The average person spends approximately one-third of a lifetime sleeping. While achieving a deep, restful sleep depends on factors such as mattress firmness or a comfortable, soft pillow, Ben McClure, president and owner of Gardner’s Mattress & More, has noticed lots of people becoming just as conscious of having a chemical-free surface to sleep on as they are of how their mattresses and sheets feel.

Before purchasing Gardner’s Mattress & More from original owner Jim Gardner, in 2011, McClure served as the store’s general manager. He notes that Gardner’s has been selling organic and natural mattresses for almost 15 years. “We’ve specialized in natural latex mattresses for a long time,” he says. “Recently, we’ve more than doubled our natural and organic offerings to meet the demands of customers. We’re getting more people shopping for these types of beds.”

McClure says Gardner’s has recently placed a solid focus on chemical-free mattresses, pillows, sheets and pads—now dedicating over one-third of the showroom to natural and organic products. “We strive to get people to understand the concept of latex versus regular mattresses,” he explains. “Most people have never heard of a latex mattress and don’t know what it is or where it’s from.” Natural latex mattresses are made from the sap of the rubber tree, different from the synthetic latex used to make disposable gloves and balloons.

Gardner’s carries three brands of natural latex mattresses: Savvy Rest, PranaSleep and Pure LatexBliss. Savvy Rest, which is 100 percent certified organic and customizable for firmness, support and comfort, allows each side of the bed to be made firmer or softer. PranaSleep is a newer line for Gardner’s, also made from natural latex and no polyurethane foams, fillers or fibers. Pure LatexBliss is similar to PranaSleep, McClure says, and it is a performance-based natural latex mattress that can shape and mold to the body and reduces pressure points.

The price range for natural mattresses can vary. Some mattresses with traditional coils and organic padding can start at $999 for a queen, and the natural latex mattresses start at $1,500 for a queen mattress and box spring. “Latex is a more expensive material to manufacture. You’re going to pay more for it, but it’s an investment in health and well-being, and latex is one of the most durable materials you can make a mattress out of,” says McClure.

Gardner’s educates people both in person and through its Latex Buying Guide, a comprehensive booklet about latex sleep solutions, available at the store or on the website, at GardnersMattressAndMore.com/Latex-Mattresses. The store also includes the Dream Room—a mattress testing room where customers can try mattresses in private. “They can select the mattress, and we’ll put it in the Dream Room and close the door,” explains McClure. “They can spend time in there trying out the mattress in a comfortable, clean environment without us or other customers around.”

Gardner’s also carries natural and organic sheets such as bamboo, latex foam pillows and latex mattress pads. The store has an exchange program for customers who are unhappy with a mattress within a certain period of time.

“We’ve always been in the mindset of moving from success to significance,” relates McClure. “We’re involved in the community and try to give back when we can. We want to network with the great community of natural and holistic businesses in the area. We can all benefit from each other.”

Gardner’s Mattress & More is located at 830 Plaza Blvd., Ste. 2, in Lancaster. For more information, call 717-459-4570 or visit GardnersMattressAndMore.com. See ad, page 5.

Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.