With growing awareness about the chemicals used in mattresses, some people are leaning toward natural options to avoid potential health concerns. Natural mattresses contain materials like organic cotton, wool, and natural latex to offer a comfortable yet supportive sleeping experience. A lack of sleep can impact your mood and, over time, lead to a greater chance of depression. This means sleep is important, and so is feeling good about your mattress.
“When selecting an organic or natural mattress, it’s crucial to not only look for products labeled as ‘organic’ but also ensure both the raw materials and the manufacturing process are certified,” says Jack Dell’Accio, a sleep coach and founder of Essentia, a natural mattress brand. “Certifications like GOLS Certifies that the product contains a minimum of 95% certified organic raw material of the total weight. (Global Organic Latex Standard) and GOTS The leading textile processing standard for organic fibers worldwide. This means it has been ethically sourced and monitored during the production process. (Global Organic Textile Standard) provide the assurance that no toxic chemicals or harmful additives are used at any stage, from the harvesting of materials to the final product in your home. Without these certifications, you may still be exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other indoor stimulants that can disrupt your sleep cycle, such as flame retardants, adhesives, and chemical dyes.”
If you’re looking for a natural mattress, Awara Sleep is a brand that uses all-natural materials in both its Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid mattress and Awara Premier Natural Luxury Hybrid Mattress. In this mattress review, we focus on the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid.
Continue reading to see how our testers rate its performance in pressure relief, support, bounce, edge support Edge support is the bed’s strength and stability around the perimeter. , motion isolation The containment of movement on one area of a mattress so it doesn’t impact other areas. , and cooling to see if it’s the best mattress for you.
Our verdict
Anyone who wants to avoid potentially harmful chemicals in their mattress may want to consider the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid, which is made with natural and organic materials like Dunlop latex, organic cotton, and organic wool. While the brand markets the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid as a medium on the firmness scale, our testers rate the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid as firm, so this is important to consider if you’re looking for a mattress with plush contouring. Side sleepers may want to explore a softer option since pressure may build up in the shoulder and hip area. Otherwise, back and stomach sleepers should feel the right level of contouring and support to keep them comfortable and their spine neutral.
Our expert opinion
We think the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid is a good mattress for back and stomach sleepers who want a firmer sleeping experience with a lot of support and bounce. While the brand markets the mattress as a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, our testers feel it’s more of a 7.5 out of 10, which makes it a firmer sleeping experience.
The Luxury Hybrid is made with natural and organic materials from New Zealand. All of the materials used are certified organic and contain no formaldehyde, mercury, lead, phthalates, and other chemicals commonly found in conventional mattresses.
The first layer of the mattress is a pillow top made with New Zealand wool, which gives it a bit of cushioning. Despite this layer, our testers do not find the Luxury Hybrid particularly contouring. If you’re looking for a mattress that offers a plusher feel in the first layer, you may want to explore other options. The cover is soft to the touch and is made from an organic wool and rayon blend made from bamboo, which our testers say is high-quality in look and feel.
The combination of Dunlop latex and individually wrapped steel springs makes for a breathable and cool sleeping experience, so those who tend to sleep hot should be happy on the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid. We scored it a 4 out of 5 in cooling, with our testers saying it stays cool even after resting on it. Our testers are also happy with the edge support the mattress provides and give it a perfect score of 5 out of 5. They say they feel stable when resting close to the edge, and that the support they feel on the edge is the same as when they’re in the middle of the mattress.
The premium support coil core is likely what gives the mattress its firm feel, and our testers think the mattress is the ideal firmness level for stomach and back sleepers of all body types. But lighter-weight (under 130 pounds) and average-weight (130–250 pounds) side sleepers may experience the mattress as too firm, although it may work for higher-weight (over 250 pounds) side sleepers.
If you’re interested in an organic mattress, but this one doesn’t feel right for you, check out our roundup of the best organic mattresses.
From our tester
“This bed is great for families because many people can be on it and moving around without any sinkage towards the middle or people falling off the edge.”
How we test and choose the best mattresses
The Handbook Team has researched many mattresses online and in person and hand-selected about 130 (and counting) of the best models to test. We’ve also surveyed 1,200 total shoppers (in two 600-person surveys) and interviewed recent mattress customers to understand the buying process and how their new bed has impacted their sleep quality, physical health, and mental wellness.
Purchase mattress as mystery shoppers.
Set up mattress in testing lab.
Lie on mattress and rank firmness.
Lie on back, side, and stomach to find the best sleeping position.
Place 10-pound ball in mattress center and measure sinkage.
Find biggest pressure points using pressure map reading.
Evaluate cooling capabilities by recording temperature differences.
Drop 10-pound ball onto mattress to measure bounce score.
Test motion isolation.
Test edge support.
Calculate composite “family” scores.
First-hand testing experience
The Handbook Team hand-tests every mattress we review. We evaluate brands and models by recording our findings on a 42-question standardized testing form to identify standout features and services, document issues with each product, and describe our personal experience lying on each mattress.
Mattress surveys and interviews
We pay close attention to specific considerations that sleepers of all ages seek, as identified by respondents in our surveys of 1,200 total people. These include price, features, and the setup process. We also interview real people to better understand the motivations behind shopping for a new mattress and the benefits of purchasing one.
Objective and honest ratings
We use information from our surveys, focus groups, and expert interviews to determine the most important features in our brand and mattress testing scorecards.
We also weigh the following factors to determine an overall rating for each brand we recommend.
| Factor | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 15 percent | Customer care center hours, support options |
| Brand Reputation | 10 percent | Years in business, lawsuits, class actions against this company |
| Features | 20 percent | Size options, firmness options, weight capacity, included add-ons (free sleep accessories) |
| User Experience | 35 percent | White glove delivery, CertiPUR-US certifications, risk-free trials |
| Affordability | 20 percent | Price, warranty, promotions |
Learn more about our mattress testing and review methodology.
Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid mattress firmness and feel
Awara markets the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid as a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, while our testers feel it’s a 7.5 out of 10, making it a firm mattress. When resting on the mattress we don’t notice a lot of contouring or sinkage While some softer mattresses offer good contouring sinkage, sinkage is also a result of wear and tear. Foam materials especially sink over time, resulting in a sagging feeling, which provides less support. , since there’s only one two-inch layer of organic latex for support. Our testers like that the quilted cover is soft and cool to the touch. They say they feel more “on top” of the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid than in it, which can be good for stomach sleeping since you don’t want your hips to dip into the first layer and cause your spine to move out of alignment.
From our tester
“The mattress is very difficult to press into, and it feels very firm.”
Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid mattress performance
Our testers feel the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid performs highly in some categories and falls short in others. In terms of support, our testers give it a 4 out of 5, which means sleepers should feel their weight evenly distributed while their spine stays in a neutral position A position that allows for the spine to maintain its natural curves at the neck (cervical), middle (thoracic), and lower (lumbar) regions. . Often, when a mattress performs well in support it sacrifices pressure relief, which is exactly the case with the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid. Our testers give it a below-average score of 2 out of 5, which means sleepers may experience minimal sinkage and contouring. For example, our testers say they feel pressure buildup in the shoulder and hip when on their side. However, our testers say the mattress offers enough contour while on their back, filling in the space of their lower back.
The blend of highly responsive latex and coils makes the Luxury Hybrid a bouncy mattress. Our testers gave it a 5 out of 5, which means it’s a good fit for sleepers who move around a lot. Even though it’s bouncy, it still performs above average in motion isolation, with our testers giving it a 3 out of 5. This means it does a relatively good job of damping motion, but you might still feel bigger movements.
We scored edge support 5 out of 5, with our testers saying the edge is equally as strong as the center of the bed. This is great for people who need a strong edge for mobility purposes or couples who want to maximize the full surface of the bed.
Looking for a mattress with great pressure relief? Read our roundup of the best soft mattresses.
Sleeping position and body weight
Overall, our testers feel most comfortable and supported on the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid when lying on their backs and stomachs. When resting on their sides, they feel pressure buildup in their hips and shoulders, which can lead to painful mornings. However, since higher-weight (over 250 pounds) people compress materials more, they may find this mattress works for them.
When resting on their back, our testers feel the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid contours the lower back area, and they feel well-supported with a neutral spine. Our testers also feel comfortable sleeping on their stomach. While there is a slight amount of dipping in the hip area, they feel it’s still a comfortable option for stomach sleepers since the spine stays neutral.
Compare the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid mattress for different sleeper types
| Lighter-weight (130 pounds or less) | Average-weight (130–250 pounds) | Higher-weight 250 pounds or more) | |
| Back sleepers | Good | Ideal | Ideal |
| Side sleepers | Poor | Poor | Good |
| Stomach sleepers | Good | Ideal | Good |
In general, higher-weight sleepers may benefit the most from this mattress.
From our tester
“When I’m on my side I feel a lot of pressure on my shoulders and slight pressure on my hips. But when I’m on my back, I feel closer to the surface, like I’m on top of the mattress for the most part, with some sinking in my hips.”
Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid mattress pain relief performance
Our testers find this mattress good for back sleepers of all body types, making it a potentially good mattress for people with back pain. Research shows that the best mattress for back pain is a medium-firm mattress, and this mattress is only slightly firmer than medium. Because the mattress doesn’t offer much pressure relief, you may feel uncomfortable and have pressure buildup on key pressure points The parts of a sleeper’s body that have the hardest contact with the bed surface, such as the shoulder, hips, ribcage, and tailbone. if you sleep on your side.
Stomach sleepers typically need a lot of support, which this mattress provides. This means their hips should be supported and spines aligned.
Finally, if you have mobility issues and need an extra boost, you may like how the responsive Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid helps facilitate movement.
Our overall thoughts about the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid
Overall, we think the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid is a solid option if you’re looking for an all-natural and organic mattress that offers a firmer sleeping experience.
Our favorite things about the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid
We like the high level of support the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid offers sleepers in back and stomach sleeping positions. The support from the layer of innerspring coils helps keep the hips from dipping uncomfortably and keeps the spine in a neutral position. We also like that the mattress is cooling due to its hybrid construction of latex (naturally breathable) and individually wrapped coils (allows for airflow). Our testers say the support on the edge of the mattress is the same as in the middle, which is great for people who want to use the bed’s full surface area or need a strong edge for getting in and out of bed. We also like the level of bounce this mattress provides, which is ideal for sleepers who change positions frequently. Finally, we appreciate the Awara brand’s level of customer service offerings of a 365-night sleep trial and optional white glove delivery.
Our Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid mattress complaints
We classify the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid as a firm mattress Brands rate mattress firmness on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the firmest. and don’t think it’s a good option for most side sleepers. The Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid doesn’t provide good pressure relief, which typically helps offer a level of contouring and comfort that many look for in a mattress. While the mattress has a lot of bounce, this translates to motion transfer, which means couples may feel their partner moving around at night.
What are Awara mattresses made of?
Awara mattresses are made with a combination of organic Dunlop latex, organic New Zealand wool, and individually-wrapped coils.
Are they eco-friendly?
Awara mattresses are certified by a number of third-party sustainability partners, including:
OEKO-TEX Standard 100: This means every component of the mattress was tested for harmful substances and found to be nontoxic.
UL GREENGUARD Gold: This certifies that the products emit low levels of chemicals and meet emission criteria.
The Forest Stewardship Council: Certifications verify that the wood-based materials in a product were harvested in an environmentally responsible way.
Is Awara organic?
Awara mattresses are made with organic Dunlop latex and organic wool.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Awara mattresses are manufactured in China.
No, Awara mattresses do not need a box spring, although if you prefer one, that’s fine. The brand recommends placing your Awara mattress on a basic frame or adjustable frame so it’s not on the floor.
Our testers say the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid is a firm mattress, so we don’t recommend it to side sleepers who need more pressure relief. However, higher-weight (over 250 pounds) side sleepers may find the contour they need since they typically compress the material more.
- Staff, M. M. (2024, June 27). Are mattresses toxic? A guide to chemicals in mattresses. Link
- Caggiari, G., Talesa, G. R., Toro, G., Jannelli, E., Monteleone, G., & Puddu, L. (2021). What type of mattress should be chosen to avoid back pain and improve sleep quality? Review of the literature. Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 22(1). Link