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North Shore Bedding: Offers Service and Selection for a Better Night’s Sleep

Sep 25, 2014 ● By Carrie Jackson

Brett Saul never intended on selling organic mattresses for a living, but as the son of a business owner, he found himself working in his family’s store after college. Twenty-four years later, as the owner of North Shore Bedding, in Northbrook, he sells the area’s largest collection of natural and organic mattresses and other bedding, and is committed to offering his customers a safe alternative for sleeping.

“My family started North Shore Bedding in 1983,” says Saul. “They saw that there were no real dedicated mattress stores in the North Shore area, and the business really took off.” After graduating from college in 1990, Saul bought the business from his family and eventually moved the location from Highland Park to Northbrook.

“A good mattress is vital in getting the proper back support while sleeping,” says Saul. “Your body needs to heal and repair itself when asleep. If you are not getting good quality sleep, your body will not function to its fullest.” However, most mattresses and other bedding products are made with heavy-duty chemicals such as formaldehyde, chloroform and other volatile organic compounds (VOC) which have been linked to cancers and other diseases.

“I started getting more and more complaints about mattress odors,” explains Saul. “As this issue got worse, I started doing more research into these odors. I found that the polyurethane foams used in just about all mattresses was off-gassing chemicals that could be harmful when breathing them in and absorbing them through your skin. Spending nearly one-third of your life around your mattress, this is a lot of exposure to toxins.”

When Saul first learned about natural and organic mattresses, which are made without the harsh chemicals, he was intrigued, and added them to the store’s selection. The response was slow at first, but Saul believed in the products and interest and awareness started to build.

“We offer mattresses both with innerspring construction and solid natural latex rubber cores,” says Saul. “Latex rubber uses the sap from a rubber tree, and has no synthetic or petroleum materials added. It is very durable and comes in all firmnesses to meet everyone’s needs. Latex rubber is very supportive and also conforms to the shape of your body and reduces pressure points. This will help you sleep more deeply and get a better quality night’s sleep. The cover is always made of organic cotton, and has organic wool quilted underneath. The wool acts as a natural fire barrier and adds breathability. These mattresses sleep cooler than any synthetic mattress.” Organic mattresses do cost more than regular synthetic mattresses, but the durability of organic latex mattresses is two to three times greater, making them a healthy investment.

Brett Saul
Brett Saul
In 2008, stricter federal standards were adopted pertaining to fire retardation in mattresses, which caused many manufacturers to add even more chemicals to their products. “I have seen skin problems, breathing problems, headaches, watery eyes and other problems from the chemicals,” says Saul. “A lot of people are having reactions to their mattresses and don’t even realize what’s causing it.” By using an all-natural wool fire barrier, organic mattresses pass the fire tests without the use of any chemicals.

Natural latex rubber and wool also naturally repel dust mites. “Many people with allergies to dust mites do not have any reactions once the sleep on an organic mattress,” says Saul. “The wool also breathes and releases moisture, keeping your bed cleaner, drier and cooler.”

In addition to mattresses, North Shore Bedding sells wooden platform beds, upholstered beds, comforters, pillows, mattress pads, toppers and more. “The mattress is only one part of the equation,” says Saul. “Using a natural and breathable mattress pad, pillows and comforter will also improve your sleep. Sleeping just a couple degrees warmer can cause a poor night’s sleep. The natural materials in these products will help you sleep cooler and let you get that deep sleep we all strive for.”

As a business owner, Saul tries to talk to as many customers as possible, and he wants to get the word out to consumers about organic mattresses before they purchase something that could be harmful to them. “Your bedroom should be your sanctuary, and a place to be safe from everyday stress,” he says. “It should be a comfortable and most importantly, healthy and safe place.”


North Shore Bedding is located at 984 Willow Rd., in Northbrook. For more information, call 847-291-6770 or visit NorthShoreBedding.com.