The season of change lived up to its name at the fall High Point Market. The High Point, North Carolina-based show got off to a fast start — so fast that many visitors who arrived on the official opening day, Saturday, Oct. 25, felt they were late to the party. Several exhibitors said they began greeting customers and taking appointments as early as Tuesday, Oct. 22, following a similar trend from the summer Las Vegas market, where exhibitors reported booking appointments and receiving visitors before they’d finished setting up their showrooms.
“It’s been wild,” said Collin Shina-barker, key account director at Mebane, North Carolina-based Kingsdown. “Some retailers started visiting on Wednesday morning.”
“I would definitely say Wednesday, Thursday, for sure,” seconded Toby Konetzney, CEO of South Bay International, based in Rancho Cucamonga, California. “We were seeing people by Thursday, but it’s very appointment driven.”
Mike Juoni, senior vice president of sales for Rancho Dominguez, Cali-fornia-based Diamond Mattress, said, “If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought the market was Wednesday to Saturday, based on the traffic.”
Bedding Brands Return to High Point
The fall market felt like a homecoming for several bedding manufacturers that had been absent for quite some time. Serta Simmons Bedding, Purple Innovation, Tempur Sealy International and Therapedic International all made their second consecutive High Point appearance, while Restonic welcomed retailers for the first time in 10 years and Kingsdown returned for the first time since 2019.
Several exhibitors,including those who returned to High Point, agreed that it’s important to have a presence at the show.
“The big decision-makers aren’t all going to Vegas,” said Mark Campbell, executive vice president of sales for Tennessee-based Johnson City Bed-ding, one of three Restonic owners. “I’ve seen a couple of large prospects that we would not have seen in Vegas. We can expose them to what we’re doing.”
Bedding Industry Strategic Partnerships and Licensing
Tough times make strange bedfellows (pun intended). Several prominent producers pooled their resources through collaborations, partnerships and licensing deals that allowed them to capitalize on existing retail and consumer appeal, increase brand awareness, and limit the risk and costs of bringing new product lines to market.
Kingsdown debuted its Margari-taville mattress collection made in partnership with Hooker Furnishings; Therapedic showcased its exclusive Tommy Bahama mattress line; and South Bay International’s showroom featured a collaboration with Cambridge Sleep Science’s Sleep Engine audio technology.
In addition to these product partnerships, a different kind of partnership has evolved in showrooms across High Point — space sharing, which allows mattresses to be shown with related furniture or technology. It’s fiscally smart, too.
Some examples include Diamond Mattress showing with Fashion Bed Group; Therapedic International with Soundstage USA; Restonic Corp. at Style Setters; Paramount Sleep Co. and Purecare showing together; and Customatic Sleep Technologies sharing with Beyond Smart, which provides some of the intellectual property Customatic puts in its products.
Luxury Bedding Programs for Interior Designers
Despite the industry’s sluggish sales, there is a growing consumer segment willing to pay more for luxury sleep experiences and white-glove service — the affluent clients of interior designers. Bedding manufacturers have recognized the potential in cultivating relationships with this audience, prompting Shifman Mattress Co., Saatva and Magniflex USA to launch new programs tailored to the needs of interior designers and their luxury clients.
Newark, New Jersey-based Shifman calls its program Design Concierge. “It’s a big easy button,” said Mark Quinn, senior vice president of sales and marketing. “Let us give you a great experience.”
Magniflex USA, based in Miami, is offering an affiliate program for designers that results in a win for the designer and their client. “We can do all of the work for the designer,” said Ian Hays, vice president of sales for North America.
Direct-to-consumer luxury brand Saatva has continued reaching out to interior designers with its offerings beyond the mattress, such as nightstands, table lamps, accent chairs and storage bed additions. “We can outfit an entire bedroom and beyond,” said Shari Ajayi, vice president of public relations for the New York-based brand.
New Mattress Launches and Product Refreshes
Most manufacturers reserve their major product launches for Las Vegas, but several companies introduced refreshes or expansions of existing lines to increase incremental purchases and keep retailers’ doors swinging. See our photo album on the following pages to take a look at some of the additions and redesigns.
“We have a lot of new and exciting products in the works for January market and Q1, but for now, we are focused on helping our retailers optimize their performance during the fourth quarter so they can finish the year strong,” said Jonah Nelson, director of brand experience at Farmdale, New York-based Bedgear.
“With traffic being down, we want to help our retailers capitalize on every opportunity,” said Derek Leishman, national sales director for Mlily USA, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. “We want to help them not just sell a mattress, but a complete sleep system. And by offering more accessories, it helps build a bigger ticket.”
In terms of trends, split-head mattresses are still popular with consumers, as are unique technologies. One exhibitor noted that black and navy beds are selling well. And cooling, it seems, will always be hot.
Strengthening Retailer Relationships at High Point
Many producers agreed with the grow-ing perception that a delineation is developing between the industry’s two major markets. Las Vegas remains the fast-paced, high-traffic, business-oriented show for new product launches, while the more relaxed cadence in High Point allows manufacturers to spend more time building relationships with retailers.
“The biggest difference is the volume and consistency of traffic,” Diamond’s Juoni said. “In High Point, you have more focused conversations. … It’s a missed opportunity if you’re not here. It’s already provided a return on investment.”
Konetzney pointed out the different types of buyers at the markets. “High Point is more furniture stores,” he said. “Las Vegas is more of a bedding market. (The January market) is usually our launching pad, and then as we get some feedback, we’ll come here in April with a more refined product. It’s taken some time for folks to realize that, oh, OK, I can also shop mattresses while I’m in High Point.”
Bill Bush, chief commercial officer for Natick, Massachusetts-based Customatic Sleep Technologies, compared Las Vegas Market to speed dating. “Here these markets are a little bit slower for us, but it’s consistent,” he said.
For the most part, those who showed at the market felt it was time well spent.
“This is not really a bedding market,” Bush said. “But is it productive? Absolutely.”
Bill Lane, vice president of southeast sales for Doraville, Georgia-based Serta, said he had seen a lot of customers. “It’s been fairly busy,” he said. “This has been a fun market.”
Note: All prices are suggested retail for a queen-size mattress only unless otherwise noted.
Restonic Returns to High Point with ComfortCare Refresh
After a 10-year hiatus, Las Vegas-based Restonic International Corp. returned to High Point Market with a space in the Style Setters showroom and previewed its ComfortCare refresh. The line ($599-$1,799) includes enhanced foams, enhanced surface technologies and a reinforced center, which is Restonic’s signature Marvelous Middle. Laurie To-karz, Restonic president (left), and Mark Campbell, executive vice president of sales for Johnson City Bedding, stand by a ComfortCare Hybrid Aeris series euro-top with a dual-cool cover, Aurora soft gel foam, Serene foam, encased coils and microcoils.
Magniflex Launches Bedding Affiliate Program for Designers
Magniflex rolled out a new designer affiliate program, which enables designers to sell the Italian luxury brand without having to understand the technical aspects of the mattress. “We can do all of the work for the designer,” said Ian Hays, vice president of sales for the Prato, Italy-based manufacturer. “We understand what’s important to people in sleep. We understand the design community and what’s important to designers, and we can be the catalyst to marry those two things together and make it really effortless for the designers.”
Purecare Debuts Customizable Cooling Pillows
Purecare packed a cool punch with pillows. Its Ombre Snowflake and Shattered Ice pillows can be filled with fiber, foam or shredded foam at its Phoenix facility. “The customized fills allows us to provide flexibility to the customer and to adjust a price point,” said Luzanne Burt, vice president of sales operations. “We really love the opportunity to partner with our customers and meet them where they are.”
Shifman Mattress Co. Debuts Design Concierge Program
Shifman Mattress Co. debuted Concierge by Shifman, a program that connects interior designers and their clients with a Shifman representative who will guide them through a personalized mattress selection. “Interior designers wear many hats for their clients — mattress expert doesn’t need to be one of them,” said Mark Quinn, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Newark, New Jersey-based manufacturer. Shifman also debuted a redesigned Inspired collection, featuring an Arts and Crafts aesthetic and created with interior designer feedback ($2,799-$7,499).
BIA Introduces Eastman House Heritage Line with New Firmness Scale
It was the Eastman House brand that took its turn starring in the “Your Comfort Selling System” lineup at the space of North Brunswick, New Jersey-based Bedding Industries of America. The system includes five of the same beds, with the only difference being feel. Customers can find their preferred firmness — from plushest (a one) to firmest (a five) — and then explore other BIA technologies with the same number. The Heritage, the latest Eastman House line ($999-$2,999), includes 25 models — five constructions in the five feels. The look is new, too, with a textured brown channel-stitched border, handles, tufted white floral PCM panel, and tan tape edge and gusset.
Saatva Celebrates 15th Anniversary and Team USA Partnership
Saatva is having a big year. In addition to celebrating its 15th anniversary, the New York-based bedding brand has opened its 27th retail location, said Shari Ajayi, Saatva vice president of public relations. The brand has been tapped as the “official mattress and restorative sleep provider of Team USA and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.” And at High Point, Saatva showcased its first Murphy bed mattress, as well as lighting, nightstands and other “beyond the mattress” items to appeal to designers “seeking products that help create the perfect sleep sanctuary,” Ajayi said.
Therapedic Showcases Tommy Bahama Collection and Audio Bases
Therapedic International, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, returned to the market with its latest Tommy Bahama mattress collection, a partnership that’s 15 years strong. “With strong brand recognition, luxury styling, and approachable price points, this collection is built to attract today’s savvy, comfort-focused consumer,” Therapedic noted in its newsletter. The six-bed line is priced from $999 to $2,999. At this market, Therapedic shared a space with Soundstage USA and showcased the Tommy Bahama line on the company’s audio-integrated bed bases.
Paramount Sleep Co. Redesigns Luxury Nature’s Spa Collection
Norfolk, Virginia-based Paramount Sleep Co. celebrated natural materials and luxury during the fall market. Paramount’s window display drew attention to its redesigned Nature’s Spa collection. The eight-bed line offers as many as 11 layered comfort and support components, including organic latex, copper-infused memory foam, high-density gel foam and a microcoil system, all topped with a Tencel cover ($2,499-$3,999). Also during the market, Paramount welcomed its partners from Hypnos and hosted an English tea service.
Mlily USA Introduces PowerCool and Serenity Pillow Programs
Knoxville, Tennessee-based Mlily USA introduced a four-pillow program that builds on its one-stop-shop strategy. The PowerCool series ($149) features cool-to-the-touch fabric and a ventilated Gel AeroFusion memory foam core to dissipate heat and moisture. The Serenity series ($79) pairs a soft-touch cover with bamboo charcoal memory foam and ventilation channels for natural breathability. Both collections include a classic version for any sleep position, and a contoured shoulder version for side sleepers.
A.W. Industries Debuts Highclere Models and Patriotic Collection
The Highclere brand is still riding high. The collection, inspired by “Downton Abbey,” now includes two new higher-end tufted models developed by Landover, Maryland-based A.W. Industries. With headquarters just outside of Washington, D.C., A.W. Industries also debuted a line that honors the nation’s 250th anniversary with patriotic ticking in red, white and blue, as well as clever pricing. A mattress retails for $776. A mattress and adjustable base — $1,776.
Kingsdown Launches Margaritaville Mattress Collection
Kingsdown debuted its Margaritaville mattress collection in partnership with Hooker Furnishings, the exclusive home furnishings licensee of the Margaritaville global lifestyle brand. The eight-model line includes six retail and two contract models, retailing from $999 to $2,999. The collection features ticking accentuated with parrot, palm tree and compass rose motifs to reflect the Margaritaville lifestyle. “The idea is to package this with Margaritaville — that’s the core of the program,” said Collin Shinabarker, key account manager for the Mebane, North Carolina-based mattress producer. “To build the beds, we used the normal chassis that we use in other products. The hardest part was selecting the borders and the material for approval. I think it’s beautiful.”
Bedgear Debuts M3 and M5 Night Ice Performance Mattresses
Farmingdale, New York-based Bedgear added four models to its Modular Hybrid mattress collection. The updated M3 Performance Mattress ($2,999) builds on the original M3’s core features with an upgraded aesthetic. The M5 Performance mattress ($3,999) has a pressure-relieving React comfort layer in a 14-inch profile, and the M3 Night Ice ($3,499) and M5 Night Ice Performance ($4,499) mattresses feature Ver-Tex instant-cooling covers and Cooling Active Cores. The M5 Night Ice adds a cooling React layer in a 14-inch profile.
