Sleep Tech Magazine January 2020 by istmag

January - February 2020 www.sleeptechmagazine.com

www.elektroteks.com.tr

P: +90.224 443 46 28 - 29 F: +90.224 441 99 90 NilĂźfer Bursa TURKEY info@elektroteks.com.tr

Devan promotes body positivity with upgraded health & wellness range, including new additions to their Hemp CBD range

Boycelik: “Turkey will reach 500 billion export target in 2023”

INDEX ADS Boyteks............................................. Back cover Boyçelik................................ Inside back cover Elektroteks............................. Inside front cover Elektroteks.......................................................... 1 Durak Tekstil....................................................... 2 Nova................................................................... 5 Aydın Tekstil.....................................................6-7 Artilat........................................................... 10-11 Comfytex.................................................... 12-13 Kırayteks........................................................... 15 Kosmoz............................................................. 17 Gemba............................................................ 19 Özen İplik......................................................... 21 Gasan............................................................... 25 Nano Yay......................................................... 31 BedCovers...................................................3435 GizGrup.......................................................36-37 Bedco Textile................................................... 41 Akdemir Makine............................................. 43 Akkoza..............................................................45 Feryal................................................................ 47 İpeker............................................................... 49 Nerteks............................................................. 51 Allbeco............................................................. 59 Allbemak......................................................... 61 Histeks............................................................... 63 Seral..................................................................65 İnterzum........................................................... 83 Ersan Madeni.............................................92-93 Şiteks................................................................. 97

Nano Springs: “We can continue to increase our exports by taking the right steps

“If the developments in the USChina trade war are supported by political relations, the Turkish mattress industry can benefit from this situation”

Elektroteks: “Turkey still has a potential of being one of the key successions for US to struggle against China amid the trade war”

Mert Makina: “Turkey has the potential of filling the gap that will happen in the USA with its location, labor costs and product quality”

interzum guangzhou 2020 to serve up multitude of “Belt & Road” opportunities for upstream furniture production industry

Felt manufacturing and its usage in mattresses

100

From The Editor

w w w . s l e e p t e c h m a g a z i n e . c o m

Publisher

Heimtextil goes beyond the limits! Its name suggests home textiles but it has more in store. It covers all indoor, outdoor, home and contract sector textiles but it never gets satisfied with these… Heimtextil is good for window applications, accessories, hard and soft materials. These are still not enough for the giant. It needs more! Heimtextil dares to act as a mattress machinery and technologies fair. It attracts different machineries and technologic applications for manufacturing sleep products. When you go through Hall 12 you think this is a whole sleep and technologies fair. And it is successful. Celebrating its golden year, Heimtextil is a legendary show for many industries and it opens the way, it leads the way it pushes the button for a successful year for those who are involved as exhibitors or visitors. I, myself, attend this show for more than three decades not skipping one single edition. I will do so more as long as I am in business. I love going to Frankfurt for a successful show. We display and distribute 6 magazines in this lovely show. Must be as Heimtextil, we are not satisfied with less either. Our home textile magazine is HTE but we go beyond the limits and cover with FURNISHING FABRIC FASHION, SLEEP WELL, SLEEP TECH, CONTRACT BUSINESS and DÉCOR. Many happy and successful returns Heimtextil.

Mehmet Soztutan

ISTMAG Magazin Gazetecilik Yayıncılık İç ve Dış Ticaret Ltd. Şti. Adına sahibi H. Ferruh IŞIK

Managing Editor (Responsible)

Mehmet SOZTUTAN (mehmet.soztutan@img.com.tr)

Editorial Consultants

Prof. Dr. Ismail KAYA Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Ali OZBUDUN Recep SAHIN Omer Faruk GOrUn Chris France, Leggett & Platt

Domestic Sales Manager Omer Faruk GORUN (omer.gorun@img.com.tr) Advertising Coordinator +90 224 211 44 50-51 International Sales Manager Ayca SarIoglu (ayca.sarioglu@img.com.tr) Tel: +90 212 604 5100 Fax: +90 212 604 5135 Art Director

Tolga CAKMAKLI (tolga.cakmakli@img.com.tr)

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Yusuf DEMIRKAZIK (yusuf.demirkazik@img.com.tr)

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Devan promotes body positivity with upgraded health & wellness range, including new additions to their Hemp CBD range Belgian firm to highlight health & wellness solutions at Heimtextil-Frankfurt

RONSE, BELGIUM – Devan Chemicals, the Belgium-based developer of finishing technologies for textiles, plans to showcase some of its latest health and wellness solutions at the upcoming Heimtextil trade show in Frankfurt, Germany. The new solutions are an expansion of

Devan’s R-Vital® range of microencapsulated, organic active ingredients. CBD+ After the successful launch of R-Vital® Hemp CBD at Heimtextil 2019, Devan says they are working on an upgrade of their

Hemp CBD range in accordance with the latest trends in the overall CBD markets. Think of CBG, terpenes and other organic ingredients that enhance the properties of CBD. Devan’s CBD range, sourced in the US, is organic, GMO- free, pesticide free and contains no THC. Super Moisture Boost – Love the skin you’re in Most of us have already heard of body positivity, the movement that advocates the acceptance of all bodies no matter the form, size, or appearance. This challenges the ways in which society presents and views the physical body. For Devan, feeling comfortable in your skin also suggests taking care of your skin. R-Vital® ‘Super Moisture Boost’ is a carefully composed organic blend of avocado (a popular ingredient in keto-diets) and amaranth seed oil (containing squalene) that helps to soften and hydrate the skin. The natural oils deeply penetrate into the skin, and contain fatty acids known to delay the appearance of

premature aging and to moisturize and tighten the skin. Cold Proof Every year, millions of people are affected by ‘a cold’ with an average of 2-3 colds per year. Most people get colds in winter and spring, but it is possible to get a cold any time of the year. Furthermore, during cold weather people suffer more from skin dryness and skin irritation due to the drop in temperature and humidity. R-Vital® ‘Cold Proof’ is a unique solution, releasing organic ingredients such as camphor and echinacea to protect people from the ailments of colder times. Heimtextil, the world’s largest international trade fair for home and contract textiles, takes place this Jan. 7-10 at the Messe Frankfurt, where Devan will occupy Booth B28 in Hall 11.0. Some of Devan’s innovations will already be presented in the Heimtextil collections of customers such as Standard Fiber and Trident.

As a world leader in latex foams, Artilat helps you build the perfect mattress, ensuring a good nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sleep. From cores over toppers to cooling and other features, Artilat is the place to be. Thanks to decades of knowledge in the bedding industry, we are able to provide you with top quality products.

Artilat nv Koningsbaan 79, 2560 Nijlen, Belgium www.artilat.be info@artilat.be T +32 (0)3 410 13 00

DISCOVER

www.artilat.be

New converting center for technical foams 16

FoamPartner is expanding its manufacturing capacities in Duderstadt, Germany FoamPartner Fritz Nauer AG, with headquarters in Wolfhausen (Switzerland), is building a converting center for industrial foams at the company’s site in Duderstadt (Germany). The new center is scheduled to go on-stream in the first half-year of 2020 and will lead to the creation of several new jobs. “There is a rising demand for custom-tailored technical foams in specialized industrial application areas,” says Dr. Michael Riedel, CEO of FoamPartner. “For this reason, we have decided to build a new converting center that meets this trend and will significantly expand our supply capacities for industrial foam products.” The new center will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology to provide customized technical foam solutions for various applications. Solutions are particularly aimed at acoustics, sealing and filtering, as well as in household, surface treatment and packaging segments. The center will mainly process foam materials from the company’s own three European production sites in Leverkusen, Duderstadt and Wolfhausen. Several different manufacturing cells in the new converting center will deliver customer-specific products in FoamPartner’s proven best-in-class quality. It will be using advanced control and

process technologies amongst others in cutting, stamping, milling, drilling, laminating and packaging. In addition, there will be a small-scale machining center for customized specialty products in lower volumes. With a surface area of 8,500 square meters, the new converting center for industrial specialty foams represents an overall investment of approximately 10 million euros. Following the construction approval by the local authorities, work on the new center has already started, with inauguration scheduled for the first half-year of 2020. Moreover, Duderstadt will also take over most of the production business of the group’s site at Stadtallendorf (Germany), which is expected to close operations by end of June 2020 for infrastructural and technical reasons. The consolidation of FoamPartner’s European

manufacturing sites will strengthen the company’s competitive standing in the market and will have no impact on the reliable supply of products to customers. FoamPartner, with headquarters in Wolfhausen (Switzerland) and 14 Centers of Competence across Europe, America and Asia-Pacific, is a global leader in foam technology. The company offers its customers a broad portfolio of best-in-class foam and other material solutions engineered to the highest standards of form, function and quality. More than 1,100 employees worldwide develop, manufacture, process and distribute custom-tailored polyurethane foam products focused on three market segments: Mobility, Specialties, and Living & Care. FoamPartner was founded in 1937 and has been a member of the Conzzeta Group since 1980.

Pilozzz launches one of the world’s first CBD infused pillows 18

Direct-to-consumer bedding brand, Pilozzz LLC, released one of the world’s first CBD infused pillows via their website Pilozzz.com this week. Consumers finally have access to a luxury CBD sleep product that offers comfort and quality, providing an alternative solution to stress and anxiety. NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Pilozzz, a luxury comfort pillow brand releases its first revolutionary CBD pillow that has a luxurious down alternative inner fill with 100% recycled polyester providing unparalleled comfort and support for all sleep positions with a removable outer zippered cover that is infused with a proprietary microencapsulation of CBD oils. The infusion stays active for at least 10-15 washes, and if you’re one to use an additional pillow case, you can still achieve the CBD benefits. CBD has been known to help manage anxiety, promote relaxation, and lead to an incredibly restful sleep. Pilozzz specializes in innovative and socially responsible sleep technologies. Our mission is to produce comfortable, yet mindful pillows that combine sustainable materials with natural technologies to help build towards a healthier, happier planet for all. “My sister and I grew up in the bedding trade and want to make a difference by delivering solution-based products that we know will provide our customers with a peaceful night’s sleep, while also benefitting the envi-

ronment. We call it Pilozzz with a Purpose!” remarks Amanda Spinella, co-founder of Pilozzz. com. “With our deep roots in the industry, we are excited to bring our innovative, high-quality products to our community and can’t wait for them to have a better night’s sleep because of

it!” Pilozzz is changing the way we think about sleep and relaxation. Pilozzz encourages their customers to sleep away their stress and anxiety just by resting their heads on a well-crafted product designed to improve sleep and quality of life.

Malouf introduces new series of adjustable bed bases

LOGAN, Utah—Malouf recently launched its 55 series of adjustable bed bases, which consists of four customized models ranging from promotional to luxury. This new series brings the company’s lineup to six adjustable bases and provides solutions for every retail price point. “We’ve upgraded the features and technology on our adjustable bed bases to provide better comfort at an even better value,” said VP of Sales Mike Douglas. “We continue to innovate and find new ways to

give customers the best sleep solutions on the market.” Bringing elevated comfort and convenience to consumers, each adjustable base in the 55 series features a modern design, zero-clearance construction, and preset memory positions (including Zero Gravity, Anti-Snore, and Flat). Plus, the bases are foldable for easy transportation and storage. Malouf adjustable bed bases with Bluetooth® capability can also be paired with the industry-leading Malouf Base App—

developed by the company’s in-house software engineering team. Premium features on the Malouf Base App include Partner Control, hands-free voice activation via Siri Shortcuts, and a dark mode display option. “The intuitive ordering portal, quick shipping, low minimum orders, and MAP price protection make the vast lineup of Malouf adjustable bases the go-to choice for any concept,” said Wes Manley, general manager for Mattress Man.

MADE IN GREEN by ® OEKO-TEX

MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® is a traceable product label for all kinds of textiles (e.g. garments, home textiles) and non-textile components (e.g. accessories). The MADE IN GREEN label verifies that an article has been tested for harmful substances. This is carried out through certification in accordance with STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®. It also guarantees that the textile product has been manufactured using sustainable processes under environmentally friendly and socially responsible working conditions. This is carried out through certification in accordance with STeP by OEKO-TEX®. You can use a

unique product ID on the label to trace the countries and production facilities in which the labelled article was produced. What does the label mean? Each item labelled with MADE IN GREEN can be traced using a unique product ID or QR code. The label gives access to information regarding production facilities in which the textile was produced, the stage of production to which the fabrics belong and the countries in which manufacture took place.

The MADE IN GREEN label gives you the certainty of knowing that the textile product is made: •with materials that have been tested for harmful substances •in environmentally friendly facilities •in safe and socially responsible workplaces. Which products can be labelled? All kinds of textiles can receive the MADE IN GREEN label. This includes garments, home textiles, fabrics, non-wovens, textile accessories and non-textile components. The condition for the issue of the MADE IN GREEN label is that the article has been tested in accordance with the STANDARD 100 and manufactured in STeP certified facilities.

Boycelik: “Turkey will reach 500 billion export target in 2023” 24

Export is extremely important in the development of a country’s economy and trade wars upset the balances. Feridun Tosun, Export Manager of Boycelik, one of the most important exporters of Turkey, spoke to Sleep Tech magazine about trade wars between China and the US.

How do you interpret the impact of trade wars between China and the US in the mattress sub-market? How do you think the Turkish mattress sub-industry is affected by this situation? As everyone knows, the USA has the most powerful economy in the world. The second one is China. China is the country which has been following the USA continuously, due to the

power it has achieved especially in technological fields in recent years. Because of that reason, the USA wouldn’t be glad if they lose on leadership against China. In order to stop the Chinese economy just a bit, the USA began to impose customs duties on Chinese products in 2018. Although the steel issue is taking place between the USA and China, I think this should be considered as an economic war that America has opened globally to all countries. 60-70% of the

mattresses produced as spring bearings in the world. One of the most common inputs of spring bearing is the steel wire used in spring production. The economic sanctions imposed by the USA on China has negatively affected the bedding sector and semi-finished product supply. It’s getting harder to manage this market because of the USA actions. Especially, the European Union is introduced steel wire quotas in 2018 to protect its local producers. The USA would impose firstly 25% tax on steel imports from Turkey and then they increased the amount to 50% tax rate. These both actions have caused increased steel market prices and reduced Turkey’s steel export figures.

Feridun Tosun, Export Manager

its production in the defense industry. And production of IHA and SIHA. Also it is an extremely important development which is currently ongoing domestic automobile production.

By and large, it caused the European Union’s imposing quotas on steel imports, which increased prices. Many countries have turned to new markets and they are exploring alternative markets. What are the precautions to take in Turkey’s import-export issues? Turkey was a country which imports the raw material for many products over the years. Increases in exchange rates in recent years have significantly raised import costs. Imports

have become much more expensive. In fact, this situation seems to be negative and increases the production costs of firms, but it paves the way for domestic production. Specifically, Turkey’s to reach to 70% production of

Turkey in particular has managed to increase almost every year in exports since 2001. Turkey will reach 500 billion export target in 2023. Increasing the incentives that will increase the competitiveness of exporting companies in international markets, carrying out works to reduce transportation costs, making export customs clearance processes simpler, the adoption of Turquality processes by companies to increase the importance of brand awareness, highlighting especially innovative products, increasing exports of high value-added products and sustainability are needed.

Which country do you export most as a company? Which factors do you think play a role in these countries choosing a Turkish company? In general, European Union countries and North and South American countries have an important place in our exports. As BoyĂ§elik, our pre-sales and after-sales services, product quality and brand awareness are the main factors in choose us. What kind of suggestions can you offer to companies that want to expand their export network? Export is extremely important in the development of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy. Companies should not be only satisfied with domestic sales and marketing activities, they also need to operate in international markets and to be on the way to branding. Companies should not settle with the existing markets in the interna-

tional markets, but should seek new markets. Although companies sometimes try to maintain market share with lower profit margins by increasing their promotion activities in markets with intense competition, this situation will not be sustainable in the long term. Therefore, companies are missing many oppor-

tunities in markets where they have not reached yet and where competition is less intense. In order to increase export turnover, to turn to more profitable markets and to increase market share, they must constantly seek new markets.

Trevira wins Brandenburg Innovation Award for its new flame retardant, UV-resistant polyester yarn 28

Trevira has been named winner of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brandenburg Innovation Award for Plastics and Chemistry 2019â&#x20AC;? by the Brandenburg Ministry of Economic Affairs for its new flame retardant, UV-resistant polyester yarn. The yarn, which is available in a variety

of colours, is specially designed for outdoor applications. It was selected for the award by a jury of five, with the prize-giving ceremony taking place at the Cluster Conference Plastics and Chemistry on 21 November.

Trevira GmbH’s innovative new yarn combines multiple qualities in a way never before achieved for a polyester textile. The yarn features permanently integrated flame retardancy and UV protection, along with durable colour that is highly resistant to washing. It has immense potential for numerous applications in highly regulated outdoor sectors – for example in areas such as lounge furnishings for cruise ships. CEO Klaus Holz said, “We are extremely pleased that our innovative development has been recognised by the jury of the Brandenburg Innovation Award. Our product demonstrates the enormous talent and potential of our development department.” Five companies were nominated for this year’s innovation award, which carries a €10,000 prize. As part of the selection process, each company was invited to meet the jury in person to talk about their product. The Brandenburg Ministry for Economic Affairs describes the prize as rewarding outstanding ideas and solutions by Brandenburg start-ups and companies, along with creative solutions from cross-sector partnerships between companies and research institutions. Trevira GmbH is an innovative European manufacturer of high-value branded fibres and filament yarns for technical applications and hygiene products as well as for home textiles, automotive interiors and functional apparel. Two production sites and a Marketing and Sales office with a total of approx. 1,100 employees are located in Germany. These are supported by an international marketing and sales organization. In 2018, sales amounted to around 235

Copyright Euros. © Agentur Medienlabor Adam Sevens million The head office of the company is located in Bobingen near Augsburg. Owner of Trevira GmbH is Indorama Venture PCL, Thailand.

Trevira has a worldwide repu-

tation for fibres and yarns for flame retardant polyester home textiles (Trevira CS), for its fibre specialties for hygiene products and technical applications as well as for low-pill fibres for functional apparel.

Latest technology trends, innovative ideas and product developments at India Mattresstech + Upholstery supplies Expo 2020 (IME 2020) For the first time ever, NuernbergMesseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest acquisition, INDIA MATTRESSTECH AND UPHOLSTERY SUPPLIES EXPO (IME 2020) will be co-located with INDIAWOOD 2020 with new pavilions featuring mattress and upholstery production technology, machinery & supplies at BIEC in February next year. In its 5th edition, the show will feature 5,000+ sqm. of space, host over 7,000 visitors, 130+ exhibitors with international

representation from Turkey, Germany, Sri Lanka and China. The exhibition will be focussed on mattress production machinery and supplies, mattress finishing machinery and supplies, production tools and equipment, upholstery production technology, machinery and supplies, bed systems, new materials, trade associations, business services and media. According to the Industry experts, the Indian mattress

market has been forecasted to attain the value of INR 140 Bn million by 2021. To stand tall and ride this wave, this emplacement of India Mattresstech and Upholstery Expo (IME 2020) to be co-located with India Wood 2020 will be the most ideal blend for showcasing the latest technology trends, innovative ideas and product development in one of the fastest growing sectors in the Indian economy. Highlights • India Mattresstech + Upholstery Supplies Expo 2020 (IME 2020) to present 5,000 + square meters of space, 7,000 + visitors, 130 + exhibitors with international representations from Turkey, Germany, Sri Lanka and China. •Professionally conducted Hosted Buyer Programme.

India’s most definitive expo and the ONLY B2B trade fair for mattress and upholstery production technology, machinery & supplies at BIEC, Bengaluru on February 27 – March 1, 2020.

• Large display of the latest working machineries, technology and supplies. • Technical seminars by Indian Sleep Products Federation (ISPF) • Held in Bengaluru, the home ground for most key brands in the mattress industry, offline as well as online. • India Wood 2020 exhibition, the 11th edition of the show will be held concurrent to IME 2020 during 27th Feb – 2nd March for the first time at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre. • The 4-day show will attract buyers from across India, the neighbouring countries (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & Bhutan), Middle-East, Africa and the South East Asian countries. Key sectors such as machinery & technology, materials & supplies, fittings, hardware & components spaces will be the driving factors for the mattress manufacturing + upholstery industry in India.

Key indicators for the development and progress in the mattress industry • Innovative strategies by both the offline and online industries have led to increase in the customization of mattresses. • Rising awareness regarding mattress types and brands has brought about new techniques enabling brands to utilize their resources and technologies better.

• Rise in demand for good quality mattresses in India has led to positive advancement in the organized sector.

Nano Springs: “We can continue to increase our exports by taking the right steps 34

Serkan Kır, The company official of Nano Springs interprets US trade war between China and export-oriented trade wars. How do you interpret the impact of trade wars between China and the US in the mattress sub industry market? Both low-cost production and high exchange rate make China’s foreign trade competitiveness are increasing. Chinese goods, which are already cheap due to low costs, become more and more cheaper and attractive in dollar trades due to the high exchange rate. Import demands for those cheaper goods will increase, so China’s foreign trade competitiveness will increase,

while the foreign trade balance of other countries will be negatively affected. However, we can continue to increase our exports by taking the right steps in this process, we can diversify the market by opening to new ones. How do you think the Turkish mattress sub-industry is affected by this situation? Today, there is nearly no country that can compete with China because of its technology,

production capacity, manpower and low working standards. And Turkey, because it is included in China’s Silk Road project has been affected more directly. What are the precautions to take in Turkey’s import-export issues? More stringent inspections are required. Government intervention in the foreign exchange market for foreign exchange control should increase.

Which country do you export most as a company? Which factors do you think play a role in these countries choosing a Turkish company? We mostly export goods to United Kingdom and many more countries. I believe that they prefer us for quality products and honest trade. What kind of suggestions can you offer to companies that want to expand their export network? Due to trade wars, new customs duties or sanctions may be imposed every day. So the importance of being able to receive payments from customers becomes more important in this period when risks increase so much. First of all, companies should be substantial about their assetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; so that new investments can be made. They can seek help from future investments by researching and utilizing government subsidies.

The youngest mattress covers manufacturer BEDCO TEXTILE on the way to be the strongest! 40

Established in March 2019, Bedco Textile has already exported its products to 7 countries. The company is getting its power for being in the mattress raw material industry for over fifteen years and dedication to produce the highest quality with best possible pricing. The CEO, Mr. N. Selcuk Sahin has stated that the company

is established in Freezone of Kayseri as their main aim is to serve international companies, which also gives an opportunity to offer better prices than any Turkish company located in regular industrial areas. He also indicated that the company is just a place that experience and new talents has met. The new generation is creating

the most innovative models with unique ideas and fashion. Whereas the experienced tailors are creating the product with handcraft. The company is also very unique in name of machinery and activeness. The machines used in production is all the latest models of trusted machinery producers.

Mr. Canan, sales & marketing manager, has informed that company achievement of the company is far beyond the first quarter goals. The manager has informed that this success is a result of being a reliable supplier for many years and the knowledge that was transferred to the company both from the managing team and the production team. Mr. Canan continued to state that the joint of experienced production people, and innovative young talents resulted as a leading success in a very short time. He believes that the customer satisfaction, great products with great pricing will keep the success growing. The company is also prominent with their raw material suppliers. They only work with the companies who have proved themselves in the international area, and could supply the quality certification as needed. The production of the company is not only focusing on conventional mattress covers but also some unique items such as organic fabrics and raw materials (GOTS certificated), semi-finished mattress with pillow top or euro top. Mr. Sahin has informed that the company is also active in bedding supplies such as mattress protectors, pillows and quilts. And they are already supplying their customers with innovative anti-cellulite mattress protectors for ladies and cooled mattress protectors for men, organic latex pillows both in France and USA. Another good thing about the company is that both is possible to have sewn mattress covers

with mattress components in the same shipment. Mr. Canan has stated that they sometimes serve as a raw material supplier according to the customers’ needs. “Sometimes our customers informing us that they need the materials to fill inside the mattress covers, so we help them to find the required products with the best possible prices. Then they are just having the fun of getting a fully loaded container with sewn mattress covers, and the materials to finish the mattress.” “I remember we supplied one of customers the roll packing machine, foam, spring units, packaging plastic bags and even company logo printed boxes to-

gether with the zippered covers. Then he wanted us to make the photo shooting for their products with their logo etc. the Turkish photo shooting studios are awesome. They did great job, and now our customer is just having fun of being one of the best online mattress seller in Greece.” Plant manager Mr. Yavuz Canan, “We are trying to be great supplier to our customers. We

provide them the sewn covers and semi-finished mattresses with the latest technology mattress ticking. We are closely working with the R&D departments of the mattress ticking manufacturers to make the better and innovative product in the market. Our design team’s origin is women clothing so we can say that we are the most unique company paying attention on the fashion too.” The company has seemed to be very active in the production technologies, human resources and marketing. They seemed to be loving the job they are doing, and dedicated to serve to their customers. We wish them to keep the success going that they got until now.

American Blossom Linens introduces dye free bedding bade from naturally grown Colored FoxfibreÂŽ organic cotton American Blossom Linens, a direct to consumer brand of bedding, made by family owned Thomaston Mills, introduced a new color called Latte Linen to their line of organic cotton bedding. Latte Linen is made from a blend of West Texas organic cotton and FoxfibreÂŽ naturally grown colored cotton.

American Blossom Linens, a direct to consumer brand of bedding, made by family owned Thomaston Mills, introduced a new color called Latte Linen to their line of organic cotton bedding. Latte Linen is made from a blend of West Texas organic cotton and FoxfibreÂŽ

naturally grown colored cotton. Thomaston Mills has been making bedding for over 115

years in the town of Thomaston, Georgia. While nearly all textile manufacturing and production moved overseas, decimating factories and jobs, Thomaston Mills stood resolute and kept manufacturing here in the USA. Thomaston Mills brought back American Blossom because of a

need for sustainable products, impeccably made in the USA by friends and neighbors. These are products that will last and last and never go out of style. What makes Latte Linen different from any other bedding product on the market is that it is made from a base fiber of natural West Texas organic cotton combined with Foxfibre® Coyote Brown heirloom cotton. Foxfibre® is organically grown in a rich color which is integral to the fiber itself. These linens are completely dye-free, not a drop of dye is needed to give these sheets their beautiful shade. Dyed fabrics start to fade after a few washings but the color of Foxfibre® will bloom deeper and richer over time. The touch will even grow softer, the more you use it and wash it. Natural vari-

ations in the fiber cause each set of bedding to be as unique as the plants it comes from. This makes a fabric that has the look of linen and the performance of the most luxurious, percale bedding. This wonderful cotton called Foxfibre® was developed by Sally Fox, a “cotton pioneer” for

her efforts regarding organic, colored cotton. In the 1980’s she was the first one to develop the systems to grow and promote organic cotton in the USA, which started the conversation about organic textiles. The naturally colored cottons that Sally works with have existed for centuries and are traced back at least 4300 years and originated in

the Americas. Heirloom cotton was once abundant and grew in a rainbow of shades including green, yellow, blue and brown. She did what no one thought was possible. She hand bred ancient, naturally pest resistant varieties that can be grown using organic and biodynamic farming methods. She was able to develop long staple lengths that allowed the cotton fiber to be spun into high quality yarn. Naturally colored heirloom organic cotton is also more vigorous, drought tolerant, pest and disease resistant and requires less water. When Foxfibre® cotton is used there is no need to dye fabric in order to obtain a rich color. It is free from harmful chemicals. This saves the environment from water wastage and chemical exposure in the dyeing process. Toxic chemicals

are often used to dye cloth in developing regions with little environmental regulations or worker safety protections. Most commercial non-organic varieties of cotton use GMO seeds that have been bred for homogeneous characteristics like white color. They require tremendous amounts of water and are highly dependent on the use of herbicides and insecticides. The Latte Linen collection, available now on the American Blossom Linens website, includes sheets sets, duvet sets and pillowcase sets. The linens are generously sized with extra deep pockets to provide an excellent fit on almost any height mattress. “Top or Bottom” labels act as visual cues to help you place the fitted sheet correctly on the mattress.

Developer Sally Fox describes the quality best when she says, “I believe that it’s the suppleness. The smallest amount of Foxfibre® added in with the white cotton gives it a softness that no white cotton that I have found has. You lay down on those sheets and you feel it. Not only that, these fabrics last a long time, much longer than white cotton.” American Blossom Linens are 100% made in the USA using traceable organic cotton grown by family farmers. All the components of American Blossom Linens bedding are grown, processed, finished and sewn in the USA, supporting American workers and dramatically reducing the carbon footprint. The linens are American all the way from the farm to the bed.

UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first plastic free mattress launched: My Kind Mattress, by The French Bedroom Company

Made from naturally flame retardant organic materials, the mattresses are 100% recyclable, 100% biodegradable, 100% chemical free and made from sustainable materials, reducing the pressure on already over-capacity landfill sites across the UK. Reducing landfill The average mattress is made from 60% plastic-based materials which means it can take up to 120 years to biodegrade. The National Bed Federation recommend consumers change

their mattress every 7 years. Mattress mountains are an all too familiar sight on the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape; between 5.9 and 6.2 million mattresses are sent to landfill each year*, weighing an estimated 167,000 tonnes, the equivalent to 92,800 cars. They take up 3.6 million cubic metres of landmass, the equivalent of 32,000 double decker buses every year. Out of all mattresses disposed of, an average of 16% are recycled, 73% are sent to landfill, and the remaining 11% are incinerated.

The French Bedroom Company’s My Kind Mattress is 99.87% plastic free**, meaning it will biodegrade entirely within 1-3 years. Chemical free Britons are being exposed to harmful chemicals from birth, with UK mothers’ breast milk containing the highest concentration of flame retardants in Europe. A Commons environment audit committee has issued a report raising concerns about flame-retardant chemicals used on home furnishings. Committee chairwoman Mary Creagh said: “Most people assume that they aren’t at risk from toxic chemicals but the reality is different. Mums in the UK have some of the world’s highest concentrations of flame retardants in their breast milk, some of which have now been banned. Chemical flame retardants are still being widely used in our furnishings from children’s mattresses to sofas. We want consumers to make an informed choice when choosing their mattress, knowing the health risks associated with FR chemicals.” The French Bedroom Company’s My Kind Mattress is 100% chemical free as it contains NO fire retardant chemicals; the wool layer nestled just beneath the cotton surface is naturally fire retardant. So, each night you and your children can sleep knowing you are not breathing directly next to a layer of toxic chemicals. The sustainable layers The My Kind Mattress is made from layers of organic natural materials: flax, cotton, and wool, with draw steel metal springs, all 100% biodegradable.

The French Bedroom Company has launched the UK’s first Plastic Free Mattress to mark this year’s National Recycling Week. Wool is used because it is sustainable, sourced from a regulated industry, produced globally, durable, breathable, moisture-wicking and temperature regulating, in addition to this, wool is a natural barrier to fire, eliminating the need for harmful chemicals in order to meet the UK requirements for fire and flame retardancy.

sites across the UK. In addition, we’re pleased to be doing our bit towards making mattresses chemical free. As a mother, I want my home as chemical-free as possible, knowing my children aren’t breathing in toxic chemicals as they sleep each night, and I know I speak for every mother in the UK.”

Commenting on the launch of the UK’s first Plastic Free Mattress, Georgia Metcalfe, Founder of The French Bedroom Company said:

From glad rags to sleeping bags The French Bedroom Company is working with clothing recycling centers to create bags for protecting the mattresses during delivery. These bags are made from recycled clothing, which are then be donated to charities and used as sleeping bags for the homeless.

“We are delighted to be launching the UK’s first Plastic Free Biodegradable Mattress and excited about what this means for reducing the burden on landfill

“If the developments in the US-China trade war are supported by political relations, the Turkish mattress industry can benefit from this situation”

Reflections of trade wars between the US and China, the two major countries that determine the world’s trade balance, are noticed in every sector. The developments have some effects on the mattress industry in Turkey, where a remarkable growth is expected. We asked the questions on US-China trade war issue we prepare to Semiha Ulusoy, International trade specialists of Nerteks Yarn company, Turkey’s

a leading industrial sewing thread firm. Ulusoy said, “The commercial war with China, the most important player in the US market, may start an advantageous process for Turkish goods, when the extra import duties imposed by the US are taken into account. Of course, the part that will be effective in this process is where we will be positioned in political relations with the United States.”

How do you interpret the impact of the trade wars between China and the US on the mattress supplier industries? How do you think the Turkish mattress supplier industry is affected? As the escalation of trade tensions between the US and China has been overshadowed by the confidence and expectations of the markets, there is concern that global economies will turn from slow growth into recession phase. When companies lose

confidence in global trade policies, they also postpone plans such as investment, expansion and employment. This situation naturally affects every sector as well as the mattress industry. How did the developments between China and the US in the supply of raw materials reflect on the market? Although trade wars are aimed at protecting the economies of the country, in the long run, the global economy is slowing down. There are tragic effects such as an increase in costs due to the increase in the cost of imported intermediate goods and the decrease in profitability. What do you think about the precautions to be taken by Turkey in import-export fields? The spread of trade wars between countries signals a serious slowdown in the global economy. Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exports to the EU market accounts was 83 billion dollars at the end of 2018 and accounts for 50 percent of total exports of the country. However, the latest data show that the EU region is expected to grow by 1.1 percent with the most optimistic figures. In this case, the extra quota in the US

market in Turkey and the applied tax gap arising from the country, With an aim to close the gap caused by the quota and extra taxes imposed in the US markets, chambers of commerce has started some precautions to get the opportunity in the right political basis. The trade war with China, the most important player in the US market, can begin an advantageous process for Turkish goods, given the extra import duties imposed by the US. Of course, the part that will be effective in this process is where we will be positioned in political relations with the United States. Which country do you export most as a company? Which factors do you think play a role in these countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; choosing a Turkish company? Balkan countries, Eastern and Central Europe, Middle East countries, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus are the main countries where we have partners. I consider some factors that contribute to major development of welcoming relations with these countries among them are the geographic proximity of Turkey, having the necessary legal infrastructure,

the trust shown on Turkish goods and competitive pricing policies. What kind of suggestions do you offer to companies that want to expand their export network? Some countries are rapidly integrating into international competition, becoming stronger in the competitive ranks, while others find it difficult to keep up with change and to succeed. It is seen that the successful countries are superior to their competitors in various branches of industry, and they are constantly making investments in these industries and making their name globally. Determining competitive advantages and putting them to the forefront in international areas depends on the effective use of scarce resources and increasing the confidence of the country. When focused on these advantages of exports, countries will be more successful in the long run.

Biocrystal® technology applied to the most expensive and luxurious mattresses in Russia Highly efficient Biocrystal® technology based on scientifically proven mixture of 16 crystals, gold and silver has been applied to one of the most expensive mattresses of all times, handcrafted in Russia.

Elite mattress 009 by Mr. Mattress is produced in Russia and combines the finest technologies provided from various European countries. Biocrystal® technology originally developed and produced in Croatia is accompanied by other natural materials exclusively used for production of this luxurious mattress.

Biocrystal® efficiency for luxury sleeping adorers Developed to give the perfect comfort while sleeping, this luxurious mattress 009 gives the ultimate experience of re-energization to its user, powered by the unique Biocrystal® Technology which is inserted between the layers of mattress. According

to the numerous researches, Biocrystal® impacts positively and provides improved body energy flow, reduced level of stress, reduced fatigue and efficient sleep. Handmade components, organic natural materials Tne “009” elite mattress by

Mr. Mattress is powered by Biocrystal® and made with high-quality, all-natural materials, handmade mattress components, rare fabrics, stuffing and stitching. The most expensive Russian mattress is handmade with layers of organic natural materials like Biocrystal®, cotton, wool, feathers, and horsehair, all of which has a proven functionality when it comes to perfect sleep environment.

Nine skilled craftsmen take exactly 9 days each to produce one mattress, and this is by far the most luxurious and most expensive mattress on Russian market at present. Exquisite technologies applied Combining Biocrystal® Technology, with triple tufted technology and Garment dyed tech-

nology makes the production pattern unrepeatable, therefore each elite 009 mattress is unique and represents how all-natural materials, ultimate form and unmistakable functionality together give one perfect aesthetic. A price that promises

To get to sleep on this luxurious mattress with BiocrystalÂŽ inside, it takes to be a millionaire in a Russian currency, as it costs approximately 1.000.000 Russian rubles. Talking in European currency, this elite mattress costs around 15.000, and the price is indicated by its uniqueness, originality, production time and procedure, quality, efficiency guaranteed by BiocrystalÂŽ and other all-natural materials, as well as the 30-years warranty.

Lenzing unveils REFIBRA™ breakthrough technology strengthening its commitment to the circular economy in textiles Frankfurt/Lenzing – Lenzing Group announced today another breakthrough for its pioneering REFIBRA™ technology with the industry’s first successful production of TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers using post-consumer cotton waste as part of the recycled raw material proportion. Currently, REFIBRA™ technology feature the upcycling of a substantial proportion of pre-consumer cotton scraps from garment production and mixing with

virgin wood pulp, to produce new TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers. In September 2019, Lenzing announced the first-phase of REFIBRA™ technology upgrade, by increasing the composition of pulp made from upcycled cotton scraps collected from garment manufacturing process to up to 30%. In the second-phase, amongst the 30% of recycled raw material content, Lenzing can incorporate up to 10% of post-consumer cotton waste into

the mixture of recycled materials alongside pre-consumer cotton waste. TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers with REFIBRA™ technology are produced on demand and capacity can reach thousands of tons for both generations. “Our world’s forests and climate need these kinds of Next Generation Solutions at both scale and speed in the cellulosic fiber sector. Canopy applauds Lenzing for the vision of making textile waste recycling common place and for launching this commercially available product line with the first steps of post-consumer recycled content,” said Nicole Rycroft, Executive Director of Canopy. “We look forward to Lenzing’s leadership as they work to significantly increase the volume of their raw material that comes from Next Generation feed-stocks, and we know brands and retailers are looking to preference producers who hit

Lenzing has unveiled their latest REFIBRA™ technology breakthrough, which features the industry’s first successful scaled production of virgin TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers using postconsumer cotton waste.

the goal of a 50% post-consumer recycled fiber line first.” With growing interest around the concept of ‘circular economy’ across the globe, the scaled production of TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers using post-consumer cotton waste is a key milestone for Lenzing’s pursuit to build a fully sustainable textile ecosystem. The second phase upgrade of REFIBRA™ technology poses tremendous business opportunities and helps drive greater developments for circular economy. Lenzing believe that the growing adoption of recycled textiles is an essential part of the fiber industry’s future growth strategy. Such frontier production model can help revolutionize the fashion industry and empower brands who are looking for eco-responsible textile value chains. It is the vision of Lenzing to make textile waste recycling a common process like paper recycling. Based on the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, it is Lenzing’s clear vision to produce fibers with REFIBRA™ technology using post-consumer textile waste as raw materials. Being able to use discarded garments consisting of a wider range of materials will greatly enlarge the raw material basis for textile recycling. This innovation is a groundbreaking step towards tackling the global issue of textile waste disposal. At the same time it reduces the extraction of wood as a raw material and relieves the pressure on global forest ecosystems. Our vision includes recycling of fabrics and garments from Lenzing’s own materials. Lenzing is the first producer of wood-based cellulosic fibers offering Global

Recycling Standard (GRS) and the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) offering perfect transparency for the materials used during production. Produced in eco-responsible closed-loop production process, fibers produced using REFIBRA™ technology are 100% bio-based. The fibers will also feature properties of enhanced breathability through good moisture management, silky smoothness and strength. By leveraging such innovative breakthrough, Lenzing has been working closely with brands and industry stakeholders to pursue a more collaborative driving force for the transition towards greater inclusive and circular economic growth.

“For several years, we have witnessed a rise of eco-consciousness amongst consumers. Consumers have been demanding more sustainable product options in their shopping list. If a company wants to truly improve its sustainability practice, it needs to reexamine its current business model and consider introducing new products or technologies with recyclability and reusability in mind. At Lenzing, sustainability is part of our DNA, and we will continue to stand at the industry forefront to assist businesses with the implementation of eco-practices in their operations,” said Florian Heubrandner, Vice President of Global Business Management Textiles of Lenzing.

Elektroteks: “Turkey still has a potential of being one of the key successions for US to struggle against China amid the trade war” Baran Ozis: “To assist the effects of this ongoing situation in Turkey’s scale, Turkish Trade minister sees an opportunity to boost trade with the United States reinforcing an ambitious goal of quadrupling the bilateral trade to $100 billion a year which would be promising enterprise for Turkey’s growth indeed.”

Baran Ozis, Sales Manager of Elektroteks, interprets the effects of US – China trade war to the mattress sub industry in an exclusive interview we conducted. Full text of the interview follows:

How do you interpret the impact of trade wars between China and the US in the sleep products market? How do you think the Turkish mattress sub-industry is affected by this situation? US - China trade war seems to be inevitable and ongoing situa-

tion for long term. Regional economic development is sustained with again regional distinctive economy models in the era of China and US trade war. In order to assist the effects of this ongoing situation in Turkey’s scale, Turkish Trade minister sees an opportunity to boost trade with the United States reinforcing an ambitious goal of quadrupling the bilateral trade to $100 billion a year which would be promising enterprise for Turkey’s growth indeed. Well, it wouldn’t be so wrong by anticipating an

opportunity to be benefited. Because the tariffs increase the cost of import and reduce the domestic competitiveness pressure. In this phase, the prices of products in the tariff list also be pushed up. As far as I know, some models of American mattresses are manufactured in China whose quality scale is rather consist of cheap mattresses. To tell the plain truth, all prices will go up in the stores for mattresses, bed frames and other stuffs in the States. So this aspires US mattress producers to

spare their production to Asian countries since the labor costs are undoubtedly lower. Actually, Turkey’s got an important role with its companies’ competitive prices while having way better quality in terms of providing machinery equipment and raw materials for mattress producers. Although politically unstable relationship between Turkey and US, Turkey still has a potential of being one of the key successions for the US to struggle against China amid the trade war. Some manufacturers are

rushing to stock up products in their US warehouses just because the possible tariff effect. What are the precautions to take in Turkey’s import-export issues? Turkey needs to replace more import goods with export ones. Alternatively, making multilateral trade deal with the countries such as the UK would be great. Turkey needs to establish politically strong connections with the EU although being a member in customs union. Which country do you export most? Which factors do you think play a role in these countries choosing a Turkish company? We are pretty much connected to world by having customer relations all across the globe. So, particularly defining with one country is impossible for our customer portfolio. Our company policy is rather consist of selling whole package to customer

including after sale support and being flexible on market’s production demand and combining it’s experience through the years based on software and product development. Once you establish trade relation with the scale of any massive producer to individual small enterprises, we believe it is endless in between connection which will be everlasting for long years. What kind of suggestions can you offer to companies that want to expand their export network? It is hard to describe a certain formula which leads you to expand your network across the world since it depends on so much variable. However, it can be said as being innovative, being flexible about local customer demand. Social media and marketing are emphatic instruments.

31 Mebel Expo successfully held in Moscow st

Mebel Expo, an international exhibition for furniture, fittings and upholstery was held for the 31st time at Expocentre, 18-22 November 2019. 838 exhibitors coming from 28 countries displayed their latest products on a wide area as over 75 thousand square meters. Being one of the largest trade shows in Russia and Eastern Europe, Mebel is an annual event for professionals in the furniture industry. Every autumn, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading furniture manufacturers and designers show new collections and the best

pieces of furniture, generate sales leads and sign contracts on Mebelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show floor. The exhibition brought together manufacturers and distributers. It became an excellent venue to see the state of the industry

and identify the current furniture trends. The exhibits included a lot of new products which can be interesting to suppliers, retailers, design studios, architectural bureaus, construction companies, developers, business centres, hotels and corporate buyers of furniture. Supported by Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, Mebel Expo is also supported by Russian Export Center and The Union of Architects of Russia. Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia and Union of Timber Manufacturers and Exporters of Russia are also assisting the show.

As a powerful exporting country Turkey had a good participation in the event. Some leading companies in the mattress components, sub-industry, materials and technology exhibited in this edition of the show including Adalar Kimya, Allbemak Makina, Arkopa Ahşap Panel, Aypol Solvent, Boyteks, Cemobsan, Çilek Mobilya, Duark Tekstil, Ibavalresa Boya, Kapsan Mobilya, Karebant, Kayalar Kimya, Ligna Decor, Mesan Plastik, Mis Plastik, Tarlasan, TDT Tekstil, Tece Decor and Yataş. Viktor Evtukhov, State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, commented: “Mebel 2019 is very important for promotion of Russian-made products in the global market as it opens up new sales markets and supplies new sales leads. The show brings together the interests of manufacturers and suppliers of furniture, fittings and upholstery materials, wholesalers, retailers, architects, designers and buyers of furniture and related products.” Alexander Shestakov, President of the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia, praised the show by saying, “Mebel continues to be the main platform of the furniture industry for networking of Russian enterprises with a wide range of partners and customers. The show also helps to address the most important issues of the development of non-resource export.” Show Highlights This year the Future Stars salon of designer furniture, which was launched last year, increased its floor space and offers products of many new designers.

The new special project Furnished Apartments displayed fully finished and furnished apartments, which are a new promising trend in the new housing market. Its participants were First Furniture Factory, Grafskaya Kukhnya, Smolenskmebel, Stolplit, Chisty List, Concept Materials, Qmebel, Elegia along with some others. Events Key topics of 2019 were development of export potential of Russian companies, issues of the woodworking and board industries, and attractive markets for furniture manufacturers. As usual a lot of events were devoted to design. The most relevant issues of furniture production were discussed during the RusMebel Forum 2019. Efficiency in Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Environment, which was organized by the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia and Expocentre AO. The panel on Export as a Development Driver for the Furniture Industry was organized by the

Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia, Russian Export Center AO, Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Expocentre AO. The important 19th Forum of Directors of Small and Medium Enterprises “Furniture as a Business” offered various analytical sessions, case studies, master classes and the Purchasing Centre for Retail Chains™. The Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia and Expocentre AO held panels on Furnished Apartments: a Necessary Element in the Real Estate Market and Development Prospects of the Board Industry in 2019–2021. FSC Russia organized the panel on certifi-

Furniture, interior, design.... All the best were displayed in one place! cation in the Russian board and furniture industries: constrains and opportunities. Expocentre AO and Artekey Eurasia OOO held the PUSHKA International Forum on Innovations in Industrial Design. Archdialog offered design tours around the exhibition. The Furniture Franchising Salon included workshops, organized by Expocentre AO and Mebelny Biznes Magazine. The event program also included lectures and master classes of experts in industrial design

and interior design, as well as presentations of the participants in the Future Stars project. Various workshops were held in the Design Lounge area. This year, Mebel introduced the WoodworkingSkills championship, organized by the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia, WorldSkills Russia and Expocentre AO. It is the first championship for young professionals of the furniture and woodworking industries, held according to WorldSkills standards. This largescale competition helped to address such an important issue as training of qualified personnel for the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enterprises. Mebel 2019 hosted the award ceremony for the winners of the 14th edition of the Russian Cabriole National Award for Furniture Design. Soyuzexpertiza ANO of the Russian Chamber of

Quality furniture competition winners awarded at Mebel 2019

tional quality product competition in the nominations For the Best Consumer Properties and For Successful Promotion of High Quality Goods were awarded on the last day of the Mebel 2019 international exhibition at Expocentre.

The finalists of the 15th interna-

The competition promotes com-

Commerce and Industry held the 15th International Competition in nominations Best Consumer Properties and Successful Promotion of High Quality Goods.

petitiveness of furniture products and accessories in domestic and foreign markets, as well as quality goods made in other countries in the Russian consumer market. Director of the CCI of Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ANO Soyuzexpertiza Examination Department Svetlana Mikhailova said at the award ceremony that Mebel 2019 had reaffirmed its status of the biggest industry show of Russia and the main annual event of the furniture industry. Globally known companies introduced visitors to new products and original designs. Competition in the Russian furniture market, which is tightening every year, helps improve quality of products and strengthen the standing of domestic manufacturers. She also said that the commission made an expert evaluation of properties of 24 goods presented at the competition. The winners received 13 first-degree certificates and 13 gold medals in the nomination For the Best Consumer Properties and one certificate in the nomination For Successful Promotion of High Quality Goods, in addition, one product mark was assigned.

Mert Makina: “Turkey has the potential of filling the gap that will happen in the USA with its location, labor costs and product quality” Mustafa Nebi Dogan, CEO of Mert Makina that produces all sorts of mattress machines from A to Z, highlights Turkey’s various advantages at this situation. Full text of the interview follows: What are your opinions about the trade wars that occur between the USA and China in the sense of the effect for bedding sub-industry? How is Turkish bedding subindustry affected from this case?

Trade wars are carried out to protect the countries’ economies, they cause high cost and low profit depending on the rising of the cost of the import intermediate goods after the slowdown of the global economy in the long term and finally it has tragic effects such as sectorial diminution. But, they have negative effect for some countries, they enable positive developments for some countries as well. This is inevita-

Mustafa Nebi Dogan: “The issue that how bedding sub-industry in Turkey will be affected is a serious subject that will be correlated with the well evaluation by the manufacturer, getting stepped forward to the USA by the importer, that’s to say by the manufacturer among the target countries and benefiting from the opportunities that are offered by both the ministry of economy and the associations of importer is a current investment issue.”

Mustafa Nebi Dogan, CEO

ble for our country to be evaluated as positive in the sense of our country because the importer firms which will be in the search of new sources, manufacturers who perform import will be in the search of alternative sources due to the fact that the costs at the home market are higher. At this point, Turkey has the potential of filling the gap that will happen in the USA with its location, labor costs and product quality. Therefore, I am in the opinion that it will cause a rising acceleration in the imports

that are made to the USA by the bedding sub-industry. The issue that how bedding sub-industry in Turkey will be affected is a serious subject that will be correlated with the well evaluation by the manufacturer, getting stepped forward to the USA by the importer, that’s to say by the manufacturer among the target countries and benefiting from the opportunities that are offered by both the ministry of economy and the associations of importer is a current investment issue.

How are the developments between China and USA reflected to the market at the raw material supply? Both the ministry of economy and the associations of importers and the directors of both countries made statements about the increase of the trade and making the use of the opportunities, and our part at this point is to perform more marketing activities as being importer, as you know, the trade volume is desired to increase to 100 Billion Dollar level mutually and this is such a great figure. Nothing has been reflected to the market yet but these kinds of steps are taken, I hope we, as firms, will use this case better in the name of our country. In your opinion, what are the precautions that Turkey must take on import and export issues? Of course, this is not a subject

that we can realize with short term plans, the next investments must be long term and with value-added products, value-added investments that we will make to contribute export activities while reducing imports. We must reflect our opinions to the field and we mustnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fear from the production. Our investments at high technology products need to be increased and we need to be one step forward

at mechanization. We need to collaborate with the people who are more skilled at hyper-competition, who are self-conscious and who attain information faster and we need to protect this collaboration long time. In short, we need to reduce foreign dependency at raw materials while performing these operations. New investments have started on this issue and I hope we can see more and different investments as well. To which country do you export most? In your opinion, which factors are playing roles to prefer a Turkish firm by these countries? The question that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;to which country do you export mostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; may not be the correct question for a machinery manufacturer or a firm that carries out export to many countries. Up until now we have carried out exports to 100 countries in total. The variety of country is a very important subject at export, while positive developments happen in some countries in the meaning of economy, negative developments happen in some

countries. And when we combine all of these, it shows alteration depending on time and conditions.

Here, there are some concurrent, the demanded product, the demanded quality and the service of the firm; we can mention the whole export operation

even the packing of the product that we export when we are talking about the service. Turkish manufacturers are improving themselves continuously about this issue and we are trying to do our best for our customers. The best benefit that we offer our customers is to provide the maximum benefit with lower cost and with higher quality. What do you suggest for the firms which want to widen their export network? The most important issue here is the continuity of the trade, activities to provide continuity need to be carried out instead of single-use trade with a foreign firm. The most important points are the honesty to the customer, establishing a strong firm profile, selecting your teammates well and being well-equipped about the firm ability. In short, as the martial art master Sun Tzu says; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Know Your Competitor, Know Yourself, Know Your Place!â&#x20AC;?

The chemicals sector undersigns one success after another According to data from Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association (IKMIB), the chemicals sector broke a record in 11 months of 2019 with the export value of 18.8 billion U.S. Dollars it achieved. Continuing the year as the second sector with the highest export, the chemicals sector achieved one success after another. The sector also came forward with its exports to the highest number of countries among all sectors and occupied the top position making exports to 208 countries and regions in November.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association (IKMIB), Mr. Adil Pelister said: “Our chemicals sector reached the export value of 1.83 billion U.S. Dollars in November which once again

made it the second sector with the largest export volume while breaking exports record with a total export value of 18.8 billion U.S. Dollars in 11 months. In addition, we achieved a major success by becoming the sector with the highest number of coun-

tries on its export portfolio with 208 countries and regions we exported to. The highest volume of exports our sector reached was 17,851,000,000 U.S. Dollars. I would like to congratulate our companies, followed by all sector representatives and partners who went beyond this number in the eleven months of this year with the export value of 18.8 billion U.S. Dollars for contributing to this significant success and making us proud. Hopefully we will surpass the export value of 20 billion U.S. Dollars that was our target for the entire year and break another record.” Pelister also touched upon growth figures declared on December 2nd and continued as: “We believe the 0.9 percent growth rate for the third quarter of the year is a reflection of steadfast efforts of our financial governance. These positive developments give us hope for the future.” In November the largest volume of exports was made to Holland In November Holland received the highest volume of exports Monthly distribution of chemicals exports in 2019 MONTH

2018 VALUE($)

2019 VALUE ($)

DIFFERENCE (%)

January

1,353,513,921.26

1,539,656,501.73 13.75%

February

1,265,531,849.44

1,645,324,186.38 30.01%

March

1,566,978,246.63

1,840,053,801.17 17.43%

April

1,353,909,699.99

1,771,329,274.17 30.83%

May

1,467,435,484.42

1,936,921,007.06 31.99%

June

1,423,543,817.85

1,297,776,596.28 -8.83%

July

1,477,096,084.78

1,739,062,327.22 17.74%

August

1,378,633,465.30

1,636,178,039.16 18.68%

September

1,534,992,828.12

1,651,185,452.30 7.57%

October

1,591,861,782.59

1,936,298,709.88 21.64%

November

1,494,497,728.63

1,836,164,283.28 22.86%

Total

15,907,994,909

18,829,950,179

18.37%

Drawing attention with its increased export performance, the chemicals sector achieved a 23 percent increase in exports in November 2019 and reached 1.83 billion U.S. Dollars. Eleven months of exports by the sector increased 18 percent and reached 18.8 billion U.S. Dollars. Thus the chemicals sector broke export record of all times with its 11 months of export.

from the sector. Other countries that followed Holland in top ten in November were Spain, Iraq, Egypt, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Algeria, and Russia. Chemicals export to Holland in November 2019 was worth 110,837,000 U.S. Dollars. In November, Holland was exported “mineral fuels, mineral oils and products”, “plastics and plastic products”, “inorganic chemicals”, “volatile oils, cosmetics and soap”, “rubber, rubber goods”, “various chemical agents” and “pharmaceuticals” the most. Eleven months of chemicals ex-

port to Holland this year reached 998,743,000 U.S. Dollars value. Between January and November of 2019, Holland, Iraq, Italy, Spain, Germany, Egypt, the USA, Malta, Greece, and England were the top ten countries that received the highest volume of chemicals exports. In the chemicals sector, the most exported products were in “mineral fuels, mineral oils and products” sub-sector Considering sub-sectors, in November mineral fuels, mineral

Countries that received the highest number of chemicals exports in November 2019 NO

Country

NOVEMBER 2018 ($)

NOVEMBER 2019 ($)

CHANGE (%)

HOLLAND

54,966,404.13

110,837,930.26

101.65%

SPAIN

50,291,971.53

107,260,185.69

113.27%

IRAQ

91,600,909.45

97,677,397.83

6.63%

EGYPT

90,440,690.45

88,328,414.59

- 2.34%

GERMANY

80,360,615.25

72,169,034.00

- 10.19%

FRANCE

27,469,249.92

69,073,444.26

151.46%

ITALY

48,811,334.12

66,478,019.82

36.19%

GREECE

45,547,367.79

57,082,128.69

25.32%

ALGERIA

25,610,323.55

56,495,851.45

120.60%

THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

33,123,064.39

48,697,157.93

47.02%

Sub-sectors of chemicals exports in November 2019

oils and products occupied the top place with the export value of 553,229,750 U.S. Dollars. Plastics and plastic products occupied the second place with the export value of 512,769,439 U.S. Dollars it reached while exports in inorganic chemicals occupied the third place with 176,612,455 U.S. Dollars. Other sub-sectors in the top-ten following inorganic chemicals were ‘volatile oils, cosmetics and soap’, ‘rubber, rubber products’, ‘pharmaceuticals’, ‘paint, varnish, ink and ink products’, ‘various chemical agents’, ‘washing agents’ and ‘organic chemicals’.

NOVEMBER 2018

NOVEMBER 2019

% DIFFERENCE

PRODUCT GROUP

VALUE ($)

VALUE

MINERAL FUELS, MINERAL OILS AND PRODUCTS

236,048,268

553,229,750

134.37%

PLASTICS AND PRODUCTS

524,512,665

512,769,439

-2.24%

INORGANIC CHEMICALS 152,613,872

176,612,455

15.73%

VOLATILE OILS, COSMETICS AND SOAP

107,856,110

113,169,017

4.93%

RUBBER, RUBBER PRODUCTS

120,191,340

108,836,126

-9.45%

PHARMACEUTICALS

90,256,521

106,234,056

17.70%

PAINT, VERNICE, INK AND THEIR PRODUCTS

70,794,466

76,221,158

7.67%

VARIOUS CHEMICAL AGENTS

49,859,251

52,679,824

5.66%

WASHING PRODUCTS

39,621,870

48,554,551

22.54%

ORGANIC CHEMICALS

37,835,262

34,368,823

-9.16%

FERTILIZERS

47,639,501

31,080,474

-34.76%

ADHESIVES, GLUES, ENZYMES

15,407,106

20,557,874

33.43%

PHOTOGRAPHY AND CINEMATOGRAPHY PRODUCTS

1,135,543

1,007,238

-11.30%

GUNPOWDER, EXPLOSIVES AND THEIR PRODUCTS

645,057

772,773

19.80%

GLYCERINE, HERBAL PRODUCTS, DEGRA, OILY PRODUCTS

50,966

56,642

11.14%

PROCEDDED AMIANT AND MIXTURES, ITS PRODUCTS

29,929

14,082

-52.95%

TOTAL

1,494,497,729

1,836,164,283

22.86%

interzum guangzhou 2020 to serve up multitude of “Belt & Road” opportunities for upstream furniture production industry China’s Belt and Road Initiative could not have come at a better time for Asia’s largest and most comprehensive woodworking machinery, furniture production and interiors trade fair. The industry is booming and manufacturers are hungry for a coveted booth space at the event every year.

Held in its namesake city from 28 – 31 March 2020, CIFM / interzum guangzhou is regarded by the industry as a key gateway for foreign furniture suppliers to enter the fast-growing China market and an ideal place to size up the competition.

Greater Bay Area as well as the center of South China’s furniture manufacturing powerhouse, a growing number of buyers from the region are expected to descend at the event from 2020 and beyond.

With Guangzhou being an important city for the Maritime Silk Road in the hinterland of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau

The “Belt and Road” wave Riding on the opportunities brought about by China’s Belt and Road Initiative, economies along the trade route are step-

ping up in expanding markets and at the same time importing high-quality resources, products and technologies. The world’s leading producers of furniture raw and auxiliary materials are jumping onto the bandwagon by providing high-quality textiles, wood, woodworking machinery and furniture hardware for the global furniture manufacturing market. The Initiative has also given impetus to alleviate

logistical issues - one of the bottlenecks restricting the development of the industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with rapid progress driven by China to establish and better infrastructure and connectivity. Rise of custom furniture market Spanning 5,000 square meters, the expanded Custom Furniture Suppliers zone in Hall 14.1 is dedicated to showcasing a host of products such as accessories for upholstered furniture, textiles, hardware components and panels. The welcomed move came against the backdrop of stable growth rates of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s custom furniture market at above 20 percent over the past seven years. 2018 saw an increase of 20.2 percent over the previous year to about US$41.4 billion. It is predicted that by 2020, the market size is expected to exceed US$48.5 billion. At present, market penetration of custom furniture stands at a low 30 percent, compared with 60-70 percent in developed countries, like the U.S. and South Korea. As the concept matures among Chinese consumers, demand is expected to extend from the current custom cabinets and wardrobes to the entire house, paving the way for tremendous growth.

Insatiable demand for upholstered furniture Yet another much-anticipated enhancement made to the 2020 edition is a newly segmented Hall 12.1 to center on machinery for upholstered furniture production. Some big names to be featured include Duerkopp, Adler, Mammut(Germany), Robatech(Switzerland) and Baomo. Data reveals that in 2018, Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales of upholstered furniture reached US$90 billion, with the country becoming the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest consumer of the product category. The boom has driven the upstream supply chain of raw and auxiliary materials such as leather, sponge, wood and pneumatic components to prosper.

Opportunities in recycling and smart packaging 96

Accounting for 40% of the Turkish plastics industry and 70% of its exports, packaging plays a large part in guiding plastics out of the turbulent waters of additional taxation and bans. Developments in the packaging industry impact everyone from manufacturer to feedstock supplier, machine operator and distributor, yet each threat gives

rise to a new opportunity. At this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Plastic Packaging Congress, PAGEV enabled the discussion of current threats and opportunities in the industry. The Congress began with introductory remarks by PAGEV Chair Yavuz EroÄ&#x;lu and continued with the leading names in the industry. The Turkish Plastics Founda-

tion (PAGEV) held its sixth “International Plastic Packaging Congress” on October 22, 2019 at the Istanbul Swissotel the Bosphorus. Subject matter experts, industry representatives and academics convened around the theme of “Current Threats and Opportunities in Plastic Packaging”. Additional taxes and bans appear to be the greatest threats to the industry, giving rise to opportunities such as sustainability, recycling, and smart packaging. The anti-plastic winds that sweep Europe are being felt in Turkey too. European Commission Policy Officer Werner Bosmans gave firsthand information about plastics being a hot discussion topic in Europe. The 6th PAGEV International Plastic Packaging Congress featured distinguished speakers such as EuPC Managing Director Alexander Dangis, PlasticsEurope Regional Director Giuseppe Riva and INEOS Styrolution Director of Global Strategy Johannes Musseleck, who joined PAGEV Chair Yavuz Eroğlu in a panel discussion on “Circular Economy and Zero Waste”. Another keynote speaker was Yoav Hoshen, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Water. io, known for creating IoT Smart Packaging as one of the best applications of digital packaging in the world. Smart packaging offers many solutions that make people’s lives easier through mobile applications and the internet. Water.IO’s reusable water bottles are equipped with smart caps that let you track how much water you need to drink for the rest of the day on your phone. The smart cap also reminds you to take a drink of water. Yoav Hoshen gave

examples to how packaging was becoming smarter, and provided a glimpse into what we might expect in the future. The plastics industry will grow with sustainable products In the introductory remarks to the Congress, PAGEV Chair Yavuz Eroğlu said, “The plastics industry of Turkey is a great contributor to the national economy with 35 billion dollars in revenue and 12 billion dollars in exports. One of the largest subsectors in the industry is packaging, which accounts for 40% of production and 70% of exports. Looking into figures, we see that 3.6 million tons of plastics worth 12 billion dollars were produced in 2018. In the first half of 2019, plastic packaging production declined by 14% by weight

compared to the same period previous year to 1.7 million tons, and 21% by value to 5.4 billion dollars. According to our forecasts, production volume will drop by 7% to 3.4 million tons, and production value will decrease by 13% to 10.5 billion US dollars by the end of the year. The export growth of the industry is also slumping. Last year, we exported 2.6 billion dollars of plastic packaging. In the first half of this year, no increase was recorded in comparison to the same period in 2018. The industry’s exports for the first 6 months stagnated at 1.3 billion dollars. Of course, we believe this to be temporary. Plastic is an indispensable material. This will ensure that the plastics industry and the plastic packaging sector will continue to grow. As we always say,

plastics have no place in nature, but plenty of place in our lives. The industry will develop with new alternatives. Instead of the one-way street of make-sell-consume-dispose, we are transitioning to a circular approach of make-sell-consume-recycle-remake. The plastics industry is gearing for this revolutionary new approach. Plastic packaging will prevent food waste, contribute to the national economy, and achieve impressive growth. The Zero Waste Project in particular will be a boost to the recycling industry in Turkey. The plastics industry will succeed in environmental protection and economic development at once with sustainable products. We will keep growing while we keep a watchful eye over the environment.”

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Essence of sleep with Essentia “Perfecting the world’s only natural memory foam took love, science, testing and time. What Essentia achieved in doing was to take high quality natural and organic ingredients, turning them into a truly next generation, latex-based foam that sleeps cool, feels better, and reacts faster than any other foam you’ve ever experienced,” the brand’s officials explain. Essentia’s patented natural memory foam starts with Hevea

milk that is mixed with other essential natural and organic ingredients that once combined help to achieve the distinctive feel and properties found only in Essentia. Of utmost importance to Essentia was sourcing the right ingredients to make its organic mattresses and natural memory foam mattresses, but also being transparent with what ingredients are used. Here you will find a breakdown of the most used ingredients in Essentia’s mattresses:

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Hevea Milk

and rejuvenating properties to the body and spirit.

Milky white “sap” of the Rubber tree, collected much like Maple tree sap. The hevea milk used at Essentia is sourced from Indonesia, collected from rubber plantations where acceptable working conditions are maintained and there is no practice of child labor. This hevea milk is processed to make Essentia’s natural memory foam. GOLS Certified Organic Latex Essentia’s Lifestyle organic mattress collection features GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) certified organic latex. Dunlop Latex A rubbery foam made from Hevea Milk (rubber tree sap) which is known for its durability, support qualities, and purity. The company uses natural Dunlop

Natural Plant Extracts As a substitution to harsh toxic chemicals used in conventional memory foam, plant extracts such as hydrolyzed corn help to achieve the proper consistency for Essentia’s natural memory foam. latex foam, the finest natural latex foam available as the support core in many of its mattress models. Organic Essential Oils A natural and healthy alternative to man-made oils or petroleum. Grapefruit seed, coneflower essence and jasmine essence all help us achieve proper consistency in Essentia’s natural memory foam while providing soothing

GOTS Certified Organic Cotton Every Essentia mattress is covered in an organic cotton cover and the brand features only the best organic cotton sheets. Grown without chemicals, synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, organic cotton helps retain the health of our planet and its people by providing safe work environments for cotton field workers, eliminating the use of damaging synthetic pesticides ensuring soil fertility is main-

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tained and improved. 25% of the world’s chemical pesticides are used to grow cotton when only 3% of the world’s farmland grows cotton. Choosing organic cotton makes a huge difference. How Essentia makes the best organic mattress Perfecting Essentia’s natural memory foam was just the beginning; the next step was taking it to production. To ensure a consistent product, a very specialized foaming machine was sourced. After months of re-engineering and modifications including adding a programmable control center, chiller system, robotic arm and injection mix head it was ready to start making mattresses. Essentia uses two different types of molds to make mattresses: Layer Mold Used to make a thick piece of our natural memory foam. Once baked and cured, it’s sliced into 1 inch, 2 inch, and 3-inch-thick layers to be used on mattresses. You’ll find these layers in all models but featured predominantly as comfort natural memory foam layer of our Classic 8 and Energie Opus models. Essentia Patented Mold Technology The specialized foaming machine is mostly found working with the mold to develop its WholeBodyTM Recovery mattresses. The process is simple, a layer of natural Dunlop latex and natural memory foam that was sliced from the layer mold are stacked into this mold. The arm of the foaming machine then pours Essentia’s high-density natural memory foam over the stack,

103

covering the top and all sides… much like icing a cake. The mold is then fully baked and the new mattress is ready to go into curing. As 1 of only 2 latex foaming companies in North America, Essentia not only has complete control over every ingredient and component used to make the healthiest mattress possible, the environmental benefits of foaming are significant. Instead of importing latex foam components, the company simply imports the rubber tree sap to make its natural memory foam. This takes close to 80% less space than importing finished latex foam. It also significantly cuts down on fuel consumption in transportation, which allows for better prices. Curing & Testing As much care is taken into crafting a new Essentia mattress as you would expect from any James Beard Award-winning baker. Essentia’s goal is to ensure that each mattress reflects what Essentia owners are meant to feel which is fully refreshed after a deep, restorative, truly therapeutic sleep experience on Essentia. To ensure that, there are 2 more steps before a new mattress begins its trek to you: Phase 1 - Curing Like all baked goods, Essentia products need some time to cool. When it comes to foam, the cell structure and consistency changes after a few hours, even after a few days. All products cure on racks for 7 days to ensure you always get the Essentia feel it is famous for. Phase 2 - Testing All Essentia mattresses undergo inspection

and testing before being packed up and shipped to you. Including ILD (indentation load deflection) testing which determines firmness, stiffness or load-bearing capacity. Made with Care When it comes to how Essentia memory foam mattresses are made, it’s not just a company, it is family. Health, safety, and happiness go hand in hand at

Essentia. Everything gets tested, from worker safety to the final product. No gloves or other forms of protective equipment are needed for its team in the factory given the nature of its natural products. VOC testing has been performed on both work environment in its factory and the final product. Essentia’s factory is both GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) certified.

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Felt manufacturing and its usage in mattresses It is no secret that almost all textiles are woven, however, this is not the case for felt. Felt is one of the oldest fabrics known to man, and is manufactured from fur and/or fibers which are matted and compressed through pressure heat and moisture.

Felt may be the oldest fabric known to man, and there are many references to felt in ancient writings. Since felt is not woven and does not require a loom for its production, ancient people made it rather easily. Some of the earliest felt remains were found in the frozen tombs of nomadic horsemen in the Siberian Tlai mountains dating back to around 700 B.C. These tribes made clothing, saddles and tents from felt because it was strong and resistant to wet and snowy weather.

105

Felt is a textile that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. The pressed felt process is the original felt manufacturing method. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool, or from synthetic fibers such as acrylic. Due to the fact that there are some felts which are made up of more than one type of fiber, they must be mixed and then blended to get a consistent composition before anything else is done. The unprocessed fibers are therefore placed into a large enough opener which contains a sizeable cylinder that is studded with steel nails. This cylinder then churns and mixes the fibers together to form a uniformed mass. Historically, felts were the only material used for underlays but today they represent only a little part of the market while the urethane foam accounts almost 80% and sponge rubber, the reminder. Turkey has some respectful felt manufacturing

106

brands such as Milkay, Ĺ&#x17E;iteks, Pinteks, Kayteks, Felturc, Simfelt, Felteks, Kisbu, Berfa, Punteks, etc. Felt underlays provide firmer support and, therefore, are often used in high traffic areas in commercial establishments. They are also used in conjunction with area rugs. In mattresses they are used for reinforcement. Today, the mattress industry reinforcement felts offer technical characteristics which ensure an incomparable bed comfort. Available in a wide range of thicknesses, stiffness, colors, compositions, dimensions or numbers of layers, felts are commonly used in most mattress kinds. Felts and fibers are also used to keep foams in its form and as a protection material. Felt may vary in width, length, color, or thickness depending on its intended application. This matted material is particularly useful for padding and lining as it is dense and can be very thick. Furthermore, since the fabric is not woven the edges may be cut without fear of threads becoming loose and the fiber unraveling. Felts include SAE, sheet, wiper, sleeve, needled, filter, gasket, high temperature, equestrian, craft and percussion felts. Felt is available in materials including wool, rayon, and polypropylene. High temperature felt materials include Nomex, Kevlar, polyester and carbon precursor felts. Felts applications include dust shields, wipers, grease retainer washers, vibration mountings, polishing, glue and wax applications, pressure and cushioning rolls, lubricating, padding, oil retention, seals, spacers, harnesses and saddlery. Capabilities include die cutting for SAE grade wool and coated felts, non-woven synthetic materials, coated and impregnated felts, corks, foams, and non-metallic ma-

107

terials. Kiss cutting is available for felt dots and anti-skid foam pads. Capabilities also include stripping, slitting, and applying pressure sensitive adhesives to materials. Natural materials without toxic emissions are becoming increasingly important, especially in the mattress industry. Felts made of virgin or recycled wool and cotton are examples of such materials. 100% pure wool felt needled punched felt is made out of 100% pure washed wool and is also made without any Pes additives. It is a natural, warm and fire retardant product. Needled punched felt is made out of various cotton recycled textile fibers. It is used for the filling of the mattresses for economical types. Felts can be produced from wool and from some other animal fibers such as goat, rabbit or camel hair. The fibers are laid over each other in layers until the desired thickness, width and length are achieved. This produces a webtype structure which is then beaten, pressed and squeezed

108

until the required level of felting is reached. The felt can be strengthened by stitching, melting or dissolving small areas of fibers, or by gluing with adhesives. Another type of felt is called needle felt. This can be produced using almost any type of fiber. Synthetic fibers are increasingly used for this commercially. This method uses felting needles which are arranged together in a needling machine. Fiber webs are layered on top of each other and are fed into the needling machine. The needles are pushed through the fiber webs in order to drag a number of fibers to the bottom layer of the webs. This makes loops in the fibers which stitch the webs together.

Properties of felt All felts absorb water and are good insulators. Felt can be steamed and pressed and formed into permanent shapes. This means that felt can be used in many different ways. Commercial uses include hats, billiard table coverings, insulation materials, collar facings for coats and jackets. Needle felts have additional property of being elastic and lightweight compared with other nonwoven fabrics. Their uses include interlinings, mattress covers, upholstery materials and wadding. Products manufactured for the bedding and upholstery industry are in both out sizes and roll-form with weight ranging from 750 gm2 to 1800 gr2. There is a range of products from layered felt, heavy needled felt through to bonded felt, both unbacked and backed, with a range of different backing materials such as woven polypropylene or Typar (DuPont). Wool felts are a wonderful â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;feltingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

109

between nature and humanity. The felts provide a resilient yet firm sleeping surface that we can easily adjust by adding or subtracting felts according to our preferences. Wool felts feel wonderfully supportive and firm, yet yielding, and can easily be adjusted by adding or subtracting felts according to one’s needs. For additional ‘give’, slats can be padded with 2-inch latex strips (these are glued to the slat using non-toxic glue). The latex padded slats reduce the number of felts needed to provide sufficient ‘give’ while only a minimal amount of latex is used. The latex can be protected with cotton or wool sleeves (wool is better because of it’s resistance to molding.) It is a gift of true comfort for humans. Felts

are available in different colors. There are 100% wool pads that are available in several sizes and can be used as a mattress topper, car seat pad, rug, camping pad, massage pad or anything else you can think of. Wool felts work great as a top layer on a your bed since they are hand washable. Thick and cozy, wool felts are the perfect addition to every bed. Each felt is mainly produced by pouring hot soapy water on batting and then stomping on the wool. It means you can start making felt with nothing more than some bubble wrap, warm water and soap but once you’ve started you’re likely to get hooked and you will want to experiment further. This process causes the fluffy wool batting to shrink into

a dense solid pad. The process is completed by washing the felt in a washing machine. The result, is a beautiful, thick, hand washable wool pad that can be used in so many ways… Specialty fibers can also make wonderful felt or can be combined with wool fiber to give a luxurious feel and a different texture. Fibers such as alpaca, angora, bamboo, camel, cashmere and silk are all available. For color blending, hand carders are useful, or if you are working on a larger project a drum carder is a very handy tool. This will produce blended batts of wool that can be used in many different ways. Ahmet İlhan, export manager of Siteks, explains: “Mainly there

110

are 3 separate felts in a mattress. First is the product combined by heat processes and used on the springs directly which is called hard felt. These lessen the hard effect of the spring and spread it on the surface. They spread the weight of a person given to the mattress and prevent it from being concentrated on a certain point. Our Company can produce hard Felt from 300 grams to 3,000 grams. Now, we have 8 production lines. Our monthly production capacity is 3,500 tons. Another sort of felt is filling felts. These are medium-hard felts used between top cloth and hard felt. They can be produced in different grams and with different thicknesses and they may show variation depending on the countries and their mattress cultures. For the mattress, on the top layer foam rubber or fiber is used so that the quilting seems beautiful. Here, the third type of felts, felts for quilting begin to function. These are softer that the others. And they make the quilting seem

more beautiful. And these are also produced in different grams and with different thicknesses with the needling technique. In fact, we can classify the Felts for quilting used by us in this area into 3, as well. These are: recycled cotton Felts, original wool Felts and original cotton felts.â&#x20AC;? Ahmet Ä°lhan details the way of Siteks, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are producing a kind of flame retardant felt. Especially in the countries like England

and America, non-flammability is preferred very much. Preventing burning of the completed mattress is a priority there. Besides, flame retardancy is desired in hotels, in military, in hospitals and in prisons. And for that purpose, we are producing special non-woven clothes. These products are used right under the completed clothes. Materials like foam rubber or fiber are located thereunder. Thus, non-flammability of the mattresses or non-growth of the

112

fire, in case of a possible fire, is ensured. In a sense, it functions as a barrier. You can ensure that flame retardancy in two ways. First, you can produce the fiber with non-flammable chemicals. You use carbon and non-flammable fibers therein. Second, you get a non-woven cloth with a feature of less non-flammability and you may inject a non-flammability liquid into it. By that way, we produce firebreak products.â&#x20AC;?

How many felt layers are enough?

This depends on whether you use latex padded slats or bare slats. With latex padded slats, stacking 4 to 6 bed felt layers is recommended. With bare slats, it would be better with 8-10 bed felts. More can be added if needed. The top felt is the protection layer. It requires more care, especially when sleeping right on the felt with no sheet. Little woolen pilings begin to form wherever your body is directly moving/rubbing against the wool. The pilings can

easily be picked off while sitting on them. It makes for good contemplation time.

Multiple felts for layered mattress To produce a layered felt mattress, simply stack the felts on top of each other. Side lacing helps reduce possible slippage between felts, but is not absolutely needed. Some people prefer no lacing because of the ease of removing layers for travel, or for seasonal sunning and airing.

TDI, a problematic but inevitable need of foam manufacturers 114

TDI (Toluene dilsocyanate) is the vital raw material for foam manufacturers but its availability and market and price stability are headaches for the manufacturers. Processing the item is also not healthyâ&#x20AC;Ś

TDI, or toluene diisocyanate, is a key raw material used to produce flexible polyurethane foam. The TDI is consumed in the chemical reaction that makes polyurethane and is not released from the finished polyurethane foam into the air to make any harm. Can TDI be handled and used safely? Yes, when used in accordance with current regulations and industry practices, TDI can be used safely. Engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and long-established workplace practices are widely used through-

out the industry to protect workers and the public. Short supplies of this key ingredient in polyurethane foam seem not to be easing soon. There are few manufacturers in the world and when they have self-problems they are reflected to users. As the main input of foam, Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI) is one of the basic chemical ingredients used in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foam. TDI is the abbreviation for Toluene DiIsocyanate, a mixture of toluene-2,4-di-

115

isocyanate and toluene-2,6-diisocyanate with the 2,4- isomer being the major component. Polyurethane chemistry was first studied and produced in Germany in 1937. Polyurethanes represent a family of polymers rather than a single polymer. Urethane polymers can be produced with a wide variety of properties, ranging from soft flexible foams and fibers through to hard solids so that they can be used in a diverse range of applications. The TDI is consumed in the chemical reaction that makes polyurethane and is not released from the finished polyurethane foam into the air. Flexible polyurethane foam is used in mattresses, furniture cushions and other common household applications. The development of elastic polyurethanes began as a program to find a replacement for rubber during the days of World War II. In 1940, the first polyurethane elastomers were produced. These compounds gave millable gums that could be used as an adequate alternative to rubber. When scientists found that polyurethanes could be made into fine threads, they were combined with nylon to make more lightweight

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and stretchable garments. Polyurethanes are linear polymers that have a molecular backbone containing carbamate groups (-NHCO2). These groups, called urethane, are produced through a chemical reaction between a diisocyanate and a polyol. Polyurethanes are some of the most versatile polymers. Despite these differing properties, the polymers have one common characteristic in that they all incorporate the urethane group (-NH-CO-O-) into their structure. However, the polymers differ from simple thermoplastic polymers, such as the polyolefins, in that they are not sold as readymade polymers but as precursors that are mixed at the conversion stage. These precursors are commonly polyols (compounds containing multiple -OH groups) and diisocyanates (compounds containing -NCO groups). The primary reaction during the production of polyurethanes is of the form: -NCO + HO- â&#x2020;&#x2019; -NH-CO-O-

Polyurethane flexible foams can be used for a diverse range of applications including sofa, mattresses, furniture cushions, carpet underlay, padding for textile and footwear, and automotive seats. TDI is also used in the production of coatings, sealants and elastomers. Toluene Diisocyanate TDI 80-20 is an aromatic isocyanate that is produced for reaction with polyols to form polyurethanes. It

is widely used in the production of polyester-based soft foam, high-bearing sponges, semi-rigid ester foam, and paint.

What does the presence of TDI antibodies mean? The presence of TDI antibodies does not necessarily indicate an adverse health effect, nor does it necessarily mean you have been exposed to TDI. The test for TDI

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antibodies is neither simple nor completely accurate. Some individuals test positive regardless of whether they have been exposed to TDI or not. Additional testing would be required to determine if the positive reading was actually the result of TDI exposure.

Environmental implications TDI is a confirmed carcinogen. Its emission is closely monitored by the authorities. TDI tape detectors are installed around the factories it is produced. To minimize the emission of TDI, most of the process equipment is shielded. Like many reactive chemicals, “TDI products” can create hazards if handled carelessly. When used in accordance with current regulations and industry practices, TDI can be used safely. Engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and long-established workplace practices are widely used throughout the industry to protect workers and the public. Traditionally CFC (chlorinated fluorocarbons) based solvents were used as blowing agents. In the late 80’s, the ozone layer depletion effect of CFC based chemical was established. The use of CFC was gradually banned. Methylene chloride, which is inert to ozone, is used as a substitute for CFC. Lots of “offcuts” are generated in the foam cutting process. They are

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collected and sent to the associated recycle plant to produce a lower grade flexible foam. This type of foam is widely used in the production of carpet backings and packing materials. By this way the net amount of waste produced in the process can be minimized. TDI should only be handled by knowledgeable, well-trained personnel who thoroughly understand the hazards associated with the transportation, storage, and use of the chemical. Contaminated clothing must be washed before reuse. Severely contaminated clothing should be discarded. Contaminated footwear or leather gloves should never be reused. Eating and drinking should not be allowed where TDI is handled or stored.

POLYOL in polymer chemistry used in mattresses The other reacting species required to produce polyurethanes are compounds that contain multiple alcohol groups (OH), called polyols. In polymer chemistry, polyols are compounds with multiple hydroxyl functional groups available for organic reactions. A molecule with two hydroxyl groups the starting point for polymeric polyols. These materials are often is a diol, one with three is a triol, one with four is a tetrol and so on. referred to as the “initiators” and reacted with propylene oxide The polyols used in polyurethane or ethylene oxide to produce production are predominantly polymeric polyols. However, they hydroxy- polyethers, rather than should not be confused with hydroxy-polyesters. They are profree radical “initiators” used to duced by alkoxylation. Depending promote other polymerization on the degree of cross-linking reactions. The functional group required, the starting alcohols used as the starting point for a polymeric polyol need not be a hyused for hydroxy-polyethers may droxyl group; there are a number be divalent glycols (ethylene, of important polyols which are propylene and other glycols) or multivalent alcohols (e.g. glycerol, built up from amines. A primary amino group (-NH2) often funcsucrose). The epoxides used are tions as the starting point for two generally propylene oxide and polymeric chains, especially in the ethylene oxide. case of polyether polyols. Monomeric polyols such as glycPolymeric polyols are generally erin, pentaerythritol, ethylene used to produce other polymers. glycol and sucrose often serve as

They are reacted with isocyanates to make polyurethanes used to make mattresses, foam insulation for appliances (refrigerators and freezers), home and automotive seats, elastomeric shoe soles, fibers (e.g. Spandex), and adhesives. Polymeric polyols are usually polyethers or polyesters. Polyether polyols are made by reacting epoxides like ethylene oxide or propylene oxide with the multifunctional initiator in the presence of a catalyst, often a strong base such as potassium hydroxide or a double metal cyanide catalyst such as zinc hexacyanocobaltate-t-butanol complex. Common polyether diols are polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and

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poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol. The examples shown below are fairly low molecular weight triols based on glycerin (a triol) being reacted with propylene oxide, ethylene oxide or a combination of the two. In reality, the chains would not be of equal length in any one molecule and there would be a distribution of molecular weight polyols within the material. Polyether polyols account for about 90% of the polymeric polyols used industrially; the balance is polyester polyols. As is the case for all foam manufacturers at almost all over the world Turkish foam manufacturers have also been suffering some supply problems of this main input of their manufacturing process. Price hikes are also a big problem for the industry. Depending on this material for foam production the industry is almost in a monopoly of a main supplier. When it suffers from any cause the entire industry suffers because the producer naturally reflects the loss on prices, delivery and other factors. Another class of polymeric polyols is the polyesters. Polyesters are formed by condensation or stepgrowth polymerization of diols and dicarboxylic acids (or their derivatives), for example diethylene glycol reacting with phthalic acid. Alternatively, the hydroxyl group and the carboxylic acid (or their derivatives) may be within the same molecule, as in the case of caprolactone. The example below is an idealized structure that could be obtained by reacting pentaerythritol (a tetrol) with gamma-butyrolactone.

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BASF develops the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first particle foam based on polyethersulfone The foam is characterized by its unique combination of properties: high temperature resistance, inherent flame retardancy, and its extreme lightweight coupled with great stiffness and strength. BASF has outstanding expertise in foams that are successfully used in numerous industries.

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After two years of intensive research, BASF is now able to present prototypes of the world’s first particle foam based on polyethersulfone (PESU). The foam is characterized by its unique combination of properties: high temperature resistance, inherent flame retardancy, and its extreme light weight coupled with great stiffness and strength. It is therefore particularly well-suited for complex-shaped components in cars, airplanes and trains, which require excellent mechanical properties together with the ability to withstand high operating temperatures or to meet stringent flame-retardant requirements. The expandable PESU granulate is prefoamed into beads with low densities between 40 and 120 g/L and can be processed into molded parts with complex 3D geometries using technologies available on the market. Ultrason E, the PESU of BASF, is an amorphous thermoplastic with an extraordinary temperature profile: it has a high glass transition temperature of 225°C and remains dimensionally stable up to this temperature. Its excellent mechanical and dielectric properties are only slightly dependent on the temperature, too. Foams made of Ultrason E are approved for use in aircraft. The material, with its exceptionally high limiting oxygen index of 38 (according to ASTM D 2863), distinguishes itself because it meets the requirements for commercial aircraft with regard to combustibility, low heat release and low smoke density (fire, smoke, toxicity) even without the addition of flame retardants, which means it is intrinsically flame retardant.

Particle foam for new lightweight components Despite its low density the PESU particle foam enables extremely stiff and strong components with excellent dimensional stability at high temperatures. Expanded molded parts made from one single material offer numerous advantages compared to traditional honeycomb structures coated with phenolic resins: they offer considerable flexibility in terms of densities and shapes and therefore greater freedom in design. There are fewer processing steps and therefore lower system costs. Additional functional parts such as inserts and screw threads can be integrat-

ed in the complex geometries. And, last but not least, recycling of the parts can be easily carried out as the polymer is of one single origin. Thanks to such weight-optimized, thermoplastic foams for complex geometries it is possible to realize new lightweight components that, compared to traditional thermoplastic parts, have better properties and are an answer to trends such as e-mobility in automotive construction, the modernization of aircraft cabin interiors and increasing flame-retardant requirements in public transport. Ultrason is the trade name for BASF’s product range of polyethersulfone (Ultrason E), polysulfone (Ultrason S) and polyphenylsulfone (Ultrason P). The high-performance material is used to manufacture

lightweight components in the electronics, automotive and aerospace industries, but also in water-filtration membranes and in parts that come into contact with hot water and food. Because of their extraordinary property profile, the Ultrason brands can substitute thermosets, metals and ceramics.

BASF: extensive expertise in foams BASF has outstanding expertise in foams that are successfully used in numerous industries. In 1951, the company patented the first-ever particle foam: the classic white foam made from expandable polystyrene (EPS) – Styropor. Since then, it has set the standard for insulation and packaging applications and was further developed into the high-performance Neopor for insulation materials in 1997. BASF was also a pioneer in block foam: since 1964, it has produced the insulation material Styrodur, the expanded polystyrene (XPS) for use in construction. Since then, the company has brought other high-performance foams onto the market: Basotect, a flexible, opencell foam made from the thermoset melamine resin for acoustic, transportation and cleaning applications, as well as Neopolen, a polypropylene foam (EPP) with high energy absorption and good resilience. The latest innovations are Infinergy, the world’s first expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (E-TPU), which has been causing a sensation in the sports shoes industry, and ecovio EA, a certified compostable, expandable particle foam with a high biobased ratio for transport packaging, which contributes to the circular economy.

Mattress Industry Terms 122

Source: ISPA, International Sleep Products Association

Adjustable base: An electro-mechanical or manual bed frame construction that permits the raising and lowering of the head and/or foot portions of the mattress. Airbed: An air mattress with a core that is an air-filled vinyl bladder. Better airbeds are multichambered, covered with cushioning, upholstered with ticking and sold with a foundation. Anti-microbial fiber and foam: Treatment that inhibits the growth of microbial contaminates. Backing: Any fabric or sheeting ma-

terial that is used during quilting to anchor the stitches. Batting: See Cotton Felt. Bedding: Commonly used as a generic term for a mattress and foundation set, but may also apply to accessory items such as blankets, sheets, pillows, comforters, mattress pads, etc. Bedding ensemble: A complete sleep support system, consisting of a metal frame or a bed, a foundation and a mattress set. Bed frame: A metal or wood frame with legs used to support a

mattress and foundation. Conventional height is 7-1/4 inches and the low-profile version is 5-3/4 inches when measured from the floor to the bottom of the foundation. Generally a headboard can be attached. Metal frames are sometimes known as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;? frame. Bedsprings: Open-spring or wire fabric box springs without upholstery materials or cover. Binding tape: Fabric tape used to bind and close the mattress or foundation where the vertical and horizontal panels of outer ticking

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come together, providing the edge trimming for the mattress or foundation. See Tape and Tape Edge. Body impressions: Indentations occurring on the surface of a mattress over time, due to the compression of materials by the human body. Bonnell: A knotted, round-top, hourglass-shaped steel wire coil. When laced together with crosswire helicals, these coils form the simplest innerspring unit, also referred to as a Bonnell. Border: The vertical side or edge of a mattress or foundation. Prebuilt borders are constructed by stitching together the ticking, foam or other filling materials and a backing material. Commonly quilted or vertical-stitched.

Box spring: Also referred to as a “foundation.” A base for an innerspring mattress, consisting of coils or other forms of springs mounted on a wood or metal frame and secured with a wire-interlaced or welded-wire grid, topped with upholstery and insulating materials (felt, urethane or other resilient materials), and covered on the top and sides with ticking and on the bottom with a dust cover. It is an important part of a bed set since it serves as a shock absorber, distributes weight, and supports and interacts with the innerspring mattress to properly support the body.

Border rod: A heavy gauge wire rod attached to the perimeter of the innerspring unit (top and bottom) by means of a helical wire or metal clips.

Box-top mattress: A mattress featuring a raised surface finishing treatment where a separate, sided and rectangular encasement of soft materials–usually with a tape edge–is attached via a welt to the entire surface on top of existing cover and upholstery.

Boric acid: A chemical additive applied during the garnetting of cotton and/or other fibers to provide cigarette ignition resistance characteristics.

Bunk bed: A two-tiered wood or metal frame designed to accommodate two mattresses, typically twin-size, one above the other. Some models allow the upper and

lower units to be detached and used as separate beds. Bunkie: A mattress, usually twinsize, and platform base used on bunk beds. Cal 117: Refers to California Technical Bulletin 117, which specifies a vertical flame testing procedure for bedding and furniture component materials. Foam referred to as “Cal 117 foam” has passed this test. Carbon: The principal hardening element in steel. The higher the carbon content, the harder the metal and the more temper it will take, thus giving longer “memory.” Cellulose acetate pad: Woody fiber compacted into a pad and used as an insulator. May be glued or sandwiched between plastic netting to help hold it together. Coil count: The number of coils in an innerspring unit. Though the count can effect weight distribution, it is not the determining factor for firmness. The count is usually based on the number of coils in a full-size unit. Coils: The individual wire springs that form an innerspring unit. See

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Hourglass, Continuous and Offset Coils. Coir pad: An insulator pad made from coconut husk fiber, garnetted, needled, bonded and pre-cut to size. Comfort system: Refers to the upholstery layers of the mattress, generally consisting of a combination of materials (cover, cushioning, topper pad, insulators, etc.). Conjugate polyester fiber: Spirally crimped fiber that is crimped chemically rather than thermally. Is very durable and resilient. Continuous coils: An innerspring configuration in which the rows of coils are formed from a single piece of wire. Conventional bedding products: Mattresses and foundations in the conventional adult sizes of twin, twin extra long, full, full extra long, queen and king. Convertible sofa: A sofa with a bed folded beneath the seating surface, generally consisting of a mattress resting on a metal mechanism. Also called “sleep sofa” or “sofa sleeper.” Convoluted foam: Better known as “egg-crate” foam that is specially cut to produce hills and valleys, giving gentle softness and more surface comfort. Foam surface treatment is available in multiple patterns. Cornell test: Devised by Cornell University School of Hotel/Motel Administration. Designed to test cosmetic performance of bedding sets, such as body impression or support firmness. Two round surfaces are pounded into the finished product 100,000 times and checked periodically for failure or changes. Corner guards: Molded plastic or

metal, (sometimes upholstered) fittings secured to foundation corners to prevent material damage from the bed frame.

Cotton pickers: “Fall out” from ginning or garnetting. These shorter staple cotton fibers are blended with linters to produce cotton felt.

Cotton felt: Produced by a garnett machine which combs cotton and other fiber binders into a continuous web or layer. Several such layers combined are called cotton “batt”. For compressed cotton felt, thick layers of garnetted cotton fiber are mechanically compressed to reduce body impressions.

Crown: A convex surface on a mattress. Mattresses with a half-inch crown are a half-inch thicker at the center than at the edges.

Cotton linters: The short fibers adhering to the seed after the long staple fiber has been removed in the ginning process. Used in making cotton felt.

Cushioning: Materials that lie above the insulator and below the fabric covering in an innerspring mattress. These materials are typically combinations of polyurethane foam, cotton felt, and/or mademade fibers. Damask: Woven ticking produced on a loom that has yarns running at 90-degree angles to each other,

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the warp and the weft. The damask design is woven into the fabric rather than printed on the surface. Density: A measure of weight per cubic volume, usually expressed in pounds per cubic foot. Often referred to when discussing foam. Double tempering: Heating of wire components, usually in an oven, after they have been given shape or form and have been electronically stress-relieved. Refers to tempering coils as well as border rods and helicals in a complete spring unit. Dual-purpose: A broad term used to include all sleep pieces, which can be converted to other uses, including: convertible sofas, high-risers, daybeds, futons, etc. See Convertible Sofa. Dust cover: A woven or non-woven fabric attached to the underside of a foundation to prevent the collection of dust inside. May also be known as “sheeting” or “cambric.”

Edge guard: Generally an extra component added to the edge of a mattress and/or box spring to give support on the sides. Engineered edge support: A special design where the coils on the outer edge of an innerspring unit are actually positioned under the border rod. Most units have the coils recessed from the edge, which can contribute to a “roll out of bed” feeling. Euro-top mattress: A mattress featuring a raised, squared-off surface finishing treatment filled with soft comfort layers and attached to the mattress upholstery at the tapeedge. Fabric cover: Cloth or textile material woven, knitted or felted of any fiber or mixture of fibers. Often referred to as “ticking” or mattress fabric. Fales pad: Compressed cotton felt that is stitched together to better retain compression.

Fiber pad: Usually refers to manmade or natural fibers (wool, silk, etc.) that are garnetted, needled, carded and/or bonded together. Often used in quilting panels for mattress tops. Filler cloth: Refers to a plain fabric used on the top of a foundation instead of ticking. Commonly offers non-skid characteristics. Flanging: The process whereby a strip of fabric is sewn to the edge of the mattress cover and, in the assembly process, secured to the perimeter of the innerspring unit to prevent the cover and filling materials from shifting. Foam foundation: Consists of a built-up wood slat frame covered with a sheet of cardboard or similar material, topped with at least 2” of foam and covered with ticking. Foundation: Any base or support for a mattress, sometimes used as a generic term for box spring. A foundation may be made entirely

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its name from its similarity to the metal ring in a hog’s nose. Hourglass coils: Coils that taper inward from top to middle and outward from middle to bottom, thus resembling an hourglass in shape. Employed in bonnell and offset coil designs. Hybrid: Commonly used industry term for a mattress that combines an innerspring unit with specialty foams such as visco-elastic or latex. of wood or a combination of wood and steel or steel springs. See Box Spring and Foam Foundation.

sion much like a hammock. Terms “dish” and “sagging” also used to describe this phenomenon.

Futon: A Japanese-style mattress construction, consisting of a cover and filling material, which is typically cotton but can be innerspring and/or foam.

Hand: Term used to describe the touch or feel of fabrics (e.g., soft, smooth, etc.).

Garnetting: A mechanical process whereby short cotton fibers and/ or other fibers are combed into a specific orientation and formed into a thin web, which are then layered to create a batting used as an upholstery material. See Cotton Felt. Gauge, coil: A measurement of the diameter of the steel wire used in coil construction. Wire gauge for innerspring coils range from 12.5 to 17. The higher the gauge, the thinner the wire. Gel foam: Generally a visco-elastic foam that is infused with beads or swirls of gel during the foam pouring process. Hair pads: Horse tail or mane, cattle tail or hog hair, which has been processed and curled for use as a mattress or upholstery filler. Hammocking: An undesirable characteristic sometimes associated with worn out or low-end mattresses. When weight is placed in the center, the corners tend to rise and bow in response to deep compres-

Hand-tied: The process of hand-lacing the coils in a box spring together with twine. Seldom used, this process has been replaced with modern technology and new designs. Headboard: An upright unit of wood, metal, plastic, or upholstered material, to be attached at the head of a bed, usually with the bed frame. Helical: A tightly-coiled, elongated wire used in the manufacture of innerspring units to join individual coils to each other and to the border rod. High-contour mattress: Measures 9” – 13” thick. A mattress under 9” thick is considered “standard”; over 13” thick is considered “custom.” High riser: Usually a frame or sofa with two mattresses of equal size without a backrest. The frame slides out with the lower bed and rises to form a full bed or two single beds. Hog ring: Metal ring used to secure the insulator and flange material to the innerspring unit. Takes

Ideal weight distribution: Equalization of support in such a way as to eliminate pressure points that cause discomfort resulting in tossing and turning. Best achieved with coil on coil construction and properly designed insulation and cushioning material. Innerspring unit construction (for mattresses): The spring construction used as the main support system inside an innerspring mattress. Some common types are: pocketed (see Marshall) and all metal (i.e., bonnell, offset and continuous wire). Insulator: Any material used on top and bottom of an innerspring unit to prevent the upholstery layers from cupping down into the coils. Some common types are: a fiber pad, non-woven fabric, netting, wire mesh or foam pad. Knit: A basic polyester or nylon ticking fabric produced through a knitting process (tricot) rather than weaving. Designs are printed onto the surface. Lacing wire: Finer gauges of wire used to form helicals. Latex: A flexible foam created from a water dispersion of rubber, either from the rubber tree (natural latex) or a man-made, petroleum-based product (synthetic latex). Most latex used in mattresses today is

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a combination of natural and synthetic latex rubber. LFK: An unknotted offset coil with a cylindrical or columnar shape. Link fabric: A wire foundation for bedsprings, cots, studio couches, sofabed mechanisms and gliders. So called because the fabric is a succession of metal links. Marshall: A type of innerspring construction in which thin gauge, barrel-shaped, knotless coils are encased in fabric pockets. Also known as “pocketed coils.” Mattress: A manufactured product to sleep on, consisting of various resilient materials covered with an outer ticking. Comes from the Arabic term “matrah” meaning to throw down. Early Arabs traveled with their bedding and threw it down on the ground or floor at night. Memory: The ability of tempered steel, foam or some fabrics to return to their original state after being compressed or stretched. Mesh: Plastic netting generally stretched across the face of an innerspring unit as an insulator. Microcoils: A low-profile metal spring unit, typically with individually wrapped coils, used in the top comfort layers of a mattress. Molded foam core (for mattresses): A core made of flexible foam is made in molds and used as the main support system in a foam mattress. Mounting: Attachment of a box spring unit to a wood or metal frame. Needlepunched fabric: A manufacturing process for which high strength, lightweight, non-woven construction fabrics are produced. These fabrics are produced by garnetting fibers, entangling or

inner-locking these fibers together by a series of needles and then mechanically bonding or fusing them together via heat to produce a fabric without glue or binders. Needlepunched pad: A manufacturing process used to produce insulator pads and non-woven fabrics whereby loose, garnetted fibers are inner-locked by a series of “needles.” This process usually requires additional bonding to keep the fibers in place. Offset coils: An hourglass type coil on which portions of the top and bottom convolutions have been

flattened. In assembling the innerspring unit, these flat segments of wire are hinged together with helicals. Orthopedic: Generalized term to imply set gives proper postural alignment and support. Should not necessarily mean hard or board feeling. Proper support with a degree of comfort to contour to the body is best. Panel: The part of the ticking that constitutes the top sleep surface of a mattress, as well as the bottom of a mattress on a two-sided bed.

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Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads.The tag is available in a hangtag or permanent label.

Pedestal-type metal or wood bed frame: A low-profile bed frame with a solid pedestal base underneath each side of the frame, instead of legs.

Smooth top: A plain surfaced mattress, neither tufted nor quilted. Also called button-free.

Pillow-top mattress: A mattress featuring a surface finishing treatment where a separate encasement of soft materials is attached to the entire surface on top of existing cover and upholstery.

Spring wire: Wire made from high carbon steel, characterized by toughness, strength and ductility. Typically furnished in 8 to 18 gauge for bedding industry applications.

Plus 4 edge: Two border rods engineered with one inside of the other and designed so that they make the edge 4% firmer than the balance of the sleep surface to eliminate that “roll out of bed” feeling and edge sag.

Steel unit construction (for box springs): The spring construction used as the main support system inside a box spring. Stitch bonded pad: See Fales Pad.

Pocketed coil: See Marshall. Polyurethane foam: See Urethane Foam. Print: A ticking fabric, which can be a woven or non-woven sheeting, commonly of synthetic fiber composition, on which a design has been printed. Quilting: The surface treatment in which the cover, foam and/or other fibers are sewn together, using various stitch patterns on quilting machinery, including scroll or panel quilters (single needle) and multi-needle quilters. Resilience: Surface liveliness and spring-back ability. Rollator test: An approximately 230 lb., six-sided roller is passed across a sleep set to determine the structural strengths or weaknesses of the set and components (i.e., foam or quilt failure, breaking of helicals and coils). The industry standard to duplicate the life of a mattress is 100,000 passes. Rollaway bed/cot: A portable metal bed/cot with a frame that folds in half with the mattress when not

in use so it can be rolled away into a closet (or elsewhere) for compact storage. Sheeting: a woven or non-woven fabric other than knits that have a degree of sizing and are somewhat stiff. Side rail: A metal or wood rail, which hooks into the outside edges of a headboard and footboard to provide the support base for a foundation and mattress. Sisal: A product of the henequen plant formed into a pad and used as an insulator. Named after the. small port of Sisal in Yucatan. Slats: Narrow strips of wood used to support the coils in the box spring frame. Also used in a bedstead to support the box spring. Sleep Products Safety Council hangtag: Used voluntarily by bedding producers since 1987, the safety hangtag program provides critical consumer information about the safe use of sleep products. Manufacturers certify that they use the tag only on mattresses that meet the Federal Standard for the

Straightline deflection: Pertains to mattress innerspring construction and refers to the constant ratio between stress and strain, weight and movement. The benefit is that constant support is provided regardless of the weight applied. No bottoming out of soft spots. Basically it means that two people of unequal weight, sleeping on the same mattress, receive the same support. Stretch knit: A heavy-weight mattress ticking consisting of a top layer, bottom layer and filling material knitted together and intermittently stitched to keep the filling yarns stable. Super zoned box spring frame: A support, generally wood, attached longitudinally to the underside of a foundation for added support where the main body weight rests. Another important structural point is that the vertical slats are turned on edge for added strength. This is extremely important on queen sizes and for 4-poster beds where typically no center support is provided. Also known as a “center rail.” Tape: Fabric material that closes

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over the rough-sewn edge where the top and bottom panels are joined to the border of a mattress or box spring. Tape edge: A specified type of sewing machine designed to stitch binding tape around the top and bottom edges of the mattress, joining the panels with the border and closing the mattress. Tempering: Heat treatment of wire to reduce brittleness. Accomplished by electric charge, oven heat or both. Also known as “stress relieved”. Ticking: Fabrics for covering mattresses and foundations. Common types include: stretch knits, woven damasks, knits and nonwovens. Torsion bars: A type of spring system used in box springs characterized by square-shaped wire forms. Trundle bed: A low bed that is rolled under a larger bed. In some constructions, the lower bed springs up to form a full bed or two single beds as in a high riser. Tufting: Consists of passing twine, cords or tape vertically through the mattress from top to bottom, knotting and securing the loops thus formed with tufts, buttons, or lacing. The purpose is to hold the mattress filling in place. Uniflex grid: A steel wire grid used to bridge the “mouth” of the coils on an innerspring unit to prevent “pocketing” of insulation down into the coil and to eliminate “coil feel.” Also helps to distribute the body weight of a person. Urethane foam: Synthetic (chemically foamed) flexible urethane used for mattress cores and as a cushioning material. As a core, it’s the main support system. Generic term covering both polyester and polyether foams.

Ventilator: Metal or plastic screens attached to the sides and sometimes the ends of mattresses to permit the passage of air. Unnecessary with normal high quality materials used today, except for hospital type mattresses with wetproof covers. Visco-elastic foam: Also known as “memory foam.” Slow recovery urethane foams that are temperature sensitive. They conform to the body and distribute pressure according to body heat and dynamics. Waterbed: A sleep system employing a water-filled vinyl bladder as its primary support system. Original models relied on rigid framing to contain the vinyl components and were known as a “hardside”. Newer styles consist of vinyl components (bladder and liner) typically encased in foam and made to look like a conventional mattress, usually paired with a regular upholstered foundation. Also called a “softside” waterbed. All versions are sometimes referred to as “flotation beds.” Welded grid top: Basic wire welded into a lattice to which box spring coils, formed wire or mod-

ules are fastened. Offers even weight distribution, yet allows some flex and give. Wood bed: A bed with a headboard and footboard made of wood, having side rails of wood or metal that support the foundation and mattress. Wood frame (for box springs): The wood frame in a box spring on which the spring construction is mounted. Woven stripe: A once ubiquitous woven ticking with colored stripes. The style was referred to as “ACA”, the traditional designation for the 8 oz. blue- and white-striped ticking that has mostly fallen out of favor and is seldom produced.

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