Fiber reinforced flexible foams

A flexible foam composition comprising:

• a flexible latex foam structure, where the flexible foam structure comprises a plurality of open foam cells, each of which is surrounded by struts, the flexible foam structure has a specific density of about 0.9 to about 7 pounds per cubic foot (pcf), an average foam cell diameter is about 250 to about 3500 microns and a plurality of foam cells span a thickness of the flexible foam structure;
• and
• a plurality of fibers in substantial contact with the flexible latex foam structure, where a majority of the fibers in combination are wholly within a strut or on a surface of a strut and are substantially parallel to their respective associated strut such that the fibers are at least within 35° of the associated strut axis, where the fibers are selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, homopolymer and/or copolymer fibers having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of −50° C. (−58° F.) or greater, and combinations thereof;
• where:
• the fibers have a diameter between about 4 to about 12 microns;
• the fibers have a length between about 30 to less than 3500 microns and a majority of the fibers are not extending through the struts to connect at least one foam cell to another;
• fiber loading from about 0.5 to about 10% by weight of the flexible foam composition, and wherein the fibers are randomly oriented within the flexible latex foam structure while other fibers are oriented in a substantially parallel direction within the flexible latex foam structure in an alignment relative to a thickness of the flexible latex foam structure.