|
What is latex?
There are two types of latex - natural latex and synthetic latex.
Natural latex
In its purest form, natural latex is the milky white liquid that is tapped from the trunks of mature rubber trees.
It has a very high elasticity, which is a benefit in manufacturing and handling latex foam. Natural latex is also very tough which makes the foam product very durable.
The rubber tree originated in Brazil but today is mainly grown in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Synthetic latex
Synthetic latex is manufactured from two monomers - styrene and butadiene which are both derivatives of oil.
Synthetic latex has a number of benefits:
- It is very strong and has excellent load bearing properties which is important for mattress cores
- It is easy to control, so has more consistent properties and does not require stabilisers to prevent breakdown during transport/storage
- Unlike natural latex synthetic latex has no proteins – therefore there is virtually no chance that it may cause an allergic reaction
|
