Memory foam vs Latex foam: Why you should care
If you’re in the market for a new pillow you’re almost certainly considering one that will form to the contours of your body as these are some of the hottest types of foams available today. The two most popular types out there in the market are latex foam and memory foam. They both have their good points and their drawbacks. Next is to take a deep dive to uncover some of the features
Latex foam
Latex has been around since the fifties and Sears was among the first to start selling them. During that long history, they have proven to be highly durable and they are loved by many users. Latex foam comes in natural material, or synthetic material, or a blended foam that uses both. It is highly durable and it has a faster bounce back time than memory foam and many people especially enjoy this when they are intimate with their partners.
Memory foam
The memory foam has been featured on well-known shows such as Dr. Oz and others and has become increasingly popular in recent years. This foam is without doubt, one of the most comfortable because of its ability to conform to any body type. When it comes to comfort, the majority of test conducted have shown a clear outperformance of memory foam over latex.
Which of these two foams is healthier ?
Latex is the clear winner when it comes to the health considerations related to these two foams. The reason for this is the fact that this type of foam can come in natural latex or a blended version. This often reduces the likelihood of having an allergic reaction to the material and it makes it considerably healthier than the memory foam which is made exclusively of synthetic material and often petroleum-based products. These synthetic materials have been found to cause eye irritation and other allergic reactions.
Which of these two foams is more comfortable ?
Memory foam is considered to outperform latex foam in this area of comfort. Memory foam is capable of slowly enveloping the contours of a person’s body and molding itself to their shape. This ability allows it to be very comfortable for all different body types. Why latex is almost always more durable, that durability comes at the cost of being less flexible. So while it does shape itself to a degree with the contours of the person lying on it, it’s less flexible than the memory foam.
Which is more costly?
Both of these types of foams come in a variety of price ranges depending on the maker and the material but in general, synthetic material is less costly than natural material. When a maker uses synthetic material it can be easily controlled and made more available. Natural material has to be extracted and is therefore, more expensive. Those who may have allergies to the chemicals used in the manufacturing process of synthetic material may rather opt invest more to go for natural material and for those looking for budget friendly option may want to choose the synthetic material.
Talalay latex Vs Dunlop latex
Some people will often say that Talalay is a higher quality of latex but that is a misunderstanding. Dunlop latex first came to the market in the 1950s. At that time it was the desire of the maker to create a foam that was natural and that would last longer. That desire lead to the making of Talalay latex and many felt that it was softer and it proved to be more durable and that is why some consider it to be a higher quality. But it really is just a different process of making whereas the Talalay is softer on top and more consistent on the bottom, the Dunlap is designed to be more consistent throughout from top to bottom.
A Closer Look At Memory Foam
This type of foam is made from polyurethane and is not made from one material but rather a group of materials that form into foam. You can get memory foam in any firmness to meet your personal requirements and they can come either partly or fully incorporated with graphite, gel or gel beads, and other materials. These types of foam also come with a choice of densities that can range from 3 to 5 PCF.
Although this foam is very often less expensive than latex foam that come with natural material that does that mean that they are of lower quality. On the contrary, they can be extremely high-quality and loved by many users. The reason that they are often less expensive is simply because they are made of 100% synthetic materials which can be manufactured in a plant and that makes them less expensive and more controllable.
Ultimately, it is up to the consumer and their particular needs as to which one of these types of foam would be better for their purpose. Anyone who might suffer from certain allergies because of the material or the process of manufacturing memory foam might consider using latex pillow. On the other hand, those that are looking for the ultimate comfort when sleeping, then the memory foam pillow might be the better choice.