Choosing a new mattress is hard enough, but it is even more difficult if you’re trying to find an eco-friendly one. Foam, latex, springs, wool, organic cotton, bamboo, silk – the options for mattresses seem nearly endless and overwhelming.

But the process may become more streamlined with the help of the Specialty Sleep Association’s “Green Initiative,” which will be the first of its kind in the mattress and bedding industry. The SSA has proposed a step-by-step process that will identify, define and set standards for how manufacturers and retailers label “green” and natural sleep products, such as mattresses, box springs and pillows. This will result in a certification program that should create a uniform standard across the industry.

The SSA is a national not-for-profit organization created to facilitate the growth and positive awareness of the specialty sleep category, and has joined the Sustainable Furnishings Council. It will work with industry leaders to define such terms as “green,” “natural,” “all-natural,” and “organic,” and will kick off the process at an industry-wide conference in Florida on May 8. Once identified, the standards are expected to be ratified by this summer.

“While we laud the overall movement towards environmentally-friendly sleep products, we are aware that there is a green washing taking place at retail, with every manufacturer and supplier using its own definitions of what is green, sustainable or natural. This is causing a tremendous amount of confusion with consumers and we as an industry must take a leadership role in creating a uniform set of standards and definitions,” said SSA President Dale T. Read.

Standards for green labels are a necessity today, and can be found in foods, hard woods and other building materials. This seems to be the biggest step the sleep industry could take in making it easier for consumers to make the most environmentally-friendly and health-conscious decision.