Coir Vs Foam Mattress – Which Is Best?

Are you confused about whether you should buy a coir mattress or a foam one? 

If yes, then you are at the right place to clear all your doubts and ensure that you can choose the best mattress for yourself. In this forthcoming article, we will explain everything about both the materials- coir and foam.

We will also focus on the coir Vs foam mattress review so that you can understand which one will suit your needs with 100% accuracy. In addition, we will also present a brief study about the strength and weaknesses of the materials used in making the mattresses. 

1. What Are A Coir Mattress And Its Types?

Coir is the husk of the coconut shells, which are coiled to make denser and compact in shape. Coir has two main variations: 

1. Normal coir- known for its natural properties
2. Rubberized coir- denser variety with increased support and firmness

2. What Are Foam And Its Types?

Foam is an artificially manufactured synthetic material that is made from different types of polymers. There are four major types of foam with which the materials are constructed: 

1. PU foam – the softest and the basic foaming material
2. Memory foam – can change its shape as per the sleeper’s body shape
3. Rebonded foam – is known for higher bounce level
4. HR or High Resilience foam – acts as a support layer

3. Benefits Of Coir 

1. Coir is a natural material and is eco-friendly, which is why they are the best choice for people looking for organic mattresses. 
2. You can change the material density by altering the coiling of the coir fibres. Hence, it can be made firmer to ease the back pain and support the spine. 
3. Coir mattresses are far cheaper as compared to foam mattresses. 
4. These products usually have less thickness which is suitable for beds having no boundary protections like hotbeds. 

4. Benefits of foam 

1. Foam mattresses come with varying firmness, which will help people to choose a product with which they can cuddle or a product that will alleviate back pain. 
2. It is highly durable as synthetic polymers are used to manufacture different foam types. 
3. Using foam, both the support and comfort layers can be formed within the mattress itself. 
4. Memory foam helps maintain the posture of the sleepers and keeps the surface cool in case it has infused micro gel molecules. 

5. Difference Coir Vs Foam Mattress

Attribute	Coir	Foam
Motion isolation	No	No
Temperature regulation	Normal air ventilation	Gel infusion technology
Firmness	Firmer	Soft to firm
Hypoallergenic	No	Yes
Edge support	No	No
Bounce	No	Yes for rebonded and PU foam
Durability	Less	High

• Motion isolation: Both coir and foam fail to isolate the motion of the person sleeping beside you. So, if they turn and twist a lot, you will feel the movement to some extent. 
• Temperature regulation: Coir has several air pockets, which eases the ventilation. But as no cooling technology is present, the surface might become hot sometimes. On the other hand, memory foam usually comes with gel-infused technology that can absorb the heat, thereby maintaining the surface temperature. 
• Firmness: Coir is firmer, and its firmness ranges between 6 to 9 based on whether you are buying a simple coir mattress or rubberized coir. In foam also, the firmness varies from 3 to 9 approximately based on the foam type. 
• Hypoallergenic: Coir is eco-friendly indeed. But for some people, the material can cause allergies until and unless they are covered with hypoallergenic material. As for the foam, you won’t have to worry about getting allergies because most foams present at the top come with hypoallergenic features. 
• Edge support: Both the foam and coir mattresses lack edge support. However, the edges are made strong, and the stitches are seamlessly done, which is why the internal layers stay safe and secured even if the compressive weight from above increases. 
• Bounce: If you consider the rebonded foam or the PU soft foam, their bounce level is quite high. But, on the other hand, coir is dense, and the material does not exert a counterforce which would cause a bouncy nature. 
• Durability: Foam is highly durable as compared to the coir material. This is because the fibres in foam are tightly packed, which can tolerate more wear and tear. On the contrary, the coir fibres are coiled and then made denser. Therefore, once a fibre end loosens from the structure, the coir layer will lose its strength and shape. 

6. Strength And Weaknesses Of Coir

Strength 

• Coir is an eco-friendly material that will maintain the hygiene 
• The material gets depressed at a very slow rate 
• Coir mattresses are much cheaper as compared to foam

Weakness 

• Can cause allergies for sleepers having sensitive skin
• It is heavier as compared to the foam mattresses 

7. Strength And Weaknesses Of Foam

Strength 

• Comes with varying firmness, from 3 to 9 depending on the type of foam you are choosing
• Memory foams are perfect for sleepers who want no disturbance 
• You can modify it for keeping the mattress surface cool throughout

Weakness 

• Can suffer sagging earlier than expected due to extra weight from the above
• HR foam is highly dense and blocks off the air circulation

8. Which Is Better? Coir Or Foam Mattress? 

It isn’t easy to judge whether coir is better than foam or not. For some sleepers, coir is the best choice, while foam makes a good fit for their requirements for others. So, it completely depends on the requirements and perception of the sleepers whether or not foam is a better material than coir.

For example, foam is good for: 

1. Reducing the tensed knots from the pressure points in your back 
2. Helping you to cuddle with the bed in case the mattress has PU foam 
3. Gel-infused memory foam helps in absorption of the body heat 
4. Also, if you want varying firmness of the mattress, the foam will be the best material. 

Coir is ideal for sleepers who: 

1. Wants to sleep on a mattress having high firmness level
2. Do not want the mattress to have a bounce 
3. Has sensitive skin and wants to sleep on a mattress made from natural material like coir

FAQs