Since we have cut quite a few pieces of latex over the years for infant bassinets, playpens, crib mattresses, etc., I thought I would share a few tips we have learned along the way. If you have feedback on your particular brand’s frame and how our products work with it, let me know and I’ll add it to this post.

Keep in mind that we cut and sew to your dimensions. We can cut latex, sew puddle pads, sheets, tickings, receiving blankets, you name it. Contact us for a quote or see the latex calculator here.

TIP 1: Cut the latex 1″ larger and sew the ticking 1/2″-1″ larger.

Latex is very flexible. That translates to when we cut it to the exact inside dimensions of your crib, you may find that the ticking or even sheet will pull it a little bit smaller than we cut it. While the mattress will still be completely usable, of course, not having that extra 1/2″ of nothing between the side wall.

The softer the latex is, the more flexible it is. So even a 3″ soft will be constrained by the sheets and ticking.

Tip 2: Latex can be cut down to .5″ in a Hard D90 firmness only.

Again, latex is very flexible and the softer layers are too floppy to cut thinner. To note, the thinner the latex is, the softer it feels, so if you are wanting a firm, thin surface for your infant, a hard is a great way to achieve that feel.

Tip 3: Most parents want firm mattresses for their infants.

If your child is able to roll over, I encourage you to consider all the firmnesses we offer, from Soft to Hard as options. A 3″ soft adds significant comfort to those hard pack n’ play mattresses, but is not firm. Keep in mind that little bodies sink through only a little and a soft feels super squishy to us and only a little squishy to them.

Brands

• Snoo Mattress: Cut hard latex to .75″.
• Guava Lotus travel crib: The crib sides are much more flexible than a regular pack n play, so add an extra .5-1 inch on all sides of the latex pad for it to not have gaps between the mattress and the mesh walls.

QUESTION:

Could you help me build my cart? I would like REALLY firm interior, with only slightly softer on top…then the layers…..of whatever……..a padding etc? or PURE SUPER FIRM in ALL the interior, then the LAYERS of whatever padding on top?? 
with whichever casing……you suggest? perhaps the twill that you use in the video?? or the quilted?? HARD to figure it al out,….ha.ha
COULD YOU SUGGEST A BUILD FOR ME?……..so I can put them all in the cart?
and pillows…………I guess firm and one soft just to be on safe side
inner, outer cases…..all that is confusing
COULD YOU SUGGEST THE BUILD ITEMS TO PUT IN A CART, IF YOU WERE DOING THIS BUILD?
I’M TRYING TO DO THIS, BEING ELECTRICALLY SENSITIVE (gasping at the internet) AND STARING AT THOUSANDS IN A CART…..NOT MAKING GOOD PROGRESS…HA.HA IF YOU COULD WHIP OUT A BUILD, I’D LOVE IT!!!!!!

ANSWER:

A firm mattress is easily accomplished with either with extra firm or hard latex or wool flake/wool batting like this post and this picture.

A wool puddle pad would be a bit stiff to double as a blanket but it would be a good mattress protector. We do have a lovely wool blanket made from our small farm wool. Naturally our wool topper provides great comfort on top of a mattress and can take a mattress from very firm to firm support with pressure point relief.

Wool pillows and millet hull pillows are both great at being firm. New wool batting starts off soft, but does end up firm as it compresses over a few months. A soft wool pillow simply has less wool than a firm one. It could just easily be called a flat pillow or lighter pillow and the firm one could be a lofty or heavyweight. Either way, you can remove any batting you want from either pillow if it is too big. It is not necessary to use two pillow cases, like our kits offer, but it is convenient to not have to remove your fill from the inner case while you wash the outer case.

While you do get the best value for the 3″ and 6″ layers, you can pick a custom depth here. 

A customer asked: “I’m looking for wool with the following specs to meet flammability standards. Can you tell me if the wool in the wool topper meets these standards?

Consider

One of the most important criteria when selecting wool for a wool topper is its micron count. Too high a count or too coarse a fiber and you have stiff rug wool that is pokey inside the fabric. Too low a count and you have thin, slippery fibers that are fine enough for clothing. Also some breeds of sheep have very straight wool with no crimp in it. You want some crimp in the wool so the wool stays lofty.

Specification 1

High quality organic wool that comes from the back or high on the side of the animal (to minimize contact with the debris the live animal runs across in pasture), and come from a sheep fed an organic diet.

Answer 1

No, we do not separate the wool on the different parts of the sheep’s body. The machines take care of most of the vegetation so it is rare to see any. No, this year’s sheep are not necessarily fed an organic diet. Sheep are grazers and so are pastured all day with green growing grasses that are not harmed with chemicals. These sheep are milk producers and make some amazing cheeses. See Green Dirt Farm‘s page for more info. See also our post on natural vs. organic wool.

Specification 2

The natural lanolin and keratin in the wool must remain intact. This means washing must be minimized, and chemical washing (which can strip lanolin, especially), is right out.

Answer 2

To keep all of the lanolin means to keep all of the dirt and grime. To remove all of the lanolin means the wool must be sacrificed in order to harvest the lanolin. Naturally, the wool is washed. The only substance used in its processing is a surfactant, which breaks the surface tension of the water, allowing the oily lanolin to float away in the washing water. Unlike conventional wool, our wool processing contains none of the following chemicals:

• NO bleach
• NO acid bath
• NO bonding
• NO resin
• NO carbonization
• NO superwashing

Specification 3

High natural lanolin content combined with careful processing that makes wool an effective FR barrier. 

Answer 3

Wool is also an effective fire barrier when it is dense and matted. Reducing oxygen that a fire needs is part of its job too.

Specification 4

Wool that is carded or garneted and then “densified” by needle punching or quilting minimizes the air between the fibers while retaining comfortable loft. 

Answer 4

No, the wool in the topper is not felted or needle punched, our wool puddle pad is though. That would make a firm mat and not a lofty topper. It is also not quilted or it would be a ticking, not a topper. It is tufted. All batting is either garneted or carded, that is the process of laying fiber on top of each other to create a fluffy sheet.

Specification 5

Wool in a thickness of about 1.8 oz. per square foot, properly prepared, makes a highly trustworthy FR option.

Answer 5

True enough, that is the industry standard because it does pass the burn test. Wool also passes the burn test due to its high combustion point, 600 degrees, almost triple that of cotton’s burn point. If you want a fire barrier, you should be looking at our Quilted Ticking, then the wool wraps entirely around the mattress instead of just on top like a topper.

First of all, we are all healthy and well here, so we are still running shop.

Second of all, thank you to all of you for your well wishes during this time of making history. You guys are so thoughtful and genuine. We wish you all much health and chances to relax into a new pace and and space to enjoy those near and close to you.

Most importantly, I’ve been pondering how DIY Natural Bedding can lighten the load of the season and offer something of value and I think I have an answer! I would like to share our creativity and let you make it yours!

I don’t know about you but I find that creativity doesn’t necessarily mean coming up with a brand new idea. For me, it may mean combining ideas or items into something personal. And these days with time to productively fill, we need to find ways to keep our hands busy, our bodies grounded and our hearts engaged. What better way than to work with natural components, creating something useful for your bed?!

I offer you all of our tutorials for FREE through May 15. This means that all the kits that provide the tutorial as your sewing instructions are discounted as well. They can all be found in their own section of DIY Tutorials and Kits or you can click on the links below.

All of the tutorials are downloadable PDFs with pictures, dimensions and step by step instructions.
All of the Kits include the tutorial plus supplies to make the item with.
Supplies without tutorials are available in the DIY Supplies section of the shop.

If you create a project with our supplies and post to social media, please tag us! We would love to see your creation!

Do you agree?

“Knowing what is in your mattress and almost more importantly, what isn’t in your mattress, makes your sleep all the more restful. Being able to completely customize your mattress, inside and outside, means comfort tailored for you. “

Thanks Redfin for featuring us in your article along side other bedding suppliers.

Almost eight years ago I started DIY Natural Bedding. We started off from scratch, no loans, no building, one 6″ slab of latex, and big ideas, so small that a Craigslist listing and the members of our Minneapolis Weston A. Price chapter accounted for the entire 22 sales made that year.  Somewhere that year, while working night and night on the website, I put the business on Facebook. Imagine my surprise when Onno (RIP) from The Mattress Underground called me, alerted me to his forum and affirmed my path into conscious and quality bedding supplies.

Throughout the years I have visited The Mattress Underground’s forum many times; sometimes to help answer questions and put in a good word for wool and latex, sometimes to get questions about other supplier’s products answered. All the times I visit, I am reminded of our shared goals: to provide education, to provide answers, to help, to show transparency, and to work with quality materials. I have found their interactions to be very positive and engaging and share a similar approach. You know I value a personal mattress shopping experience when I open up a room in my home to welcome you to and our Minneapolis showroom does the same. When you call or email, I have trained my crew to ask questions, to try to help you see options that might fit your goals, to provide extra information when it would be helpful, even you didn’t know to ask for it. Giving you a personal, positive and engaging research experience is important to me. Do let me know if you ever need more answers than we have given and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.

Because of these shared goals, I have decided to partner officially with The Mattress Underground. That means little to your experience on our site or really on their site if you bounce over there to broaden your search. It does mean a benefit for you though, but you’d have to check out our profile there to find out that benefit. 🙂

Here is what The Mattress Underground says about DIY Natural Bedding:

“Thank you once again for your interest in becoming The Mattress Underground’s (TMU) trusted member, and particularly for your time, warmness, and for addressing all our questions. I have enjoyed our conversation, your honesty and what you stand for. We believe that DIY Natural Bedding (DIYNB) and TMU share similar values, ideals, and goals and we are very pleased and excited to welcome DIYNB in TMU community as one of TMU’s Trusted Members.

“Over an extended period we have reviewed and assessed the products that DIY Natural Bedding (DIYNB) provides and manufactures in terms of value/quality, and craftsmanship, we have determined that they meet the quality and durability guidelines here. We also believe that the information available on your website is accurate and factual and designed to help consumers make an informed purchasing decision, and that DIYNB provides excellent customer support.

A warm welcome to The Mattress Underground!”