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The best bamboo mattresses have a low-impact bamboo fabric cover and a bamboo-infused foam core, which benefit hot sleepers by wicking away moisture.
Eco-conscious consumers are often drawn to bamboo products because the crop itself is highly sustainable. But many so-called bamboo mattresses only contain a small amount of bamboo material, and even that is produced in a way that actually damages the environment.
This guide is for hot sleepers on a budget who want the benefits of a bamboo mattress while avoiding greenwashing.
✔ Most Comfortable Option
✔ Long Warranty
✔ Cooling & Pressure Relief
We Say: This CertiPUR-US certified mattress caught my eye when I tested the excellent Cariloha OEKO-TEX bamboo sheets and pajamas, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
The Cariloha bamboo mattress hits the mark for comfort. It’s supportive, cooling, and very comfortable. There’s very little motion transfer, meaning it’s perfect for couples where one is a restless sleeper.
As a side sleeper, I was also impressed at the level of pressure relief this mattress offered. I never woke up with those telltale sore hips or shoulders that I often get with inferior mattresses.
The mattress cover is removable and machine-washable on a cool setting.
There is no such thing as a 100% bamboo mattress. However, this is what I would classify as a proper bamboo mattress. It’s quality bamboo-infused foam covered in sustainable bamboo fabric. Not some horrible slab of cheap memory foam covered in bamboo fabric of questionable origin.
The Cariloha mattress is 11 inches (27.94 cm) thick with a medium-firm feel.
If you don’t like medium-firm mattresses, I recommend the Cariloha Resort Bamboo Mattress instead. The Resort bamboo mattress has all the eco-friendly comfort of the Classic, but is an inch thicker, with a medium-soft rating.
Both mattresses are incredible. The only real drawback is the price tag. However, given the quality of the material and construction, I think they’re well worth the investment.
I also love that Cariloha offsets the emissions produced by their products. The 118.80 kgs (261.9 lbs) of carbon generated by this mattress are offset via multiple 3rd party verified schemes.
We Say: Lucid wasn't a mattress brand I knew before researching and testing for this article. This is surprising because I’ve slept on many mattresses over the years (and researched many more).
The Lucid Hybrid consists of a memory foam comfort layer that sits over pocketed springs and a supportive base, so you get the contouring of foam with the bounce of an innerspring.
Don’t let the budget price tag put you off. This mattress has memory foam infused with bamboo and aloe vera, and it punches well above its weight in terms of performance.
You get high-performance spring and foam layers, all wrapped up in a super soft cover.
The Lucid hybrid is also CertiPUR-US certified, so you know the foam is safe.
The bamboo charcoal-infused memory foam and aloe vera work together to create a cooling effect, perfect for those who often wake up in a pool of their sweat. The support foam contours to your body. The springs add bounce, which stops you sinking too far into the foam.
The edge support is a nice touch, as it means you can sleep right to the edge of the mattress without feeling like you’re going to roll off. Edge support is perfect for couples who want to make the most of their sleeping surface.
You get 100 nights to try this mattress out at home and return it for a full refund if you’re not impressed. If/when you decide to keep it, you can sleep soundly knowing that a ten-year warranty covers you.
Buy the Lucid 12-inch (30.5 cm) Hybrid Mattress if you want hybrid construction on a budget.
We Say: The NapQueen 8 inch (20.3 cm) Bamboo Charcoal Memory Foam Mattress is the best budget option I tested. It gets the delicate balance of cost, premium features, and eco-certifications just right.
The medium-firm feel of this mattress is both comfortable and supportive. The low motion transfer feature has improved my sleep quality, as my restless wife no longer disturbs me in the early hours.
The bamboo charcoal memory foam layer keeps you comfortable and sweat-free all night.
I also love the ease of maintenance. The removable and washable cover makes keeping this mattress fresh and hygienic effortless.
I would have preferred to see more cotton (preferably organic) and less polyester used to make the cover. However, I appreciate that some compromises must be made at this low price point.
The NapQueen mattress is certified to OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 and CertiPUR-US, so the cover textile and the foam have each been tested against a restricted substance list.
NapQueen combines a medium-firm feel, low motion transfer, and two chemical safety certifications at a budget price.
We Say: This IULULU mattress stands out for its innovative use of green tea gel and bamboo, which the brand claims is naturally cooling and moisture-wicking. It also gets onto the list of recommendations ahead of some of the other options I tested because it's made in the US.
I was skeptical that adding green tea to a mattress would help increase cooling. However, the green tea gel infusion really does help maintain a cool temperature, even on the warmest summer evenings.
The medium firmness hits the sweet spot between support and comfort, cradling my body without feeling too soft or firm. The bamboo fiber cover enhances the overall sleeping experience, adding a layer of softness that feels luxurious against my skin.
We found that this mattress was very good at minimizing motion transfer. Therefore, it's a good choice for couples, particularly if you have a restless partner.
The IULULU mattress is also CertiPUR-US certified, so its foam has been tested against the same restricted list as the Lucid and NapQueen picks.
Why I chose this: If you are looking for a way to add a bamboo surface to your existing mattress, this cooling and temperature regulating mattress pad, made with Premium 100% Viscose from Bamboo fabric, could be a cost effective solution.
We Say: Oprah described Cozy Earth bedding as the “softest EVER,” but I know better than to take celebrity endorsements at face value, although I do love other Cozy Earth products like their bamboo pajamas.
The Cozy Earth Bamboo Mattress Pad adds a layer of softness to your existing mattress without trapping heat.
The bamboo fabric is naturally cooling, and the lightweight design means it won’t make your mattress feel too firm. The pad also has a strong elastic around the edge, so it’ll stay in place even if you move around a lot in your sleep.
The only downside I can see is that it’s not machine washable, but you can always spot clean as and when necessary.
Cozy Earth sells the pad on these terms.
Buy the Cozy Earth Bamboo Mattress Pad if you want a bamboo sleep surface without replacing your mattress. Returns are free within the 100 night trial.
The three types of bamboo mattresses are foam/latex, innerspring, or hybrid.
The type of bamboo mattress is the main factor that determines whether it's good to sleep on.
Some bamboo mattresses are good to sleep on, and some are not.
The use of bamboo does not determine whether a mattress is comfortable because bamboo is only used in the cover or in the top layer of foam. How well you sleep depends on the foam or springs underneath and on how well the mattress is made.
Yes, a bamboo mattress is good for hot sleepers compared to polyester and polyurethane mattresses. Bamboo covers wick moisture better than polyester, and bamboo foam reduces humidity.
In yarn tests, a blend of 67% bamboo and 33% polyester wicked moisture better than 100% polyester (Kayalvizhi et al., 2024).
Bamboo charcoal-infused foam lowers the humidity inside the mattress. Charcoal made from bamboo takes up water vapor from the air around it (Horikawa et al., 2010).
Bamboo is not better for hot sleepers than cotton. A study comparing bamboo with cotton and viscose rayon on a sweating manikin found no evidence that bamboo manages either moisture or temperature better than cotton (Gericke et al., 2010).
No, bamboo mattresses are no better for back pain than those made from other materials.
Medium-firm mattresses are the best choice for lumbar (lower back) pain. In a double-blind trial, 313 adults with chronic low back pain were given either a firm or a medium-firm mattress. After 90 days, the medium-firm group had less pain in bed and less disability than the firm group (Kovacs et al., 2003).
If you want a bamboo mattress and you suffer from lumbar pain, check the firmness rating before you buy, the same way you would when choosing an organic mattress for back pain.
No, bamboo mattresses are not more beneficial for allergy sufferers than other mattresses.
Brands market bamboo as being "hypoallergenic" or naturally antibacterial because the raw plant contains bamboo kun, an antibacterial agent. But calling bamboo fabric antibacterial or antimicrobial is misleading.
The process of turning bamboo into fabric destroys most of the bamboo kun and negates its natural antibacterial effect. Adding bamboo fiber to cotton does not greatly increase a fabric's antibacterial effect, even at 75% bamboo (Ali et al., 2019).
Bamboo mattresses are not especially eco-friendly, although they offer some benefits compared to purely synthetic mattresses.
Most bamboo mattresses are actually just a bamboo cover over a polyurethane core. Polyurethane (PU) is petroleum-based, does not biodegrade, and is hazardous to the environment (Oluwaseun Adetunji et al., 2021). Even bamboo-charcoal infused foam is mostly PU.
Bamboo fabric used for mattress covers isn't always eco-friendly either.
Because bamboo is sustainable as a raw material, it is better than polyester or microfiber because it is renewable and biodegradable. But turning raw bamboo into fabrics can also harm the environment.
Producing bamboo viscose fabric involves using toxic chemicals such as carbon disulfide and sodium hydroxide to soften the fiber. Many viscose mills dump their toxic wastewater into local ecosystems. Closed-loop viscose production (such as that used by Cariloha) is better because it captures and reuses the chemicals.
People who sleep hot and tend to sweat at night should consider a bamboo mattress if they cannot afford a fully organic alternative.
You should not buy a bamboo mattress for allergy relief, back pain relief, or to help the environment. Instead, choose an organic mattress made from sustainable materials.
If you do decide a bamboo mattress is right for you, here's how to choose the best and most sustainable option.
To choose a bamboo mattress, first check which part of the mattress is actually bamboo. For bamboo fabric covers, prioritize closed-loop bamboo viscose or lyocell. Then look for independent certifications, and check the fire barrier.
Check the materials list to see which part of the mattress is actually bamboo.
Bamboo in a mattress can be cover fabric woven from bamboo viscose, or a bamboo charcoal infusion in the foam, or both. Brands commonly market the product as a "bamboo mattress" even when only a small percentage of the materials are actually bamboo.
Avoid any brand that does not say where the bamboo is.
Prefer bamboo viscose made in a closed-loop process, or bamboo lyocell because lyocell production is closed-loop by design.
Look for the production method on the product page. If the production method is not named, assume the fabric is standard viscose.
Look for CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifications to help identify non-toxic bamboo mattresses.
Our guide to organic mattress certifications explains what each label proves and how to verify the certificate's authenticity.
Check what the fire barrier is made of and prioritize fiberglass-free mattresses.
Every mattress sold in the US must pass an open-flame test. The cheapest way to pass that test is a layer of fiberglass, which is common in budget memory foam mattresses.
Reject any mattress whose materials list includes fiberglass or glass fiber. If the listing does not name the fire barrier, ask the seller before you buy. Our guide to fiberglass in mattresses explains how to spot fiberglass and what to do if your current mattress contains it.
A bamboo mattress keeps you cooler and drier at night than a standard memory foam mattress.
Bamboo in a mattress does not change how it feels to sleep on. Most bamboo mattresses contain a PU foam core, so they feel very similar to standard memory foam.
Bamboo mattresses hug your body more than latex or innerspring mattresses, because their memory foam contours slowly around you.
Natural latex feels bouncy and responsive, while an innerspring's steel coils push straight back and keep you near the surface of the mattress.
No, there are no proven health benefits of bamboo mattresses, and no studies show they are any better for allergies or back pain than other mattresses.
Many brands market bamboo mattresses as "hypoallergenic," but there is no legal definition of the term, so the claim does not actually mean anything.
No, bamboo mattresses do not need any special care beyond their cover. Wash a removable cover on a cool cycle. Check the care label first, because not every bamboo cover is machine washable.
Our guide to how to clean a mattress covers the mattress cleaning routine step by step.
Yes, a bamboo mattress needs a mattress protector to stop sweat, spills, and allergens from reaching the foam.
Our guide to eco-friendly mattress protectors lists the mattress protector brands we recommend.
No, do not flip a bamboo mattress. In a bamboo mattress, the soft comfort foam sits on top of a firm support base, so flipping the mattress leaves the firm base under your body and the comfort foam facing the floor.
Rotate the mattress 180 degrees every few months to spread the wear evenly. Our guide to flipping and rotating a mattress explains which mattresses are double-sided and safe to flip.
The Cypress Memory Foam Mattress from Brentwood Home is an excellent gel memory foam mattress. However, I’ve reached out to Brentwood Home and they’ve confirmed that it does not contain any bamboo fiber.
Bamboo mattresses are not as environmentally friendly as most manufacturers claim, nor do they have the health benefits some advertise.
But as an alternative to standard synthetic mattresses, they do sleep cooler and are slightly better for the environment.
The Cariloha Classic Bamboo Mattress is the best bamboo mattress I tested. The Cariloha stayed cool through the night, relieved the pressure on my hips and shoulders, and is covered in closed-loop bamboo viscose.
If the Cariloha is outside your budget, the Lucid is my runner-up at a budget price.
Sleep well.
Our core values mean we always prioritize sustainability over profit. We carefully research and evaluate every product to ensure they meet our high standards. All products featured in this article are recommended in accordance with our Review Methodology.
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