“Take 5” | Even More Sustainable Foam

CertiPUR-US Program Executive Director Michael Crowell and Helen Sullivan, CertiPUR-US communications counsel, share a new 25% biobased foam certification. They also discuss how mattress manufacturers can leverage certified foams in their marketing plans to increase sales. The two announced the new biobased certification at the recent ISPA Sustainability Conference.

Transcript

Waynette Goodson
It’s Waynette Goodson. I’m your managing editor of BedTimes and Sleep Savvy magazines. And welcome to this edition of “Take 5.” Today, we have Helen Sullivan and Michael Crowell with the CertiPUR-US program. You all made a big announcement concerning foam. So tell us about that.

Michael Crowell
We did. On September eight, we announced that we launched our new Biobased 25% Biobased foam family that we’re adding to the CertiPur lineup. So, anyone who is producing foam that has a product that is 25% or more will be analyzed by an independent lab for the bio content, in addition to meeting all the other standards for CertiPUR that they do now.

Waynette Goodson
Do you really think these new Biobased foams will catch on and become important to the industry?

Michael Crowell
We do definitely because there’s been a need for a product, and in the past, it’s been very not regulated. So people could make claims about having bio content, but now they will have to meet the same rigorous standards of our program but also be tested by an independent lab that does bio content.

Helen Sullivan
I think it’s going to take off because we hear from consumers every day, and they care what they bring into their homes. They love the fact that when they buy something with certified foam, they know it was made without formaldehyde. It was made without chemicals of concern. We screen for a lot of chemicals and are very transparent. Everything is on our website and our technical guidelines.

And when people know that they can buy a certified biobased foam, I think they will be very excited. Absolutely. Yeah.

Waynette Goodson
What can manufacturers know? How can they leverage, you know, certified foams just in general?

Helen Sullivan
I think there’s so much they can do. You know, we do a little mystery shopping, and we’re a little sneaky. We call companies to ask if their foam is certified. Sometimes, we know that it is, but sometimes the chat line on the website or the person in the store doesn’t know, and they miss a sale because we get emails every day, every day, every day from consumers.

And by and large, the most common thread of those conversations is, Hey, I was told the foam is CertiPUR-US certified in this mattress I want to buy. But I don’t see this company in your online directory. Consumers go to check. Now, we have a lot of mattress manufacturers and retailers who are listed in there, but many aren’t, or they haven’t taken advantage of the fact that the listings are free.

Waynette Goodson
Free. Everyone.

Helen Sullivan
Free. Free. You know, we have an online certificate course that people can take. It’s free. We have materials that are free on our website so that when somebody goes to a store, and they ask the salesperson, Is the foam certified? It’s really great if that salesperson can talk with credibility and authority.

Waynette Goodson
Right. It’s all about, you know, as a storyteller myself, it’s all about not just doing it, not just becoming sustainable. You have to tell it. You have to tell that sustainability story. Well, I’m just going to shake both your hands. Thank you so much for all of the information, and thank you all for tuning in. And as always, have a great night’s sleep.