Cotton Mattress Vs Coir Mattress (The ULTIMATE Truth)

Cotton mattresses are still sold in India along with others like coir, spring, foam, and latex. To some, cotton and coir are superior to any other material. This article is dedicated to those people.

Cotton mattress vs coir mattress

The test of cotton mattress vs coir mattress depends on factors like comfort, body support, durability, maintenance, price, and customer support. Considering your age and health condition is also important. By testing each type of mattress on these parameters you can quickly get the answer on your own.

Cotton mattresses were the only form of mattresses in India for a long time.

But some people started thinking about the various cotton mattress advantages and disadvantages during the early ‘60s.

That led to the forming of mattress companies such as Kurl-On and Duroflex, who pioneered coir mattresses that revolutionized how Indians slept.

However, 65% of the mattress industry is dominated by local players even today. (Source: Indiamattresstechexpo)

So let’s start testing them both on various parameters as above.

Comfort

Cotton mattresses are made of only cotton which is a soft material.

Coir mattresses are made of both coir sheets and foam, which are firm.

You will like cotton mattresses if you like soft surfaces to sleep on.

And, if you like to sleep on firmer surfaces, you will like coir mattresses.

Body Support

Cotton mattresses, when stuffed inside cotton bags, form an uneven surface on the top.

They are also soft and not responsive to body weight.

As such, they cannot give proper body support, especially to the spine.

Coir mattresses are firmer and can withstand body weight easily.

But they are not also not responsive.

However, rubberized coir mattresses are more responsive than pure coir mattresses.

Age

Cotton mattresses are suitable for people of any age, including babies, as they are soft and made of natural materials.

Coir mattresses, on the other hand, are mostly suitable for elder people as they are firm and do not have any bounce.

Is cotton mattress good for health?

Most of us are more concerned about health conditions such as allergies and back pain when buying mattresses.

So, is cotton mattress good for back pain?

Well, both cotton mattresses and coir mattresses are basically healthy as they are made from natural materials.

However, cotton mattresses attract more dust.

This is one of the significant cotton mattress disadvantages.

So, if you have a dust allergy, it is better to avoid them.

And as cotton mattresses do not have flat surfaces like coir mattresses, they may cause back pain too.

Durability

Cotton mattresses, being soft in nature, sags easily within a few years.

The parts where it sustains more pressure “sink” more than other areas.

This makes the surface more uneven.

Coir mattresses also sag, as coir has a lot of gaps within it.

The surface also gets uneven like cotton mattresses.

Maintenance

Cotton mattresses are hard to maintain as they are prone to getting dirty.

They are “dust magnets”.

But they can be rolled and carried from one place to another, without breaking it.

Coir mattresses do not get dirty as easily as cotton mattresses as the coir is generally at the base of the mattress.

But, the fabric may get dirty, if it is made of pure cotton

That is why most coir mattresses have other fabrics like polycotton.

Coir mattresses are heavy and cannot be rolled.

Price

Cotton mattresses do not have any complicated construction.

High-end machines are not required to manufacture them.

Hence, cotton mattresses are cheaper compared to any other mattresses.

Coir mattresses are made of coir sheets, which are made through a fabrication process in factories.

Foams are also secondary materials that are needed in coir mattresses.

So, they are manufactured in factories requiring high-end equipment, labor, and overheads.

Hence, they are costlier than cotton mattresses.

Customer Support

If you buy a cotton mattress, you will not get any warranty at all.

There are hardly any brands of cotton mattresses.

There are many coir mattress brands and you will get a warranty if you buy coir mattresses.

Conclusion

Here is what we have learned today:

  • Cotton mattresses are soft and coir mattresses are firm.
  • Rubberized coir mattresses provide better body support than cotton mattresses.
  • Cotton mattresses are suitable for people of any age, whereas coir mattresses are suitable for elder people.
  • Coir mattresses do not cause allergies and back pain like cotton mattresses.
  • Both the cotton and coir mattresses sag within a few years.
  • Coir mattresses are easier to maintain than cotton mattresses.
  • Cotton mattresses are cheaper than coir mattresses.
  • You will not get a warranty on cotton mattresses but you will get it if you buy a coir mattress.

So, which type of mattress finally won the test?

I will leave that to you to decide.

About Umesh Tiwari

Avatar for Umesh TiwariUmesh Tiwari is an avid writer for many years. He was suffering from back pain and a visit to the doctor led him to believe that his mattress may be one of the reasons for it. This led him to research a lot of mattresses before he bought one. He started this blog to share his findings and help others who are in a dilemma as to which mattress to buy.