How Mattress Foam Is Made?
Mattress foam making is a complex process. It involves the production of a selection of raw materials, molding them into shapes, then cutting them into layers, and finally sewing them with each other.
Mattress foam is durable yet soft, giving it the characteristics everyone would want in their mattress. Everyone loves mattresses. The comfort, the support, and they feel so comfortable sleeping on them.
But, have you ever wondered how mattress foam is made? If so, you’re not the only one. We’ve been there too, and let us spare you some time and help you understand the process of making mattress foam in this article.
The following details are based on our knowledge and research in the field, and we hope they will help you.
History of Mattress Making
The basic technique for making foam dates back to ancient Egypt, when it was used to make materials for bedding and padding.
In the middle ages, Europeans made mattresses out of straw. In the 19th century, they began using horsehair and cotton as fillings.
In the 19th century, a latex material was developed from rubber trees. Because of its elasticity and resilience, latex is still used in medical supplies, such as artificial heart valves.
In 1963, NASA asked the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company to develop a lightweight, flexible foam that would be useful in aircraft seats and other areas where comfort was important.
This led to the development of polyurethane foams with excellent insulating properties and low density, making them ideal candidates for mattress filling material.
In the 1970s, new types of polyurethane foams were developed that were even more comfortable than earlier versions — but they were also expensive to produce.
As a result, most people continued using natural latex foam rather than polyurethane until the 1990s, when better manufacturing techniques made it possible to produce high-quality polyurethane foams at affordable prices.
Chemicals Used in Mattress Foam
There are a variety of chemicals used in the manufacture of mattresses. These chemicals include latex, memory foam, natural fibers, and other materials.
Chemicals Used in Latex Mattress
The earliest latex foam mattresses were made from a mix of cotton, wool, and horsehair, but today they are made mostly from synthetic materials. Synthetic latex is created from rubber trees.
The sap from these trees is collected, heated, and whipped into shape. The resulting material is then molded into mattress cores or layers.
There are very few ingredients that go into making a latex mattress. First off, there’s the actual latex itself — this comes from the sap of rubber trees grown on plantations where they are harvested every 9-14 years.
After harvesting them, they undergo several processes before being turned into the foam for mattresses.
Chemicals Used in Memory Foam
Memory foam is made from polyurethane, the same material used to make car bumpers and bicycle helmets. It’s also used in shoes and furniture to provide comfort and support.
This type of polymer reacts with heat and pressure to mold itself to your body shape and temperature.
Memory foam is made from different chemicals like formaldehyde, toluene, and benzene. These chemicals are used in the process of making memory foam.
Formaldehyde:
This chemical is used to make urethane foams, which are used to make mattresses.
Toluene:
Toluene is used as a solvent in paints and lacquers, but it can also be found in some types of foam used in mattresses. Toluene can cause skin irritation and headaches. Over time, exposure to too much of it can damage your nervous system and cause liver or kidney failure.
Benzene:
Benzene is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor that is used as an industrial solvent and precursor to other organic compounds such as styrene monomers and phenol resins (which are polymerized into polystyrene plastic). Benzene is carcinogenic (cancer-causing) if exposure occurs over long periods at high levels.
Silicon oils:
This helps make the material flexible enough for use in mattresses and pillows.
Vinyl chloride:
This helps maintain the viscosity of the polyurethane during production.
Ways of Foam Production
The production of foam mattresses is a complex process. It contains many phases, from natural materials to the outcome.
Here are some of how foam mattresses are made:
Rotational Molding
Rotational molding is one of the most typical practices in producing foam mattresses. The process involves injecting liquid latex into a rotating mold, which allows for greater consistency and quality control. The resulting mattress is denser than other types of foam beds.
Automatic Foam Extrusion
This method uses an extruder to compress liquid latex into sheets or blocks. These can then be cut into smaller pieces and assembled into a complete mattress.
This is another common way to produce foam mattresses, and it’s usually cheaper than rotational molding because it uses less equipment and labor hours.
Mattress Making After Foam Production
The first step in the mattress manufacturing process is the cutting of foam. The foam used in a mattress is generally 3 inches thick, so it requires several cuts to make. A large piece of foam is cut into sections using a hot knife, which cuts through the foam without damaging its integrity.
The next step in making a mattress is sewing the cushions placed inside it. Depending on the cushion type, this sewing process may involve several stitching methods. These cushions are made from various materials and can include polyurethane, latex, or memory foam.
Once these cushions are sewn together, they are placed inside an outer casing made of fabric. This outer casing protects the cushioning material and also adds support to the mattress as a whole. The final step in making a mattress involves adding an extra layer of padding on top of the outer casing to give it more comfort and support while sleeping or sitting on it.
Conclusion
After learning how foam is created, you might realize that the mattress you were considering is more or less what you thought it was. Now you know everything about how mattress foam is made, and that information can help inform your choices in finding the right one for you.
When shopping for a foam mattress, it’s good to remember which type was used in your favorite model. The main types of foam are memory foam, latex, polyurethane, and viscoelastic. Which type is used will influence how it performs.
