Is There Fiberglass in Zinus Mattresses?
What I've seen tearing open Zinus mattresses — and what's changed
Quick Answer
New Zinus mattresses (2024+) do NOT contain fiberglass. Zinus switched to a carbon-rayon fire barrier after the lawsuits.
Older Zinus mattresses DID contain fiberglass. If you bought a Zinus before 2024, or you're buying used, there's a good chance it has fiberglass inside.
What I've Seen With Zinus Mattresses
I run a mattress recycling company. We've processed over 1.15 million mattresses since 2011, and for years, Zinus mattresses were some of the most common ones coming through our facility. They're cheap, they're popular on Amazon, and people burn through them.
When you tear open a Zinus mattress — or any budget Amazon mattress from that era — you learn pretty quickly what's inside. And for a long time, what was inside was a fiberglass fire barrier.
Fiberglass fire socks look like a thin fabric layer wrapped around the foam. When they're intact, you might not even notice them. But when they start breaking down, or when someone removes the cover and disturbs the barrier, fiberglass gets everywhere. It clings to everything — little white particles on the foam, on your gloves, floating in the air.
This was a big issue for our recycling teams. One of the reasons my crew wears respirators is fiberglass. Before I understood that budget mattresses were using fiberglass as a fire barrier, I got a red rash all over my forearms and neck after moving a mattress that was breaking down. I didn't know what caused it at the time. When you're moving mattresses all day, you get exposed to all kinds of stuff — dead skin cells, dust mites, mold, the occasional hazardous fluid. I just chalked up the itchiness to something gross on the mattress.
Once the fiberglass issue started making news, I connected the dots. All those times our team had gotten itchy, had red eyes, felt like something was irritating their skin — it made sense. We were handling mattresses with failing fiberglass barriers.
We also picked up a mattress from a woman who said she'd been constantly itchy and finally decided to get rid of it. It was a cheap Amazon mattress. When we tore it open, the fiberglass fire sock had completely broken down — essentially particles at that point. She had no idea what was causing her symptoms. She'd been sleeping on that, breathing it in, for who knows how long.
The Zinus Lawsuits
The fiberglass problem with Zinus became national news around 2020-2022. Class action lawsuits brought together over 2,000 people who claimed fiberglass from their Zinus mattresses had contaminated their homes.
The stories were rough. One family's kids jumped on a mattress after the cover was removed, and the next day everyone was covered in glass shards. The father needed surgery to remove fiberglass from his neck. They spent months in a hotel while their home was professionally remediated. Another woman's 4-year-old daughter had visible scarring from fiberglass exposure. Remediation costs ranged from $3,000 to over $25,000 depending on how badly the fiberglass spread.
Videos went viral on TikTok. One showing fiberglass spreading through a washing machine after someone washed their Zinus mattress cover got millions of views.
The lawsuits settled in 2023 with confidential terms. But the real outcome was forcing Zinus to change.
So Does Zinus Still Have Fiberglass?
New Zinus Mattresses Are Fiberglass-Free
New Zinus mattresses manufactured in 2024 and later do not contain fiberglass. Zinus switched to a carbon-rayon fire barrier after the lawsuits.
But Older Zinus Mattresses Did Contain Fiberglass
If you bought a Zinus before 2024, or you're buying used, there's a good chance it has fiberglass inside. I've torn open plenty of them.
What Zinus Uses Now
According to Zinus, all mattresses manufactured in 2024 and later use a carbon-rayon fire barrier instead of fiberglass. Their website now has a whole FAQ section about being fiberglass-free, and their Amazon listings show "[New Version]" and "Fiberglass Free" on current models.
This is good news. It means if you buy a new Zinus today from an official retailer, it shouldn't have fiberglass.
But there are a few important things to understand:
Important Things to Know
- It's not illegal to use fiberglass. There's no federal law banning fiberglass in mattresses. California passed a law banning it starting in 2027, but that's still two years away and only applies to one state. Manufacturers use fiberglass because it's cheap and it works for meeting fire safety requirements. There's nothing stopping companies from continuing to use it.
- Old inventory may still be out there. If you're buying from a third-party seller, a clearance sale, or getting a used Zinus, it could still contain fiberglass. The transition happened in 2024, but mattresses made before that are still circulating.
- Other budget brands still use fiberglass. Zinus got the most attention because they were the biggest seller, but they weren't the only ones. Plenty of budget Amazon mattresses still use fiberglass fire barriers.
Other Brands That May Still Have Fiberglass
The pattern is pretty clear: the cheaper the mattress, the higher the risk of fiberglass.
Brands confirmed or reported to contain fiberglass:
- Olee Sleep — Confirmed fiberglass in fire barrier
- Linenspa — Some models confirmed to contain fiberglass
- Lucid — Many models contain fiberglass (some newer models claim to be fiberglass-free, but verify carefully)
- Best Price Mattress — Uses what they call a "silica based fire sock" which may be fiberglass
- Molblly — Conflicting information; their website says no fiberglass but Amazon Q&A shows them confirming fiberglass content
The threshold seems to be around $400-600 for a queen. Below that price point, fiberglass risk goes up significantly. Budget manufacturers cut costs wherever they can, and alternative fire barrier materials cost more than fiberglass.
How to Check Any Mattress for Fiberglass
Before you buy any budget mattress, here's how to check:
Before You Buy:
- Look at the law label. Every mattress has a white tag listing materials. Look for "glass fiber," "glass fibers," "glass wool," or sometimes just "silica." Older Zinus mattresses showed "62% Glass Fibers."
- Check for warning labels. "Do Not Remove Cover" on a mattress with a zipper is a red flag. The zipper makes it look removable, but the warning exists because removing it releases fiberglass.
- Look up the specific model. Search "[mattress name] fiberglass" before buying. If there are complaints or confirmations, you'll find them.
- Check for "Fiberglass Free" claims. Brands that have eliminated fiberglass usually advertise it. If a budget mattress doesn't explicitly say it's fiberglass-free, assume it might not be.
What to Do If You Have an Older Zinus
If you bought a Zinus before 2024 and you're wondering if it has fiberglass:
Don't remove the cover. If the fiberglass is contained, keep it that way. The cover is the only barrier.
Don't wash the cover. This is how many contamination disasters started. People unzipped the cover, washed it, and spread fiberglass through their washing machine and home.
Check the law label. If it shows "glass fiber" or similar, your mattress has fiberglass.
Consider replacing it. If your mattress is several years old and potentially has a degrading fiberglass barrier, replacement is the safest option. Add a waterproof mattress protector as an extra layer of protection in the meantime.
If Fiberglass Has Already Escaped:
- Turn off your HVAC immediately — running it spreads fiberglass through your ducts
- Don't use a regular vacuum; you need a HEPA-sealed vacuum or you'll make it worse
- For serious contamination, professional remediation may be necessary
The Bottom Line
New Zinus mattresses don't have fiberglass anymore. That's good. But older Zinus mattresses did, and I've seen the fiberglass firsthand at my recycling facility.
If you're buying a new Zinus today from an official retailer, look for the "[New Version]" and "Fiberglass Free" labels. You should be fine.
If you're buying used, buying old inventory, or just want to avoid the question entirely, check out my list of 7 affordable mattresses I've verified are fiberglass-free.
My Take
And remember — fiberglass isn't illegal. Just because Zinus stopped using it doesn't mean every budget mattress brand has. If you're shopping cheap mattresses on Amazon, do your research before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Zinus still use fiberglass?
No. Zinus mattresses manufactured in 2024 and later use a carbon-rayon fire barrier instead of fiberglass. However, older Zinus mattresses and old inventory may still contain fiberglass.
How do I know if my Zinus mattress has fiberglass?
Check the law label on your mattress. If it shows "glass fiber," "glass fibers," or "62% Glass Fibers," your mattress contains fiberglass. New models show "Rayon" instead.
What should I do if my Zinus has fiberglass?
Don't remove or wash the cover. The cover keeps the fiberglass contained. Consider adding a waterproof mattress protector for extra protection, and consider replacing the mattress if it's aging.
Are all cheap Amazon mattresses unsafe?
Not all, but many budget mattresses under $400-600 for a queen use fiberglass fire barriers. Always check the law label and search for fiberglass complaints before buying any budget mattress.