All sofa cushions are not created equal! We’ve done the work to source the most comfortable, durable, and supportive eco-certified foams out there.
At Medley, we offer both GOLS-certified organic plant-based natural latex foam wrapped in wool and high-resilience poly foam certified by CertiPUR-US®. Both options are wonderfully supportive and sumptuously soft—and never, ever saggy (the worst!). Let’s get into the differences.
Material Compositions
GOLS-certified organic plant-based latex foam and wool cushion:
The word "latex" might sound plasticky and artificial, but it’s one of the most natural, durable, and sustainable materials available for foam. Natural latex comes from tapping rubber trees (Hevea Brasiliensis)—similar to the process of harvesting maple syrup.
The natural latex Medley uses in its furniture is certified organic by the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), the gold standard of the industry that indicates purity of material, fair labor practices, and eco-friendly processing. To label latex as GOLS certified, it must contain a minimum of 95% certified organic raw material of the total weight. In our case, the 5% left over accounts for approved, essential processing agents required for any manufacturer to make latex foam suitable for home furnishings.
As a second comfort layer, we wrap each natural latex cushion in an envelope of lofted wool fiber. Back pillows come filled with corresponding wool: more on this below.
Ideally, our plant-based natural latex foam would be the only we carry because of its organic and natural composition. Because latex is expensive and more labor-intensive to build, we also offer CertiPUR-US®-certified polyurethane foam, a more price-friendly offering and the cleanest synthetic choice we can find—a darn good alternative to latex, and historically our most popular cushion offering at Medley.
CertiPUR-US®-certified foam cushion:
This high-resilience foam is made from polyurethane, a porous synthetic resin with an open cellular structure that allows it to be flexible and lightweight. This foam is among the cleanest synthetic foams on the market, with low VOC emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million). It also consistently screened for relevant chemicals, including fire retardants, that are classified as carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxins and are harmful to human health.
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Comfort + Durability
CertiPUR-US®-certified foam provides luxurious, exceptional comfort with a medium level of firmness. Overall, you’ll feel deeply supported and pleasantly propped. Classically cozy and comfy, this material is resilient yet soft. 2.5 lb. high-resilience foams like CertiPUR-US foams are known for their ability to retain shape over time—much longer than traditional poly foams on the market—providing outstanding long-term comfort. For extra softness and squish, we offer the option to add an envelope of down to these cushions.
Our GOLS-certified organic plant-based latex and wool cushion strikes a balance that's dense yet soft and responsive. Latex foam features inherent spring-back to hold its shape for 20+ years of support—top of the line durability. Overall, it makes for a plush, supportive, and incredibly comfy lounge. Each cushion is wrapped in an envelope of lofted wool fiber. What’s the difference? Wool fiber pearls deliver a similarly cozy feeling to down, ayet with a more resilient structure (no fluffing needed).
P.S: Our natural latex + wool furniture frames are also wrapped in wool and padded with natural latex on the arms and back for extra softness and squish.
P.P.S: Natural latex also makes a wonderful material to sleep on: its rubber properties allow the material to contour to your body, offering responsive, gentle, and pressure-free support. More about our GOLS-certified organic natural mattresses here.
CertiPUR-US®-Certified Foam V Natural Latex: The Takeaway
Both CertiPUR-US®-certified foam sofas and our GOLS-certified organic natural latex + wool sofas offer exceptional resilience, structure, and support that surpass standard sofa foams and fillings—all while being better to bring into your home.
If you have any questions about our fillings, or need help deciding between the two, we’re more happy to help: reach out at hello@medleyome.com!
