We all want the best options for our children, including their bedding. Infant mattress safety is a sensitive topic, and research shows that a wide range of physical, chemical and quality requirements play a critical role in creating a good product for people and planet.
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new standard for Infant Mattresses (IMv1.0-2022)! Here’s a snapshot of our standard’s benefits:
The manufacture, use, and disposal of infant mattress products can negatively impact our environment and health, depending on the choice of raw materials used, padding materials, coatings, textiles, and adhesives. Some manufacturers may also use hazardous treatments or manage their energy and water use poorly during production.
The firmness of an infant mattress is an essential factor when it comes to safety. If the mattress is soft, an infant’s head can compress into the surface and potentially block the baby’s airway; however, this is unlikely to happen if the mattress is firm.
Recent research suggests that soft crib mattresses have been linked to high risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Although there are no mandatory safety requirements for infant mattresses in Australia, this standard recognises voluntary firmness requirements to mitigate potential risks.
When a product is certified against GECA’s Infant Mattresses standard, you know it has been assessed to meet environmental, human health and social impact criteria while proving that it performs as promised.
The standard’s scope applies to infant mattress products, including cot and crib mattresses, household cot mattresses, mattresses for bassinets and other flat sleeping surfaces.
Each of GECA’s lifecycle ecolabel standards also support action on specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. The core SGDs related to our Infant Mattresses standard are:
Our Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) are crucial in supporting the development of GECA’s standards to ensure they are robust and relevant for the Australian market. Thank you so much to our TAG members who provided their time and expertise to support GECA in developing this crucial new standard for infant mattresses.
For more information, check out our GECA Standard Guide for Infant Mattresses or contact our team at info@geca.org.au.
