Cot Mattress Protector | Cotton | Zippered Encasement

A dust mite encasement works by sealing the bedding item — mattress, pillow, quilt, or cushion — inside a fabric with a pore structure too small for dust mite allergen particles to pass through. Dust mite allergens are carried by fecal pellets and body fragments that typically measure 10 to 40 microns. The encasement fabric used in these products has pores measured at well below that range, third-party tested by capillary flow porometry using Galwick fluid, and figures supplied by the manufacturer Fifth Ridge Pty Ltd. The encasement does not kill dust mites or remove allergens already in the room — it creates a physical barrier that keeps what is inside the bedding from reaching the person sleeping on or near it.

The evidence for mattress and pillow encasements as a dust mite allergen reduction measure is supported by peer-reviewed research. A 2003 randomised controlled trial by Halken et al., published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found that active encasings produced a significant long-term reduction in dust mite allergen concentrations over 12 months, compared to placebo encasings in children with asthma and dust mite allergy. Individual results vary, and encasements are most effective as part of a broader approach — covering all three layers (mattress, pillow, and quilt) and combining with regular vacuuming and reduced soft furnishings. Encasements alone are not a complete solution.

Your mattress, pillow, and quilt are all significant dust mite allergen reservoirs. The mattress is the largest, but your pillow sits closest to your face all night — allergens from an uncovered pillow are inhaled directly. Covering only the mattress leaves two other sources exposed at the breathing zone. Covering all three layers is consistent with the approach used in clinical research on encasement bedding, and gives a more meaningful reduction in allergen exposure where it matters most.

No. The cotton encasements use 100% natural woven cotton — the surface feels like fabric and is completely silent. The waterproof encasements use a polyester knitted jersey outer with a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) membrane laminated behind it. The jersey is the layer that makes contact with your bedding; the TPU sits underneath it. The result is soft and silent — no plastic crinkle — which is a significant difference from older PVC or vinyl-backed waterproof products.

The cotton encasements are 100% natural cotton and breathe the same way as other cotton bedding — they are among the most breathable encasement options available. The waterproof encasements use a microporous TPU membrane, which allows water vapour to pass through, so they breathe more than a solid PVC sheet — but are somewhat less breathable than the cotton version. Both are designed to be used with a normal outer layer (fitted sheet, pillowcase, or quilt cover) on top, which adds further breathability between the encasement and the sleeper.

Every 3 to 6 months is generally sufficient when normal bedding — a fitted sheet, pillowcase, or quilt cover — sits over the top and is washed regularly with your usual linen. The outer layer absorbs daily contact and extends the time between encasement washes. Wash sooner after a spill, accident, or illness. Use a warm or gentle machine cycle and do not exceed 60°C — repeated high-temperature washing shortens the lifespan of both the cotton weave and the TPU membrane in the waterproof range. Avoid bleach and fabric softeners on all encasements.

Both the cotton and waterproof encasements carry a 10-year product warranty against manufacturing defects. In practice, barrier effectiveness can be maintained for many years with correct care. The main factors that shorten lifespan are repeated high-temperature washing, use of bleach or fabric softeners, and prolonged direct contact with body oils without an outer layer on top. Using a normal sheet, pillowcase, or quilt cover over the encasement significantly extends its effective life by absorbing daily wear before it reaches the encasement itself.

We describe what the fabric measurably does — create a physical barrier against fine particles in the 10–40 micron range — but we don't make claims about how this will affect any individual's symptoms. Clinical evidence for encasement bedding as part of a dust mite allergen reduction approach exists in peer-reviewed literature (Halken et al., 2003, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology), but individual responses vary and depend on overall allergen load, degree of sensitisation, and what other measures are in place. If you have a diagnosed dust mite allergy, your GP or allergist is the right person to advise on whether encasement bedding is appropriate for your situation.