KATU Crib Mattress Review & Video

Organic materials, dual-stage support, and excellent comfort and price? We're in love!

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  By: Tali Ditye, Ph.D., Co-founder

  Updated: May 7, 2025

Mommyhood101 independently tests and curates baby gear to help you make informed decisions. If you buy products through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Deal Alert! Use code MOMMYHOOD at the Katu website to get $50 off!!

We put the new KATU crib mattress to the test, evaluating comfort, off-gassing, durability, firmness, weight, crib fit, ease of use, breathability, and more!

Let's see how it performed!

On paper, the KATU seems to have it all: organic materials, GOTS and GOLS certifications, dual-firmness, and a surprisingly reasonable price.

We put it through our hands-on testing to see how it performs and whether it's worth a spot on our list of the best crib mattresses!

Our Review

Nobody wants to read through an entire article to get to conclusions, you've got more important things to do! So here are our findings, right up front.

Here is a summary of what we loved, and a couple of things that could be improved.

✔️  Made in Thailand (not China).
✔️  Dual-firmness.
✔️  Breathable cover.
✔️  Breathable core.
✔️  Greenguard GOLD certified.
✔️  Organic GOTS certified.
✔️  Organic GOLS certified.
✔️  Soft, quilted organic cover.
✔️  Non-toxic materials.
✔️  No polyurethane foams.
✔️  No flame retardants or PFAS.
✔️  No vinyl, PVC, or EVA.
✔️  No harmful glues or adhesives.
✔️  Sturdy coconut coir core.
✔️  No odors or off-gassing.
✔️  Ships completely flat.
✔️  Quality stitching and seams.
❌  Heavy.
❌  Not as thick as others.

Clearly, that's a lot to love!

Like any mattress that uses a latex core, it's a bit heavy coming in at about 25 pounds, which can make sheet changes a bit more difficult.

Also, it's just over 4" thick, which we think is sufficient but also 1-2" thinner than some other top models like the Naturepedic crib mattress or Newton crib mattress.

Outside of those two little cons, the KATU is nearly perfect in every way, and the price is excellent given the quality, comfort, and performance. 

Here is a quick video summary of our thoughts:

Unboxing

KATU was kind enough to send us a sample of their new crib mattress for testing - thank you, KATU!

After placing our order, we received several email updates on shipping status.

The mattress shipped from Arizona via FedEx and it took about 3-4 days to arrive in Massachusetts.

We were glad to find that the crib mattress arrived completely flat instead of being rolled up. We've had mixed results with expandable mattresses, so this was a pleasant surprise!

Although this type of box costs more to ship, it saves you the hassle of waiting for the mattress to unroll and expand, and it eliminates the risk of lumps or uneven spots.

Upon sliding the mattress out of the box, we found it wrapped in two layers of plastic. First, a layer of thick black plastic, and second, a layer of thin clear plastic.

Pulling it out of the plastic bag, there are three things we immediately noticed:

First, the mattress has a subtle sage green color, and the cover is beautiful and extremely soft to the touch.

We loved the stitched tree patterns!

Second, the surface and core are highly breathable, providing excellent airflow for comfort and safety.

Third, the corner stitching was high quality and strong, with raised piping on the toddler side:

This piping wasn't present on the infant side, which used a tight folded stitch:

Fourth, the entire surface was not only soft but felt very durable, and the entire mattress felt very well-constructed.

Finally, we noticed a bit of latex odor, so we suggest leaving the mattress in the crib or outdoors for a few days before using. Nothing serious, but worth mentioning!

The Mattress Labels

There are a few labels on this mattress.

First is the government-mandated mattress label, which says:

All new materials consisting of Coconut Coir Pad (74%), Latex Foam Rubber (24%), Sheep Wool (1%), Cotton (1%).

REG. NO.

Made for KATU GOODS LLC, 1309 Coffeen Ave., STE 11508, Sheridan, WY 82801

Finished size 28" x 52"

Net weight of filling material 25 pounds.

Nothing surprising about this label.

According to the KATU website, this is how the coconut, latex, wool, and cotton are layered in the mattress:

Dual-firmness

The KATU crib mattress features dual firmness, meaning one side is very firm to promote safe sleep for infants, and the other side is relatively soft.

In the above photo, you will notice the Toddler label, making it easy to distinguish the two mattress sides.

To the touch, the infant side is very firm, but not has firm as some other options like the Naturepedic (which frankly we think is uncomfortably firm).

The only way to judge firmness is to do a compression test!

Compression Test

For every mattress we test, we use an 8-pound dumbbell to simulate the weight of a newborn. Under this load, the mattress should compress between 0.5 and 2 centimeters, which aligns with guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

With the 8-pound dumbbell, the infant side of the KATU mattress sank down about 1 cm, which is nice and firm. The toddler side sank down about 2-3 cm, making it relatively soft and comfortable for a growing little one.

Pictures speak louder than words! Here is the infant side:

Notice how little the infant side sinks down in response to the weight, under 1 cm.

Now notice how much more the toddler side sinks down, showing about 2-3 cm of plushness.

While some parents get concerned that infant mattresses are too firm, there really is no such thing, in line with the AAP's Safe Sleep guidelines.

Remember, always place your baby on their back for sleeping, on a firm surface with only tightly-fitting bedding (like a fitted sheet) and no pillows or blankets.

Note that when we pushed down on the mattress with our hands, there were no sounds: no crinkling noises, squeaks, or anything else. Excellent!

Breathability

To test breathability, we push our faces against the mattress and try to breathe normally.

The good news is that the organic cotton cover is highly breathable, even when pushing the face deep into the mattress.

While your baby should always be placed on their back to sleep, some tend to roll over and sleep on their tummy.

A breathable crib mattress, like this one, can help give you peace of mind that your baby is safe and sound.

Parents get a little anxious about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), and for good reasons. If your baby rolls onto his or her stomach while sleeping on the KATU, their face will be up against a breathable surface.

This might help lower the risk of SIDS or SUID if your baby manages to roll onto their stomach while sleeping. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests stops short of explicitly recommending breathable mattresses, but they do suggest they may be a better choice than non-breathable ones. While there’s no conclusive proof that breathable crib mattresses reduce SIDS/SUID risk, we believe the added peace of mind makes them worth considering.

Another advantage of a breathable mattress surface is that it promotes better airflow during hot summer months, helping prevent discomfort and those sweaty-back wake-ups.

Waterproof Cover

Because KATU prioritizes a breathable mattress, the beautiful woven cotton cover is not waterproof.

They do, however, sell a waterproof cover for a nominal fee that uses a very thin food-grade polyethylene film that is not only waterproof but also breathable.

The idea of an organic crib mattress is appealing to most parents, but the worry of it getting ruined by just one nighttime accident is definitely not.

KATU figured out how to combine the best of both worlds, a breathable organic cotton surface with a waterproof lining derived from natural materials. Nice touch!

Crib Fit & Comfort

In our measurements, the KATU is exactly 52" long by 28.4" wide, and 4.4" thick.

Here is the length measurement:

Here is the width measurement:

Here is the thickness measurement:

Turns out that's the perfect size to fit snugly into our Delta test crib, with no gaps around the entire perimeter.

As a rule of thumb (or finger), you want any perimeter gaps to be less than two fingers wide.

The KATU had less than a one-finger gap around the entire perimeter. Nice fit!

And here it is in the corner:

Our test baby used the firm infant side.

One of the most important features of a good crib mattress is helping your child fall asleep and stay asleep for longer.

Great sleep on the KATU!

Feel Good About the KATU

The KATU has some relatively intangible benefits related to the sourcing and quality of materials.

Here are some highlights that can help you feel good about this mattress:

✔️  The entire mattress is made in the Thailand, not China.
✔️  GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) certified to have a minimum of 95% organic latex materials and compliance with human health, safety, and environmental aspects of the manufacturing process.
✔️ GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified to have a minimum 95% organic cotton materials and adherence to strict environmental and social criteria throughout the entire supply chain, from raw material production to finished product.
✔️  No polyurethane foam.
✔️  No vinyl, glues, or flame retardants.
✔️  No phthalates, perfluorinated compounds (PFAS), pesticides, GMO's.
✔️  Meets CPSC requirements.
✔️  Company based in the USA (Wyoming).

Price Comparison

The KATU crib mattress is one of the least expensive fully organic crib mattresses on the market, coming in at about $299 (plus discounts are usually available).

While that may seem expensive, you cannot compare this to cheaper crib mattresses that claim to be organic but have a polyurethane core with an organic cotton cover; the KATU has an organic cover AND core.

To further justify the price, this will last you through three or more children; it's durable and very well-made, and if you take care of it (use a waterproof cover, rotate it periodically), it should last for many years.

Given the features, versatility, and quality, we think the price is reasonable.

Conclusions

We were very excited to get our hands on the new KATU crib mattress!

The KATU crib mattress really impressed us with its thoughtful design, high-quality materials, and commitment to safety and sustainability.

It checks nearly every box: dual-firmness, excellent breathability, organic GOTS and GOLS certifications, and a sturdy coconut and latex core, all for a price that’s surprisingly reasonable given the quality.

While it’s a bit heavy and not quite as thick as some competitors, those are small trade-offs for a mattress that offers peace of mind, comfort, and durability.

From unboxing to sleep testing, we think the KATU held up beautifully and earned a spot as one of our top crib mattress picks. If you’re looking for a truly organic, non-toxic, and breathable crib mattress that doesn’t cut corners (or break the bank) the KATU is a standout option!

We give the KATU organic crib mattress a 4.7 out of 5.0, one of the highest scores we've given to a crib mattress!

Interested in checking out the KATU for yourself? Click the image below to learn more and find the best price.

References Cited

GOTS Certification

GOLS Certification

What is Polyethylene?

AAP Safe Sleep Recommendations