High-tech performance fibers, new cooling foams, smart beds and app-controlled adjustable bed bases are giving bedding retailers new ways to connect with today’s consumers.

They are also giving consumers a whole host of benefits, all designed to make them more comfortable at night, thereby giving them a better night of sleep.

One key to selling bedding’s new family of technologies, producers say, is to make the comfort connection with consumers, explaining to them how those new features will give them more comfort at night.

Protect-A-Bed’s pillow match technology gives consumers more confidence in retail stores, said

Warrick Bell, vice president of product development.

“Our SleepTailor pillow match system helps customers find the right pillow for their body,” he said. “By combining their preferences and measurements into a bio-mechanical model, the display takes the guess work out of finding the perfect pillow. It also helps remove indecision and improves the confidence shoppers have in their choices.

“Our Zeeq smart pillow and our Zero G app-controlled adjustable base were developed to improve the rest and restoration one receives throughout the night,” Bell continued. “By sleeping in a better position, by halting snoring, being soothed to sleep with music and by tracking sleep, consumers can enjoy a more rejuvenating experience. Sleep is essential to health, and by using modern tools to improve it, life improves as well.”

Intelliebed’s new Gel Matrix technology “offers a number of key benefits for consumers,” said Joe Paviglianti, executive vice president of sales at Intellibed. “Our technology is 100% non-toxic, offers both firm and soft feels for ultimate back support and maximum pressure relief, sleeps cool, is extremely durable, adapts to all body types and sleep positions and is made in the United States.”

Malouf’s new CarbonCool technology, as the name suggests, is designed to deliver cooler sleep.

“CarbonCool’s secret is in the high degree of phase change material balanced with graphite through the pillow,” said Mike Douglas, vice president of sales. “PCM actively cools you during your sleep, unlike some products that only have a cool initial touch. PCM keeps cooling through the night by constantly lowering the state of heat molecules. When paired with graphite, which is known for its excellent thermal conductivity properties, it creates pathways through the pillow that use conduction to channel heat away from the head, face and neck to maintain the optimal temperature range of 89 to 91 degrees.”

Symbol is doing well with its SleepFresh line of active temperature control sleep sets, the company reports.

“Room temperature is the No. 1 disruptor of sleep,” noted Nicole Slinger, vice president of specialty products at Symbol. “SleepFresh allows each sleeper to select from five heat settings, five cool settings or one neutral air setting, all with a touch of a button from their phone or tablet, giving our consumers total thermal control and comfort. SleepFresh is the only mattress with active airflow coming from within the mattress to the sleep surface. This gives the consumer several unique benefits: The active airflow keeps each sleeper dry throughout the night, and the active airflow helps reduce humidity in the mattress, helping to prolong the life of the comfort layers within the bed and reduce allergens.”

The benefits for consumes are significant, she said: “Sleeping cooler can help you fall asleep quicker, stay in your deep stages of sleep longer, burn more calories while sleeping, and reduce heat spikes in duration, intensity and frequency. Heat therapy can soothe sore muscles, increase blood circulation, and ease joint and chronic pain.”

PureCare is focused on using technical textiles to enhance the health and wellness of the sleep environment, said Sean Bergman, chief marketing officer. He said those textiles offer several powerful consumer benefits.

“PureCare sheets, pillows and mattress protectors featuring FDA-reviewed Celliant performance fibers have substantial benefits to the human body, including promoting a temporary increase in localized blood flow at the site of the application in healthy individuals, promoting better performance, better recovery and better sleep,” Bergman said. “The results are real and consumers are much more aware of them now that they have been reviewed by the FDA. The infrared particles embedded in the core of the fibers never stop working, and work through multiple layers of sheets and clothing, which is a key benefit because the sleeper can choose which layer of top-of-bed product contains Celliant, and mix in other technical textile-powered layers to further customize their sleep environment.

“PureCare’s exclusive Frio cooling fibers continue to be best sellers, cooling five times faster than traditional polyester, and PureCare’s Reversatemp Mattress and Pillow Protectors are the newest products utilizing the technology, but now in a reversible construction with the other side of the protector featuring new technical textile Heatstar, another exclusive PureCare product that stores heat inside air pockets of the fiber to insulate and warm the sleeper.”

Phil Sherman, president of Customatic Technologies, said his company aims to solve consumer problems.

“I think the benefits of our adjustable bases, advanced mattresses and sleep monitoring are obvious, since all the research and development begins and ends with the consumer,” he said. “Nothing starts until we have identified a problem that is depriving a consumer of a good night’s sleep. In each category we expand into, we target the challenges and provide realistic solutions to improve sleep.”

Advanced Sleep Technologies, which entered the U.S. market with a showing in Las Vegas earlier this year, touts the power of customization.

“The ability to adjust the firmness of a mattress was previously limited to air, which accounts for only about 5% of beds sold,” said Paul Longman, CEO of Advanced Sleep Technologies. “Our Comfort Control Technology opens up that ability to spring and foam, the two most popular mattress types on the market. That means customers can easily make comfort and support adjustments to either side of the bed in their own homes, any time they want, while still getting the mattress type they already know and love.

“Our virtual reality sales experience is unique to the industry,” he continued. “It’s a new and exciting way to help the customer understand the technology and how it will help them sleep better.”

“We are focusing on improving the consumers’ experience and their quality of sleep,” said Mark Akerman, president of Enso Sleep Systems. “We are making the mattress and adjustable base in the bedroom as easy to operate as the other connected items in the home.”

Southerland has incorporated copper ions throughout most of its product lineup, a move that gives consumers several benefits, the company says.

“Copper boasts several properties that help promote healthier sleep,” said Bryan Smith, CEO of Southerland. “Fabrics and other components that incorporate copper have been shown to offer antimicrobial properties along with other health benefits. Copper has been noted to benefit circulation, act as an anti-inflammatory and deliver anti-oxidant properties, and sleep products made using copper offer a number of benefits, including odor control, improved hygiene, improved skin texture, skin tone and overall skin wellness.”

“Each of our products offer a variety of benefits to consumers,” said Ergomotion COO Johnny Griggs. “The voice activation through Amazon Alexa offers effortless ease of use. The Extension Deck of the Contour Pure Slim prevents compression of the middle for consumers who have a more mature body structure. The new Motion Pure unit allows consumers to convert any existing bed into an adjustable bed for comfort and better health.”

Kingsdown’s bedMATCH 3-D Fit empowers consumers in buying a sleep system that offers the type of support best suited for them,” said Frank Hood, CEO of Kingsdown. “The updated system better marries consumers to the most supportive mattress for their sleep needs. The program works across mattress brands and gives consumers more confidence that they are buying the most supportive mattress for their body type, pain issues and weight. It also helps eliminate the fear of making a poor choice.”

“The benefits of our Alexa-enabled technology in our adjustable bases include helping people with mobility issues. The technology is hands free and eyes free,” said Dan Baker, Glideaway’s executive vice president of sales, marketing and merchandising. “Alexa-enabled devices and voice activation in general are growing in popularity. Projected growth in 2018 is expected to be more than 23%.

“My mom loves the under-bed lighting when getting up at night. No fumbling to try and find a remote in the dark. All she has to say is ‘Alexa, turn on Odessa Light’ and a gentle under-bed light guides her path. She also does not have to remember to shut it off as it does so itself after just a few minutes.”

“The Cool & Cozy Pillow cover in our Nature Collection is a dual-sided pillow cover utilizing polyethylene performance yarn that is cool to the touch on one side of the pillow,” said Blu Sleep President Alex Ciccolella. “Unlike phase change material topical fabric treatments, this high-tech performance yarn absorbs body heat and moisture then wicks both away from the body. The ‘cozy’’ side of the pillow features bamboo from rayon.

“The ‘cool’ side of the pillow provides a temperature neutral surface providing cozy feel for the sleeper. The consumer will have instant gratification when they touch the cool fabric. This provides a ‘wow’ effect and will help increase sales. The Cool & Cozy cover maintains a dry temperature neutral sleep environment throughout the night resulting in increased time in deep sleep.”

（Source: Furniture Today）