Birch Natural Mattress Review 2024 | Expert Tested

Jun 20, 2024
Fact Checked
The Birch Natural mattress offers an eco-friendly design and excellent medium-firm support.
Written by: Lauren Sherman, MS
Medically reviewed by: Shilpa Kauta, MD

Research highlights the critical role of quality sleep in enhancing overall health, particularly for older adults. While sleep is critical to our wellness, mattresses can be a significant source of toxic chemicals in our homes. The use of an organic mattress, which minimizes exposure to chemicals and allergens, may improve your sleep quality and overall health. That’s why our Reviews Team tested Birch.

Birch by Helix offers mattresses that emphasize eco-friendly materials and thoughtful design, which aligns with the growing preference among consumers for organic and health-conscious products. Let’s take a look at the popular organic Birch Natural mattress.

Birch Natural

The Birch Natural mattress is an excellent choice for eco-conscious older adults who are seeking both comfort and the use of safe materials. 

Birch Natural
8.9
Very Good
Birch Natural
Birch Natural
Made with organic, eco-conscious materials
Excellent edge support and bounce
100-night sleep trial and 25-year warranty

Our Birch mattress experience

Birch Natural

Birch Natural

Birch Natural
Very Good
Very Good
Key features
  • Price: $1,373.80–$2,248.80
  • Material: Hybrid
  • Firmness: Medium (6.5/10)
  • Trial period: 100 nights
  • Shipping: Free FedEx Ground in a box; set up and removal available for additional charge
  • Warranty: 25 years
  • Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
  • Mattress height: 11 inches
Pros and cons of Birch Natural mattress
Pros Popular, medium-firm support Excellent edge support Lots of bounce Cons Mediocre motion control Not particularly cooling High price
Additional information

The Birch Natural mattress is an example of comfort combined with environmental consciousness. Crafted with attention to sustainability, this hybrid-construction mattress features organic materials designed to provide a healthy sleep environment without compromising on quality.

Our expert take on Birch mattress

The Birch Natural Mattress is constructed from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic cotton, natural wool, and eco-friendly Talalay latex. These materials are not only sustainable but also contribute to comfort and durability. With a firmness rating of 6.5 out of 10, it strikes a balance suitable for a wide range of sleepers, providing a medium-firm feel that supports spinal alignment while being comfortable enough for most sleep positions, even making it a doctor recommended mattress for back pain.  

It scores impressively with a 5 out of 5 for both edge support and bounce, supporting movement and making it easy to get in and out of bed, which is particularly beneficial for older adults. Our tester was very impressed with the edge support of the bed. They commented that it felt like it pushed them back to the center when they would roll close to the edge—kind of like a “little guardrail.” It was no surprise to learn the mattress has reinforced lengthwise edges to help keep sleepers in bed. This will be appreciated by older adults who may be more likely to fall out of bed.

The cooling functionality is moderate, with a score of 3 out of 5. The natural breathability of wool helps regulate temperature, but it may not be sufficient for those who tend to sleep hot. A plush mattress topper may be added for an additional cost, which adds some pressure relief breathability for added cooling. Birch charges $348.80 for a twin mattress topper and $623.80 for a California king mattress topper.

This mattress earns a 3 out of 5 for motion transfer, so does not particularly isolate movement very well, which could be a concern for those sharing the bed with a restless partner.

With a high, 4.17 out of 5, functional support score (our measure of older adult-specific features), the mattress is particularly suitable for older sleepers, due to its supportive nature and ease of movement.

We recommend the Birch Natural to anyone valuing eco-friendly materials and a medium-firm hybrid feel with excellent edge support and bounce. This mattress will especially appeal to older adults or those with limited mobility.

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“Seems pretty easy to roll around, which could be good for older adults. It feels like there’s a net of protection on the outer edge.”

– From our tester

It’s no surprise that Birch mattresses are priced at a premium, reflecting their use of high-quality, organic materials, but they are not as expensive as ultra-luxury lines like Saatva. Birch mattresses come with a 25-year warranty, providing long-term peace of mind. Its 100-night sleep trial allows customers ample time to decide if the mattress is right for them. Birch mattresses are shipped by FedEx Ground for free within the United States and arrive compressed in a box. 

Birch offers setup and removal for an additional charge. Old mattress removal costs $119, and new mattress setup costs $129. Birch charges $159 for removal and setup purchased together. This service is provided by a partner company called LoadUp and is scheduled by email after the mattress delivery.

Our recommendation

Who may love it

Who may want to avoid it

Birch contact and payment information

Customer service

You can reach Birch customer service through the following options:

Payment options

Credit card payment options include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Express checkout is available through Shop Pay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, and Apple Pay. Birch offers financing through Affirm.

Birch offers 30% off for military members, first responders, students, and teachers. The discount code can’t be combined with other promotional codes.

Table 1 Compare Birch against competitors

Price (for queen size) $1,873 $2,095 $1,332 $1,499
Firmness Medium (6.5/10) Firm (7/10) Firm (7/10) Medium (6.5/10)
Mattress type Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Foam
White-glove delivery Available for additional charge Included Available for additional charge No

Bottom line

The Birch Natural mattress is highly recommended due to its versatility across various sleep positions and body weights, making it a suitable choice for a broad range of sleepers. With a firmness level of 6.5 out of 10 and features like excellent edge support, substantial bounce, and effective pressure relief, it comfortably accommodates back sleepers, side sleepers, and combination sleepers of all sizes.

The mattress is particularly appealing to eco-conscious older adults or those sensitive to chemicals in their sleeping environment. Constructed from organic cotton, natural wool, and eco-friendly Talalay latex, the Birch mattress ensures a sleep space free from harmful chemicals. Its organic materials not only support personal health and sustainability but also provide excellent structural support and comfort.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, Birch mattresses are safe. They are made with eco-friendly materials that meet high environmental and health standards. The mattresses use natural wool and organic cotton, which are both free from harmful chemicals like polyurethane. Birch also uses Talalay latex, which is derived from the sap of rubber trees and is processed in an eco-friendly manner.

The mattresses are GOTS- and GREENGUARD Gold-certified, which means they meet strict criteria for responsible manufacturing and low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

No, Birch mattresses do not contain fiberglass. The company emphasizes the use of natural and organic materials, avoiding the use of fiberglass or any other harmful substances commonly found in mattress fire retardants. Instead, Birch uses organic wool, which naturally provides flame resistance.

Yes, Birch mattresses include springs. Specifically, they feature individually wrapped coils that provide support, enhance breathability, and help with motion isolation. This coil system is part of what gives the Birch mattress its supportive structure and aids in providing edge support.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

Sources

  1. Environmental Working Group. Mattress Chemicals You Could Be Sleeping On. Aug. 30, 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/08/mattress-chemicals-you-could-be-sleeping
Lauren Sherman, M.S., is a health content writer with a master’s degree in human genetics from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, laboratory experience from National Jewish Health, and clinical experience from Children’s Hospital Colorado.