Silver Cross TrueFit Eco Fibre Cot Bed Mattress reviewed

The Silver Cross TrueFit Eco Fibre is a firm, single-sided cot bed mattress, 140 x 70cm and 11cm deep, with a core of polyester fibre made from more than 70% recycled content. At £99 it is the entry model of the TrueFit range, and the one to buy if you want a firm, flat surface for the baby years without paying for springs.

Construction and cover

There are no springs and no foam. Silver Cross says each mattress uses the equivalent of 64 plastic bottles, spun into an open fibre core that it describes as firm for safe sleep and breathable. On top sits a soft knitted cover with a water-resistant, easy-clean finish, and the outer cover unzips for a machine wash at 30°C. That is a cooler cycle than the 40°C allowed by Simba, Snüz and CuddleCo, worth knowing if you prefer hotter washes after a tummy bug.

The TrueFit name refers to the corners, which are cut square to the edge so the mattress sits tight in the frame. The product FAQ names BS EN 16890:2017+A1:2021 for safety and performance and BS 7177 for flammability, and says no antimony, phosphorus or arsenic based fire retardants are used.

Why firm and flat is the right brief

The Lullaby Trust's guidance on mattresses and bedding is that the safest mattress is firm, flat and protected by a waterproof cover, and that a baby's head should sink no more than a few millimetres into it. A fibre core with no comfort foam suits that brief well. We place it at 8 out of 10, the firmest of the three TrueFit models. The cover is described as water-resistant rather than waterproof, so a waterproof protector is still worth having, especially once potty training starts.

The TrueFit range side by side

All three measure 140 x 70 x 11cm and share the same knitted cover and corners.

Fit and who it suits

Silver Cross says it fits all standard 140 x 70cm cot beds as well as its own, in cot and toddler bed mode, from birth to about four years. The single surface is the limit. The pricier Dual-Sided adds a cushioned face for toddlers, and this one cannot be turned to a softer side. Silver Cross does not state a guarantee period for the mattress itself, and one stockist, Baby Nest, quotes a one-year manufacturer's warranty. John Lewis, Kiddies Kingdom and Baby Nest list it at the same price as Silver Cross.

As a first cot bed mattress, it is good value. You get a firm, recycled-fibre surface from a maker that names the current cot mattress standard, which is everything a newborn needs, and you can spend the difference on a good protector.