What is Latex?
 Latex is a milky white liquid composed of rubber particles dispersed in water. This material is whipped with air to form a foam, which is heated to produce foam rubber, or latex. The soft, supple products of a real foam rubber are what make our products superior Latex is inherently hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial and dust-mite resistant. Because it breathes to remove body moisture, it keeps you warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer. Latex is not a plastic foam, like polyurethane or furniture foam. It is a denser product made of rubber to last a lifetime. Unlike urethane, latex will feel as good a year from now as it does in the showroom today. |
What is Talalay Latex?
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The Talalay method produces the finest latex available. The Talalay process steps:
- Liquid rubber whipped into a foam and poured into a mold.
- When closed the mold has rods that go through the foamed rubber.
- A vacuum is placed on the mold, which removes air bubbles/pockets and distributes the liquid rubber evenly through the mold.
- CO2 is run through the rods, freezing the foamed rubber and locking in the consistency.
- Heat sent through the rods, providing even temperature and yielding a consistent latex cores without air pockets or uneven firmnesses.
- Impact test results indicate an amazingly low loss of 2-8%.
- Latex International is the only North American supplier of latex. Besides Latex International, there are two other producers of Talalay latex in the world. One in England, and one in The Netherlands.
- Unlike some competing products, our Talalay products contain no fillers or extenders. Only the components needed to convert the material from a liquid to a solid that lasts are added: soap, ammonia, zinc oxide and sulfur. The ammonia evaporates and the soap and zinc oxide are washed out. The sulfur is needed to cure the product so that it bounces back after you sleep on it.
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What is Blended Talalay Latex?
The Latex International's flagship product, Talatech Latex, is a blend of 30% natural rubber and 70% synthetic rubber (Styrene Butadiene Rubber or SBR).
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What is Natural Talalay Latex?
Our 100% Natual Latex System is now also made by Latex International with the Talalay process. FloBeds Natural Latex is produced using no fillers or shortcuts. It is made from 100% Latex Rubber from the Rubber Tree.
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Talalay Latex provides the most supple, body conforming and long lasting mattresses. |
Talalay now available in pure 100% Natural Latex for FloBeds mattresses. |
Most recent Latex International test data on our standard and 100% natural mattress products:
To test Softening over time a machine is used that conducts what we call our Impact test, it's 24,000 cycles over a 24hr period with a 30 lb weight being dropped onto a 17"x17"x6" block of foam. The test is similar to the first 24,000 cycles of the Cornell test where the vast majority of product softening occurs. We believe that our Impact test is more stringent.
To test Height Loss we conduct an ASTM latex foam compression set test of 50% compression at
158 F for 22 hours with height loss measured on a 6" thick block of foam.
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Blended Talalay |
100% Natural Talalay |
Difference |
| SOFTENING |
14.8% impact loss |
17.4% impact loss |
2.6% |
| HEIGHT LOSS |
3.4% |
4.3% |
0.9% |
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