TALALAY NATURAL LATEX

The round, open cell structure is as unique as it is incomparable and guarantees optimal ventilation.

Talalay takes its name from Joseph and Anselm Talalay, who invented the production process used by Vita Talalay. Talalay latex has only been commercially produced for the last 40 years.

The production process

The Talalay process is quite elaborate. It supports highly effective control of the density and quality of the product. The production process involves many of the same basic components as the Dunlop formulation, though without any gellation reagents. Talalay latex may include a synthetic natural rubber admixture, or it can consist of 100% natural latex. Our products use natural latex exclusively. The result is a healthier alternative to petroleum-based foam materials, as petroleum-based foams are liable to give off volatile organic compounds as they age. Our Talalay latex contains no styrene butadiene whatever but uses the latex of the hevea tree for the entire base of the product. The production method involves a closed mould with pre-vacuum, followed by freezing, resulting in a regular bubble geometry. The next step of the process is vulcanisation, which gives rise to an even distribution of bubbles throughout the foam.

Moulds: After the foaming machine has aerated it, the latex mass is poured into an open mould to a precise volume and pattern. The Talalay type mould is designed in such a way that it can be closed and sealed with pressure provided by press hydraulics. After the mould has been closed, a vacuum is produced in the interior, causing the air bubbles in the matrix to inflate and fill the mould completely.

Freezing: With the support of the vacuum, the temperature of the mould and the foam mass is reduced to -28° C and the foam is frozen. Because the resulting foam matrix is open, carbon dioxide can be forced through the structure, forming carbonic acid which shifts the pH value from over 10 to 7. The reduction in alkalinity induces the foam to gel and retain its shape.

Vulcanisation: The mould temperature can then be incrementally raised for a definite amount of time to reach the vulcanisation temperature of 115° C. At this point the product can be taken out of the mould and subjected to a washing process.

Drying and quality control: The last step is the drying process, which gets rid of any remaining moisture. The quality of the product is verified by optical inspection, as well as with the help of various sensors and measurement systems.

Advantages of Talalay latex

So why is it so important to have a mattress or pillow that is stuffed with Talalay latex? Well, of course it’s all about getting a good night’s sleep. Good sleep makes a crucial contribution to a healthy life. Let’s take a look first of all at the openness of Talalay latex.

Support and pressure relief: The roundness of the cells provides support and relieves pressure simultaneously. You can compare it with a bouncing ball. When you apply pressure to the ball, it yields. When you release the pressure again, it bounces straight back to its original form. Talalay latex is like millions of miniature bouncing balls, which support you in just the way you need and so encourage you to adopt a suitable physical position. As a result, you feel supported, while your muscles and skin are simultaneously relieved of strain, so that no pressure builds up. There are two things we can say about the pressure relief a Talalay natural latex mattress provides First of all, the cells are flexible and pressure resistant. This is good for the muscles and joints, and allows the blood to circulate without a problem, so that your skin does not get too hot. Moreover, no pressure points arise when you are asleep. Secondly, the springiness of the materials takes the pressure off. Because they are round, the cells in Talalay latex always bounce back. They give back the energy you have put into the cells. Manufacturers of visco foam like to tell you that you don’t need to move in your sleep, because the visco foam moulds itself to fit the contours of your body. But you do need to move! Your pain receptors or nociceptors notify you that it is time to turn over. So, it is essential that you should be able to turn without expending energy. But with visco foam this calls for a massive effort, which ends up by giving you a night of tossing and turning. So, you are roused out of your deep sleep. This isn’t going to happen with a Talalay natural latex mattress! The mattress bounces back, so you can turn over without its being a big deal, and do not have your phase of deep sleep disrupted.

Ventilation and atmosphere: The breathability of the material is enormously effective in controlling heat and humidity. The atmosphere between the mattress and the bed linen can be described as a microclimate. In order to get into a really deep sleep, your body starts to prepare itself as soon as the sun sets. The body starts to cool down reaching its lowest temperature at about four in the morning. The microclimate under the blankets makes it easier to regulate the body temperature. Talalay latex dispenses coolness in summer and warmth in winter. The reason for this is that Talalay Latex does not heat up that much, though it gets warm enough for a comfortable sleeping temperature of 21° C, and it doesn’t need long to cool down again. As well as providing a pleasant temperature, Talalay latex can dissipate a lot of humidity without a problem. As a result, you don’t get a clammy atmosphere when you are asleep.

Domestic dust mites: The beneficial microclimate also has a good effect on domestic dust mites. These live on fungus, which propagates rapidly at high temperature and humidity levels. Even if the same claims are made for Dunlop latex and other polyurethane foams, Talalay latex really leaves dust mites no chance of survival.

Natural latex is good for the environment: One advantage of latex bed furnishings is that they are environmentally friendly. The raw materials are harvested from plantations in a tree-friendly way. As a result of this tree-friendly approach, the rubber trees can continue to live and grow for up to 30 years. No trees need to be felled for the harvest, so they can continue their work of purifying the air and the water.

Organic latex is produced by substituting organic fertilisers for synthetic artificially produced ones. As a result, the plants only receive natural nutrients. Quite apart from this, the production of artificial and synthetic fertilisers has terrible effects on the environment.

Very few chemicals are needed to produce natural latex bed furnishings. None of these chemicals are a source of contamination or environmental concern. Latex itself is a long-lasting biodegradable material, so consumption and waste are both reduced.

Long life: A Talalay natural latex mattress has an extremely long life. The round cells are first vulcanised (baked) at high temperature; in the case of Vita Talalay latex, this is followed by half an hour in the drying plant at 85° C, and then another eight-hour vulcanisation phase, again at 85° C. After that the perfectly round cells are so firm that they retain their structure for ever.

Information on allergies

Latex is a very common material in our everyday life. It is used in gloves (cleaning gloves), balloons, door insulation materials and condoms. By contrast with popular opinion, an allergy to latex is relatively rare – statistical estimates suggest between 2 and 5 percent of the population.

If, however, you do experience an allergic reaction to latex, it is important to determine whether you are reacting to direct skin contact or to fine particles of the allergen in the air. If the latter is the case, it may be assumed that you will also react to various house plants like the Benjamin fig (ficus benjamina) or the poinsettia, which release the same allergens into the atmosphere (source: Wikipedia). Then we would recommend that you use our foam mattress.

But if you only react to direct skin contact (as with gloves, for instance), there is no basic reason why you should deprive yourself of the outstanding benefits of latex, as our natural latex mattresses are always wrapped in a cotton cover.