioned bed-spring variety.
The Fire Retardant Battle
Not everything along the way was smooth sailing. One of the worst things to happen to the industry came in the late '80s when new government regulations required all baby mattresses to be fire-retardant. The catch? That meant adding toxic chemicals to the foam. Nowhere else in Europe would anyone dream of letting their baby sleep on that stuff, but here in the UK we had no choice. I spent 37 years campaigning against that ridiculous rule - and finally, in October 2025, it was reversed. (As I always maintained "British babies don't smoke in their cots!") You can read the full story on our site - honestly, you couldn't make it up.
Thankfully, in 2021 Vita invented a new TCPP-free foam that met fire safety standards without the nasty chemicals. We were the first - and at the time, the only - baby mattress company to make the switch immediately. Yes, it cost more, but our philosophy has always been the same: if it's the best for baby, it's worth it.
The Foam Challenge
Another challenge came in the early 2000s: mattresses starting to dip or dent after a year or two. The issue wasn't with the springs - it was the foam. Foam reacts to heat, weight and pressure and babies being adorable little heaters who also grow quickly and tick all three boxes! The real fix was to use higher-density foam. It's pricier but far more durable. While most manufacturers now use around 28/128 foam, ours is 41/150 - a huge leap in quality, which is why we confidently guarantee our foam for five years.
Our EasyChange® Cover System
In 2005, we created our EasyChange® zip off cover system, and honestly, we've never needed to improve on it - it just ticks every box. Luxurious, waterproof, fully breathable, washable at 60°C and with temperature control built in. Plus two EasyChange zip-on toppers make life a little easier - one on the mattress, one in the wash.
Why We Don't Use Fibre
Then came 2015 and the arrival of fibre - yes, a game-changer for the baby mattress industry because it slashed prices to less than half those of foam mattresses. We tested high-quality fibres thoroughly and while they had their advantages (especially on price), when it came to comfort, support, durability, and recovery, foam was simply unbeatable. So we stuck with what we felt was the best, not what was cheap. We still don't use fibre.
Embracing Natural Materials
As the world leaned further toward natural and sustainable materials we were proud to be among the first to retail coir and wool mattresses - and soon began making our own. Instead of petroleum-based foams we used natural coir for structure and layers of wool for comfort. Early versions were as firm as bricks (coir can be very solid!), so we improved them by encapsulating pocket springs within coir - transforming comfort levels completely.
Our EasyChange topper system worked beautifully with these new natural mattresses, but the covers weren't yet as natural as we wanted. That led to our next step - using Outlux, a waterproof yet semi-breathable natural cover. Then came the real breakthrough: our very own Natural Spring.
This design is fully registered and truly unique - 200 all-natural springs, each working independently beneath a layer of luxurious wool in our natural mattresses. They offer unbeatable comfort and support and yes, we finally got there - a fully natural pocket-sprung baby mattress.
The Best of Both Worlds
While coir and wool are wonderfully natural materials, foam and pocket springs still offer certain qualities coir simply can't match. They provide that little extra bounce and recovery - perfect when your toddler starts practising gymnastics routines! Our aim has always been to give you the facts so you can make an informed choice that feels right for you and your baby.
Honest, Straightforward Advice
Lastly, we take pride in being straightforward. Our product descriptions explain exactly what makes each mattress special - not "your baby will feel like they're sleeping on a cloud". No nonsense and no meaningless buzzwords like "hypoallergenic". That's just marketing - a word with no scientific definition or regulation, often used to create false confidence.
We believe parents deserve real information, clearly explained. You'll find a whole library of articles in our Help & Advice section, plus a friendly expert at the other end of the phone if you ever need help or advice. Feel free to get in touch or book a consultation.
Our Promise
At the Cot Mattress Company, our story has always been about doing things properly - with care, honesty, and a genuine desire to give parents confidence and reassurance. Because when your baby is unattended for so many hours, you want to know they're sleeping safely and comfortably on the very best mattress your baby can have.