A member of our team uses a queen-sized Spindle Latex Mattress as a makeshift Montessori bed for their toddler. Here is our review after one year of use.
Table of Contents
- What is in a Spindle mattress?
- How it performs
- Final thoughts on Spindle mattresses
- FAQs
Spindle keeps things simple by offering one three-layered 10-inch mattress made with organic latex, organic cotton, and organic wool.
The company does not use polyurethane foam, chemical flame retardants, or other troublesome materials often found in mattresses.
The Spindle mattress is likely best for lighter side sleepers and back sleepers.
For stomach sleepers, the mattress may feel too soft to be comfortable. Similarly, heavier side or back sleepers may want greater support than this latex mattress offers.
Staff Tested
Spindle Natural Latex Mattress
Highlights: Fully adjustable, 10-inch mattress comprising organic latex, organic wool, and organic cotton. Free of harmful chemicals. Smart design with three wrapped latex layers you can rearrange for comfort.
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What we like
- Affordable, smartly designed, GOTS certified mattress
- Made with organic latex, organic wool, and organic cotton
- Free of PU foam, chemical flame retardants, and other troublesome materials
- Three-layer design allows for custom comfort (great if you’re indecisive or if circ*mstances change!)
- You can easily replace or rearrange layers instead of replacing the full mattress
- Layers are wrapped in organic cotton for easier handling
- Comes with 365-day sleep trial and 10-year warranty
- 25-year comfort policy offers a 30% discount on replacement layers
- Easier to move than a solid, glued latex mattress
- Company has been selling mattresses since 2015 and gets great reviews!
- Removable cover can be spot cleaned and aired out in the sun (but not washed or dry-cleaned)
- Free shipping to 48 states
- Great for side sleepers, and lighter back sleepers
- Breathable latex (great for hot sleepers), no sweaty PU foam here!
What could be better
- Quite bouncy (motion transfer may be too much if you’re a light sleeper with a restless partner)
- Not designed for folks with a BMI over 31
- Expensive to ship to Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada
- Needs to be used on a platform or box-spring bed base or slatted base with narrow gaps only
- Not suitable for most Murphy beds
- Heavy! (Like all latex mattresses; though easier to move than most)
- Company also sells some down products
- A little too soft for most stomach sleepers
What is in a Spindle mattress?
A Spindle mattress comprises:
- GOLS certified organic latex – three layers, in firm, medium, or soft (at your choosing), each wrapped in organic cotton
- GOTS certified organic cotton – for the sleep surface (circular knit), side and bottom fabric (cotton canvas)
- GOTS certified organic wool – as a flame barrier around the mattress
- Polyester thread – to stitch the mattress together
- A zipper – for the cotton encasem*nt
- Kevlar taping – to seal vulnerable seams where flame could sneak past the wool.
Spindle sources its organic cotton from New Mexico or Texas, where possible, or India. These materials are then woven in Canada. It is all GOTS certified.
Spindle exclusively uses Dunlop latex. Spindle’s Dunlop latex is made in Sri Lanka and has a springiness of around 4/10, according to the company.
One really nice feature of the Spindle mattress is that each layer of latex is individually wrapped in organic cotton. This makes these heavy latex layers much easier to move and more robust over time.
The organic cotton wrapping also means this latex mattress is a good choice for anyone concerned about handling latex directly, such as when there’s worry over a latex allergy. It also prevents tears in latex over time.
Spindle is transparent about materials
Unlike most mattress companies, Spindle is transparent about its materials. This doesn’t just mean publishing the suppliers’ certifications for organic latex, wool, and cotton, but also detailing those mattress parts that typically get much less (if any) attention.
Under federal law, a mattress company need not list materials weighing less than 1% of the total finished mattress weight. As such, certain things don’t appear on the law tag, even of Spindle mattresses.
For instance, Spindle uses polyester thread to stitch the organic cotton fabric and organic wool batting into a quilt. This is standard practice across the organic mattress industry, but I usually have to badger mattress companies to reveal this information (and some refuse to say). Spindle estimates that the thread comprises less than 0.1% of the weight of the mattress.
In addition, Spindle uses a heat resistant para-aramid thread (Kevlar; AKA poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide) to seal the mattress seams. Without this, the seams are vulnerable to flames. This kind of thread is, again, standard for the organic mattress industry and is permitted under organic certification rules. Spindle estimates that the use of Kevlar comprises less than 0.001% of the mattress’s weight.
Finally, the Spindle mattress is encased in organic cotton with a zipper that has nylon teeth, and a metal trolley and pull tab.
Spindle's certifications
Although they lack Made Safe certification, which is arguably the most important mattress certification, Spindle mattresses are made with robustly certified organic materials. These comprise:
- Certified Organic Latex – (Latex Green CU 813274)
- Certified Oeko-Tex 100 Latex – (Latex Green 20.HLK.05093)
- Organic Cotton – (Latex Green CU 1085130)
- Organic Cotton – (Fine Cotton Factory CU 848243)
- Organic Wool – (Woolgather Carding MillOTCO-OT-011118)
- Certified Oeko-Tex 100Wool – (Latex Green 16.HUS.92223)
Spindle offers an incredibly thorough and nuanced discussion of mattress manufacturing and certifications on its blog.
Free of synthetics
As is the Spindle way, the company offers a photo of the law tag for its mattress, demonstrating that it comprises 98% latex and 2% wool.
What you won’t find in a Spindle mattress:
- Polyurethane foam
- Synthetic latex
- Fiberglass
- Modacrylic
- Silica
- Rayon
- Boric acid or any other chemical flame retardants.
How it performs
While we recommend Spindle for lighter adults, the exact performance will depend on how you configure the mattress home. Spindle is helpful enough to label mattress layers as: firm, medium, and soft.
Spindle lets you return layers for replacements with a different firmness if your initial set-up isn’t working for you. This is much easier and more eco-friendly than returning an entire mattress.
Down the line, should you need replacement layers or find your sleep needs have changed significantly, Spindle offers a 30% discount on new layers for previous mattress customers.
Overall, the Spindle is best for lighter adults (close to 130 lb. and less than 230 lb.) who sleep on their side or back. We recommend a medium, medium, firm set-up for most lighter adults, though some side-sleepers might prefer a soft, medium, firm design.
How comfortable and supportive is a Spindle mattress?
Even if you choose a mixture of firm and medium layers, though, the Spindle mattress may still feel too soft for some stomach sleepers and heavier folks. Spindle doesn’t recommend its mattresses for anyone with a BMI over 31 (which is part of the reason we decided to use the mattress for a toddler’s bed).
To firm things up a tad, you could switch the top layer for a firm layer, but if you like a firmer sleep surface, you may be better off choosing a hybrid latex mattress with innerspring coils.
Customer reviews are fairly mixed when it comes to how much support this mattress offers. Given that the layers can be configured in a variety of ways, it’s hard to tell how much of this variation in comfort and support is due to the mattress rather than the way it’s set up.
Heavier, restless sleepers may find the mattress causes too much motion transfer, especially in a medium or softer configuration. Lighter folks may find this mattress just the ticket for cushiony comfort. The only way to find out is to give it a try!
Our team member who owns the Spindle test model pictured in this review uses the bed for story time, and occasionally sleeps on the mattress when his daughter is up at night with a bad dream. He is a stomach sleeper who weighs 175 lbs. His comments are included below:
I use the Spindle primarily for story time with my daughter. We both lay down together and read books before bed. When I have slept on the mattress its as a stomach sleeper, and I think it is not quite firm of supportive enough for everyday use (I am 6’2″ and 180 pounds). We bought the Spindle for a Montessori bed because Leigh recommended it for lighter adults, and because we could ultimately convert it for use in a guest room. My favorite feature is the latex wrapped in organic cotton. When you have used mattresses, like the Botanical Bliss, that send “raw” latex, you see the genius of wrapping the latex in cotton.
LeafScore team member
What customers say about Spindle
The best:
“Having slept for the past 5 years on a latex mattress that cost twice as much, we were hoping that our Spindle mattress would be almost as comfortable. Instead, it is incredibly more comfortable. The perfect blend of support and suppleness. We are amazed and thrilled with our purchase. By far the best sleeping experience of our lives.”
Alan H, 2019
“After 4 months, we love this mattress even more than when we first laid down on it. The fact that you can configure the mattress by rearranging the layers is genius. It is a little bit of work to do the rearranging but you can get it “just so” and the payoff is amazing. We sink into it just the right amount, and then it’s just nice even support. We can’t feel each other turn over, and there’s no weird pressure spots. It’s a joy to lay down on every night, and when I travel I miss my home mattress quite a bit.”
Aleksandr M, 2022
The worst:
“I hate this mattress. It causes extreme back pain. I’ve given it several months to loosen up and it’s still terrible.”
Denise H, 2016
“Hard to put together, very difficult/almost impossible to move, normal sized sheets do not fit. Wake up with a lower back ache most mornings and do not look forward to going to bed. 🙁 “.
Katie W, 2019
How to choose your Spindle Mattress layers
Not sure where to start with choosing mattress layers? Spindle recommends the following configurations for medium and firm comfort:
Medium:
Firm:
Top – 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex – medium
Top – 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex – medium
Middle – 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex – medium
Middle – 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex – firm
Bottom – 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex – firm
Bottom – 3 inches of natural Dunlop latex – firm.
Downsides
The main downsides to a Spindle mattress are that it’s not ready to use right out of the box and can be a bit tricky to put together by yourself, especially if you’re hefting around king size slabs of latex. The King-size weighs more than 180 lb.! These mattresses are a bear to assemble.
The other main complaint about Spindle mattresses is that they can be a bit bouncy and create more motion transfer than some sleepers like. The bounciness may benefit some bedroom activities, but could also lead to sleep disturbances.
Spindle also only offers Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, and King sizes, with no Cali King or split size options. This means you can’t configure the two sides of the mattress to meet different sleep needs. You could, however, choose two Twin XLs to make a dual firmness King size mattress, though you’d want a King size topper to even out the gap in the middle.
Spindle mattress also take a little while to deliver; around two to four weeks typically. This is because they’re handmade to order. Some popular builds are usually already in process, so these may arrive earlier. Note that you may receive one or two boxes a day or so after the rest of your order. Check you have all your boxes before beginning set-up.
Packaging and shipping
Spindle doesn’t remove your old mattress and doesn’t offer a white glove delivery service. This is to help keep the cost of goods as low as possible, i.e., to make the mattresses more affordable. Spindle offers a wealth of good advice on its website about how to assemble the mattress yourself or how to find folks who can help with mattress set-up and removal.
Spindle offers shipping for free to all 48 contiguous states in the U.S. It doesn’t currently offer international shipping, though it does ship to Canada (not for free). As the company ships from Illinois, the cost of shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada is prohibitively expensive for most customers. Note, too, that Spindle doesn’t cover the cost of shipping for returns and exchanges from Hawaii and Alaska.
Spindle makes its mattresses to order but typically has some of its most popular products in progress. This means it can take two to four weeks to receive your mattress after purchase. The closer you are to Illinois, the faster you’ll get your mattress. Most mattresses are shipped within seven to ten days of ordering and FedEx Ground shipping takes one to six business days.
Because the mattress is shipped in two (or sometimes three) boxes, you may get part of your mattress a day or two after the rest.
Note that Spindle offers a military discount (contact the company for more information), but doesn’t ship to military bases or PO boxes.
Final thoughts on Spindle mattresses
With Spindle, you can choose three latex layers for your mattress and then move the layers around as is your wont.
To keep it simple, Spindle offers medium-firm and firm options in a Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, or King size. For the same price, you can also choose your layers yourself in a combination of soft, medium, and firm Dunlop latex.
Spindle gets a solid thumbs-up for materials, design, and customer care. The company has been in business for enough years to know what it’s doing. This also means there’s been enough time for any issues to reveal themselves in terms of quality or service (which they haven’t).
All in all, Spindle is a great choice for an affordable, quality mattress made with certified organic materials. The company seems to genuinely care that you get a good night’s sleep and will work to make that happen. However, if you’re on the heavier side (weighing more than 250 lbs.) or are a stomach sleeper, this mattress might not be for you, even in a firmer configuration. Instead, consider similarly eco-friendly latex mattresses such as the Botanical Bliss from PlushBeds, or an Avocado or Birch latex mattress.
FAQs
Can you wash the Spindle mattress zippered cover?
While you can remove the cover of your Spindle mattress, the company strongly advises against washing or dry cleaning this cover. Instead, it’s best to use a mattress protector with your Spindle mattress and spot clean the cover as needed.
The big advantage with a Spindle mattress, though, is that you can hang the entire cover out to air in the sunshine. Spindle offers additional advice on how to clean your mattress cover at its website.
How does Spindle’s 365-day sleep trial work?
Spindle offers a full year’s sleep trial, which is more than Nolah, Essentia, Plushbeds, Naturepedic, and Savvy Rest. It is the same, however, as Avocado (for adult mattresses) and Awara. The trial is a comfort guarantee, during which you can contact Spindle to arrange to try a different layer in your mattress. You have to pay shipping for the new layer and to ship back the original layer (this is similar for Savvy Rest and other layered mattresses).
Spindle says that around 85 percent of its customers love their mattress right out of the box. Some 13-14 percent realize they need a different level of comfort and need to switch out a layer. That means just 1-2 percent of customers remain unhappy.
If, at the end of the year, you’re one of the 1-2 percent and still aren’t comfortable with the Spindle mattress, and you’ve worked with the company to try to remedy the situation, Spindle will refund all your money. Before they do this, though, they require you to cut the tags off the mattress, send them to Spindle, and arrange for your mattress to be donated. They also require proof that the donation is complete before they refund your money.
What does the Spindle warranty cover?
Spindle’s warranty covers the first 10 years after purchase and applies only to things such as a sag that exceeds 3/4-inch in the latex. Any replacement is shipped at Spindle’s expense within the contiguous U.S.
As with most standard limited warranties, mattresses that are soiled or damaged by the customer are not covered. The warranty is also void if you don’t use the right kind of bed to support the Spindle mattress, i.e., not a Murphy bed or wide-slatted base. Check out Spindle’s other small print for other concerns before you buy.
What is Spindle’s Comfort Life program?
The big difference between Spindle and most other mattress makers is that the company also offers a 25-year Comfort Life program. This allows you to purchase a replacement layer at a 30 percent discount (from prices at the time) at any point during the first 25-years after buying the mattress. This is a more eco-friendly and affordable option for refreshing your sleep situation without having to buy a whole new mattress!
Spindle notes that most customers should expect to use their mattress for around eight years. The materials are warrantied for 10 years, however, and the comfort policy applies for 25 years. That means you could switch out a layer to renew your mattress at eight years, 10, years, or even 24 years.
Only the original purchaser can use the comfort policy and you have to contact Spindle directly to arrange the discount.
Will the Spindle mattress layers shift around?
In short, no, the three layers in a Spindle mattress aren’t glued or sewn in place, but they won’t move around unless you want them to. That is, unless you unzip the case and decide to rearrange the layers yourself!
The natural latex layers are individually wrapped in organic cotton and there’s enough friction to hold the layers in place once your mattress is properly set up.
Does Spindle glue its mattresses?
Spindle deliberately doesn’t use glue in its mattresses because it wants to maintain adjustability and make it easier (and more affordable) to ship its mattresses and for customers to move them around. While Spindle’s motivation for not using glue isn’t to avoid toxic chemicals, the fact that these mattresses are glue-free is a bonus to customers who do have concerns over adhesives.
The latex layers are created as single, solid, blocks, then cut to size. This means there is no need for seams or glue. Even the King Size mattress has three solid layers of organic latex. This makes it much easier to move the mattress from room to room or to a new home. The King Size mattress weighs more than 180 pounds, with all three layers in place; clearly, being able to pack and move each layer individually is very helpful.
This layered design also makes it easier and cheaper for Spindle to ship the mattresses which, in turn, keeps the mattresses affordable and within reach for more customers.
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