Taking a Gamble

After a sluggish summer market, retailers headed back to Las Vegas — and it paid off.

The past few Las Vegas markets have been unpredictable in terms of payoff — much like the locale’s casinos. Retailers returned Jan. 29-31, unsure of what to expect, but there seemed to be a bit of an upswing. 

“This past market was refreshing, as it was the first in the past several that had a strong vibe about it,” said Gerry Borreggine, CEO and president of Princeton, New Jersey-based Therapedic International. “The people shopping it were upbeat and positive. When the market is strong, it trickles over, and into our space. So, our traffic was good. And best of all, the retailers’ response to our new Nyx and updated Agility lines was very strong.”

If there was a chill at market, it wasn’t just on the walkways between the buildings at World Market Center. Cooling sleep was one of the show’s biggest trends, as seen in phase-change material, cool-to-the-touch covers and even beds with built-in machines to create an active cooling experience for sleepers. Lexington, Kentucky-based Tempur-Pedic showcased its Tempur-Activebreeze smart bed that boasts an AI integrated app. Technology was another standout, with connected smartbeds, paired apps that monitor users’ health measurements and adjustable bases with sound-powered massages.

Interestingly, for all the cutting-edge tech, it seemed there were just as many products that eschewed it altogether in favor of natural materials and components. Paramount Sleep Co. showcased a refreshed sleep series with cotton sourced near its Norfolk, Virginia headquarters. And the relatively new, women-owned brand Williams Co. featured a zippable mattress that allows for replaceable, individual layers to combat waste. 

Retailers were also top-of-mind for manufacturers at market. “We had some new models that dealers are really interested in seeing in terms of optimizing their assortments for this year,” said Ali Bowen, director of brand management for Stearns & Foster. The Tempur Sealy International-owned brand expanded its Lux Estate and Estate collections with two new models. 

Sleep Savvy editors spotted another boost for retailers in Purecare’s showroom. The Phoenix-based sleep products company showcased three new merchandising bundles with products from the brand’s popular collaboration with Dr. Andrew Weil.

Despite the uncertain feeling headed into market, it seemed to be a winning hand overall. Turn the page to see highlights from the show.

Inspired by the Gods

Therapedic International’s showroom was buzzing with activity over its new line, Nyx. Inspired by the Greek goddess of night, the four-model collection (two pillow tops and two tight tops) features 100% organic cotton fabrics, 100% organic latex and Joma Memory Wool. “Primarily, Nyx strengthens our upper-end offerings. We will position it at the top of our collections,” said Gerry Borreggine, president and CEO of Princeton, New Jersey-based Therapedic. “It touts a high-quality story — with a natural and organic angle — that dealers can easily communicate at the point of sale. The product made a strong visual impact with dealers at the market, as well. Retailers gave the line high marks on aesthetics and consumer appeal. We are very excited about bringing it to retailers throughout the country,” he said. Nyx retails from $2,499 to $2,999.

Embracing All-Natural Latex

Responding to demand for more eco-friendly mattresses at a more affordable price, Bedding Industries of America debuted its Embrace Sleep collection. The new line of latex mattresses features three models, both split-head queen and king versions, in 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch heights. Constructed using Global Organic Latex Standard-certified Dunlop latex, the line retails from $2,500 in queen. “We have a beautiful cotton cover and an all-natural FR solution, no fiberglass, no chemical flame retardant,” said Jared Carlitz, co-owner of the North Brunswick, New Jersey-based company. “A lot of customers are looking for something that’s more natural, and latex is the most durable, luxurious comfort layer in the industry.”

Whole Sleep

Paramount Sleep Co. refreshed its Hypnos program by introducing the new Hypnos Whole Sleep collection, featuring a cotton series and a wool series. At market, Paramount spotlighted Cotton 8, a model with a heavy-duty edge and a redesigned coil unit with a comfort core. “Hypnos is a luxury mattress where comfort and support are derived from natural and sustainable componentry and upholstery materials, with no poly foam or visco foam anywhere in the construction,” said Steven Maddox, director of sales for the Norfolk, Virginia-based company. Cotton 6, Cotton 7, Cotton 8 and Cotton PT retail for $2,999, $3,599, $4,499 and $5,999, respectively.

Return to Earth

To highlight its popular Dr. Andrew Weil collection, Phoenix-based sleep accessories brand Purecare debuted three new bundles for retailers packaged inside woven baskets, which nod to the line’s natural inspiration. There’s the Cotton & Kapok bundle (Perfect Kapok pillows, Garment Washed Percale sheet & pillowcase set and a Signature mattress protector); the Hemp & Down bundle (Chambered Down pillows, Relaxed Hemp sheet set & pillowcase set and Signature mattress protector); and the Linen & Wool bundle (All Seasons wool pillows, Blended Linen sheet set & pillowcase set and Signature mattress protector).

Keeping It Cool

“We focus on three key consumer needs: aches and pain relief, snore response and hot sleep,” said Natalie Kustelski, brand manager for Tempur Sealy International Inc. Inside the packed showroom, the Lexington, Kentucky-based mattress and sleep products manufacturer displayed its new three-model Tempur-Adapt mattress collection for advanced pressure relief, which starts at $2,199. Also on the floor, the new Tempur-Activebreeze smart bed, with dual-zone climate controls, which allows for personalization for sleep partners and delivers a sleep temperature range of as much as 30 degrees*. Sleepers can choose from low, medium or high cooling or even bed warming. It’s integrated with Sleeptracker-AI, the company’s app that tracks sleep quality and can make recommendations for a better night’s sleep. An adjustable set retails for $9,998.

Putting It on Auto Pilot

Diamond Mattress took off into the smart bed category with Auto Pilot. Controlled by a wireless remote or an app, the mattress uses smart bed technology to help provide deeper, more restorative sleep by adapting to the sleeper throughout the night. “We had to find the right materials and layers so that you get a really good-feeling mattress while you still feel the adaptability of the smart cells underneath,” said Patrick Wolf, vice president of sales and education at the Rancho Dominguez, California-based company. Wolf said the company found the right formula, with the right amount of high-quality foams, “and the feedback has been fantastic about the comfort because of those layers.”

Foray Into Foam

E.S. Kluft & Co. enhanced its luxe mattress portfolio with the nine-bed Pinnacle collection, a new line from its Aireloom brand. Six of the beds are made with memory foam comfort and support layers. The other three hybrid versions contain both an innerspring core and memory foam. “We’re entering a new category with our luxury specialty collection,” said Magali Castillo, vice president of marketing for the Rancho Cucamonga, California-based company. “This addition to our innerspring and latex products provides our retailers with more options for their luxury-minded consumers. And, so far, the feedback has been extremely positive.”

Coming Up Copper

Spring Air International launched a Sleep Copper collection including three beds with NatuVerex cover fabric. Designed to help sleepers recover faster, the material contains a high copper content that can help reduce inflammation. Beneath the knit cover, the designs feature varying depths of either copper-infused memory foam or copper-infused latex. Suggested retails range from $1,599 to $2,599. “There’s copper in the top panel and there’s also copper in the foams,” said Nick Bates, president of the Woburn, Massachusetts-based licensing group. “But the benefit comes from the 30% copper content that’s in the cover, and these mattresses are also very, very comfortable. … It’s been one of the best picked-up lines in the showroom.”

Stepping Up at Serta

To clearly define its product lineup and offer a step-up value proposition that’s easy for consumers to understand — and for retailers to drive sales — Serta Simmons Bedding LLC rolled out a comprehensive new Serta collection. The six mattress lines offer increasing benefits from the entry-level foam Serta Classic ($399) to the latex-loaded iComfortPro ($4,999). “A key differentiator is the zoned comfort. We provide exceptional ergonomic and anatomic support based on the fact that our bodies are five-zoned,” said Tim Oakhill, chief marketing officer of the Doraville, Georgia-based company. “We’ve designed the beds with support characteristics that are identical to how we’re built anatomically.” (Serta’s Cameron MacLaughlan points to a display of the premium all-foam five ZoneResponse design in the Serta iComfortPro.)