Latest news with #Avocado
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Save $60 on Avocado Green's dorm room mattress topper and pillow bundle — why I'd buy it for cleaner, comfier sleep
Your college dorm room might not immediately feel like a sleep sanctuary — but with 15% off a mattress topper and pillow bundle from organic bed brand Avocado, it could. Offering long-term comfort on a student budget, it's at the top of our back-to-school wishlist. If I was to grade dorm room mattresses, most of them would struggle to scrape a D. But Avocado beds deserve top marks and we rate them among the best mattresses we've tested you can buy online. This dorm bed bundle combines an Avocado mattress topper with pillow to offer you healthier sleep in every sense of the word — you'll enjoy better snooze, protect yourself from the general grubbiness of a dorm bed and the organic build means your sleep supports the environment. The best mattress toppers can transform your dorm bed and below we'll explore why this Avocado bundle is a great choice for college students. Need a whole mattress replacement? Check out our mattress sales guide. Avocado Dorm Room Bundle: twin was $398 now $338 at AvocadoThe Avocado Dorm Room Bundle combines a mattress topper with a pillow and a 15% discount to give your (likely) uncomfortable dorm room mattress an organic upgrade. Available in three dorm-friendly sizes — twin, twin XL and full — the Eco Organic Mattress Topper included in the bundle uses Talalay latex foams to create a supportive sleep feel (Talalay latex is often found in the best organic mattresses.) This is paired with the Avocado Green Pillow, made using organic latex foams and kapok tree fibers, which promises to contour to your head to support every sleep style. 15% off is one of the biggest discounts in the current Avocado mattress sale and reduces a twin XL bundle to $372 (was $438.) Latex foams are known for their natural durability, so we predict this bundle will see you all the way through undergrad. Sleeping well helps you store memories and this in turn helps you learn. However, sleep is rarely top priority for a college student — they're more likely to crash out in their clothes than indulge in a proper nighttime routine. But choosing the right mattress for your sleep style can ensure the hours of kip you do get are of a higher quality, with fewer aches, pains and nighttime wake ups. While the best mattresses for college students can help you enjoy better sleep for less, a mattress topper is an even more cost effective solution. Plus, they're easier to store and carry. The Avocado mattress topper uses durable latex foams, so we think it will support you all through undergrad. And it's naturally breathable, which is great news if you're heading to hotter climates for your studies. Dorm 101: Ultimate Sleep Bundle: twin XL was $299 now $149.99 at Zinus From popular budget mattress brand Zinus, this dorm bed bundle features a twin XL Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam mattress topper, a matching waterproof mattress protector and two memory foam pillows. We doubt this will last as long as the Avocado alternative (latex foams are known for their longevity) but at just $149.99 it's just right for student budgets.
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Avocado launches its firmest organic mattress yet — and it's perfect for supporting tall, heavy, and active people
Eco-luxury brand Avocado Green is well known for its sustainable, organic sleep products, and it has now unveiled its most supportive bed yet: The Avocado Extra Firm Mattress. Starting this month, you can buy the Avocado Green Extra Firm Mattress from $1,899 at Avocado Green. It's a premium price tag, but it's the MSRP we'd expect from the brand behind our top pick for best organic mattresses in 2025. You'll also get a one-year trial and a 25-year warranty. Release date: July 2025Sizes: 6 (twin to Cal king)Warranty: 25 yearsTrial: One year The price also reflects the quality of the Extra Firm Mattress's premium, sustainable materials. Standing surprisingly short at 9.5" tall, the heavy-duty mattress has firmness rating of 10/10 (10 being the firmest) and can support up to 1,200 lbs. This weight capacity makes it an ideal choice for heavier bodies or plus-sized couples, along with tall sleepers and those with chronic back pain who need sag-resistance support. It's also designed for athletes who appreciate firm, spine-aligning support and lower-profile sleep surface. Along with the Extra Firm Mattress's durability for different body types, another major benefit is its eco-friendliness. Made with materials including GOLS-certified organic Dunlop latex, GOTS-certified organic wool and cotton, and recycled steel coils, the Avocado Extra Firm Mattress has a design similar to those of the year's best firm mattresses. The Avocado Extra Firm Mattress: from $1899 at Avocado GreenA brand new model, the Avocado Extra Firm Mattress is not currently discounted. This means you'll get a twin for $1,899, and a queen size for $2,599. However, regular Avocado mattress sales are known for 15% discounts and deals that take up to $250 off, so we predict this ultra-firm bed will be on sale soon. Regardless of sale, you'll still get the benefits of a 25-year warranty and a one-year sleep trial. Avocado mattresses tend to sit in the premium price tier, and the Extra Firm model is no exception. There are currently no deals on the Avocado Extra Firm Mattress, so you can currently only buy it for its full retail price. Here are the official MSRPs of the Avocado Extra Firm Mattress: While the Extra Firm Mattress isn't currently discounted, deals from Avocado are pretty common so it's worth holding out for a mattress sale. It also comes with decent benefits, such as a generous one-year sleep trial and a 25-year warranty. Avocado is known for creating some of the best-rated luxury mattresses on the market, especially if you're looking for a premium bed made from organic, sustainable materials. The Extra Firm Mattress's promise to provide clean, eco-friendly comfort is backed up by green mattress certifications. These eco-credentials include GOTS-certified organic wool and cotton, GOLS-certified organic latex, and FSC-certified Pure Talalay latex. Like the best hybrid mattresses, this 9.5" bed includes individually-wrapped heavy-duty steel coils for boosted support and durability. However, the Extra Firm mattress uses coils in what they describe as a "heavy duty support system" for pressure relief, firmness and durability. This features two 3" layers of coils, which means up 2,112 individually wrapped coils. In between them sits a 0.5" layer of organic coconut fiber pads that are infused with organic latex, which Avocado says acts as a supportive buffer. The brand also points to these coconut fiber pads, as well as the coils, organic Dunlop latex and layer of organic wool as helping temperature regulation and airflow in the mattress.
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Side sleepers will love Avocado's latest organic mattress — made from luxury wool and alpaca
As an organic mattress fanatic, I'm always excited to see a new model launch. Especially when it's from the star brand of our best organic mattress guide, Avocado. Avocado is known for creating high-quality, luxury mattresses that incorporate natural materials like wool, cotton and latex. It also offers 'specialty' mattresses for specific needs, like the Vegan mattress. Release date: July 2025Sizes: 5 (twin XL to Cal king)Type: Innerspring woolHeight: 11"Feel: MediumPrice: from $1,799 at Avocado This past week, Avocado has dropped two new mattresses and the one that piqued my interest is the Avocado Wool Mattress, a latex-free addition to its 'specialty' range for those sensitive to latex. Avocado states that the whole bed is GOTS-certified organic material, which is unique considering this certification is usually only given to specific materials used within a mattress. It's also a surprise considering it's an innerspring mattress with over 1,500 independently flexing ergonomic coils. While the Avocado Green mattress, which features in this year's best mattresses in a box guide, has a medium-firm feel, this wool mattress is designed for side and combination sleepers with a more plush medium feel, thanks to the layers of wool and alpaca. Avocado scores it as a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. So, let's take a closer look at what this new latex-free, organic mattress from Avocado has to offer. The Avocado Wool Mattress: from $1,799 at AvocadoAs you'd expect from a luxury organic mattress, the Wool Mattress sits at a high price point. Starting from $1,799, you can expect high-quality, LA craftsmanship from premium materials such as wool, alpaca and cotton. A queen is $2,499 with no current discount available, although we hope to see it included in the regular 10-15% off Avocado mattress sale that we see during major sale events. You'll also get a 25-year warranty, a 1 year sleep trial and free shipping. As you might expect, the Avocado Wool Mattress has a premium price to match its luxury materials. Below are the full prices for each size option: It's important to note, however, that the Avocado Wool Mattress is no more expensive than other top organic mattresses, although it is probably at the higher end of the scale. For example, a queen Naturepedic Concerto mattress is $2,799 at Naturpedic while a queen PlushBeds Botanical Bliss is considerably cheaper at $1,849. So, I'd say the Avocado Wool Mattress sits somewhere in the middle. At this premium price point, we would expect great benefits and Avocado doesn't disappoint in this regard. Every purchase is protected by 25-year warranty, a full year to sleep on and try the mattress and free shipping. This mattress boasts a range of impressive mattress certifications, including GOTS, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, EWG Verified®, MADE SAFE®, GREENGUARD Gold, and Formaldehyde-Free. It's a truly organic mattress that is non-toxic for clean sleep. So what does this mean? You can expect minimal to zero off-gassing, extremely durable materials and a responsibly, sustainably sourced bed. But comfort is important too, and looking at this design, I don't think you'll be disappointed. The mattress incorporates an advanced pressure-point system for ergonomic back support. The two layers of coils are designed to align the spine and keep you well supported no matter your sleeping position, and a layer of microcoils improves the responsiveness of the bed. Aside from this, layers of wool and alpaca should create a plush surface that you can sink into just enough to feel cozy, but remain elevated. And, thanks to this structure and the natural materials, we expect temperature regulation to be excellent. The added airflow between the coil and microcoil layers as well as the moisture wicking wool means you should stay dry and cool night long. I expect this mattress to be best suited to side sleepers. It might be too plush for stomach and back sleepers, although firmness is subjective. As we mentioned, it's handcrafted and needle-tufted by hand, meaning expert attention to detail has been paid. Ultimately, this mattress looks like it could rival even the best luxury mattresses of the year.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Tropical Exotica: Kerala's new bumper harvest
Kochi/Kottayam: Rambutan trees, blanketed by large red-coloured nets that were once used for fishing, welcome visitors as one enters Thottapuzhassery village in Pathanamthitta district. Almost every house here has either a Rambutan or some exotic fruit trees enmeshed with nets around their branches so that birds and pests do not peck into the ripe fruits. Though it has been raining heavily, the plucking of fruits has not stopped, catering to the huge demand of the booming exotic fruit markets of Kerala and abroad. Gone are the days when fruits like Avocado and Dragon Fruit used to come from tropical South Asian and South American countries to be sold exclusively in malls and hypermarkets of Kerala. Today, these exotic fruits are cultivated locally and get sold out quickly even in the neighbourhood retail vegetable stores. This shift in farming that is occurring in midlands and highlands of Kerala is mainly due to the fall in rubber prices added to the high labour cost for tapping rubber. The farmers who had earlier prospered on the rubber boom of the late 80s and early 90s are now turning towards exotic fruit farming which have become more profitable, and some say, more enriching to the soul. "Although they are earning well, they are also providing the community with nutritious fruits which is a great health service," said village agricultural officer Latha Mary Thomas. Thottappuzhassery village is a model for exotic fruit farming for the state, mainly because of a combined effort from the state agricultural department and a farmers' collective in the village known as Samridhi Karshaka Sangham. The Sangham has now launched an initiative to convert the entire village into a 'Fruit Gramam'. They are receiving active support from the agricultural, tourism and industries departments for this initiative. "It all started with 11 farmers who foresaw the profitability and scope of growing exotic fruit trees like Rambutan, Avocado, Durian, Milk Fruit, Mangosteen and Langsat," said Thomas. The local Krishi Bhavan is promoting farm tourism and distributing saplings to the residents. "The panchayat too is supporting in a big way and they approved Rs 2.5 lakh this time for buying saplings," she said. The farmers are mostly retired people, some returning to their native place after a long stint abroad. However, there are also people like Philip Kurien, who gave up his lucrative job abroad and began farming exotic fruits on his ancestral property in the village. Tracing the history of exotic fruit farming in the village, Philip says it all began years ago, even before people started going to the Middle East. "People used to bring seeds from Malaysia and Singapore and sow exotic fruit seeds in the backyards of their houses, though not on this large scale,'' says Philip, who gave up his job in logistics at Dubai airport to do farming. The village is located on the banks of Pampa river and the soil here suits well for exotic fruit farming. Philip replaced his 4-acre rubber plantation adjacent to his house with mangosteen trees. He has around 150 trees now. Farmers say a fully matured Mangosteen tree gives 80-100kg of fruit a year, and ideally, the farmer should get around Rs 10,000 from one tree and a Rambutan tree will give 300-400kg of fruit and one kilogram costs around Rs 100. Farmers say some fruits are exported while others are sold in major tourist destinations and even to resorts. N V Varghese has around 1,000 dragon fruit plants on the farm adjacent to his house. After his wife passed away a few years back and his two daughters settled in the UK, the 75-year-old finds himself engaged with the farm where he even has rare fruit plants like Milk Fruit. "I started farming around five years ago after buying Dragon Fruit from the market. I thought of doing organic farming of these fruits and started. Now it has turned into a very profitable one and keeps me engaged," he says. The farmers' collective has decided to attract more farmers into the fold. They have also started making value-added products from these fruits like jams, squash, jelly, dried fruits, etc. Currently, they sell it through an eco-shop in the village. "The panchayat committee has formally approved the fruit gramam project. A cluster of 130 farmers will be formed to improve the activities. There are 13 wards in the panchayat and 10 farmers from each ward will be included in this project. We are ready to provide whatever funds are required for the project," panchayat president R Krishnakumar said. The panchayat has around 3,000 houses and 1,154ha of cultivable land. However, a major contributor in pushing exotic fruit farming revolution in the state is Homegrown, which has a state-of-the-art infrastructure for high-quality planting material. According to Homegrown MD Jose Jacob, the trend of exotic fruit farming began in the state around 10 years ago. "People started losing interest in cash crops due to various reasons, including the difficulty in getting labour. We produce two million plants every year. We also have a nursery on a 110-acre land in Kanjirappally apart from model farms for each fruit," he said. According to the survey conducted by Homegrown last year, the commercial production of Rambutan alone in the state in 2024 was 22,500 tonnes and the value of the commercial production was Rs 270 crore. The study also revealed that there were around 6.5 lakh Rambutan plants under commercial farming in the state. The Plantation Corporation of Kerala too started Rambutan farming in two of their rubber estates at Kodumon and Chandanappally, both in Pathanamthitta district. There are around 600 plants at Kodumon and 525 plants in Chandanappally. Like the small-time farmers, traders from Tamil Nadu buy these fruits in these estates too. In the Idukki high ranges, around 150 farmers in Vattavada near Munnar are into Strawberry farming. Subhash B, a farmer says the fruits grown here are sweeter and hence have got a premium quality and the farmers are resorting to direct marketing as Munnar is a tourist destination. Govt intervention to support commercial farming through its initiatives of making Kerala a 'high value horticulture hub' has also given it a fillip. Finance minister K N Balagopal in his budget speech this year had set aside Rs 30 crore under the Co-operative Initiative in Technology-driven Agriculture (CITA). As much as Rs 18.92 crore was provided for the development of fruits, flowers and medicinal plants focusing on increasing the production and productivity of indigenous and exotic high value fruits. Kerala Agriculture University has set up a fruit garden where most of the exotic fruits that are being sold in nurseries are planted and tested. "There are more than 20-25 exotic fruit varieties that can be cultivated in Kerala, because the climate is similar. Many of our fruits are seasonal, but when you have a spread of fruiting plants, you will get some fruit or other every time of the year," pomology and floriculture department head Jyothi Bhaskar said. Agriculture officials said not all exotic fruits can be a commercial success. "There are various soil types in Kerala. We must study how these exotic fruits respond to our soil types with respect to its growth. We follow these farmers and study its yield before we recommend it," said M A Sudheer Babu, senior soil survey officer, Thrissur. ———————————— SOWING THE SEEDS OF FRUITFUL CHANGE The soil and climate of Kerala, which is in the Indo-Malay biological zone, provide a perfect blend for growing some of the exotic fruits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 100-150cm annual rainfall exotic fruit trees need ------------- They can be grown on surfaces up to 1,500M altitude ---------- Thrive in any kind of soil with good drainage & 5.5-6.5 pH range ---------- Largely cultivated by individuals in Idukki & Thrissur ---------- Dragon Fruit, Lychee, Kiwi, Avocado, Mangosteen are some of the commercially cultivated fruits, the saplings of which are sold mostly through nurseries ----------- $19.3bn is the market size of exotic fruits expected to reach around this year in India ------------ Fruits cultivated under Mission for Integrated Devpt of Horticulture - 2023-24 (Read as crops, area in hectares) Dragon Fruit (without integration) 34.24 Strawberry (with integration) 31.65 Banana 649.91 Pineapple 369.57 Papaya 14.36 Mango 24.60 Jackfruit 63.67 Avocado 24.77 Rambutan 102.24 Passion Fruit 18 Mangosteen 29.17 Garcinia 8.50 (Kerala Economic Review 2023-24) ------------------- Fruits that suit our weather and palate and can be grown in homesteads (Read as fruit, land of origin, nutritional value) 1. Mangosteen Southeast Asian islands Vit B2, B5 2. Avocado Americas Vit B, K 3. Dragon Fruit Central America Vit C, fibre 4. Pulasan Malay Peninsula Vit C 5. Longan Myanmar Vit C, Potassium, 6. Durian Southeast Asia (King of fruits) Sugar and fat 7. Abiu Amazon Vit C, A, Calcium, Phosphorus 8. Star apple or Milk fruit Panam, Mongolia Flavonoids and vitamin E, C, and A 9. Matoa Pacific, Southeast Asia Vit C, E 10. Israeli Fig Israel Vit A, C, K, Calcium, Potassium 11. Brazilian Mulberry Brazil Vit C, K, Potassium, iron 12. Tennis Ball Cherry USA Vit C 13. Sundrop fruit South America Vit C 14. Jabuticaba Brazil Vit E, C, iron 15. Miracle Fruit Africa Suppresses sourness and induces sweetness- pH dependent taste modifier 16. Maraba Caribbean, Central America Vit C 17. West Indian cherry Caribbean Vit C 18. Black Sapote or Soapapple Mexico, Central America Vit C, Calcium, A, iron 19. Rollinia Brazil Vit C, Calcium, Potassium 20. Surinam Cherry South America Vit C
Tom's Guide
17-07-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
How to choose an organic mattress that's actually eco-friendly, according to a sustainability expert
It's estimated that Americans throw away 18.2 million mattresses a year into landfills, where these beds can take hundreds of years to decompose and emit toxic chemicals. With that sobering fact in mind, you may be planning to make your next mattress an organic one. Thanks to their high-quality materials and support, sustainable mattresses appear in both our best mattress 2025 guide and our best organic mattress guide. However, like a lot of products that claim eco-friendly benefits, some mattresses may just be using eco-friendly buzzwords to jump on the sustainability wagon. That's why we've asked sustainability guru Kathryn Kellogg, founder of Going Zero Waste and spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic, to tell us how to choose an organic mattress without the greenwashing gimmicks. According to Kellogg, the first thing to do when choosing an eco-friendly mattress is to know what type of materials it should be made from. "The best eco-friendly mattresses use natural latex, organic wool, and organic cotton," says the plastic-free advocate. "Natural latex offers incredible comfort and durability without the synthetic chemicals." Kellogg also highlights both the practical and comfort benefits of organic wool. "Wool naturally regulates temperature and acts as a fire barrier, and organic cotton keeps things soft and breathable," she tells us. Memory foam is found in both the best memory foam mattress and the best hybrid mattresses, but Kellogg says you should avoid this material if you want your bed to be entirely sustainable. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "Avoid synthetic memory foams and polyurethane-based mattresses, especially if they don't disclose what's inside," she explains. "Many are treated with flame retardants or adhesives that can off-gas for years and aren't recyclable at end of life." While it can be easy to fall for catchwords such as "green" and "sustainable", Kellogg says it's important to stay focused on concrete credentials that prove the mattress really is better for the planet. "Look beyond buzzwords like 'natural' or 'eco'," says the sustainability author. "Instead, look for third-party certifications like GOTS for organic textiles, GOLS for organic latex, or MADE SAFE which ensure low toxins and safe indoor air quality." The best mattresses in the box have dominated online bed shopping, and a lot of them are brought to you by eco-luxury brands. However, with more "sustainable" brands appearing out of nowhere, it can be hard to know which ones are making a solid commitment to using eco-friendly materials. "Brands like Avocado and Naturepedic are generally solid options, backed by certifications and a real commitment to transparency," Kelloggs says. "Birch leans into more natural materials too, though it's less customizable." A post shared by The Futon Shop (@the_futon_shop) A photo posted by on Kellogg also has a preference for a San Francisco-based family-owned business. "I love my mattress from the Futon Shop," she reveals. "They handcraft mattresses, futons, and sofas using locally sourced organic materials like GOTS/GOLS-certified latex, wool, cotton, coconut coir, and hemp with zero petrochemicals or polyurethane foam." Okay, so you've found an organic mattress that uses materials like organic cotton, wool and natural latex. Now all you need to do is make sure the comfort and support is right for you. You can find more information for finding the right bed in our guide on how to choose a mattress for your sleep position, but here's a quick breakdown:
