How to Choose a Mattress: Types, Fillings, and Firmness
Mattress types explained: innerspring (Bonnell, pocket coil), foam, hybrid. Foam density, firmness, sizes. Comparison table and buying guide.
A mattress is one of the few pieces of furniture where a wrong choice is felt physically every night, not just seen. Yet the market offers a dozen constructions and marketing names that really boil down to a handful of base technologies. Here is what a mattress is actually built from, how coil systems and fillings differ, and how to pick firmness and size for a specific job — from a home bedroom to furnishing a hotel.
Innerspring mattresses: Bonnell vs pocket coils
- Bonnell coils — coils wired together into a single connected unit. The oldest and cheapest technology: pressure at one point sags the whole zone, and the “hammock” effect on a double bed shows up within 1-2 years. Fine for guest rooms, rental housing, and budget projects where the mattress gets replaced every 3-5 years.
- Pocket coils (independent spring system) — each coil sits in its own fabric sleeve and moves independently. This gives targeted body support and barely transfers a partner’s movement across the mattress — a key advantage for couples with different weights or sleep schedules. Coil count per m² ranges from 256 to 1000+; the higher the count, the more precisely the mattress follows body contours.
Foam-based mattresses: memory foam and latex
- Memory foam — a viscoelastic material that slowly conforms to body shape and slowly recovers. It relieves pressure points at shoulders and hips, but below 50 kg/m³ (3.1 lb/ft³) it loses resilience within 1-2 years, and in hot climates it retains heat unless the cover is ventilated.
- Latex (natural or synthetic) — a resilient material with a fast response (unlike “slow” memory foam), resistant to dust mites, and lasts up to 10-15 years. Natural latex costs 30-50% more than synthetic but holds its shape noticeably longer.
- HR (high-resilience) foam — a firmer, springier base layer, often used to support a softer foam or latex comfort layer on top.
Hybrid mattresses
A combination of a pocket coil support layer and foam or latex comfort layers on top. It blends the point support of coils with the softness of foam — as of 2026, this is the most popular format in the mid and premium segments because it closes the weak points of either technology on its own. Expect a 20-40% price premium over a base innerspring mattress, depending on the top-layer composition.
Firmness: how to read the Soft-to-Firm scale
There is no single international firmness standard — every factory sets its own benchmark, so match by sleeper weight and sleep position, not just the label:
| Firmness | Sleeper weight | Sleep position | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft / Medium Soft | Under 60 kg (132 lb) | Side sleeper | Soft top layer relieves shoulder and hip pressure |
| Medium | 60-90 kg (132-198 lb) | General purpose | The most common choice for most adults |
| Firm | 90 kg+ (198 lb+) | Back/stomach sleeper | Firmer base keeps the spine neutral |
| Extra Firm | 90 kg+ (198 lb+), back issues | Back sleeper | Often recommended by orthopedists for lower-back pain |
Important for orders from China: the domestic Chinese market has historically favored firm mattresses. Without an explicit export firmness spec (Medium / Medium Soft), a factory will default to shipping its domestic-market firmness — one of the common mistakes when ordering furniture from China directly, without an experienced sourcing partner.
Foam density: the numbers you cannot skip
Density is the main indicator of mattress longevity — more telling than thickness or layer count:
| Material | Density | Service life |
|---|---|---|
| Base polyurethane foam (innerspring) | From 25-30 kg/m³ (1.6-1.9 lb/ft³) | 5-7 years |
| Comfort layer memory foam | From 50 kg/m³ (3.1 lb/ft³) | 8-10 years |
| Low-density foam (budget) | Under 25-30 kg/m³ (1.6-1.9 lb/ft³) | 1-2 years before sagging |
| Latex (natural) | 65-85 kg/m³ (4.1-5.3 lb/ft³) | 10-15 years |
Density should be specified per layer — the overall mattress thickness in centimeters tells you nothing about its real service life.
Cover and fabric
The cover matters for both feel and hygiene almost as much as the fill. A quilted knit (jacquard) cover is the mid-market standard; a removable zip-off cover is easier to maintain and mandatory for contract projects — hotels and rental apartments. Upholstery fabric durability is measured in Martindale rub cycles — see Furniture Fabrics: Types and Durability for the full scale and durability classes.
Sizes: Europe, US, China
| Standard | Sizes |
|---|---|
| European | 90x200, 140x200, 160x200, 180x200 cm |
| US (Queen/King) | 152x203 cm, 193x203 cm |
| Chinese domestic market | 150x200, 180x200 cm (often with a different edge allowance) |
Chinese factories default to cutting coil systems and foam for the domestic market. For export orders, size and tolerance (typically ±1-2 cm / 0.4-0.8 in) need to be spelled out in the spec explicitly — otherwise the mattress may not fit the bed frame at delivery, and bed frame sizing standards vary just as much.
How to choose: a quick guide
- Rental housing, guest room, budget. Bonnell or base foam — affordable, and replacing it every 3-5 years is not a big loss.
- Main bedroom, couple with different weights. Pocket coils or a hybrid — minimal motion transfer.
- Back issues, back sleeper. Firm/Extra Firm with an HR foam or latex base layer.
- Hotel, rental apartments. A hybrid with pocket coils, a removable zip-off cover, and mandatory fire-safety and foam eco-safety certificates — contract supply has different documentation requirements than residential, just like all contract furniture for HoReCa.
Sourcing mattresses from China through Dream View
Dream View is a sourcing agent with a fixed 10% commission on order value. We lock in per-layer foam density, coil system type, and export firmness in the spec before production starts, check the cover and stitching during pre-shipment inspection, and request fire-safety and foam eco-safety certificates for hotel and contract supply. This protects against the most common problem with direct orders — receiving a “Chinese-firm” mattress instead of the agreed firmness, covered in detail in our guide to ordering furniture from China.
Sourcing mattresses for an apartment, villa, or hotel and not sure where to start on firmness and density? Email us at orders@dreamviewchina.com or submit a request on our services page — we’ll shortlist factories and quote the cost with delivery for free.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: an innerspring or a foam mattress?
A pocket coil system gives better spinal support and point elasticity for sleepers over 90 kg (198 lb) and for couples with different body weights. Foam or latex relieves pressure points and does not transfer a partner's movement, but softer foam mattresses hold their shape less well under heavy weight. For a standard adult or kids' mattress, both types work — the choice comes down to felt firmness and budget, not the construction type itself.
What do Medium, Medium Soft, and Firm firmness ratings actually mean?
It is a subjective feel scale, not a single industry standard — every factory has its own benchmark. As a guide: Soft/Medium Soft suits under 60 kg (132 lb) and side sleepers; Medium is the general-purpose choice for most adults; Firm/Extra Firm suits 90 kg+ (198 lb+), back/stomach sleepers, and people with back issues. When ordering from China, always specify the export firmness — the domestic Chinese market defaults to firmer mattresses than most Europeans are used to.
What foam density should a good mattress have?
For the comfort layer of memory foam, look for at least 50 kg/m³ (3.1 lb/ft³) — below 40 kg/m³ (2.5 lb/ft³) the foam loses resilience and sags within 1-2 years. For the base polyurethane foam layer in innerspring mattresses, at least 25-30 kg/m³ (1.6-1.9 lb/ft³). Density should be specified per layer, not as a single figure for the whole mattress.
How long does a good mattress last?
An innerspring mattress with pocket coils and quality foam lasts 8-10 years with regular flipping. A foam-free latex mattress can last 10-15 years thanks to the material's high resilience. Budget low-density foam (under 25-30 kg/m³ / 1.6-1.9 lb/ft³) starts sagging after just 1-2 years of regular use.
What mattress sizes are standard in Europe versus China?
European standard sizes are 90x200, 140x200, 160x200, and 180x200 cm. US Queen/King are 152x203 cm and 193x203 cm. Chinese factories default to their domestic market sizing (e.g. 150x200 or 180x200 cm, often with a different edge allowance), so for export orders, size and tolerance (typically ±1-2 cm / 0.4-0.8 in) need to be specified explicitly.
Do mattresses need certification for import?
Yes — the cover fabric and filling often require fire-safety certification (e.g. BS 5852 for contract projects like hotels and rental apartments) and proof of foam eco-safety (a CertiPUR-type certificate confirming no excess formaldehyde or VOCs). For hotel and contract supply, this is a mandatory requirement, not an option.