Newton Wovenaire Review

The super breathable Newton Wovenaire mattress is awesome for parents who are borderline paranoid about SIDS, because even lying face down, babies can breathe right through this bad boy (assuming your crib sheets are also breathable)! Thanks to the mattress's SIDS-inspired breathability, it's also great for those living in hot climates, since air can circulate through it freely. It is not organic (though it is GREENGUARD certified), only has a single firmness (which is comfortable enough for both babies and toddlers but is not differentiated between the two), and cannot be used with a waterproof cover less you want to affect the mattresses breathability, though the whole mattress can be washed with ease.

Things We Love

Lightweight: Weighing in at 11 pounds, the Newton Wovenaire is super lightweight while still being appropriately firm.
GREENGUARD Certified: Meeting the highest third-party requirements for very, very low chemical emissions, this mattress emits little to no nasty off-gassing and is among the best when it comes to extremely low toxicity.
Non-Toxic Flame Retardant: The Wovenaire does not contain any toxic chemical fire retardants. Instead, the mattress contains natural phosphates, most commonly known as salt. This is a safe, halogen and heavy metal-free solution for achieving the fire safety standards that are required by the US government.
Very Breathable: The Wovenaire is so breathable that babies can literally breathe through it. This is great news for parents who worry about SIDS and also great for warm/humid climates, since it helps keep babies from overheating.
Durable: Owners have reported reusing this mattress for second kiddos without seeing much wear at all.

Things We Don't Love As Much

Not Organic: The Wovenaire is 90% air, 10% food grade polymer, and is not organic.
Single Firmness: The Wovenaire does not have a softer side for toddlers, but the single firmness is comfortable enough for both babies and small children.
Liquid Resistant but Not Waterproof: The Wovenaire’s machine washable mattress cover is liquid resistant but not waterproof, since waterproof covers affect mattress breathability. Liquid will bead up on the cover for about thirty minutes, but after that, it will start seeping into the cover, and ultimately the mattress. Amazingly, the entire mattress is washable (as in, can be hosed down in the shower!), so even egregious messes can be cleaned despite the absence of a waterproof cover.
Extra Crib Sheets Sold Separately: The mattress comes with one breathable cover, but additional Crib Mattress Covers are sold separately for $80 each. We definitely recommend you have more than one of these bad boys handy for midnight disasters.

Newton Wovenaire Crib Mattress Alternatives

If you want a lightweight mattress that still meets all the important organic/Greenguard/non-toxic qualifications… try the Naturepedic Lightweight Organic Cotton Classic 2-Stage Crib Mattress.
If you want a super firm mattress that's otherwise just as awesome as this Cotton Classic… try the Naturepedic Organic Cotton Ultra Seamless 252 2-Stage Crib Mattress.
If you want to spend less money and don't mind making a few compromises (but still want something GREENGUARD certified)… check out the Moonlight Slumber Little Dreamer.
If you want nothing but la crème de la crème for your baby and are willing to pay for it… the Naturepedic Organic Cotton Quilted 252 Deluxe ($399),Naturepedic Organic Cotton Quilted 2-in-1 252 Crib Mattress ($399), Naturepedic Ultra Breathable 2-Stage Organic Crib Mattress ($399), and Nook Pebble Pure ($395) are all options. For mini reviews of these mattresses, see our section about “la crème de la crème” on the main crib mattresses article.