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I have terrible sleep temperature regulation. In fact, I have terrible body temperature regulation in general (hello, Raynaud’s), but it’s especially uncomfortable when it interferes with my sleep. I’m prone to burning up at night and waking up hot and stuffy in the morning. But in the winter, I can hardly get warm enough, even after going to bed in a full sweatsuit and socks underneath my comforter. It’s exhausting, literally.

To try and help with my sleep woes, I decided to test Avocado’s Alpaca Wool Mattress Toppers. Wool is a great temperature regulator, keeping you cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool. This topper is also made with GOTS-certified organic cotton and natural, ethically sourced alpaca wool—the two-inch thick toppers add what the brand calls a “decadently soft” layer to your bed. 

While I chose Avocado’s wool mattress topper for its temperature regulation and because I didn’t want to completely change the feel of my relatively new mattress, the brand has four other topper options. The latex topper is made of both latex and wool for a squishier feel, the vegan topper replaces that wool with cotton, the luxury topper is thicker for a more plush, lux feel, and the eco topper is similar to the vegan topper but at their most affordable price point.

All toppers come in six sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king. Most come in two models: a more plush version or a firmer option, depending on your preferred feel. I opted for the queen-size wool topper in the “standard” model, which is more firm than the “luxury plush” option.

Close up of a made bed.
Picture of the mattress topper from above with fitted sheet pulled back. The TGT 2024 Award Winner Badge is on the right corner of the image.

Delivery & Setup

The topper was wrapped in recyclable plastic inside a cardboard box and delivered to my front door. The package was huge, but, fortunately, the topper was super light—I had no problem carrying it up the stairs to my apartment. After unrolling it from the packaging, the topper was ready to go straight onto the bed—no inflation time necessary. 

“After unrolling it from the packaging, the topper was ready to go straight onto the bed—no inflation time necessary.”

The four stretchy straps kept it in place on the bed, and it was super easy to put on. The brand recommends putting your mattress protector over the topper, then adding your fitted sheet. The short two-inch height of the topper meant that my normal fitted sheet fit just fine over everything.

One note: The topper has a fairly strong alpaca wool smell at first, which is an earthy, barnyard-y scent. The smell was subtle but noticeable, especially on my clothes after waking up in the morning. If you’re sensitive to scents, I recommend airing out the topper in a well-ventilated area if you have the space for a few days before throwing it on the bed.

Is The Avocado Mattress Topper Comfortable?

A hand presses into the mattress topper.

I already love the feel of my mattress—I’d rate it about a six on a scale from firm to soft—and I didn’t want any major changes to the mattress feel. The wool topper in the “standard” model worked perfectly for me, adding just a hair of welcome firmness to an otherwise pretty plushy sleeping situation. If you’re looking to soften up a mattress that’s too firm, I’d opt for the wool topper in the “luxury plush” model or the vegan or latex toppers in the “plush” option.

For the most part, I was super impressed with the topper’s temperature-regulating qualities. For the past two weeks since I put the topper on, the only two uncomfortable nights were during a couple of warm days in the apartment (the first few hot days of late spring, no A/C in yet, you know the drill). The wool topper certainly helps with temperature regulation, but it’s not magic. But almost every night lately, I’ve been waking up comfortable, not too hot like I used to. And I haven’t had to put on a sweatshirt on cooler nights.

Is the Avocado Mattress Topper Worth It?

As a brand, Avocado has some pretty impressive brand stats, too. Founded in 2016, the California-based B-Corp is committed to 1% for the Planet and is Climate Neutral certified (and even carbon negative!). But they don’t stop there. 

A photo of a slept-in bed in the morning next to the windows.

They started making certified organic green mattresses, specifically made from all-natural and nontoxic materials. They couldn’t find an affordable, eco-friendly mattress with transparent sourcing and materials—so they made their own. 

Avocado is the most vertically integrated mattress brand in the US, making all their mattresses at their low-waste California factory powered by renewable energy. They own some of their supply chains, too—they raise over 200,000 sheep in northern India, where they also own a GOTS organic certified wool factory, and they co-own 4,000 acres of latex farms and a latex processing facility. 

Along with mattresses, the brand makes pillows, bedding, furniture, pajamas, yoga equipment, and bath accessories (check out reviews of the Eco Organic Mattress and the Organic Yoga Meditation Pillow).

Key Takeaways:

  • Avocado is a sustainable mattress brand founded in 2016. They’re a certified B-Corp, are Climate Neutral certified, and are committed to 1% for the Planet. They’re vertically integrated, and all their products are handmade at their California factory. 
  • The Alpaca Wool Mattress Topper is one of five toppers that they carry. It comes in six sizes and two models: Standard or Luxury Plush. The wool topper is made of GOTS organic certified wool and GOTS organic certified cotton, and no latex.
  • It’s two inches thick, adds a layer of plush comfort to your bed, and helps regulate temperature—keeping you cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool. The topper has four elastic straps to keep it in place on your bed.

THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT AVOCADO

Natalie Gale is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!