COMPARING LATEX
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DUNLOP AND TALALAY LATEX?
There are two methods used to manufacture latex, the Dunlop process and the Talalay process. The Dunlop process has been in use for over 90 years, and the Talalay process is a much newer process introduced within the last few years. The Dunlop latex process is normally used to manufacture 100% pure and natural latex from the sap of the rubber tree. The Talalay latex process is more often used to combine natural and synthetic latexes, usually with 70% natural latex and 30% synthetic rubber, or to combine natural latex with fillers made from inert raw materials to bulk out the latex foam. Rest assured, our 100% pure and natural latex products do not use synthetic fillers.
WHY CHOOSE THE DUNLOP METHOD?
Pure Dunlop latex is generally denser, heavier, and more durable and resilient than Talalay latex. This is especially beneficial if mattresses are going to be subjected to high levels of activity. Talalay latex is softer, therefore you tend to sink more in the Talalay material. The Dunlop Natural material keeps you suspended if you will, on top of the mattress. Side sleepers especially seem to respond better to the Dunlop method, the pressure point reduction and weight distributing qualities of the latex being clearly superior. You don’t bottom out on it, and you can easily turn from side to side effortlessly. It is a common complaint of memory foam users and Talalay process mattress owners, is that the sinking effects of these inferior materials can cause movability issues on the mattress, as well as being hot to sleep on.
THE ‘GREEN STRENGTH’
AVOID FILLERS AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
Natural Latex is biodegradable when it is disposed of to landfill, with a pure latex mattress taking only two years to decompose. For comparison a traditional spring mattress can take 80-120 years to decompose.
It is environmentally friendly. Synthetic latex fillers are fine particles of chemically inert materials. They are commonly used to enhance the hardness of latex foam and because they replace some of the natural latex, production costs are lower. The most common fillers are China Clay (Kaolin clay), calcium oxide, or titanium dioxide. The insertion of fillers destroys the antibacterial properties of Natural Latex. Fillers will encourage the growth of fungus and bacteria, which in turn will encourage dust mites. Inorganic fillers reduce the tensile properties of the latex, in particular elongation at break. They suppress resilience, promote high long term compression deformation, and reduce the ability to recover to original shape.
