Bedding exhibitors engage buyers with aesthetics, boxed goods and lots of temperature talk
Home furnishings buyer attendance at the Summer Las Vegas Market July 30-Aug. 3 was on a par with last summer’s show, according to officials at the World Market Center in Las Vegas, although to the editors of BedTimes, foot traffic in bedding showrooms appeared lighter at the show opening in comparison with previous summertime markets. In general, bedding exhibitors reported having one or two especially strong days.
Major mattress news also was on the light side, as has been the case at past midyear shows in Las Vegas. Both major bed brands and many smaller players save major introductions for the winter market. That said, there was enough to see to keep shoppers—and home furnishings trade journalists—interested and on the go.
Among the line extensions and new collections on showroom floors, we noted a handful of common themes:
1) Fabric fun
From the revival of traditional striped damask to pure white knits with modernist motifs, lovely bed panels and interesting border designs were a highlight of touring bedding showrooms.
2) Feeling boxed in
It’s not just about squeezing mattresses into boxes—like new boxed offerings at Serta, Simmons and elsewhere. It’s about bedroom peripherals and components that fit into tight spaces and bounce back quickly. For instance, there was PerformaFlex rubberized printing for mattresses at Thomasville, North Carolina-based Wright Global Graphics and a foundation at Commerce, California-based Hollywood Bed Frame Co. that looks like a substantial upholstered divan, but disassembles to fit in a small box.
3) Always adjusting the thermostat
Certainly, the foam bed talk at this show revolved around temperature regulation, as it has for a long time. But, in addition to cooling factors, there also was a warming trend at this show. For example,
PureCare, headquartered in Fairfield, New Jersey, highlighted a two-sided ReversaTemp protector, while Boston-based Spring Air brought back the Four Seasons collection with a reversible top panel.
3) New meaning of adjustability
Mattresses increasingly are adjustable-base friendly thanks to their foam cores, foam layers and flexible pocket coils and microcoils. But, according to mattress makers, many beds also offer a fresh take on adjustability with new ways of accommodating your body to ease aches and pains—without the help of a motion base. There was Magnistretch by Prato, Italy-based Magniflex, Renue by Corsicana, Texas-based Corsicana, Zenspring by Charlottesville, Virginia-based Savvy Rest and iD2 by Mebane, North Carolina-based Kingsdown’, not to mention the Aireloom NGmatt from Rancho Cucamonga, California- based E.S. Kluft & Co.
Now for the details: The following stories feature news from some of the many sleep products companies BedTimes visited in Las Vegas.
Note: All prices are suggested retails for queen-size sets unless otherwise noted.
E.S. Kluft enters smart bed arena with Aireloom NGmatt
At E.S. Kluft & Co., with headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga, California, retailers got a chance to experience a new Aireloom smart bed that incorporates licensed NGmatt technology. The Aireloom NGmatt automatically adjusts to any sleeper to provide correct spinal alignment, according to the company. It retails for $6,500.
“The beauty of the bed is that it’s an Aireloom—it doesn’t have to be working to be comfortable,” said David Long, E.S. Kluft marketing director. “But like a self-driving car, it’s filled with sensors that will ‘shift’ to meet your specific needs. While not technically an airbed, chambers in the bed’s center third ‘learn’ to adapt to your body over time.”
For sleeping partners, each side of the bed can be configured separately. Customers plug their mattress into an outlet, download the Aireloom NGmatt app from Apple or Google Play and the then Bluetooth-enabled bed saves sleep data to the app. After three nights of data gathering, the bed’s multiple pressure sensors and eight adjusting horizontal air tubes calibrate the bed’s comfort specifically to each sleeper’s body.
The all-foam bed uses a range of proprietary foams, including Graphite Visco and Aireluxe support foam, and is upholstered with a plush Tencel knit panel quilted with wool and silk fiber.
Affordable Corsicana collection addresses specific needs
Corsicana Mattress Co. unveiled Renue, an affordable three-part collection that pledges to solve common sleep concerns, such as motion transfer, temperature regulation and morning body aches. Models in the new collection from the Corsicana, Texas-based mattress maker retail from $599 to $999 and include Renue Hybrid, Renue Comfort and Renue Cool. Beds are available in a choice of comforts and are complemented by informative point-of-sale materials.
Renue Hybrid comes in three versions, all with pocket-spring cores and premium comfort foams. The top model has microcoils, too. The Renue Hybrid mattresses also feature zippered knit covers with a waterfall edge and use a combination of navy and heathered gray yarns. Renue Comfort is a four-bed specialty group containing high-density foam cores and layers of proprietary foams and gel memory foam for comfort. Renue Cool has seven models, all with pocket-coil cores, assorted proprietary comfort foams and a special “premium cool cover” that contains heat-dissipating yarns.
Together, the beds in the Renue collection offer retailers an “entire showroom solution,” said Doug Guffey, Corsicana national accounts director.
Serta adds mattress-in-a-box program to help customers compete
Seeking to help brick-and-mortar customers compete in the boxed-bed arena, Serta, part of Atlanta-based Serta Simmons Bedding LLC, launched a five-bed, all-foam lineup. Two opening Serta models and three Serta Perfect Sleeper Express models retail from $599 to $999.
The beds offer retailers—and consumers—“convenience, immediacy and the substantial feel of a premium bed,” said Brian Des Biens, Serta vice president of channel marketing, product management.
Beneath the CoolTouch panel fabric with waterfall edges and a wavy design motif are two and three layers of premium foams—from a high-density core to gel-infused comfort layers. Boxes meant to be merchandised in-store for carryout are packed with product information. Those meant for direct-to-consumer delivery have a more minimalist design.
All beds are assembled in the United States by Sinomax USA, which is part of Hong Kong-based Sinomax Group Ltd., a foamer and finished product manufacturer that inked a partnership with SSB earlier this year.
Therapedic floats new buoyant and serene collections
Mattress licensing group Therapedic International, based in Princeton, New Jersey, updated the look and construction of its Tommy Bahama collection and introduced a high-end specialty collection called Buoyancy.
Gerry Borreggine, Therapedic president and chief executive officer, credited Adam Weinman, president of Therapedic licensee Sleep International LLC, in Tampa, Florida, with designing the new Tommy Bahama group. “He worked hand in hand with Tommy Bahama to develop the lifestyle look and feel of the products … and infused them with a host of new enhancements and features,” Borreggine said.
The innerspring and hybrid beds, priced from $799 to $1,799, boast smoky tan and taupe fabrics on the borders and trademarked Tommy Bahama palm fronds on the creamy white panels. Top models have patent-pending iFlex, a one-piece quilt panel with mini-microcoils that are said to offer enhanced durability and breathability.
In the all-foam Buoyancy collection, the 12-inch Nantucket, 13-inch Charleston and 14-inch Savannah mattress sets retail from $1,399 to $1,799 and use combinations of proprietary foams in the comfort layers that are said to be cooling and breathable. These include quick-recovery, copper-infused memory foam and premium polyurethane foam comfort layers. Each smooth-top mattress has a zippered cover with a white, textural knit panel that angles at the foot of the bed to a contrasting light charcoal upholstery fabric.
Mantua extends bedroom furniture collection with Inspire Design line
Mantua Manufacturing Co., a bed frame manufacturer and distributor of Rize adjustable bases, greatly expanded its collection of bedroom furniture at this show with the Inspire Design line. Previously, Mantua offered about 10 bedroom furniture items. Now that number is 40 and counting. “We chose each piece to be durable and reliable, with on-trend styling that will go with any décor,” said David Jaffe, president of the Walton Hills, Ohio-based company.
The items, priced from $90 to $400, include a variety of upholstered, wood and metal headboards and complete beds in various silhouettes and styles. In addition, there are matching nightstands. Of the complete beds, some fit a box spring or adjustable base. Most can be used as a platform with a bunkie board. Others come with wood slats or metal supports.
Marshall Mattress makes market entry with Luxury collection
Toronto-based Marshall Mattress Co. Ltd., whose founder James Marshall is widely credited with creating the first pocket spring, made its Las Vegas Market debut. Brad Warner is president of the company, now owned by him and his family. He’s the grandson of one of James Marshall’s original employees, Israel Weiner.
“We’re fourth generation,” said Warner’s son Eric, who is vice president of sales and business development. “We’re so happy to have the opportunity of being here. We are reintroducing our brand to the U.S. and take pride in all that we do. Marshall offers built-to-last, handcrafted quality—no line assembly—and a return rate of just 2%. That’s really low for this industry. We’re trusted in our markets.”
On display were the new Portfolio and Luxury collections and plenty of artwork evoking the company’s 117-year history. Marshall also launched a new website during the show, MarshallMattress.com.
The three-model Luxury group, retailing from $4,899 to $5,399, uses a variety of cushioning materials, including viscose fiber derived from eucalyptus, wool, cotton and 100% natural Dunlop latex. At the core of the mattresses are the company’s patented pocket coils sewn into cotton pockets. The two-sided beds’ silver-and-gold damask covers are an elegant, updated version of traditional ticking stripes.
The five-model Portfolio collection features a Marshall coil core topped with wool and premium polyurethane foams, including a layer of foam made with renewable content. Comfort profiles range from luxury plush to extra firm. Prices for the group are $2,799 to $3,799.
“At its best, mattress making is an art, which results in products built to meet a wide range of needs and wants,” Brad Warner said. “All Marshall Mattress products are handcrafted without the use of foam encasement or gels, using the best of natural and new man-made materials.”
Classic Brands highlights technologies, athletic inspiration
Jessup, Maryland-based Classic Brands used its expanded World Market Center showroom to highlight a number of mattress introductions.
On one side of the showroom, the eye-catching X-Bed collection featured a colorful wicking fabric in abstract designs. Designed with millennials in mind, the collection includes four 12-inch mattresses. The ticking colors denote the construction of the mattress—gray is a hybrid; purple is latex over polyurethane foam; orange is memory foam; and blue is gel memory foam. Retailing between $599 and $899, the mattresses can easily fit into a box and be shipped.
In another area, Classic Brands showcased creative, technological fabrics with heat-dissipating Cool Gel Thermic, as well as Copper Smart and Silver Smart, with precious metals infused into the ticking. Cool Gel Thermic offers a dramatic illustration of its abilities. As a person lies on the bed, the gray cooling fabric turns white with heat.
“The fabric technology is unbelievable and very visual, giving RSAs a story to show and tell consumers the benefits of a cooler night’s sleep,” said Michael Zippelli, president and chief executive officer of Classic Brands.
Hollywood Bed offers boxed platform foundation with easy assembly
Hollywood Bed Frame Co., with headquarters in Commerce, California, added an easy-to-ship platform foundation with the look of an upholstered divan—but it’s not, said Jon Mullinax, vice president of sales and marketing for the home furnishings division. “Designed for drop shipping,” the EnVision foundation is a platform foundation that has “e-commerce practicality” and “assembles in minutes, with no tools,” he said.
The foundation also can be used without legs and placed on an existing bed frame. The EnVision slips together easily and parts lock in place. The base itself has a weight capacity of more than 2,000 pounds, is covered with a polyester/rayon upholstery fabric and retails for $249. For domestic shipping, the unassembled base fits into a compact box that meets UPS and FedEx’s size and weight limits for an individual package.
For carryout purchases, “a retail customer can fit a mattress in a box and this foundation right in the trunk of their Camry,” Mullinax said. “Or, on your e-commerce platform, you can ‘bundle package’ (a boxed mattress and the foundation).”
Southerland presents accessories assortment
Mattress maker Southerland Inc., with headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, added sleep accessories to its lineup. Accessories were grouped under the Restore Sleep and the Ionic Sleep System brands. Those in the latter category contain CuTec Technology, a licensed, proprietary copper fiber that is said to reduce odor and improve hygiene.
Retail pricing for the entire range of accessories, which includes pillows, protectors and sheet sets, opens at $49 and tops out at $259 in queen sizes.
Protect-A-Bed personalizes pillow shopping for consumers
Chicago-based Protect-A-Bed gave retailers a sneak peek at a technology it will roll out in January. Called Sleep Tailor, the interactive in-store tool asks consumers qualifying questions and scans their body to find the right pillow for them. The recommended pillows will give the sleeper proper head and neck alignment.
“It takes (the choice) from 30 pillows to four,” said Jeff Faye, manager of marketing communications and public relations.
It also gives people a reason to go into a store. Research shows that half of online purchasers visited a brick-and-mortar store first, said Kara Lineal, vice president of marketing. This year, the company added 15 REM-Fit-branded sections in stores that sell bedding in Missouri and Texas. Protect-A-Bed expects to open 200 departments in the next two years.
Also in the works is a plan to connect Sleep Tailor with the company’s REM-Fit and ZEEQ mobile apps. Its REM-Fit brand includes technology such as wearable activity monitors and nonwearable sleep trackers. ZEEQ, launched in 2016, is a smart pillow with speakers, Bluetooth and Amazon Alexa connectivity, data tracking, music, snoring cessation and other features.
Englander line extension contains cooling foam formula
Mattress licensing group Englander extended Tension Ease, a slow-recovery latex series, with Tension Ease Platinum, an innerspring group layered with TensionCore technology—open-cell memory foam containing graphite. The resulting foam is said to be exceptionally breathable.
“TensionCore foam dissipates body heat and ensures a cool and refreshing night’s sleep,” said Kevin Toman, president and chief executive officer of the Chicago-based company. “The foam also effectively contains body movements for motionless, undisturbed sleep and delivers a plush, consistent feel in all climates.”
Three Platinum models retail from $799 to $1,299. They have silver-gray, diamond-quilted borders, contrasting black tape-edge and a white knit panel accented with waves of gray dots. Beds have an 8-inch, edge-to-edge encased-coil core.
Magnistretch by Magniflex addresses aching backs
Specialty mattress maker Magniflex, with U.S. headquarters in Miami and global headquarters in Prato, Italy, introduced the Magnistretch mattress for relief of back pain. In the showroom, the bed’s foot guard claimed in bold lettering that the bed will “stretch and decompress your spine.” The knit ticking is covered with turquoise dots. Beneath it is a patented core containing contour-cut proprietary foams with “support zones that move in opposite directions,” which, the company says, stretch the sleeper’s neck and back.
The beds, which meet Oeko-Tex Standard 100, retail for $2,999 and are made in Italy. There are five comfort choices and couples with different comfort preferences can purchase a dual-core model. The zippered cover removes for dry cleaning.
Carpenter calls attention to its foams
In its Las Vegas debut, Carpenter Co., headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, showcased all the combinations of foams it produces for boxable mattresses.
One new foam, Endure, acts as a highly resilient support foam, which doesn’t lose shape over time or take body indentations, said Jordan Fannin, national account manager for the consumer products division.
Aurora, another introduction, is “more breathable than any other foam on the market,” Fannin said. With an open-cell structure, Aurora offers durability and comfort, is odor free and is CertiPUR-US certified. The company’s showroom also displayed a firmer Serene Foam and a wall of engineered cores to highlight the various combinations Carpenter can create for use in mattresses.
Savvy Rest adds mattress customization at sharper price
Natural and organic mattress maker Savvy Rest, with headquarters in Charlottesville, Virginia, unveiled Zenspring, adding a new, customizable bed at a lower price point to its lineup. At $2,599, the bed is priced $500 below the company’s flagship all-latex Serenity bed. The Zenspring also is Savvy Rest’s first pocketed coil mattress. Springs are wrapped in a nonwoven fabric derived from vegetable-based fiber.
Shoppers choose a plush or firm spring unit, as well as different Talalay and Dunlop latex comfort layers in varying degrees of firmness. Couples can customize each side of the bed.
A queen bed fits neatly into three compact boxes for easy shipping. Consumers can order replacement latex or springs when needed and unzip the bed’s sturdy brass zipper to slip new components into place.
Talalay Global touts wonders of Talalay latex with new campaign
Talalay Global, a Shelton, Connecticut-based latex supplier and maker of the Pure Talalay Bliss mattress brand, brought to Las Vegas a major marketing initiative for its Talalay latex, as well as a new hybrid mattress group.
Sales are up significantly this year and that trend is expected to continue with the company’s fresh advertising and marketing campaign, said Kim Fisher, Talalay Global president and chief operating officer. “It’s ‘all about Talalay’ … and the halo effect we’ve created around it, not only to support bedding producers and their retailers, but also to reach consumers with a message about (our Talalay latex’s) exclusive attributes.”
The campaign includes targeted radio, a range of marketing materials for both mattress makers and Pure Talalay Bliss retailers, dramatic product packaging and shipping boxes, and a one-minute video, “I Live Totally Talalay.”
The new Talalay Hybrid collection by Pure Talalay Bliss retails for $1,799 and is available in two comfort levels. Tucked inside the sculpted, pure white knit cover is a 6-inch wrapped-coil core over a 1-inch Talalay base layer. Atop the spring unit is a 3-inch Talalay comfort layer.
Restonic presents new boxed bed
Restonic, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, introduced its Shippable Sleep program with a new mattress. Called Comfort for Real, the mattress features 682 individually wrapped coils topped with ComfortGel. The mattress, which retails for $899 and is designed to be used with a foundation or adjustable base, can be shipped directly to the consumer or to the retail store for carryout. The base is ordered separately and also can be shipped.
Malouf rolls out Supima cotton sheets, new pillows
Malouf, headquartered in Logan, Utah, introduced Supima cotton sheets in Las Vegas. The 600-thread-count sheets are 100% cotton, which is grown in the United States. They replace the company’s previous Egyptian cotton offering. Malouf began researching cotton and found a U.S.-grown product that has an extra-long staple. “When you spin the thread, there’s less pilling. The fibers stay together,” said Jake Neeley, marketing manager.
Additionally, it has the highest molecular weight of any cotton, which results in stronger, softer and more colorful sheets, he said. The sheets, which retail from $180 to $200, come in four colors—white, smoke, flax and charcoal.
Malouf also released Z Shoulder Cutout pillows in new Zoned Dough options, including the infused scents of chamomile, lavender and peppermint. Designed for side sleepers, the pillows also come in odor-neutralizing bamboo charcoal and temperature-regulating Gel Dough. All come with a Tencel jacquard cover.
Soft-Tex covers gamut with array of DreamSmart offerings
DreamSmart, a division of Waterford, New York-based Soft-Tex International, brought out a host of new products—from mattresses to sheets to pillows—to wow buyers. Many tell a cooling story. DreamSmart’s iCOOL 400-thread-count cotton sheet sets are “laboratory tested to be 21% cooler than regularly processed cotton,” according to a news release.
New mattress protectors feature waterproofing, cooling fabric, and Microban anti-microbial protection and odor control, while new pillows, also with cooling fabrics, include both memory foam and fiber options at multiple price points.
Other introductions cater to retailers looking for an e-commerce solution. DreamSmart displayed a mattress collection with ventilated gel-infused memory foam and different comfort feels. The Soho and Tribeca retail for $799; Gramercy, with a cooling cover, retails for $999. The 10-inch mattresses can be compressed and roll packed, said John Timmerman, divisional vice president.
Kingsdown expands offerings to include Prime, Sleep Haven and iD2
With a new innerspring line, a fresh latex collection and the exclusive rights to manufacture iD2 European foam beds in the United States, Kingsdown is adding new directions.
The Prime collection, which retails between $599 and $1,099, has a style and tailoring similar to the Passion and Vintage collections, but at a more attainable price point, according to the Mebane, North Carolina-based company. The line features cooling gel foam, individually wrapped coils with a reinforced lumbar zone and Serene Foam.
Each model is available in firm, plush and pillow-top. The collection has quality foams and quality foam edges, making it easy to roll, pack and ship directly to the consumer, said Frank Hood, chief executive officer.
In addition to the Prime collection, Kingsdown unveiled its Sleep Haven Dunlop latex mattresses, which retail between $2,900 and $3,900. The line pairs latex comfort layers designed for airflow with high-density latex cores. Beds are dressed in an attractive charcoal stretch fabric.
Finally, the manufacturer introduced the all-foam iD2 collection. Made with laser-cut soy-infused and viscoelastic layers, iD2 features holes inside the center of the bottom foam layers. To increase support, consumers can insert sturdy foam Comfort Wands into the holes until the preferred support level is achieved. The motion-base-friendly beds are topped with cooling fabric and retail between $2,700 and $3,700. The six-bed line, with Oeko-Tex certification, comes in two firmness levels and has zippered covers.
Boyd fits more beds in boxes, upgrades air chambers in mattresses
St. Louis-based Boyd Sleep rolled out a number of new products, all of which can be shipped to consumers in UPS- and FedEx-friendly boxes.
The company also introduced a new import program allowing retailers to mix an adjustable base model and a gel memory foam mattress model in a single container-load—instead of having to purchase a containerload of each item, individually. The base has a 750-pound lift capacity with head and leg adjustability. Sharp wholesale pricing enables retailers to offer a mattress and adjustable base to consumers at $699 for the set, said President Denny Boyd.
The company also expanded the use of its demonstrably cool-to-the-touch Ice Fiber fabrics to more models.
In addition, the manufacturer upgraded the air chambers in both its Thomasville Synchrony and Boyd SensAire airbed lines. “Airbeds are a category that many customers are interested in, yet there aren’t a lot of resources,” Boyd said.
The new airbeds are more durable with cores capable of withstanding more pounds per square inch of air pressure. Four redesigned Synchrony models retail from $1,999 to $3,999. Six SensAire beds retail from $1,499 to $2,999.
Knickerbocker expands EmBrace with three new frames
Knickerbocker Bed Frame Co., with headquarters in Carlstadt, New Jersey, extended its lineup of polymer-encased steel bed frames that began with the patented EmBrace bed frame ($249) that launched in 2013.
The new opening price point is $149 for the EnGauge, a hybrid of a traditional metal frame and the EmBrace frame with narrower polymer-coated legs and more standard-looking steel rails. EnCore ($249) targets millennials and city dwellers with its sculpted, furniture-style legs and minimalist folding side rails that fit into an easy-to-carry (or ship) carton. The top frame in the lineup is the upgraded Wraparound EmBrace platform base with smooth, rounded corners. It retails for $349.
“We’re not just bed frames,” said Joe Hunt, vice president of sales and marketing. “We’ve created a whole new category—a support system category with ‘good-better-best’ innovative new products.”
Wright’s PerformaFlex printing stands up to rough treatment
Printing and marketing solutions supplier Wright Global Graphics brought examples of its new PerformaFlex printing capabilities to Las Vegas.
“This is a product for adding print to labels or bed borders that is ideal for mattresses, especially compressed beds,” said Don Wright, chief marketing officer for the Thomasville, North Carolina-based company. “It replaces the need for embroidery and has an athleisure look that is especially durable.”
PerformaFlex is perfect for every fabric type—from velvets and textural textiles to stretchy performance fabrics. The rubberized print is washable, available in a range of colors and was specifically formulated for bedding, the company said.
PureCare gets comfortable with pillows and protectors
Fairfield, New Jersey-based bedding accessories supplier PureCare debuted a line of pillows and mattress protectors with a major focus on temperature control.
TempSync pillows boast of a layer of “temp-control thermoregulating fibers,” which feature pockets of paraffin wax in the core of the fibers. During the night, the paraffin adjusts from solid to liquid to absorb and release body heat. This is the highest quality phase-change material seen today, said Sean Bergman, chief marketing officer. To demonstrate how well TempSync works, PureCare set up a display that showed the effects of heating on TempSync versus regular polyester fiber. The polyester paralleled the room temperature; the TempSync stayed cooler.
“That’s what it’s all about—stopping the spikes of heating and cooling at night that affect your sleep,” Bergman said. The five-model line retails from $99 to $149.
PureCare also debuted its first new protectors since it launched its cooling Frio line. The step-up ReversaTemp pillow and five-sided mattress protectors offer dual surfaces for more consumer comfort. One side features rapid-chill Frio; the other is made with new HeatStar heating fibers, which contain air pockets at the core of the fiber to store heat and warm the sleeper. Retailing for $150 in queen, ReversaTemp has elastic corners for a precision fit.
Reverie delivers Base in a Box and new marketing campaign
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based Reverie, known for its adjustable bases, debuted a technology-rich Base in a Box in its newly expanded World Market Center showroom.
Featuring a variety of functions, including massage, head-up and foot-up adjustability, and zero-gravity positioning, the Base in a Box weighs 130 pounds and is shipped in a single box. Suggested retail is $499. “It takes less than five minutes to set up,” said Lisa Tan, chief marketing officer. “And it can include any of the features we offer.”
Reverie also unveiled a complete sleep system in a box. The system includes its 1M ready-to-assemble flat foundation with massage and Bluetooth technology, as well as a mattress.
With Reverie staff wearing brightly colored T-shirts bearing the company’s new marketing tagline—”Sleep is the New ….”—the feeling in the showroom was positive. Each T-shirt filled in the blank with words such as “power,” “wellness,” “frontier” and “green.”
To further help its retailers, Reverie is conducting segmentation studies to learn more about the power bed customer. Using “social listening” (seeing what people are saying on Twitter and other social platforms about a specific topic), they can learn more about the consumer. A video running in the showroom called “Sleepless in America” demonstrated social listening, displaying tweets from people around the United States who couldn’t sleep. Reverie has rolled out one campaign targeting new mothers. Others are expected to follow.
Spring Air helps fight childhood cancer
Spring Air, headquartered in Boston, is doing what it does best while contributing to the fight against childhood cancer, according to company executives.
The mattress licensing group partnered with Love Your Melon, an apparel brand that contributes half of its profits to childhood cancer research groups, to create the Hope collection. The three-model, encased-coil Back Supporter mattress series retails from $799 to $999. Featuring Spring Air’s NU-Temp foam and Body Print zoned coils, the Hope collection sports a clean, white cover paired with a herringbone and denim border. Red handles and red throw pillows complete the look. For every mattress purchased, Spring Air will buy Love Your Melon beanies for children fighting cancer. Consumers also can get a beanie by mailing in a rebate form.
In addition to expanding the Back Supporter line, Spring Air added three hybrid models to its luxury Chattam & Wells collection. These mattresses, which retail between $1,999 and $2,599, incorporate an extra-heavy-gauge encased-coil unit paired with layers of premium gel memory foam and NU-Temp foam. The beds carry the signature Chattam & Wells brand medallion, but the fabric on the new models is a reverse pattern from the original design.
Spring Air also brought back its Four Seasons line, which allows sleepers to be comfortable no matter what the season. In summer, sleepers can enjoy coolness woven into the fabric. In winter, they can flip the two-sided cover over and get cozy with the warmth of wool. Retailing between $599 and $1,299, Four Seasons features encased coils, latex and NU-Temp foam.
Fashion Bed Group offers beauty and adjustability
Chicago-based Fashion Bed Group, a Leggett & Platt Inc. company, continues to accessorize beds beautifully and debuted a number of bed frames. The Genova, with a hand-applied multistep Heritage Pewter finish, delivers a fresh take on the antique look. The curved headboard and footboard feature inverted fleur-de-lis. Suggested retail is $499. The Derby, which retails for $699, brings a midcentury modern look to the bedroom with a low platform and curved wood headboard.
Some of the bigger hits of the market were the Northbrook and Hawthorne, said Ron Ainsworth, senior vice president of merchandising and product procurement for FBG. The Northbrook, which retails for $999, is a master bedroom bed with 4-inch posts finished in black sapphire and castings in chrome. The Hawthorne—“one of our wow beds,” Ainsworth said—catches the eye with moss green brushed velvet upholstery. The handstitched platform bed retails for $599. FBG also added a bright spot of color to the Herrington daybed. Cloaked in vivid orchid, the twin size retails for $320. Future versions will come in silver gray, too.
In addition to bed frames, FBG had easy-to-use adjustable bases on hand. The new Symmetry series—Symmetry EZ and Symmetry One—are lightweight, foldable and simple to assemble. With a streamlined profile, Symmetry EZ is designed to be shipped in a single box. It comes in twin XL and queen sizes. The queen retails for $799. Symmetry One, while not shippable, offers a solution for those seeking a king-size adjustable base. The base is folded horizontally and is priced to retail for $949.
Glideaway focuses on pillow protection
St. Louis-based Glideaway had protection and cooling in mind at this market.
It debuted Summit, a pillow protector that offers cooling fabric on one side and soft Tencel fabric on the other. Two cases come in a box. Suggested retail is $40 to $60.
Glideaway also introduced Antre, a six-sided total mattress encasement. It retails between $49 and $89.
Eclipse and Eastman House honor tradition, add new beds
Bedding brand Eastman House, part of North Brunswick, New Jersey-based Bedding Industries of America, returned to its roots with a new Chittenden & Eastman collection.
The Founders Collection by Chittenden & Eastman—the name of the founding company—is a luxurious line that features natural and organic materials such as latex and wool. The collection includes seven hybrid models, all with hand tufting, pocketed coils and layers of Talalay latex, including a tri-zone Talalay latex with more support in the center. The wool cover comes in a heavy blistered, knit ticking for cooling. The beds are dressed in shades of eggshell, taupe and brown; the chocolate-hued foundation features vertical stitching. The collection is offered through BIA’s Eastman House division with models retailing for $2,999.
In addition, BIA’s Eclipse International brand introduced three beds in its Conformatic line. Priced from $899 to $1,199, the new mattress styles include Serene Firm, Serene Plush and Bliss. The Conformatic collection is a pocketed coil group with Eclipse’s Spinal Zone Support System and gel foams for cooler sleep.
Simmons Beautyrest and BeautySleep now available boxed
Simmons Bedding, part of Atlanta-based Serta Simmons Bedding LLC, premiered a new line of mattress-in-a-box offerings for sale in-store or online via the brand’s dealer network. Products are assembled by Nashville, Tennessee-based Sinomax USA, which is part of Hong Kong-based Sinomax Group Ltd. The foamer and finished product maker inked a deal with SSB earlier in the year to produce boxed beds for the mattress major.
Three beds retail for $499, $699 and $999 and promise cool sleep with AirCool Gel and AirCool Max memory foam. The collection features 8-inch and 10-inch memory foam mattresses sold under the Simmons BeautySleep brand. The top bed is a 10-inch Beauty-rest model that comes bundled with a Beautyrest Sleeptracker monitor.
In other news, the brand highlighted the July 30 launch of a new ad campaign positioning Beautyrest as “the ultimate equipment for high-performance sleep.” Rebecca Robbins, a sleep researcher and co-author of “Sleep for Success,” is the campaign spokesperson.
“Dr. Robbins has spent years studying the science of sleep, and she is dedicated to educating society about the clear link between quality sleep and success during the day, which is a topic that perfectly aligns with the performance-focused message of our new campaign,” said Michelle Montgomery, Beautyrest vice president of marketing communications.
Customatic sweetens dreams with VibraSense
Natick, Massachusetts-based Customatic Adjustable Bedz has found a way to bring new sensory experiences to consumers with its latest innovation—the VibraSense mattress.
The mattress, which retails between $1,199 and $1,399, brings sound and motion to the bedroom for a soothing or even exciting experience. For those looking to relax after a hard day, speakers mounted to the wall behind the mattress can play restful sounds, such as whale songs, thunderstorms or even favorite music. For those who use their bedroom as a place to play video games or watch movies, VibraSense adds another dimension: A transducer encased in the foam mattress adds movement to accompany sound.
In a news release, managing partner Phil Sherman explained the mattress this way: “Imagine feeling the beat of the music or the tremor of an explosion while gaming or watching a favorite movie or television show. With VibraSense, you can become part of the action instead of an outside viewer. It’s truly remarkable.”
Vispring adds adjustable base to its offerings
Plymouth, England-based luxury bed maker Vispring brought movement to its showroom floor with a new adjustable base.
The Palladium, a fully upholstered base, was designed in conjunction with Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based Reverie for Vispring’s pocket spring mattresses. The base offers dual massage, a zero-gravity setting, head-up and foot-up options with a quiet lift system, and more. It can be controlled with a remote or through a smartphone app. The legs are adjustable. Retailing for $6,250, Palladium comes in a textured taupe fabric.