We Slept On It: The Silk & Snow Organic Mattress Medium-Firm Review

At 22 years old, my old coil queen mattress not only predated my current relationship, house, children and career but it was, as a colleague pointed out, of legal drinking age in the U.S. It had served my family—which includes two kids and an 80-pound dog, all with a penchant for co-sleeping—well, but it was time for an upgrade.

As an ardent environmentalist trying as much as possible to avoid fossil fuels—and anything made out of them—I wanted a comfortable, long-lasting mattress that wasn’t made of plastic. That ruled out memory foam mattresses, which are made of polyurethane derived from fossil fuels. Plus, I’d heard from friends with memory-foam only mattresses that they weren’t as durable as hybrid or coil mattresses. I also wanted a mattress that was made in Canada. Enter the Silk & Snow Organic Mattress. (Note: Silk & Snow provided a free mattress for review purposes.) 

(Photo: Silk & Snow)

What is the Silk & Snow Organic Mattress?

The Organic Mattress is the highest-end model of the three mattresses offered by Toronto-based Silk & Snow. (The company was acquired by Sleep Country in 2023, though its operations and stores remain separate.) It comes in three firmnesses—firm, medium-firm and plush. I got the medium-firm, which retails for $1,400 for a queen (the firm is $1,250 and the plush is $2,200). It’s a hybrid mattress—a mix of foam (in this case, latex—more on that in a minute) on top of coil. 

A quick mattress primer: Coil mattresses are the old-school style, supported by wire coil, while all-foam mattresses have become super popular in recent years with a host of direct-to-consumer bed-in-a-box brands. Coil mattresses are typically more supportive, whereas foam mattresses can provide better pressure relief. Put the two together and you get a hybrid mattress—like the S&S Organic—which can offer the best of both worlds.

What is the Organic Mattress made of?  

While S&S also offers an all-foam mattress and another hybrid mattress, the Organic Mattress appealed to me because it’s made in Canada of natural materials, rather than plastic and/or fossil fuel derivatives: organic cotton for the cover, a layer of organic wool beneath (for temperature regulation), two layers of organic latex—which is made from the sap of rubber trees—and pocket coils for extra support. All of the Organic’s organic materials are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard or the Global Organic Latex Standard. “Our mattress is free of any harmful chemicals or toxins, and uses no fibreglass, or petrochemical foams,” Silk & Snow underlines. And while the environmental impact of various fabrics is a very complicated question, latex is generally considered more durable than memory foam. Making products last longer rather than continually buying new is better for the health of the planet, too.

Setting up the Silk & Snow Organic Mattress

The mattress arrived on my porch rolled up and compressed in a tall cardboard box. It was heavy—the queen-sized mattress weighs 115 pounds alone, sans packaging. While the weight is a good thing—it’s an indication of quality construction—it made it hard for two people to get the package in the door, and even harder for us to get it up the stairs. 

Silk & Snow advises you to open the mattress in the room where you’ll set it up. We hauled off our old mattress, then opened the cardboard in our bedroom. Inside, the mattress was wrapped in plastic; it comes with a handy box-cutting-like tool to remove the wrapping without cutting the sleep surface. Unlike traditional coil mattresses—which you can flip over—hybrid mattresses like this have both a top and a bottom. The bottom side was obvious (it’s marked by its dark green trim), and we unrolled it onto our bed frame. It took a bit of two-person maneuvering (and a tiny bit of swearing) to get it in place. S&S advises it can take the mattress up to 72 hours to expand after being compressed from shipping, but that you can sleep on it right away. The mattress definitely did get comfier over a few days, but was sleep-ready out of the box, with no detectable odour or off-gassing. 

My dog made herself right at home. (Photo: Gillian Grace)

Our Silk & Snow Organic Mattress review

TL;DR: I love this mattress. I was a bit worried about firmness—it’s hard to gauge without IRL testing first, and I was concerned that as a side sleeper, medium-firm might be too hard. But right away, this mattress felt more plush than our old one. Unlike memory foam mattresses, which I’ve found that you sink into, I felt cradled by the Organic Mattress. It was the ideal firmness for me—supportive without being too hard. (Note: I dragged two of my colleagues to the S&S showroom at lunch for a second opinion, and one—who prefers a firm mattress—thought this might be slightly too soft for her. We also compared it to S&S’s all-foam mattress, and that version was much softer (too soft for me). I left the store happy with my choice.)

I also liked its firm edge support. Between my partner and our large dog and the occasional addition of one or both of our kids, I sometimes end up pushed to one side, but the bed remains comfortable right to the edge. 

S&S says the mattress’ latex and wool construction makes it more temperature regulating. I’ve found it cool and comfortable so far on warm nights. 

One potential caveat: The latex is a bit bouncy, which I like (it fits with the cradling feeling). But if you’re a light sleeper, there may be too much motion transfer for you. (I am not a light sleeper, and I don’t notice my partner getting into bed, or our giant dog flipping over at my feet—but I also once slept through a ceiling leak that saw water dripping onto my head.)

Final verdict

I’m so happy with this mattress. I’ve paired it with linen sheets and a nice pillow, and it’s truly the best sleep setup I’ve ever had. 

Pros

• Made in Canada
• Strong edge support
• Minimal off-gassing
• Temperature regulating
• Free shipping and returns
• Fast shipping (1-3 business days in Greater Toronto Area)
• 365-night trial policy
• 15-year warranty
• Fits standard sheets
• Very heavy (which typically denotes high-quality materials)
• Quality, all-natural construction
• Made of certified organic wool, cotton and latex 
• A great compromise between an all-foam and traditional coil mattress

Cons

• More prone to motion transfer than other S&S mattresses
• More expensive than some foam and coil mattresses
• You have to sleep on the the mattress for at least 30 days before deciding to return it

How We Test Mattresses At Chatelaine

Our testers sleep on each mattress for a minimum of 30 days, which experts recommend as a decent window for determining whether a mattress is the right fit for your needs. (For more expert insights on mattress shopping, see our post on buying a mattress below.)

Aside from comfort, we evaluate each mattress on the following criteria:

Edge support What is the degree of support around the edges of the mattress? This is important for people who frequently sit on the edge of the bed, as if there isn't strong edge support the edges will start to sag over time.

Motion isolation Could we feel our partner's movements—whether it's tossing and turning or getting up in the middle of the night? A mattress with strong motion isolation will prevent this.

Off-gassing How long did it take for the mattress to lose any noticeable odour after being unpacked? Clean, easy-to-breathe air is important to us.

How well it kept us cool Did the mattress trap heat as we slept, or did we feel cool throughout the night?

Return policy Does the company allow for at least a 30-day trial period?

Did our standard sheets fit? Some mattresses are deeper than others, which can interfere with how sheets fit.

Weight How much does the mattress way? Some experts correlate mattress weight with mattress quality, meaning a heavier mattress is likely to be made with better quality materials.

Above all, please note the mattress-buying process is highly subjective and it's a big purchase. This is why it's crucial to buy a mattress with a generous exchange or return policy.

Find more expert advice for buying a mattress online or in-store.