CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio – Organic mattress maker Naturepedic has installed a new roll-packing machine that will cut down on the company’s use of plastic packaging.

The new roll-packing machine wraps the mattresses, comfort layers and toppers in kraft paper helping to keep 55,000 pounds of plastic out of landfills each year, the company said. The paper is free of coatings and is fully recyclable.

“The mattress industry is not perfect, even organic mattress brands like ours, and sometimes plastic packaging materials are unavoidable,” said Jason Cik, Naturepedic co-founder and chief operating officer. “However, Naturepedic is committed to using the safest, healthiest and most sustainable materials we can secure in both our products and packaging. Switching to kraft paper roll-packing is a huge win for the environment.”

According to the U.S. State Department’s Organization for Economic and Co-operation and Development, plastic production will triple by 2060. Currently, more than 350 million metric tons of plastic waste is produced each year.

In addition to the new kraft paper packaging, Naturepedic’s packaging will also feature printing done with environmentally safe soy inks, using outside printers that use FSC-certified paper, printing labels on FSC-certified or recycled paper, sourcing cardboard packaging with high amounts of recycled content and printing locally as much as possible to reduce its carbon footprint.

Founded more than 20 years ago as a manufacturer of certified-organic mattresses and other sleep products, Naturepedic is a member of Organic Trade Assn. and 1% for the Planet.

See also:

• Newest Naturepedic store moves brand closer to 25 stores by end of 2023
• Naturepedic expands organic pillow lineup by 3

The post What organic mattress brand is shunning plastic packaging for recyclable paper? appeared first on Furniture Today.

HIGH POINT — Bedding manufacturers showing at the just-wrapped fall market came armed with products to help retailers pull consumers into their stores.

As one of the more recession-proof categories in the home furnishings industry, mattresses tend to be traffic drivers for retailers keeping consumers coming through store doors. With retail remaining soft, dealers are eager to boost traffic, and mattress makers were in High Point with products to help.

From higher-end goods to beds designed with sharp pricing for promotions, High Point’s bedding scene offered options to help retailers weather the economic ebb and flow of business. Bedding manufacturers acknowledged that the bedding segment has returned to its traditional seasonal, promotion-driven cycle with bumps in business occurring around the holidays when mattresses are typically hyped.

Shifman Mattress Co.’s six-model Quilted collection with pricing beginning at $1,599 and spanning up to $2,999 in queen. Known for its luxury lineup, Shifman’s Quilted collection gives retailers the ability to sell consumers a handmade, two-sided Shifman bed crafted with natural cotton and other upscale materials at an attainable price point.

“We do have affordable price points,” said Bill Hammer, president, adding that the collection makes the brand accessible to more consumers. “We’re giving the customer the best value at attainable price point with all of the quality Shifman is known for.”

For Mlily USA, the market was all about pitching value, said Glenn Kobylarczyk, executive vice president. Highlighting the hybrid Onyx collection with its under $1,000 story with the three-model collection with 12-, 13-, and 14-inch profiles, the company offered retailers a luxury look in aggressive price points that also can deliver on a healthy margin, he said.

“We’ve not seen one retailer that hasn’t said business is down and soft,” Kobylarczyk said. “They need product that will help bring customers through the door, and Onyx has delivered that.”

In the Ashley showroom, Brad Rogers, senior vice president of bedding for the company, said dealers were on the prowl for “values. They have been looking to replace slots with value product,” and Ashley was ready across a myriad of price points.

Rogers said the company’s $1,299 to $1,799 family of mattresses were a strong value, while lower priced goods ranging from $799 to $399 were targeting the promotional consumer. In addition to its new mattress lineup, the company also introduced a broad selection of sleep accessories to help retailers boost tickets.

Paramount Sleep Co. addressed a number of segments at the market with an expanded Back Performance line featuring MX advanced memory foam priced to retail between $1,399 and $1,999; finessed its three-bed luxury Legacy collection targeting $5,000 to $10,000 market; refined its Joma Wool Kiwi collection priced to retail from $1,999 to $2,999; and unveiled the new four-model Hypnos Cotton collection with cotton sourced from Virginia.

Richard Fleck, Paramount president, said retailer reaction to the products was strong during market.

“We’ve seen majors, designers and independent retailers,” he said, adding that the category is facing a lot of issues in the upcoming year, including the Tempur Sealy acquisition of Mattress Firm. “Everyone is looking to see what the landscape will look like in 2024 and beyond. Retailers are looking to maximize customer acquisition. It’s important to figure out your niche and stay in it to succeed.”

See also:

• Artaban, Elements International highlight strategic bedding partnership in High Point
• Bedding Industries of America expands Wellness collection at High Point Market

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OAK LAWN, Ill. – Restonic Mattress Corp. is teaming up with WomenCertified to sponsor a 30-minute webinar on selling to women.

Set for Nov. 14, Delia Passi, CEO and founder of WomenCertified, will share insights on connecting with female consumers in advance of the Black Friday selling season. The webinar is an extension of a 2022 sleep research survey Restonic and WomenCertified conducted on women’s sleep habits and mattress buying experiences during the pandemic.

Survey results were shared with Restonic retailers to help them better understand the sleep challenges and mattress buying preferences of female customers.

“Restonic was the first mattress brand to earn the Women’s Choice Award, and its dedication is truly commendable,” Passi said. “We are proud to have the company as partners in our mission to empower women in the marketplace, and we eagerly anticipate helping the retail community achieve success during their Black Friday events.”

Passi, an author, founder and consultant, works with Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Harley-Davidson and General Motors. Her expertise revolves around understanding the expectations of female consumers, identifying their motivations and enhancing customer service to foster long-term loyalty. Passi’s speaking approach combines humor and practical tips to help sales professionals deliver exceptional experiences to female customers.

“In recent years, the rapidly changing digital landscape has transformed how customers connect with and interact with brands and retailers throughout their purchasing journey,” said Julia Rosien, vice president brand and digital marketing Restonic. “Delia’s insights into how women shop for mattresses will provide us with a better understanding of customer expectations, ultimately leading to a smoother buying experience and sustainable growth for our retailers.”

The webinar will be hosted via Zoom.

See also:

• Restonic, Advance Foam expand reach into this fast-growing Latin American country
• Here’s how Restonic is pitching in to help the environment one tree at a time

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DORAVILLE, Ga. – Bedding industry veteran Shawn Slattery  is making a return to the bedding brand he worked with for more than 23 years.

Slattery has been named senior vice president for Eastern region for Serta Simmons Bedding. He worked with the Simmons Bedding Co. from 1995 until 2019 as a regional vice president of sales. From Simmons, Slattery joined Peak Living as executive vice president of sales and most recently has been vice president of national accounts for Resident Home.

In his new position with Serta Simmons, he reports to Dominick Azevedo, chief sales officer, who joined the company earlier this year.

“Shawn is a leader in the industry and drove big success in his previous time at our organization,” Azevedo said. “I’m excited for him to hit the ground running, motivating our team, connecting with our retail partners and igniting our sales.”

Slattery leads Eastern region sales for the company, and Erik Brandt, senior vice president, is responsible for the company’s sales in the West region. He also reports to Azevedo.

See also:

• Charlie Eitel in as CEO, Huff out as Serta Simmons reshuffles management
• Serta Simmons updates and expands key lines, adds new marketing campaign

The post Serta Simmons names 30-year mattress industry sales executive as SVP appeared first on Furniture Today.

FRANKFURT, Germany – Next year’s Heimtextil expo continues to grow, with the number of exhibitors now up more than 8% over the show’s January 2023 edition, which marked the event’s first full return since the pandemic.

The trade fair has now registered more than 2,600 exhibitors, building on the 2,400 companies that showed at the previous show. Heimtextil 2024 will take place from Jan. 9-12 at the Messe Frankfurt complex.

Here’s what to expect:

• The “Asian Excellence” and “Asian Selection” sectors for home textiles will have a strong showing. The top 4 exhibiting nations are China/Hong Kong, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
• The “Decorative & Furniture Fabrics” segment will showcase more than 300 weavers of decorative and upholstery fabrics.
• A large number of international brands and companies have also confirmed their participation in the “Smart Bedding” product area in Hall 11.0, including Advansa, Badenia Bettcomfort, Brinkhaus, Heinrich Häussling & Centa Star & Frankenstolz Schlafkomfort, John Cotton, Lenzing, Sasa Polyester, Sanders-Kauffmann, Traumina, Velamen and Wendre.
• The “Bed & Bath” area in Hall 12 has drawn “strong participation” from Portugal, Turkey and Egypt. Hall 12.0 will also feature well-known brands such as Bedding House, Corn. van Dijk, Klaus Herding, Sorema, Veritas, Welspun, Wülfing and Zorlu.
• The “Fibres & Yarns” area for decorative and upholstery fabrics is returning to Hall 4.0 on a larger scale to service fabric and curtain manufacturers, weavers, product developers and designers.
• The new “Carpets & Rugs” product segment in Hall 5.1 will debut with more than 90 exhibitors. Products will include fitted, handmade and custom-made carpets, machine-made woven carpets, mats and dirt-absorbing carpets, as well as rugs and runners.

“Heimtextil provides a bundled and therefore efficient market overview of all global trends in the home and contract textiles industry on a central platform over four days,” said Olaf Schmidt, vice president of textiles and textile technologies for show organizer Messe Frankfurt.

See also:

• 5 quick findings from Heimtextil’s new textile trend forecast for 24/25
• Heimtextil appoints new director for home textiles

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AUBURN, Maine – A six-store mattress and appliance retailer located here has partnered with Gold Bond on a buy-one-give-one charity promotion that will benefit a recovery and rehabilitation center with new mattresses.

For every Private Reserve mattress Agren Appliance sells from Gold Bond’s Coastal Haven collection, the mattress maker will donate a twin-sized mattress to Portland, Maine-based Providence Recovery Resources.  The organization works with men and women to offer a range of recovery-based programs including 28-day in-patient treatment to long-term sober living houses.

The promotion will run through the end of the year.

Agren’s team contacted Gold Bond about the program following an employee’s stay at the Providence Recovery Resource facility.

“When we experienced the amazing work that Providence is able to do, we wanted to help others in the community benefit from their program,” said Stephen Taylor, Agren’s mattress department manager. “Gold Bond is a great partner for us, both in terms of the quality, training and service they provide with their product, but equally important is their commitment to our community. We are grateful for their support.”

The mattress collection in the promotion feature two-sided, adjustable-base friendly mattresses made with Leggett & Platt’s 1950 Zoned Quantum Coil units, layers of zoned nano coils and Carpenter’s Aurora foam. Higher-end models also feature Talalay organic latex.

“We have a had a long history of supporting our retailers and the local communities where they do business, so we were very happy to partner with Agren to help this worthy cause,” said Bob Naboicheck, Gold Bond CEO. “Agren is an important example of a strong independent retailer who cares about its customers and communities, and we happy to support them in this program.”

Agren broke ground this summer on a new, $9.5 million distribution center set to be fully operational in 2024.

See also:

• Have mattress heights gotten too high for aging consumers? See what Gold Bond thinks
• Here’s why Gold Bond turned to budget-friendly organic fabric to futon line

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PUEBLO, Colo. – The growing sleep franchise network Snooze Mattress Co. has named mattress retail veteran Darrell Bain to its team as maximization coach to lead sales training and to ensure brand consistency throughout the nine-store retail operation.

The coach position is a new slot for the company. Prior to joining Snooze, Bain spent 20 years with Denver Mattress Co., part of Denver-based Furniture Row’s family of retail brands, where he helped expand the company to more than 100 stores in 31 states. As the retailer’s regional manager, Bain was engaged in training and developing teams throughout the retailer’s network of stores. He retired from Denver Mattress in 2018. Before joining Denver Mattress, Bain worked in sales for Frito-Lay and Entenmann’s.

Bain’s appointment marks Snooze’s second executive appointment this year. Joe Paviglianti  joined the company in July as its chief success officer.

“This is one of the best guys in the world, and one of the best sales trainers,” said Matt Smith, CEO and founder of Snooze Mattress Co. “His superpower is helping people find their why, making stores successful and changing their lives. Darrell’s ability to manage people from all backgrounds is the best in the business. He is all about the customer’s needs, not just selling a bed. He’s data-driven, full of love and hugs, and he understands people, plus he is on the same mission as Snooze: to make the world a better place through sleep.”

Smith and Bain worked together at Denver Mattress in the late 1990s when Bain was Smith’s boss. George Winn, Snooze president, and Eric Thompson, the company’s sales and marketing president, also worked for Bain at Denver Mattress.

Bain said he jumped at the opportunity to come out of retirement to work with Smith, the Snooze leadership team and the retailer’s franchisees.

“We have a great core group of people; they’re all good human beings,” he told Furniture Today. “It’s a different ballgame working with franchise owners and coaching their teams to success. If someone is going to go to a mattress store and buy a mattress, there’s no reason they shouldn’t buy it from us.”

Founded in 2019, the company has ambitious growth plans targeting 1,000 stores. Smith said Snooze will have 13 stores opened by the end of this year.

See also: Pajamas, pillows and bouncing on the bed: Think Snooze

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The fall High Point Market is behind us, and the next market on the horizon is in Las Vegas, Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2024. Any company exhibiting at the January market is welcome to participate in our coverage of your market introductions and highlighted product. The deadline for sending information and photos about your company’s new product is Friday, Dec. 15.

Having those introductions covered in Furniture Today is made easy with our online product submission form. Use the drop-down menu to select “Winter Las Vegas.” Photos are welcome (up to 10 per company), product information is a must, and we’d love to hear about new programs and other company updates.
Reminder: This link is new for 2024 markets.

Here’s what you do:

• PHOTOS: You may submit high-resolution photos for consideration. Be sure to include information for every image. Image size must be at least 4 inches wide at 300 dpi.
• TO UPLOAD DIGITALLY, go to this link at furnituretoday.com/products (new for the 2024 markets), and enter information into appropriate product categories along with product description for any photos you may be submitting. Drag image files into the space at the bottom of the form. You may use the description box on the form or include a text document along with the image files. Be sure to include information for every image.

In addition, Furniture Today welcomes press releases about product, programs and personnel.  Press releases may be emailed to Managing Editor Vicky Jarrett at vjarrett@furnituretoday.com. Please include your company name in the subject line.

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GREENVILLE, Fla. – Compass Sleep Products is lending a hand to the United Way of the Big Bend by donating 100 mattresses to the organization in Florida to help families impacted by Hurricane Idalia last month.

The United Way will distribute vouchers to the families, who will have up to three months to redeem them for the mattresses. Voucher recipients will go to the Compass factory showroom to pick up the bed.

“So many families throughout the state were impacted, but none more than our neighbors in Madison and Taylor counties,” Ricky Riley, chief executive and general manager of Compass Sleep Products. “It has always been our mission to help our community, and witnessing the consequences of this hurricane compelled us to take action. We appreciate the help of the United Way in administering this program for us.”

Riley said the three-month time span gives people impacted by the storm the time needed to rebuild their homes before picking up a mattress.

The United Way of the Big Bend has taken a leadership role in this part of Florida by gathering resources and activating solutions through a number of partner organizations in the area.

“We are grateful to be receiving a very generous donation from Compass Sleep Products,” said Berneice Cox, president and CEO of the United Way chapter. “Its neighbors-helping-neighbors generosity is so appreciated. They join a very special list of Blue Chip Florida businesses who are stepping up and helping out after this devastating hurricane.”

See also:

• Compass Sleep Products adds experienced sales manager to growing team
• Compass Sleep Products names new production manager for mattress factory

The post What pushed Florida mattress maker to donate 100 beds to the United Way? appeared first on Furniture Today.

HIGH POINT – As part of the reinvention of the Hypnos Cotton collection for the U.S. market, Paramount Sleep Co. is sourcing Virginia cotton to build the mattresses.

The Norfolk, Va.-based mattress maker is continually working to slash its carbon footprint while packing as much natural materials into its mattresses as possible. The cotton is sourced from a gin in Suffolk, Va., allowing the company to cut down transportation time to Paramount’s factory.

“Hypnos is a global brand constructed locally with local materials,” said Richard Fleck, president of the family-owned company. “The cotton is trackable and traceable.”

Paramount Sleep, which has been the exclusive U.S. licensee for the Hypnos brand since 2015, showcased the new collection at this week’s High Point Market.

Following a three-day visit to the United Kingdom factory and headquarters of Hypnos, the Paramount team worked to redesign and update the Hypnos line it manufactures and sells in the U.S. The result is the four-bed Hypnos Cotton collection featuring two models constructed of all cotton materials. Other mattresses in the group feature silk, wool and cashmere for a luxury look and feel.

The mattresses are priced to retail from $1,999 to $3,999 in queen.

See also:

• Paramount Sleep debuts Nature’s Spa hybrid line
• New hire positioned to strengthen Paramount’s hospitality push

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