Full disclosure: I used to mock people who only bought organic.

Not just the people I’d pass in the grocery store staring at the label of an avocado, but the ones who would sip raw celery juice while ranting for hours about microplastics, chuck their microwaves in the dump, and snub their noses at the idea of a polyfoam mattress. The plastic-paranoid people.

I never paid much attention to ingredient lists or what went into the products I brought home—until I had a baby. Suddenly, I found myself wondering if I’d become one of those people. Farmers’ market sourdough and Montessori toys became my primary interests, and I, too, wanted to burn everything in my home that contained plastic. The thought of spending half my life sleeping on a bed packed with chemicals was keeping me up at night.

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Of course, we live in a world where a synthetic mattress can be shrink-wrapped and dropped at your door in less than a day. But quality options are also available, and after some research, I landed on one that seemed like a perfect fit: the Birch Natural Mattress.

Made with natural, certified organic materials, GOLS, and GREENGUARD Gold Certified — I had to find out: Could Birch deliver the dreamy, eco-friendly sleep that I had so long desired?

Sourced with sustainable materials like temperature-regulating wool and Fair Trade Certified organic cotton, the Birch Natural Mattress is an eco-friendly choice that suits most sleepers. The medium-firm feel is ideal for back and side sleepers, and a naturally responsive latex layer provides some gentle cradling. Its hybrid construction is reinforced by individually wrapped steel coils that help isolate motion, making it a comfortable choice for partners and individuals who toss or turn. With the 100-day trial, the Birch Natural mattress is a no-brainer for anyone looking to invest in sounder, healthier sleep.

Mattress type: Latex-Hybrid | Feel: Medium-Firm | Material: Fair Trade Certified organic cotton cover, organic wool, GOLS-certified natural latex, individually wrapped steel coils | Height: 11 inches | Number of layers: Multi-layer (latex, wool, and coil layers) | Sleep trial: 100 nights ($99 return fee) | Free Shipping: Yes | Warranty: limited lifetime warranty

The Birch Natural Mattress entered my life at just the right moment. I was moving, decluttering, and fully committed to upgrading my sleep situation. I’ve spent the last two years waking up once, twice, or even three times with my tireless toddler. Now that she is (mostly) sleeping through the night, I’m ready to reclaim my right to proper hibernation, AKA eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.

My review of the Birch Natural Mattress goes beyond its luxurious layers, health-conscious materials, and thoughtful construction. It’s also about how it feels and fits my needs, which, let’s be honest, makes this evaluation an entirely subjective experience. But, now that I’ve spent a few weeks with my new mattress, I see how it stacks up to some mattresses of my past. I also have an idea of what type of sleeper the Birch would be most suited for. Read on for the nitty-gritty.

Delivery and Unboxing

A bed-in-a-box. It’s nothing to be nervous about, but I understand why this type of packaging sometimes gets a bad rep. Most box beds look like they were bashed by a bulldozer and smell like a shipping container that just crossed the sea. This was not the case with Birch, which arrived at my doorstep two days earlier than expected.

Birch offers an in-home set-up and assembly service, but I wanted to get the full DIY experience, so I decided to go at it alone. The mattress showed up in a surprisingly compact compostable box — thick, durable, and taped so tightly that I had to work for it. After a minute or two of tugging, I was able to wrangle it onto the floor. It held its tight, cylindrical shape beautifully as I unwrapped it, no lumps, bumps, or creases. Now, all I had to do was set it free.

Per Birch’s directions, the first step to setting up your new mattress is laying it on a bed frame. But, since my mattress beat my bed frame to our new home, I had to lay it down on the floor before gently slicing open the tough seal. It popped up immediately, and after a couple of hours, it was ready to sleep on. The best part? No artificial fumes were detectable. My new mattress smelled like it came right out of a cedar forest; fresh, minty, and maybe a little bit woodsy.

A week after glamping comfortably on the floor, my new frame finally arrived, too. I was able to slide the Birch on top of it without much effort. Yes, the mattress is on the heavier side (as with most high-quality furniture), but the material glides softly, and this bed is flexible enough to curve and contort as needed.

From a performance perspective, the Birch Natural Mattress is described as a medium-firm hybrid mattress, which means you should expect something not too hard, not too soft, but a bit more supportive than it is cushioned. On a firmness scale, I would rate it as a six or a seven, which seems to fall in line with many other reviewers. I prefer something that holds its shape more than a bed that offers a sinking effect. But like many sleepers, I still appreciate something a little plush. Birch still cradles you a bit, but it’s not so overwhelming that you feel trapped in one position.

Let’s get to the layers. First, a soft organic cotton cover, which functions as a breathable top layer that supports airflow, so you won’t be swimming in a sauna in the middle of the summer. The two following layers are made with natural hygroscopic wool and latex, which have flame-retardant properties that wick away moisture to keep your skin happy and healthy. As someone prone to breakouts, I know when a product is moisture-wicking, and this bed won’t let you down in that department. After a couple of weeks of sleeping on it, my skin feels more refreshed and looks a touch brighter, too.

Beyond the center layers, Birch is bolstered up by up to 1,000 coils, which provide targeted relief and spinal support. With this unique, durable steel system, the mattress is meant to support everyone: back sleepers, side sleepers, and even the elusive stomach sleepers. An added layer of wool keeps the bottom of the mattress dry and structured, for a solid foundation. Don’t expect this bed to solve all your problems, but you should feel confident that you won’t be waking up to a crick in your neck or a sore lower back.

Motion isolation is one of the most underrated features of a good mattress. I’d go as far as to say it’s the single property that can make or break your bedding situation. If you sleep with a partner (or kid, or pet, for that matter), you’ve probably experienced a fair amount of tossing and turning throughout the night. My toddler loves to surprise me by crawling into my bed and stretching, kicking, and sometimes throwing hands in her sleep, which can make staying asleep just as challenging as falling asleep.

A hybrid mattress offers a middle ground between bounce and recoil, but I’ve found that the Birch Mattress is much more shock-absorbing than some other mattresses I’ve slept on. The individually wrapped coils add stability, while the latex layer absorbs movement. Of course, it’s not dead still, but I’ve never found myself waking up in the middle of the night with no explanation. Considering that Birch achieved this level of motion isolation without using polyfoam makes it even more impressive.

Sagging may be the most dreaded defect of an old, floppy mattress. I haven’t slept on the Birch Natural Mattress long enough to know how it holds up in this department, but I do have some thoughts on its edge support. Edge support is closely related to sagging, as it accounts for the strength and durability of the bed’s border. Flat all-foam mattresses can feel a bit like a slip-and-slide, causing sleepers to veer off to one side or the other.

But the Birch Natural Mattress is built differently. A reinforced perimeter coils that keep everything in place, so you aren’t likely to find yourself slipping off mid-sleep. For a true test, I sat right on the edge of the mattress and felt for any amount of sinking. While it did cave in a bit, the recovery was phenomenal — it sprang back into place and was still firm enough to keep me from collapsing over.

Prices vary based on sizing, but the Queen-sized Birch Natural Mattress we tested for this review is currently available for 25% off at $1,405. Use code MEMDAY25 for the discount. 

A mattress is a big investment, but something that should be chosen carefully, given the amount of time humans spend in bed. Fortunately, Birch makes the process a bit easier by providing free shipping, a limited lifetime warranty, and a 100-day trial for shoppers to try out the mattress, commitment-free. There is a small $99 return fee, but given how much we loved this mattress, we don’t expect you’ll need to use it

I’ve slept on just about every kind of mattress — rock-hard hostel cots, cloud-like memory foam, even the waterbed I begged my mom for as a kid and regretted almost immediately. Now my life looks a bit different. I’m no longer glamping in Western Australia or studying abroad in Barcelona, but I still like nice things, and now I have a mini-me to factor into every decision. My initial attraction to the Birch Natural Mattress was mostly due to my plastic hysteria. It’s organic, eco-friendly, biodegradable, hypoallergenic, and so on — so yes, my conscience was cleared, in that department.

The Birch also turned out to be one of the best beds for my body. I do a fair amount of running around in my day-to-day, and tense shoulders and a sore lower back are just part of the game. After a few weeks of sleeping on the Birch, I noticed the weight beginning to fly off my shoulders. I’m not even kidding. One morning, I woke up and jumped out of bed, and felt like I was standing up straighter. Did I grow? Did the knot in my back just finally unwind? Honestly, I didn’t care how it happened, but I do think that his mattress offers just enough support to let those everyday muscle cramps work themselves out.

Sure, it’s not as plush as the squishy memory foam I once thought I needed—but sometimes, a firmer foundation is exactly what your back thanks you for the next day. That’s how I think of the Birch mattress: supportive, contouring, and surprisingly comfortable. In fact, there have been a few nights where I’ve slept through the whole night, and after two trying years of sleep training, that doesn’t go unnoticed. Yes, it’s a splurge at over $1000, but it also frequently goes on sale. And, let’s be real, it’s hard to put a price on a good night’s slumber. With the 100-day trial, you’re not losing much by giving it a shot.

Testing a mattress requires time and patience. It’s not a jump-on and roll-over type of ordeal. I’ve been exclusively sleeping on my Birch Natural Mattress for three weeks, and have evaluated the bed based on five main factors: the unboxing and assembly experience, the quality of materials, motion isolation, edge support, and overall support.

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