20 minute read
Beds and bedroom
Revolutionising sleep
Emma will introduce technology that adapts to your sleeping habits and reveals the results
Emma – The Sleep Company has set its sights on further expansion and development in 2022. It will kickstart this at the January Furniture Show with the unveiling of two products that use smart technology to revolutionise the way people sleep: the Emma Motion Mattress and the Emma Motion Base.
The Emma Motion Mattress is a smart mattress that automatically measures the points at which pressure is exerted and adapts accordingly. Gently and silently during sleep, Emma Motion firms up at the points that sink less and softens at pressure points, meaning the mattress actively interacts with the sleeper, adapting to every change in position.
The mattress is also equipped with Emma’s patented Diamond Degree technology. Featuring graphite particles in the top layer of the mattress, Emma Motion dissipates excess body heat and quickly brings the body to the ideal temperature, ensuring a comfortable night’s sleep. Emma Motion also offers the ability to connect smartphones or tablets so that customers can record their sleep, to track sleeping position, rhythm, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and deep sleep phases. The app collects data during the night and is available to view and analyse the next morning.
The Emma Motion Base is a bed base that makes any mattress smart. Featuring a tracking function that reflects the sleeper’s own body analysis data in real time, the smart bed base includes Muscle Regeneration mode, which helps to shorten post-activity recovery time; No-Snore mode, which detects sleep noises then actively encourages a change of position; and Body Floating mode, which is designed to replicate the relaxing feeling of weightlessness.
‘Emma is totally revolutionising the sleep market. We’re combining smart technology with world-class engineering and expertise from our industry-leading in-house sleep lab to create products that are adapting to the modern sleeper’s needs. For too long now it’s been considered a luxury to have a mattress that has been crafted in the same way for many, many years, but we’re showing that view is outdated. Times have changed, technology has changed, and our individual needs have changed too,’ says Neil Robinson, Emma – The Sleep Company sales director, UK & Ireland.
‘Our research and development team, which includes our dedicated sleep research team led by Dr Verena Senn, is dedicated to creating innovative products like the Emma Motion Mattress and Emma Motion Base with the aim of making a positive impact on people’s lives by enhancing their sleep.’ Visit: www.emma-sleep.co.uk
Emma Motion Mattress
Users can track their sleeping
Be well
Consumers care deeply about wellness and that interest is growing. Recent research by McKinsey has suggested that the £1.13trn global wellness market is set to see annual growth of between 5% and 10% in the coming years. And sleep is one of the six areas that the survey considers to be critical to consumer views of wellness.
While sleep-enhancing products such as sleep trackers and blackout curtains have a role to play in this growth, Mammoth believes there is a huge opportunity to reinforce the importance of mattresses and pillows in improving both physical and mental wellness.
With its foundations in healthcare and award-winning sleep technologies, including naturally cooling Medical Grade foam, Mammoth has expertise in sleep and in its benefits to both mental and physical health.
At the Bed Show, Mammoth showcased the latest update to its award-winning Comfort collection, introducing the Excel mattress to sit alongside Shine and Move. Excel has already enjoyed a great reception from stores, with orders placed by retailers around the country. More Medical Grade foam, more depth and more pocket springs ensure that customers will be able to enjoy superior comfort, pressure relief and postural support for a genuinely restorative night’s sleep.
The brand’s health credentials include NHS Innovations awards for work in pressure relief and temperature regulation, an official partnership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and close relationships with sleep centres at both Oxford University and Northumbria University.
The addition of Excel offers consumers more of the sleep technologies that have made Mammoth a go-to brand for elite sports stars, health professionals and anyone who values their wellbeing.
Each of the three Excel models – Excel 4000, Excel 6000 and Excel 8000 – incorporates 90mm of Medical Grade foam and seven PostureCell zones to ensure that bodyweight is evenly distributed and supported from head to toe. With a choice of 4,000, 6,000 or 8,000 pocket springs, Excel offers a deep, luxurious feel that absorbs pressure and adapts to movement seamlessly through the night.
Each PostureCell moves independently to reduce partner disturbance while sleeping, while the cooling air channels between each PostureCell disperse heat, moisture and allergens. These benefits are further enhanced by a breathable and hypoallergenic cover that helps to ensure a dry, cool night’s sleep. Email: stuart.page@thefoamco.co.uk
Hybrid 8000
Hybrid 8000 construction
Sonlevo TrueGel
Hot start
Sonlevo’s relaunch is paying dividends
TrueGel pillow
In spring 2020, at the beginning of the first lockdown, the innovation team at The Foam Company started work on a new vision and direction for its Sonlevo range. It had recognised the need to change, and to adapt to a new trading environment. As part of this it embarked on an initiative to create opportunities for it and its retailers.
At last year’s Bed Show and the Autumn Furniture Show it introduced retailers to the new-look Sonlevo brand. The innovation goes way further than skin-deep, featuring a complete re-appraisal of the range, with new products including a first for the UK bed market.
The Sonlevo TrueGel range is the first to be developed in the UK using revolutionary Gel technology, and it’s setting a new standard. The unique grid system is 80% air, 100% recyclable and hypo-allergenic. It gives maximum support, minimises pressure and is never too hot and never too cold, for the best possible night’s sleep.
There are five models in the TrueGel range: Signature Soft/Medium, Signature Medium/Firm, Bronze 6000, Silver 8000 and top-of-the-range Gold 12000, plus the luxurious new TrueGel pillow.
The TrueGel range is recommended to its members by the Professional Footballers’ Association and Football Medicine and Performance Association. It has attracted a lot of interest, with many new accounts opened, and very strong sales to new and existing customers. Demand for display models in time for the crucial January sales period has far exceeded the forecast, and repeat orders were happening even before the rush began.
Attracting an equal amount of interest is the new branding, including a new-look website, and there has been a strong demand for Gel sample boxes, displays and POS material.
‘Every bed, pillow and mattress that we sell is researched, designed and lovingly manufactured by us, right here in the UK. We’re a family-run business, with over 30 years’ experience, and as sleep science geeks, we fully respect the vital role sleep plays in restoring body and mind, especially given today’s busy lifestyles.
‘Given the heightened focus on sleep and wellbeing, this premium range represents a real opportunity for retailers to expand sales into lucrative new areas,’ says Stuart Page, The Foam Company sales manager. Visit: www.sonlevo.com
TrueGel technology
Looking forward
Hypnos has invested to boost capacity
Hypnos has invested to meet increased demand for sustainable products
‘Sustainability will continue to be a key influence behind purchasing decisions, with increasing numbers of consumers choosing eco-conscious brands and products that don’t compromise on quality. Consumers are actively opting for products from brands that take a sustainability-first approach from conception to delivery, placing greater emphasis on traceable and certified materials from ethical supply chains,’ says James Keen, Hypnos ceo.
‘This approach has been at the heart of Hypnos for more than a decade. We were the world’s first bed company to be carbon neutral. We are committed to providing ethical solutions at every stage of our bed production process, from fibres made from recycled plastic bottles to developing a disposal and recycling service for old beds and mattresses with the help of retailers, and sourcing to the Global Recycled Standard for true traceability. Not to mention developing our own specialist 100% recyclable packaging made from a combination of renewable and carbon dioxide depleting sugar-cane ethanol and recycled plastic.’
The next chapter in Hypnos’ Origins collection, the new Orthos Support has been designed with a firmer feel, enhanced sustainability credentials and a choice of firmer comforts at different price points. The range features five models, each containing layers of British wool that is traceable to Red Tractor assured farms, as well as ReActivePlus pocket sprung systems, designed to be firmer across the whole bed. This helps to distribute weight more evenly and provide greater support for a truly restful night’s sleep.
The range also uses ethically sourced materials such as unbleached cotton and European certified flax, which benefits sleep and the planet. Produced without chemicals, these fibres have excellent moisture and temperature control properties and are naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic.
‘With growing consumer demand, retailers must align themselves with manufacturers that echo their own commitment to establishing working partnerships that seek to fulfil consumer demand every step of the way,’ says Keen.
‘We have further invested in our team, training, machinery and responsible product innovation to help retailers meet demand. We have recruited 50 new staff at our Princes Risborough factory to expand mattress capacity by 50%.’
It has also invested over £250,000 in equipment and fine-tuned its factory layout, increasing manufacturing space by 30%, to amplify capacity, enhance productivity and support retailers in satisfying 2022 orders and reduce lead times on made-to-order products. Visit: www.hypnosbeds.com
Vegan and Emma bedstead in lime
New direction
Vegan marks a change in approach
Vogue Beds started work on its Vegan project and brand in September 2019, but it had been a long-term ambition of the company since its inception in 1990. ‘I was asked to make an animal-free mattress over 15 years ago, but it just wasn’t possible. Now we have achieved this, with the first vegan mattress to be certified by the Vegan Society built by an NBF approved manufacturer,’ says Ebrahim Patel, Vogue Beds md.
Vegan however offers more than a mattress that doesn’t include animal products: it’s made using a mixture of fillings produced from recycled materials.
‘The Vegan mattress range is the first real look at how product design and the materials we use are going to change in the coming years. We started designing the range by removing farming from the supply chain and then looked at using recycled materials that could be recycled over again. As a manufacturer we have set a target date of 2030 to be carbon neutral and our manufacturing site will be 0%-to-landfill by December next year,’ says Tom Dow, Vogue Beds commercial manager.
‘The Vegan mattress can be fully recycled at the end of its useful life. We are working with a tree-planting partner to plant trees to offset the carbon from the range. We understand that looking after the planet is featuring higher on the customer’s list of requirements when purchasing new products, and as a forward-thinking manufacturer we wanted to be ahead of the curve,’ adds Patel.
‘Having a range of mattresses that ticks the environmental and vegan criteria was just the start. The range hits multiple price points and different feels, and also includes our unique Helix pocket spring system. The Vegan Helix is our halo model. Its pocket spring system offers excellent support and comfort, regardless of the customer’s sizeand shape – it really does work for everyone. The way the spring is designed means it compresses at different rates for different weights, working like a full-size pocket spring and micro spring in one. From an environmental point of view, this is a better way to build a spring unit, because it takes less manufacturing time and produces less waste.
‘Vogue Beds will always offer a diverse selection of products at different price points, but we will be doing this with the environment at the forefront of our mind,’ says Patel. Visit: www.vegan-mattress.co.uk
Vegan uses recycled materials, and is itself recyclable
Next generation
Above left: The Middleton Innovation Centre Above: Vita is at the forefront of anti-microbial protection
Performance and environmental sensibility can combine
The Vita Group, one of Europe’s leading flexible foam solutions providers, has developed the next generation of sustainable foams, to ensure a wider variety of high-performance and environmentally friendly furniture solutions are available.
As part of its environmental, social and governance agenda, Vita focuses on improving the environment and creating long-term sustainable product ranges. It recycles all of its excess trim, develops foams from more sustainable raw materials, and innovates with its suppliers and customers to drive circularity and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Vita has created a range of foams that replace the use of fossil fuels in the production process with sustainably sourced polyols. Orbis is a flexible
Airzone medical mattress PU foam solution that turns postconsumer mattresses into high-quality foam. Nemus uses a CO2 polyol made from captured CO2.
In the 2000s, Origin was Vita’s first step towards achieving its vision of a new generation of sustainable foams, each using increased renewable content with less reliance on petrochemicals. Origin was produced using polyols from plants such as sunflowers, soy and castor oil and was developed specifically for the furniture and bedding industries.
In 2019, the company introduced a range of Combustion Modified Ether foam products formulated without TCPP: its FRee foam range. The foams in this award-winning range achieve high standards of fire safety without compromising technical performance or chemical safety. Vita is proud to have been the first UK company to offer these products to the bedding and furniture industry.
Continual investment in infrastructure and services allows its customers to utilise its extensive network of sites across Europe. Vita has four state-of-theart Innovation Centres and its Middleton, Manchester centre combines Vita’s technical expertise in foam chemistry with the latest testing equipment and systems. The facility allows customers to follow a complete development programme, from initial concept and data analysis to finished foam core.
The group provides advanced tailored solutions for customers enabling them to respond to fluctuating market trends and consumer demand. Vita is at the forefront of anti-microbial protection and its experience in the medical and healthcare markets has enhanced its understanding of this area, allowing it to support customers with anti-microbial furniture and bedding solutions.
‘We have a great understanding of the upholstery and furniture industry, built up over many decades as a leader in this field. Our expertise in comfort, durability, haptic quality, and sustainability means customers can rest assured that our solutions align with their needs. What’s more, continued investment in products, infrastructure and services allows us to continue to offer the furniture industry high levels of support now and in the future,’ says Ian Robb, The Vita Group ceo. Visit: www.thevitagroup.com
Support
Success of the Jessica range supports Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Sleepeezee donated £60,000 to Sheffield Children’s Hospital last month following successful sales of its Jessica range in 2021. The cheque was presented at the hospital by Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Sleepeezee brand ambassador and Steve Warren, Sleepeezee md.
With each Jessica mattress sold, Sleepeezee donates £20 to the hospital. The money goes towards providing the best equipment money can buy, opening new facilities and funding vital research to change young people’s lives.
‘It was an honour to present the Sheffield Children’s Hospital with our donation from the Jessica range at Sleepeezee. As a proud patron of the hospital charity, it’s amazing to support people that make such a difference to so many children’s and young people’s lives,’ says Ennis-Hill.
Sheffield Children’s Hospital provides a comprehensive range of care for children and young people in Sheffield and beyond. The care focuses on local services for general children’s health, such as health visiting and school nursing through to world-leading, highly specialised services.
‘We are so grateful for this incredible donation from Sleepeezee from the sales of its Jessica mattresses. The donation will go towards helping to
Jessica Plush Steve Warren, Sleepeezee md and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill with the cheque
build a helipad on the roof at Sheffield Children’s Hospital,’ says Tchad Western, The Children’s Hospital Charity business development manager.
‘Currently, air ambulances have to land in a park across the road from the hospital. Having a helipad on our roof would mean that, where every second counts, patients needing urgent care could arrive into the hospital more quickly and with more privacy during a critical situation. Thank you so much to both Sleepeezee and our charity patron, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill for helping to make this possible and for getting us one step closer to achieving our dream of building the helipad.’
‘We are delighted to be making this donation to Sheffield Children’s Hospital and are proud to support the incredible work carried out by all the staff and team at the hospital. As a charity close to our brand ambassador, we couldn’t think of a more apt donation to celebrate another successful year of the Jessica Collection,‘ says Warren. Visit: www.sleepeezee.com
Many manufacturers had maintained margins
Optimistic
Bed manufacturers remain positive despite sales fall
The value of bed sales by National Bed Federation members declined by 2.5% in the past quarter amid an almost double-digit drop in sales volumes. The NBF’s quarterly Sales Tracker report found volumes of bed sets, mattresses, adjustable bed sets and divan bases declined by 8.5% from the previous quarter. Total sales value was estimated at £249m.
Manufacturers remain positive about future levels of business, with 42% saying they were optimistic, compared to 39% in the previous quarter and 35% in Q3 2020. Two years ago the major limiting factor on obtaining output was concerns over order levels, with almost 60% reporting that as their main worry. This has now dropped to 16%, while 43% see the availability of raw materials and components as their main limiting factor, and 24% list the availability of skilled labour.
The number of respondents reporting increases in costs of more than 5% dropped from 83% in Q2 to 67% in Q3. Almost 70% said they had passed on these cost increases, with nearly half saying the increases had been in excess of 5%. Just under a third of respondents reported that they had kept their selling prices about the same over the previous three-month period.
Profit margins continue to be under pressure, with 40% of respondents reporting a drop, but almost half had managed to maintain their margins.
‘The Sales Tracker reveals the challenging environment our members are still having to deal with. Volumes have yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, while costs are under constant pressure and a shortage of labour is still affecting almost a quarter of members. Nevertheless, there are signs that the pressure might be easing and optimism has risen.
‘Predicting future demand and capacity and budgeting for next year is the toughest it’s been for a long time,’ says Jessica Alexander, NBF executive director. Visit: www.bedfed.org.uk
The value of sales dropped
Statement
Janet
Opera Contemporary’s collection is designed to make an impact
An elegant, stylistic language is the forte of Opera Contemporary’s Janet. The refined design is enhanced by precise sartorial details. The headboard features diamond quilting in contrast with the rounded borders.
The double headboard and soft organic forms set Alba apart as an offering for the bedroom zone. The back headboard displays an elegant, original structure in solid wood, enhanced by woven cowhide cords that add lightness and dynamism to the product.
Vertigo is a bed of impressive charm. The ample sizing of the headboard is harmoniously countered by uniform profiles of the upholstered sommier. A sophisticated concentric motif is created by the expert stitching that decorates the headboard.
Dorothy stands out for its timely, essential and refined design. The rigorous but light approach can be seen in the headboard – padded and enhanced by light stitching to create well-balanced geometric effects – and
Alba also in the sommier, with its linear poise. The metal feet that support the structure speak of lightness and dynamism. Visit: www.operacontemporary.com
Vertigo Dorothy
Conmo
Magnifik
Being different
Envisage Trade is focused on producing the extraordinary
‘Our focus is on producing extraordinary products, something different to what the market has to offer, and above all being the best in manufacturing luxury beds and sofas in Britain. Envisage Trade is re-inventing the way beds are produced: all materials are environmentally friendly, ethically sourced and beautifully handcrafted to ensure a fantastic product is produced,’ says Adam Hussain, Envisage Trade director.
‘Working with leading UK and international retailers, interior designers and property developers has enabled us to cater for current market trends, demands and bespoke projects, as well as getting to know the needs of the luxury furniture industry as a whole.
‘As the demand for British-made products increase, we at Envisage Trade are always focusing on introducing new lines to the market. We pride ourselves on being bespoke with every order. All work is undertaken from our factory in Birmingham, no work is outsourced, and every product is checked thoroughly ensuring 100% quality control.
‘We also offer a direct home delivery service, working with respected couriers in the furniture industry to deliver items all around the UK. A two-man service is used for all our deliveries; every delivery is booked in with the customer beforehand and a call is made on the delivery date.’
As well as beds the company has an extensive upholstery offer.
‘Our sofas range from the old-school Chesterfields through to the latest modern sofas. Our market-leading sofa frames are made from the finest materials in our very own wood mill by our experienced carpenters. These frames offer the end consumer peace of mind, in the knowledge that their sofa will last for many years to come,’ says Hussain. Visit: www.envisagetrade.co.uk
President Premiere
