What's the Difference Between Fibre and "Eco Fibre" Mattresses?

I've seen so many baby mattresses that are "great value" - some say fibre and some say "ECO" fibre. Is there any difference?

Oh, you've touched a nerve with this question - here we go!

The term "ECO Fibre" is often used to make a baby mattress sound environmentally friendly or higher-quality, but "ECO" used in baby mattresses is mostly marketing language to get you to buy. It's not a technical or regulated material.

What's the Actual Difference?

This is hard to separate, but let's try:

Standard Fibre

This is polyester fibre - a synthetic fibre made from plastic. It's mainly used for filling cheaper mattresses, cushions, and even duvets. It's very cheap, lightweight, and easy to produce. It offers initial support and can be very firm to start with, as required by SIDS guidelines, but it flattens easily over time and offers poor comfort compared to foam.

"ECO" Fibre

Same as standard fibre described above. It's still polyester but may be marketed as "ECO" because it's been made from recycled plastic bottles and can, as a standard, be recycled. However, most polyester fibres have contained a proportion of water-bottle-regenerated polyester for 30 years or more.

There's a claim that ECO fibre can be non-toxic or formaldehyde-free, but it would need OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 or equivalent certification. This tests for harmful substances, including formaldehyde. Cheap fibre mattresses won't have this certification - it's much too expensive, and the aim of fibre is to be cheap.

The Bottom Line

Did you know that the term "ECO" is not regulated? It can be used loosely anywhere! It doesn't mean better quality or longer lasting.

"ECO" Fibre? Yes, it all points to being a fancy label used to make low-cost products sound premium and tempting - to entice you to click the buy button. It's called marketing.

The word "ECO" is there to give you reassurance about environmental benefits and quality. But last and by no means least, "ECO" gives no guarantee whatsoever of continued firmness, support, comfort, recovery, or durability.

Foam or Fibre - What's Better?

Foam (with known quality and density/hardness ratings) will always offer better support, firmness, recovery, and durability.

Fibre is firm but with no give and no welcome. It's cheaper and will flatten quickly, losing its support. It has no recovery - unless you use 40kg fibre, which will last longer and won't flatten and dip as quickly as cheaper fibre. But it will feel like a brick!

"ECO" fibre is only better if it's certified with something like OEKO-TEX® or CertiPUR® - and those are expensive certifications for a cheap product. Fibre is cheap polyester with a bit of recycled material, not some revolutionary "eco-wonder".

At the end of the day, it's what fits your purse. All I want to do is ensure you're buying with informed choice.