A class action lawsuit is underway against the manufacturer of one of the best-selling mattresses on retail giant Amazon.com. The mattress sells at a price point of around $300 and has become a popular product among customers because of its affordability and positive reviews. However, over the past couple of years, reports of fiberglass being released from the mattress detail horrific scenes that are costing consumers big bucks in property damage and even personal injury.

One of the earliest lawsuits against the company was filed in 2020 by Amanda Chandler and Robert Durham of Illinois. The two explain that the memory foam mattress cost them over $20,000 in professional services and hotel stays after the fiberglass component contaminated their home.

Across the nation, similar reports of personal injury and property damage have been reported as well. More recently, victim Vanessa Gutierrez of Los Angeles reported that her four-year-old daughter suffered scarring on her calves and chest after the fiberglass was released from the mattress. Much like the Illinois plaintiffs, Gutierrez detailed spending over $20,000 trying to remedy the damage caused by the fiberglass. Gutierrez’s lawsuit was filed in July and is in the process of being certified as a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturer, Zinus. Lawyers representing Gutierrez are currently seeking out other plaintiffs to join in on the suit.

The mattress at the center of this lawsuit is the “Green Tea Mattress” manufactured by Zinus, Inc., the named defendant in Gutierrez's lawsuit. Reports detail that a protective outer layer on the mattress which features an open/closure system via a zipper is the only barrier between consumers and the fiberglass material in the mattress.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), using fiberglass within a mattress is an industry-standard practice used to satisfy fire retardant regulations. According to a statement provided by a Zinus representative, the CPSC does not classify fiberglass as hazardous when used in the production of mattresses.

Fiberglass has become an industry standard because it's less costly than other fire-retardant materials used in mattresses. According to the CPSC, fiberglass is a mixture of glass and plastic that can irritate and harm individuals if it comes in contact with their skin, eyes, nose, and even throat. Despite these health hazards, it's often used in the production of mattresses not only for affordability purposes but because it's really difficult for consumers to directly come in contact with the fiberglass, allowing for a heightened level of safety.

In the case of the Green Tea Mattress, reports have indicated that once consumers remove that zip-up cover, the fiberglass can be released into the air and cause irreversible damage. In an interview with CBS, the CPSC detailed that so long as the mattress outer cover remains intact, consumers are largely unharmed by the use of fiberglass as exposure to the particles is extremely minimal.

In defense of their mattress, Zinus has issued a statement detailing that their mattresses come with clear warnings telling consumers not to remove the outer mattress cover in order to keep the fiberglass material intact. Online, the mattress has received over 130,000 reviews, a majority of which offer positive feedback about the mattress. On Amazon, the mattress holds a consistent reading of 4.4 out of 5 stars.

In a website designed to seek out plaintiffs for the class action suit, allegations against the manufacturer point to the confusing design of the outer cover’s zipper. The website details that 'the defectiveness of the mattress lies in the presence of a zipper on the outer cover of it, which indicates to the consumer that there is nothing wrong with removing it for laundering.”

Since the reports have surfaced against the company, Zinus has been quick to defend itself. In a statement shared with Daily Mail, Zinus called the lawsuits a “misinformation campaign” and detailed that the “campaign is misleading consumers about the type of mattress materials used to comply with fire regulations and protect our customers.” The statement adds, “The type of chemical-free fire safety material that we use is standard in the mattress industry across all price points.”