Use this free Natural Material Verification Template to check every natural filling in a mattress or topper before you buy or approve production. The downloadable worksheet gives buyer teams a repeatable way to record material declarations, certificates, sampling, authenticity checks, and retention for horsehair, wool, cotton, camel hair, alpaca, and silk.
Bonjour Luxe (Zhejiang Bonjour Luxe Home Co., Ltd.) has exported home textiles from Keqiao, Shaoxing since 2006, with fabric exports exceeding 100 million meters. This template reflects the same verification discipline used in our own natural-filling supply chain, where products carry OEKO-TEX Class I, GOTS, and third-party testing from ITS and SGS. It is built for buyers, quality staff, and sourcing teams who need a paper trail — not a marketing claim.
How to verify horsehair and wool in a mattress
The two most frequently mislabeled natural fillings are horsehair and wool, so start there when you inspect a mattress.
Horsehair verification steps 1. Ask the supplier for a written material declaration that names the horsehair percentage and origin (often a tail or mane mix). 2. Request a certificate from a recognized body. Acceptable proofs include GOTS for organically farmed animal fiber, an SGS fiber-identification report, or an Intertek (formerly ITS) composition test. 3. Take a small sample from a hidden seam or the specified sampling point. Real horsehair is coarse, hollow, and slightly curved; it does not melt or ball like synthetic fiber when a flame test is performed by a qualified lab. 4. Record the lot, the tester, and the date in the template below. 5. Keep the certificate and the sample photo with the purchase order for the retention period your team sets.
Wool verification steps 1. Confirm the wool declaration states the type (e.g., New Zealand lamb's wool) and any blend ratio. 2. Require GOTS for organic wool, or an SGS/Intertek report that confirms protein-fiber content and rules out adulteration with synthetic or regenerated fiber. 3. Use microscopy or a burn test performed by a certified lab: wool chars with a sulfurous smell and forms a brittle black bead, unlike melting synthetics. 4. Log the result against the product SKU in the worksheet. 5. Store the evidence with the supplier agreement.
These same steps apply to the other four fillings in the template. For the wider method set, see our guide on natural material verification methods, and for the certificate landscape read sustainable certification explained.
Natural material verification steps (the full workflow)
Whether you verify one filling or all six, follow this sequence so nothing is skipped:
- Declare — capture the supplier's exact material claim for each filling.
- Match certificates — confirm which certificate covers that claim (GOTS, SGS, or Intertek).
- Sample — define where and how the sample is taken so results are repeatable.
- Authenticate — apply the specific check points for that fiber.
- Record — file the declaration, certificate, and photo together.
- Retain — keep records for the agreed period and make them auditable.
This workflow supports both incoming inspection and factory audits. It pairs well with our guide on hand tufting versus glue construction, because tufting method affects how easy it is to sample a filling without damaging the product.
Fillable verification template (six natural fillings)
Copy the table below into a spreadsheet or print it. One row per filling. Leave blank cells for on-site completion.
| Filling | Material declaration | Acceptable certificates (GOTS / SGS / Intertek) | Sampling method | Authenticity check points | Record retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horsehair | Supplier states % and origin: __ | GOTS OR SGS fiber-ID OR Intertek composition: Report No. __ | Cut from hidden seam / specified point; photo taken: __ | Coarse, hollow, curved; lab burn test chars not melts; no synthetic balling | File with PO for ____ months |
| Wool | Type & blend ratio: __ | GOTS (organic) OR SGS/Intertek protein test: Report No. __ | Core sample from stated zone; photo: __ | Microscopy shows scale structure; burn gives sulfur smell + brittle bead | File with supplier agreement for ____ months |
| Cotton | Grade & origin: __ | GOTS OR SGS purity OR Intertek composition: Report No. __ | Pull from filling layer; photo: __ | Flat twisted ribbon under scope; burns with paper smell, soft gray ash | File with QC batch record for ____ months |
| Camel hair | % and source (Bactrian): __ | GOTS OR SGS/Intertek species ID: Report No. __ | Sample guard hair + undercoat; photo: __ | Dual-layer fiber (coarse guard + fine undercoat); lab confirms species | File with PO for ____ months |
| Alpaca | % and farm origin: __ | GOTS OR SGS/Intertek species test: Report No. __ | Sample from stated lot; photo: __ | Medullated scale pattern distinct from sheep wool; low crimp | File with supplier agreement for ____ months |
| Silk | Type (mulberry/Tussar) & %: __ | GOTS OR SGS/Intertek sericin test: Report No. __ | Snip from casing/filling; photo: __ | Triangular prism cross-section; burn smells like burning hair, brittle bead | File with QC batch record for ____ months |
Note on scope: This template covers only the six declared natural fillings — horsehair, wool, cotton, camel hair, alpaca, and silk. It does not apply to foam, memory foam, or latex, which Bonjour Luxe products do not use. Verification conclusions are valid only for the sampled lot and the named certificate scope.
Commissioned testing template
When you send a filling to an external laboratory, record the engagement on one form so the result is traceable:
- 检测机构 (Testing organization): ______
- 报告编号 (Report No.): ______
- 日期 (Date): ______
- 结论 (Conclusion): ______
Attach the lab's full report, the purchase order, and the sample photo to this form. A commissioned test should name the exact fiber, the test standard used (for example, a microscopic or chemical composition method), and a clear pass/fail against the supplier's declaration. Keep the original certificate — OEKO-TEX Class I, which tests for harmful substances, plus GOTS or an SGS/Intertek report — with the form so any auditor can confirm the chain of evidence in minutes.
Buyer takeaway
A certificate without a recorded sample and a retained file proves nothing at audit time. Verify each of the six natural fillings against its own check points, keep the GOTS / SGS / Intertek proof with the lot photo, and you turn a supplier promise into a defensible buyer record. Bonjour Luxe applies this same discipline across horsehair, wool, cotton, camel hair, alpaca, and silk fillings.
FAQ
How do I verify horsehair in a mattress? Request a written material declaration naming the horsehair percentage and origin, then match it to a GOTS, SGS, or Intertek certificate. Take a sample from a hidden seam and have a qualified lab run a burn or microscopy test — real horsehair is coarse, hollow, and curved, and it chars rather than melts. Log the result with the SKU and retain the file.
What certificates are acceptable for natural mattress fillings? For the six natural fillings in this template, acceptable proofs are GOTS for organic fiber, an SGS fiber-identification or composition report, or an Intertek (formerly ITS) test. OEKO-TEX Class I tests for harmful substances and is used alongside these to confirm safety, not species identity.
Can I use one template for all six fillings? Yes. The fillable table gives horsehair, wool, cotton, camel hair, alpaca, and silk each a row with the same five fields — declaration, certificates, sampling, authenticity checks, and retention — so a single worksheet covers a full mattress.
Does this template cover foam or latex? No. Bonjour Luxe products contain no foam, memory foam, or latex. This worksheet is limited to the six declared natural fillings and to the sampled lot named in each certificate.
Who should complete the verification record? A buyer, quality inspector, or sourcing team member with access to the supplier declaration and the test report. The person sampling should sign and date the record so the evidence is traceable during a later audit.
Get the testing materials
Need the printable worksheet, a sample submission form, or guidance on commissioning an SGS or Intertek test for your order? Contact Nancy Yu, Bonjour Luxe Material Team: +86 19357569981 · nancy@bonjourluxe.com. We can share the fillable template and walk your team through verification steps for horsehair, wool, and the other natural fillings.
Sources
- Bonjour Luxe — Zhejiang Bonjour Luxe Home Co., Ltd.: bonjourluxe.com
- Independent mattress material comparison: home.compare2best.com
Bonjour Luxe Material Team · Updated 2026-09-22