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Latex is a natural ingredient that comes from rubber trees in the form of a milky liquid. There are thousands of species of plants that produce different types of latex, including the Chicle tree that yields the raw material for producing the rubbery material in chewing gum.
Latex foam can be either natural or synthetic. Natural latex is derived from the sap of the rubber tree while synthetic latex is produced from petroleum. Latex mattresses can be completely natural or a combination of natural and synthetic latex.