The winter market included everything from high-end luxury models to inexpensive sleep accessories
During the strongest market for new products in two years, mattress and sleep accessories producers rolled out extensive introductions at the Las Vegas Market Jan. 23-27.
New products appeared in virtually every bedding showroom, and some producers unveiled revamped versions of their existing bedding lines. Key themes in the introductions included an emphasis on high-end models, a focus on mattresses with sustainability stories, an expansion of offerings in the growing adjustable bed base category, a continuing “cool down” with new cool-sleeping mattresses and a proliferation of sleep accessories.
Bedding producers generally reported a busy market and said they anticipate good business this year.
Here’s a look at several key new introductions in bedding showrooms:
“Insane” Reviews
Woburn, Massachusetts-based bedding producer Spring Air International boosted the size of its showroom by 25% as it moved into Building A of the World Market Center. The company put the additional space to good use, rolling out a revamped seven-model Chattam & Wells line aimed at the luxury consumer, a flagship Back Supporter line with a new look and feel, Reserve by Spring Air with natural materials, and the Hope collection, designed to support Love Your Melon, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating pediatric cancers. Retailers loved the new showroom, said Nick Bates, Spring Air’s president, pictured with the Chattam & Wells line. “The reviews have been insane,” he said.
Perfectly Plush
Blu Sleep’s new Prestige foam pillow collection feels a little different from the company’s other offerings. “They are super plush for consumers that like the feel of a cozy memory foam pillow,” said Elizabeth Dell’Accio, vice president of the specialty sleep manufacturer with U.S. operations in Pompano Beach, Florida. “The top surface grid shape helps with air flow and pressure points, helping eliminate night wrinkles. As with all of our pillows, the Prestige collection include a cooling cover.” The $199 pillows come in coconut, graphite, lavender, lemon verbena and sandalwood. Blu Sleep also introduced a 3-inch Conforma Plus Topper made with graphite gel foam to complement its Conforma mattress collection.
A Good Match
GhostBed, an online mattress retailer and maker of boxed beds with headquarters in Plantation, Florida, served up its new line designed in collaboration with tennis superstar Venus Williams. She handpicked everything from the colors and ticking to the internal components. Featuring enhanced cooling and the new Venus FIT (far infrared technology) layer, the line includes six models — two for direct-to-consumer sales and four for wholesale channels. Retailing from $1,799 to $2,999, the collection is topped with a cooling cover made of 25% recycled plastic bottles.
Boosting Assets
Chicago-based bedding producer Englander said exciting products and strong marketing assets are the keys to success at retail this year and stepped forward on both fronts. Englander added three latex hybrids to its Supreme collection, such as its Camberwell (pictured), and unveiled key enhancements to its Englander Asset Manager, a retail partner portal. Mark Kinsley, Englander chief executive officer, said that the website is “packed with videos, 3D imagery, QR codes, product information and more.” Bedding newcomer Lifeloom showed with Englander and introduced its Frictionless Sleep System sheets, made from technical textiles to let sleepers move about more easily during the night.
Living Up to the Name
Five new models joined the Ernest Hemingway series at the Bedding Industries of America showroom — two in the Inspired collection and three in the Adventure collection. Steve Karns, regional vice president of the North Brunswick, New Jersey-based company, shows off one of the new Adventure beds. All feature a layer of latex over the company’s proprietary lumbar-zoned, 4-inch pocketed coil-on-coil design. The beds are dressed in imported Belgian damasks and quilted to GOTS-certified New Zealand wool. All the beds are coil-on-coil except the starter Adventure model, which features a single, 8-inch zoned, pocketed coil unit designed to hit a $999 retail price point.
How Cosmopolitan
Logicdata, an adjustable base maker with U.S. headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, debuted its Cosmo line of adjustable bed bases, with models named after the major cities of Austin, Sydney and Vienna. The streamlined Austin comes with head-up and foot-up features, USB ports, underbed lighting and wireless connection to a proprietary app. The entry-level, easy-to-assemble Sydney is designed for young, urban households and ships in a single box. The Vienna, the line’s flagship product, “reflects the timeless elegance and sophistication of its namesake,” according to the company. It features a multisetting massage function and wall hugging to keep nightstands within reach.
“Genius” Moves
Intellibed, a Salt Lake City, Utah-based mattress company, introduced new generations of its Sleep Genius Smart Base and Sleep Genius program. The smart base, retailing at $1,699, targets a more competitive price point and treats sleep issues rather than simply tracking them, said Colin House, chief executive officer. The adjustable integrates proprietary Sleep Genius soundtracks to promote better sleep. The Sleep Genius app features a new look and enhanced functionality to allow sleepers to customize their sleeping experience. “The reaction to our new base was overwhelmingly positive,” said Bryant Looper, vice president of national accounts.
New System Dawns
Ergomotion, the Santa Barbara, California-based bedding producer, introduced several new adjustable bed bases, including ErgoSportive, the first adjustable base and smartbed with Garmin watch connectivity and featuring noncontact health sensors, the company said. Debuting too is Dawn House, a direct-to-consumer brand being distributed to brick-and-mortar retailers, as well. That sleep system, retailing at $5,999 in queen, is designed to support consumers as they age with safety and convenience features that can be shared with the family through a mobile app. “This sleep system fits the specific needs of consumers as they age, but doesn’t have an institutional look,” says Gui Peres, president of Ergomotion’s wellness division.
Big New House
Corsicana Mattress, a Dallas-based bedding producer, moved into a new 21,000-square-foot showroom and took advantage of those roomier quarters to introduce several new lines, including an expanded American Bedding group. The collection features 11 new mattresses with all-natural, graphite-infused foam in profiles ranging from 12 to 15 inches. Corsicana also added the Renue Adapti-Gel collection. The matrix-style design provides enhanced breathability and temperature regulation, according to Michael Thompson, chief executive officer. Symbol Mattress, acquired by Corsicana in 2021, also showed in the new space.
Eco-Friendly Mattresses
Sealy,one of the flagship brands of Lexington, Kentucky-based bedding major Tempur Sealy International Inc., introduced an eco-friendly mattress line under the Sealy Naturals banner. The mattresses feature natural latex and ethically harvested wool, with covers made from a blend of materials, including soft hemp and organic cotton. Sealy is pursuing independent, third-party certifications that will ensure the new mattresses are made with quality materials that are responsibly sourced and environmentally responsible, the company said. Retails begin at $3,499. “The reaction to the Sealy Naturals line has been very positive,” said Steve Rusing, president of U.S. sales.
Sleep Essentials
David Jaffe, chief executive officer of Cleveland-based bedding and sleep accessories supplier Rize, was struck by the large displays of sleep items in drug stores and realized that mattress retailers should be offering those products. That’s the idea behind Rize Sleep Essentials, a line that includes diffusers, essential oils, five sleep masks, candles, silk pillowcases, and CBD and melatonin products. “How can mattress retailers not be in this business?” he asked. “We want to be part of consumers’ sleep solutions.” Retail prices for the new line range from $15 to $80.
“Really Cool”
Ashley, an Arcadia, Wisconsin-based home furnishings major with a growing mattress business, added four cool-sleeping mattresses to its lineup as the company brought back the Millennium brand for the new models. The new models, which include two hybrids and two memory foam designs, range from $1,499 to $1,799. The beds feature the tagline: “There’s Cool. Then There’s Really Cool.” Brad Rogers, senior vice president of Ashley’s bedding division, said traffic at Ashley was “incredible” and adds that retailers like the new Millennium models. “The response has been extremely positive,” he said.
Emma’s Entry
Emma, a Frankfurt, Germany-based direct-to-consumer mattress company, made its inaugural showing at the Las Vegas Market with bedding veteran Scott Smalling leading the company’s North American launch. Smalling, named chief commercial and innovation director for North America (pictured right, with Vince Passanisi, Emma’s executive vice president of sales), said he came away “pleasantly surprised” by the heavy traffic Emma generated at the market. The company is looking for brick-and-mortar partners in the United States and met with several leading retailers, Smalling said. The boxed Emma line retails from $1,299 to $3,999 and includes models with a dial that consumers can use to change the firmness of the mattress.
Streamlined
Adjustable base supplier Reverie introduced the R480 and R380, two new foldable power base models redesigned for a simpler and quicker setup. “When we looked at what was currently out there on the market, we decided we wanted to make simplicity our goal,” said John Wanat, Reverie vice president of sales. “The setup time is extremely quick — unfold, put the legs on, plug it in, and you’re done.” The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based company also debuted the Customer Convenience Hub, a handheld device that connects to the control box of the power base and features USB ports for consumers to charge their devices.
Peak Hybrids
Malouf is taking its mattress line to new heights with Peak, the premium offering in the Logan, Utah-based sleep accessories and bedding company’s three-tier Malouf mattress program. The hybrid mattresses, retailing at about $3,000, feature a responsive AltiCoil layer with hundreds of individually encased miniature coils adapt to the body. They are topped with a HyperChill cover, with specially engineered threads, says Malouf’s Dani Richards. Malouf also expanded its sleep accessories portfolio with the addition of Linen-Weave Cotton Sheets, targeting the “attainable luxury” consumer.
Igloo Cool
Magniflex, an Italian bedding producer with U.S. headquarters in Miami, debuted six updated collections featuring temperature-regulating, antibacterial fabrics and the company’s Dual Core technology, which allows for a choice between soft and medium-soft comfort on opposite sides of the bed. One of the hits of the show, said Silvia Galasso, vice president of operations, was the refreshed MagniCool line, shown in an igloo-like room. The MagniCool line features a layer of phase-change material and is offered in four new models. The MagniCool line starts at $1,599.
Artful Insignia
Mebane, North Carolina-based Kingsdown introduced its Insignia collection, designed to provide a strong combination of high-performance comfort foams and premium coil innersprings. The models in the six-bed lineup feature more than 1,000 wrapped coils and gel-infused foam. All include the company’s Full Body Surround Edge Support System, which uses high-density foam to provide an edge-to-edge sleep surface. New equipment enables the company to quilt dense foams directly to the mattress cover, and scroll quilting helps resist body impressions, said Frank Hood, chief executive officer.
Touting Tufting
Making its first foray into tufted bedding, Southerland, a Nashville, Tennessee-based bedding independent, introduced its revamped Evolution collection, designed to help its dealers fill price gaps in their lines. The new Evolution NXT line offers enhanced aesthetics, including the tufting design that provides additional zoned support. The line also highlights a new style of quilted side panels and profiles ranging from 14 ½ inches to 16 inches. “The relaunch of the Evolution NXT collection offers our retail partners an exclusive brand that appeals to a luxury consumer,” said Bryan Smith, chief executive officer.
Pure Bliss
King Koil, with U.S. headquarters in Willowbrook, Illinois, stretched out in a new 12,000-square-foot showroom perfect for its new line of premium latex mattresses, PureBliss by King Koil. Created in partnership with latex provider Talalay Global, the six-model line includes three hand-tufted, traditional quilted mattresses with tri-zone graphite Talalay latex and more than 900 encased coils, and three latex core mattresses in a split-head design that coordinates with the iMotion adjustable base. Suggested retail prices range from $3,199 to $4,999.
Introducing Immunity
Highlighted by a dramatic wall banner and bright signage, Princeton, New Jersey-based Therapedic International introduced its Immunity collection, which Chief Executive Officer Gerry Borreggine said is right for these Covid-19 times with a copper-packed construction that touts health benefits. The collection ranges from $999 to $2,499. The Immunity line won positive reviews earlier in test showings in major markets, the company said. Also new from Therapedic are additional mattresses in the Tommy Bahama line, dressed in earth-tone fabrics with leatherlike accents. They offer cool-sleeping technology and a sustainability story.
Picture Perfect
The “secret gem of San Francisco” made its national debut in the new McRoskey Mattress Works showroom. “Our team has done a stellar job of creating an art gallerylike experience that connects the soul of the handcrafted McRoskey brand with the Artistry of Sleep,” said Rion Morgenstern, the chief executive officer of Fresno, California-based Pleasant Mattress, which owns the McRoskey brand. The new McRoskey line includes two collections, the Modern, with an all-natural construction, and the Classic, with the brand’s proprietary open-coil design.
Calling Side Sleepers
Renaissance Elevated Sleep Technology, a Miami Springs, Florida-based bedding supplier, made its first Las Vegas Market showing and highlighted its flagship five-model adjustable bed base line. All the bases include a side-sleeper feature, which raises the head and foot of the bed to give side sleepers a comfortable night’s sleep. The bases are lightweight, foldable models that retail from $699 to $1,499, said Paris Fealy, who describes himself as chief executive officer and “servant leader.” “Guiding our way at R.E.S.T. is a servant heart to our global partners, as well as philanthropic efforts in the communities in which we live and do business,” he said.
Let it Snow
Casper Sleep, the New York-based direct-to-consumer brand also distributed through brick-and-mortar stores, has added several new sleep accessories to its mix, including the Snoozewear Robe ($169), Snoozewear Slippers ($59) and a Snoozewear Sleep Mask ($49). The company also introduced a foam pillow with Snow Technology, which adds new cooling features to Casper’s most supportive pillow. Casper’s Bryan Umiker, vice president of wholesale, said the Snow Technology, which features HeatDelete Bands, has been “extremely well-received” by consumers and the company’s retail partners.
Chalet Cache
Brooklyn Bedding, a Phoenix-based mattress manufacturer and retailer, sees growth opportunities at mattress price points under $2,000 and brought out the Chalet series of mattresses to address that market. The beds, retailing from $1,499 to $1,999, feature a design of copper-infused memory foam and Talalay latex and are offered roll packed or flat packed, said John Merwin, chief executive officer. The Chalet mattresses are part of the company’s 40 Winks line.
All Together Now
Diamond Mattress wants to help retailers by offering a customizable Bedding Bundle. With two memory foam cooling pillows, a waterproof mattress protector and a sheet set, the bundle retails for $245 in queen size and comes in a box that can be customized with the retailer’s brand. The waterproof protector can be sold separately for $48. The Rancho Dominquez, California-based manufacturer also highlighted its Ultra Cool mattress protector with “a whisper-quiet waterproof backing,” according to the company. It retails for $108.
SSA Showroom
The Specialty Sleep Association hosted 19 companies during its “show within a show” at the SSA showroom. Four of the exhibitors were international players, including Emma (see page 148), Sheela Foam Ltd., Pelmex, and Covestro Niaga. The Niaga (“again” spelled backward) mattress from the Netherlands touts a sustainability story, said Ward Mosmuller, Niaga’s director of partnerships and coalitions (bottom left). Also exhibiting in the SSA space was Madrid-based BedLine, represented by bedding veteran Scott Frisch of Discover Sleep (bottom right), who said the company’s line of beds with storage space will be finished in the United States. The SSA’s strong European contingent also included Eurolux Living (formerly BestRest), led by Juan Gonzalez, president. Its offerings included the Harmony (top), which combines Italian fabrics and foams, German coil designs, and Swiss essential elements in an aromatherapy layer.
