GECA Certified Mattress: Why our mattress range is unlike any other in Australia

If you’re reading this, you know that we’ve launched our new Koala Mattress Range full of fancy features to help you get a better night’s sleep. But for truly peaceful sleep, your mattress should provide you comfort beyond the bedroom.

Our three new Koala Mattresses are cleverly designed and jam-packed with technical know-how, helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. You can rest easy knowing they also were made with the planet in mind, sustainable ethics and prioritise your health. 

It’s these extra ingredients that make our new Koala Mattress Range GECA certified. In fact, we’re proud to say that Koala Mattresses were the very first GECA certified mattresses in Australia.

Who is GECA? They’re a purpose-driven not-for-profit that prioritises people and planet. To get their tick of approval, products and services are tested against strict standards across environmental, health, social and performance criteria. It’s kind of a big deal.

The brilliant thing about GECA certification is that it makes choosing great products simple. The GECA eco label is a sign that you’re onto a good thing, letting you know that particular products can be trusted to have a lower impact on the environment and human health, are ethically made and actually do what they say on the tin. 

“When a product is GECA certified, consumers can be sure that the product has been independently assessed to meet environmental, human health and social impact criteria. Importantly, it has also been proven to perform as promised,” explains GECA’s CEO, Michelle Thomas.

“GECA is extremely excited to announce the certification of the new Koala Mattress Range, GECA’s first fully certified mattresses.” 

Being the first isn’t a new thing for us here at Koala. We started our journey as trailblazers, disrupting tired industry practices with a simple,  eco-centred and tech-savvy way of creating and selling furniture. Our multiple design awards and GECA certification show that it’s possible to create quality, thoughtful, affordable furniture with positive impact.

Why buy Australia’s first and only GECA certified Aussie mattress?

More like… why not? Your mattress is where you’ll spend a third of your life, but have you ever wondered how it’s made? Surprisingly, there is no basic standard that prevents carcinogenic substances or VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from winding up in products we use to sleep on. 

Some foam mattresses, for example, can emit high levels of VOCs, which are toxic and can cause health problems like headaches, respiratory issues, eye irritation, allergic reactions and longer-term, even liver, kidney or central nervous system damage. Yikes!

Koala mattresses have been laboratory tested and do not contain any heavy metals, formaldehyde or hazardous materials that are potentially allergenic, carcinogenic, or disruptive to hormone systems and are low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality. It goes without saying, we believe everyone should be able to sleep well and live safely at home—and that starts with what you put in it.

The easiest way to ensure you’re looking after your personal health when choosing products is to check for the GECA ecolabel. This immediately tells you that a product has extremely low or zero VOCs and carcinogenic substances. 

However, choosing any product with a GECA ecolabel promises responsible practice across more than just your health. Here’s a snapshot of the major benefits of being certified under GECA’s Furniture Fittings, Foam & Mattresses (Level A) standard:

1. Environmental impact

  • The product must avoid illegal harvest of wood and fibre for raw materials 
  • Emissions to air and water are heavily restricted, reducing formaldehyde and particulate matter
  • The product (including its packaging) must be easy to recycle or dispose of in an environmentally responsible way 
  • Replacement parts must be made available to users to prolong product life
  • Fabrics and adhesives should be GECA certified (or equivalent) only

2. Human health 

  • There are limits on heavy metals in final products
  • There are restrictions or bans on known carcinogens, mutagens or other specific harmful substances 
  • Volatile organic compounds are limited

3. Social impact

  • Workers and suppliers through the supply chain can expect fair pay, equal opportunity, and a safe working environment 
  • There are requirements for lawful conduct and environmental compliance 
  • There is to be no unsubstantiated claims i.e. greenwashing

4. Fit for purpose

To become GECA certified, a product or service must prove that it’s able to perform its intended purpose or application.

Simply put, buying a GECA certified mattress means prioritising your health and supporting businesses that care about both people and the planet, encouraging more companies to get on board. 

Get to know the new GECA certified Koala mattress range

The mattress is our first love. True to our vision of creating better furniture for the world, our original Koala Mattress quickly became Australia’s favourite with over 25,000 five-star reviews. Years in the making, we know what goes into crafting a top mattress, but we’ve also listened to your feedback. 

While there may be three snazzy new mattresses to choose from, our ethos remains simple: they’ll help Aussies sleep better. 

Introducing the New Koala mattress, the Koala Calm As mattress and the Koala Soulmate mattress. 

The New Koala Mattress

New Koala Mattress

The New Koala mattress suits any sleeper, with all the best bits of the Original Koala and more. The sleep surface is made from TENCEL™ Lyocell and comes with a 7cm comfort layer, not to mention three high-density support zones that take the pressure off. 

Together, these elements help your body feel cool, dry and supported, making falling (and staying) asleep a breeze. 

The Koala Calm As mattress 

The Koala Calm As mattress is cool as a cucumber. Designed with our 7cm comfort layer using COOLMAX® fabric and a 1cm quilted cover, it’ll feel mighty cool on your skin and help you fall asleep faster. 

This mattress also comes with three high-density support zones combined with multilayer zoning for a comfortable, calm slumber.

The Koala Soul Mate Mattress

Koala Soul Mate Mattress

The Koala Soul Mate Mattress offers up the works, designed to anticipate your every desire. There are easily customisable firmness levels along with multi-layered five zoned adaptive foam springs, crafted to support you where you need it most. Then there’s a layer of perforated bamboo charcoal memory foam that is naturally antimicrobial and takes the sting out of heat, relieves pressure and promotes airflow. 

Top it all off with our luxe 9cm double-sided Sensapole® comfort layer with a 2cm quilted plush cover, and this bad boy will keep you at the right temperature all year round. The Soul Mate is a surefire way to fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer.

All GECA certified, you can sleep easy knowing that everything from the materials, design, production, delivery and disposal of our Koala Mattresses is created with you and the planet firmly at its heart.

TL;DR:

We are proud to be not only Australia’s first GECA certified mattress, but also highly awarded and certified for design and sustainability. Check out this article for a compact description of what our different awards and certifications actually mean!

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