Sleeptech January - February'16 by Sleep Tech

January - February 2017 www.sleeptechmagazine.com

FELT, an old mattress type and an important element of modern mattresses page: 60

14 INDEX ADS Boyteks............................................. Back cover Boyçelik................................ Inside back cover Mert Makine......................... Inside front cover Mert Makine...................................................... 1 Elektroteks.......................................................... 3 Kıraykes.............................................................. 5 Şiteks................................................................... 7 Aydın Tekstil........................................................ 8 Nova................................................................... 9 Bedcover......................................................... 10 Küçükler Tekstil................................................ 11 Nerteks............................................................. 19 Onur Kapitone................................................. 20 Artilat................................................................ 24 Giz Grup........................................................... 26 Punteks............................................................. 31 Nobel................................................................ 33 İMS Makine...................................................... 35 Arda Kimya...................................................... 37 Hürpol............................................................... 39 Ersan Madeni..................................................40 Allbeco............................................................. 43 Allbemac......................................................... 47 Tuğsan.............................................................. 51 Beha................................................................. 53 Şişmanoğlu......................................................55 Jakarteks.......................................................... 57 Histeks............................................................... 59 Feltturc............................................................. 75 Ferzan............................................................... 83 Karas................................................................. 97 Interzum...........................................................99 Ciff................................................................... 101 Asya Örme..................................................... 103 Furnitech........................................................ 127 Star Expo........................................................ 131

Special Textile & Machinery event in Interzum 2017: Breaking new ground for living spaces

Punteks produces felts at world standards

Lenzing number one in the world for sustainable wood sourcing

FELT, an old mattress type and an important element of modern mattresses

28 60

Boyçelik leads the way in mattress and furniture raw materials Elektroteks runs to brighter horizons!

122

Turkey’s wood and forestry products industry prospering

Madeni opens to American market

136

104 128

The role of materials in individualization: the Materials & Nature Piazzas at interzum 2017

From The Editor

Sleep and dreams… Humans cannot do without sleep and every sleep has dreams in store. But what is the nature of them? When we start dreaming it comes to us that we have been experiencing it for a long time. Sometimes we think it took one hour or more. In fact the longest dream takes only a few seconds… For the past half-century, sleep researcher Rosalind D. Cartwright has produced some of the most compelling and influential work in the field, enlisting modern science in revising and expanding the theories of Jung and Freud about the role of sleep and dreams in our lives. In The Twenty-four Hour Mind: The Role of Sleep and Dreaming in Our Emotional Lives, Cartwright offers an absorbing history of sleep research, at once revealing how far we’ve come in understanding this vital third of our lives and how much still remains outside our grasp.

Towards the end of the book, Cartwright explores the role of sleep and dreaming in consolidating what we call “the self,” with another admonition against memory’s self-editing capacity:

“[In] good sleepers, the mind is continuously active, reviewing experience from yesterday, sorting which new information is relevant and important to save due to its emotional saliency. Dreams are not without sense, nor are they best understood to be expressions of infantile wishes. They are the result of the interconnectedness of new experience with that already stored in memory networks. But memory is never a precise duplicate of the original; instead, it is a continuing act of creation. Dream images are the product of that creation. They are formed by pattern recognition between some current emotionally valued experiences matching the condensed representation of similarly toned memories. Networks of these become our familiar style of thinking, which gives our behavior continuity and us a coherent sense of who we are. Thus, dream dimensions are elements of the schemas, and both represent accumulated experience and serve to filter and evaluate the new day’s input.

Sleep is a busy time, interweaving streams of thought with emotional values attached, as they fit or challenge the organizational structure that represents our identity. One function of all this action, I believe, is to regulate disturbing emotion in order to keep it from disrupting our sleep and subsequent waking functioning.” I wish a happy, healthy and prosperous new year for all!

Mehmet Soztutan

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

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Brillant horizons await us!

Ömer Faruk Görün SLEEP WELL EXPO Project & Sales Manager

As our publication Sleep Well/Tech, we have enterer a new year. We have started with German fairs with this January/ February issues. The international event of the industry Interzum Cologne, a biannual event, will be held this year. As most of you know, the first edition of our publication had been launched in Interzum fair in May 2011. So, this edition will be our forth Interzum Cologne service for our readers. It will be greater event where we distribute our publication in our private booth in the fair and in addition to its regular delivery scheme. The sector representatives and I forecast that the year 2017 will be a fast growing period for the Turkish economy after being freed from environmental and internal restraints. A belief is prevailing that as one of the dynamic segments of the furniture industry, the mattress sector will experience a brilliant period this year. We are ready to contribute on the efforts of people in the industry with both our publications and Sleep Well Expo organization. We will be at the annual event Interzum Guangzhou with our next edition. As usual, we will be at our stand in Hall 14, the international of Interzum Guangzhou. We take pride of being the only Turkish magazine at this important show for many years. Along with around 30 Turkish exhibitors we will be there to distribute free copies and to cover this important event. It gives an honor to us to represent the Turkish furniture and mattress industry at this global arena for the industry. A bright future awaits us in the horizon, so we keep working hard. With this wishful thinking I wish a happy, healthy and prosperous 2017 for all!

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time for the change

Special Textile & Machinery event in Interzum 2017: Breaking new ground for living spaces Under the motto “Mobile Spaces”, Special Textile & Machinery show that

Interzum fully satisfies even the interests of the mobile space designers.

Interzum, the leading global trade fair for the furniture industry subcontractors and suppliers, has been always associated with traditional environments such as apartments, offices, hotels or public buildings. Fair organizers and new participants in the fair will demonstrate the importance of Interzum for the new target as designers, fitters and furnishers through a special show in a special segment, Textile & Machinery in the month of May. Events and product presentations under the heading “Mobile Spaces” are designed for professional groups that design, develop and implement mobile spaces. The expectations of these occupational groups show some differences compared to those who design

fixed places. Visitors will be able to track these differences in the special event space. In the Interzum 2017’s “Textile & Machinery” section, companies that develop innovative products and are leaders in the field of quality will exhibit assertive textile products and machines used in their processing. The product range extends from upholstery fabrics to weather-resistant outdoor fabrics. A special event area will be created in the middle of the Hall 10.1. The next main theme of this activity space, called “Piazza”, will be “Mobile Spaces”. Matthias Pollmann, project coordinator for the interzum project stating that “the criteria that apply to fixed-space designs are exactly

the same as those for designing, fitting and modernizing mobile living spaces such as cars, caravans or boats” And the fuara will be included in the new interzone entrepreneurs, who will be able to “watch closely” how they have developed new ideas. Mobile space design addresses a very large area: from the automotive industry to boat design, to small home models that can be moved by wheel from train or plane transport, or by pick-up. In order to be able to evaluate the space reserved for these events in the best way, The exhibition will focus on “mobile living spaces on wheels”. Internationally designed events include a premium caravan produced in the size of buses used

for intercity transportation, two different jobs as caravan and boat, which are developed by mobile home models (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tiny Homesâ&#x20AC;?) which are popular in America or Seafarer company built in Kiel Will have different products ranging from an unconventional design to possession. A 17,000-ton pond will be installed so that the two functions can be displayed more clearly. Participating companies in this section will also exhibit products that can be used in the design of mobile spaces.

Interzum Project Coordinator Matthias Pollmann describes the event as saying: “We want to give international visitors the ability to think in different categories to watch the Piazza events. Indeed, wherever there is a living space, it must be designed so that it can fulfill the functions demanded by it. We would like to introduce to mobile lifestyle designers the opportunities offered by the innovative products developed by the subsidiary industry in this special event space. Constant space designers will also be able to address a whole new target audience. As a result, we aim to show that the Interzum offers an ideal platform for interdisciplinary communication in the field of “space” design. “Mobile Spaces” is a unique opportunity in this respect, and I think this new one has a significant development potential. “

Nerteks expands machine inventory

Nerteks empowers its production capacity by expanding machine inventory

Muhammed Said Erdoğan - Owner of Nerteks

A supplier of stitching yarn for the Turkish mattress industry, Nerteks invests more in 2017 in addition to earlier moves. Proprietor of the company Muhammed Said Erdogan emphasized on the importance of yarns in the quality of mattresses. He expressed his satisfaction about the results they got in 2016. He said, “This year was so good for us. We signed new contracts in the country and in abroad and our sales were high. We are happy. However, there were some financial problems as they are valid for other companies. When we overcome

this hurdle, we will prepare sound plans.” “Our expectations for the year 2017 are higher than before. We plan to have new machinery to complement the series and to increase our production power even more. On the other hand, we are reviewing our manufacturing processes and production performances to improve our product quality even more. I wish a profitable new year to all companies.”

Chemical industry in Turkey Turkish chemical industry has developed significantly in terms of quality, productivity and protection of the environment

Chemicals are indispensable to modern life and the development of the chemical industry has helped to elevate the standard of living, an indicator of the level of industrialization in a country. Chemical industry products contribute significantly to growth in other industrial sectors. At the beginning of the 20th century there were a few chemical establishments, manu-

facturing soap, liquorice extract, valonia extract, etc, within the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire. After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey till the 1950s, these chemical works passed through a process of corporation and production began in some fields such as explosives, medicine, agricultural chemicals, detergents, printing ink and textile dyes and involved the final stages only. It was only after the

1950s, especially during the planned economy period, that the development of the chemical industry in Turkey accelerated. Between 1960 and 1980 economic policies were based on import substitution and public sector investments were directed to petrochemicals, fertilizers and basic organic and inorganic chemicals, the fields which required high investment, with low profitability whereas private sector and foreign investments were directed to pharmaceuticals, synthetic yarns, soaps and detergents. In 1980 Turkey started to follow a new export-oriented economic policy. As a result of these successful policies, production and exports of the manufacturing sector boomed. The chemical industry, likewise, benefited from the new economic policy and showed an impressive increase both in production and exports. Today, the Turkish chemical industry with its modern technology and diversified products is the key component of the industry and integrated into supply chain of national industries, especially, textiles and automotive sectors. PRODUCTION Turkey has been manufacturing chemicals for very long time, being a producer of many basic and intermediate chemicals and petrochemicals. Turkish chemical production includes petrochemicals, inorganic and organic chemicals, fertilizers, paints, pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents, synthetic fibers, essential oils, cosmetics and personal care products. The

majority of chemicals production is done by the private sector. In the chemical industry, 30 % of the production has been directly used by the consumers whereas 70 % of production has been benefited in other sectors as intermediate goods and raw materials. Turkish Chemical industry has been seen as a sector dependent on imports as regards to raw materials and technology. However, Turkey is among one of the leading countries in the world that has boron, chrome, soda ash and trona reserves. The chemical industry, together with the sub-industries such as plastics and rubber, employs nearly 200.000 people and has about 6,2 thousand companies

manufacturing various chemicals. Very small percentages of the existing companies have more than 150 employees. Most of the companies in the chemical industry, especially private sector companies, are located in Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Adana, Gaziantep and Ankara. Turkish chemical industry has developed significantly in terms of quality, productivity and protection of the environment, and is in the process of adopting the EUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technical Standards. In addition, the responsible care, the chemical industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trademarked non-compulsory initiative on environmental, health and safety issues, has been successfully implemented since 1992

Punteks produces felts at world standards 30

sustaining our development with the experience that we gained from different industries and power of our new investments. In addition to our first production line, which we have established in 2006, this year we have invested on a new production line and doubled our production capacity. Our products are used in the furniture, household appliances and automotive sectors.

One of the leading felt manufacturers of Turkey as well as of the world, Punteks produces thermo-bonded felts between 500 g/ mÂ˛ - 3000 g/mÂ˛. These felts can be used in the furniture, automotive, construction and household appliances sectors. We made an exclusive interview with Ms. N. Cansu Coskun, Sales Manager of Punteks.

Can you brief us Punteks? What do you offer to the market and what activities are you dealing with?

Can you be more specific about your product groups?

Punteks was established in 1995 for sorting and recycling of textile wastes. Over the years, we are

As Punteks, we can summarize our products in 3 main groups. First group consists of Hard Felt, Medi-

N. Cansu Coskun Sales Manager of Punteks

um Hard Felt, Soft Felt, Cottonflex, Blue Felt. These products are used in the mattress industry. PP felts and thermoplastic felts are in our second group, which are specifically produced for the automotive industry requirements. Our last product is Izogreen, which is our patented product and is actually used in all industries that we serve to. The significant features of Izogreen are its Fire Retardant speciality, chemical free content, and superior insulation abilities. Thanks to these privileges, we can offer Izogreen to mattress producers for special mattresses, to automotive, household appliances and construction industry for sound and heat insulation.

How do you realize the design and production processes of your products? Each industry, even each project has its own specifications. Because of this reason, the main factor in our production is our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demands. Our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from different sectors are determining the thickness, weight and flammability criteria of their demand. Accordingly we are manufacturing the felt to their preferences.

What novelties do you have on your production line? Can you brief us about your new manufacturing line set up recently? We have started to produce with our new line by October 2016. With this new investment, we have doubled our production capacity and also we have developed our technology, which makes us able to produce felts with different specifications. At the moment we serve to our customers 1000 tons of felt production per month with two production and two die-cutting lines.

What are the innovative solutions Punteks offers to the mattress industry? After we have developed our patented product Izogreen, we have started to offer solutions for the projects that require FR standards. We are able to supply hospital, hotel, dormitory and prison proj-

ects with Izogreen. There are no chemicals that are hazardous to human health in Izogreenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s content. Recently, we have faced with several devastating events. We lost our children in fire. As I have mentioned, non-flammable foam and non-flammable fabric has been used mattress production, which are designed specially for hospital, hotel, dormitory and prison projects. However, the felt used for those mattresses were not eligible for FR standards until now. In this context, we are presenting Izogreen to mattress manufacturers in Turkey and our customers around the world.

How did you end up with 2016 and what are your expectations for the new year? Will you have new investments in 2017? What do you have in store as the road map for the near future? At the end of 2015, we declared 2016 as a year of investment for Punteks. We have increased our production capacity with establish-

ment of a new production line. We also established a second die cut line to produce 2D cut parts to household appliances, automotive and furniture industries. For 2017, we are aiming to increase our share in domestic and international markets by increasing the contentment of our customers.

Turkey to focus on ways to improve R&D President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the government is set to increase the research and development (R&D) spending, raising its GDP ratio from 1 to 3 percent by 2023.

total number of people working in the R&D sector amounted to over 224,000 in 2015, up from 76,000 in 2001, and he stressed the importance of innovation for economies.

“Turkey’s gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) has increased to 1.06 percent in 2016 compared to 0.54 in 2001. But it is not enough. The target is 3 percent. We must achieve this,” Erdoğan said at the Turkish Innovation Week event in Istanbul. The event, which was organized by Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), was attented by nearly 90,000 people since its opening. The president said the

“Turkey’s 2023 goals can only be based on an innovative understanding. I believe that Turkey, which has undergone major transformations in every sector, will achieve the same performance in innovation,” Erdoğan said. According to a recent TurkStat R&D Activities Survey, Turkey’s gross domestic expenditure on research and development in 2015 reached 20.6 billion Turkish liras (around $7.6 billion) -- a 17.1 percent rise

compared to 2014. Erdoğan also thanked citizens for converting their foreign exchange assets to Turkish liras in order to boost the national currency as their efforts helped in its appreciation by as much as 0.25 lira per U.S. dollar. “But there are some people who refuse to see the facts behind the rise of exchange rates, the games played on them, or why some people do it,” Erdoğan said, adding that the Turkish currency campaign was not aimed at other countries. “We want investment. We want increase of employment. We want production,” he added.

Turkish government announces extraordinary measures for economy ANKARA-The Turkish government has revealed extraordinary measures to revive the Turkish economy, which has been hit by massive losses in the Turkish Lira, vowing to make 2017 a “saving year” for the public sector and introducing a big fund to accelerate credit volume and produce 600,000 new jobs. Announcing the results of the latest economy board meeting in Ankara on Dec. 8, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said the government would introduce up to 250 billion liras ($73 bln) in credit line that was particularly aimed at

small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to ease the cash flow problem. “The new fund under the Treasury’s guarantees will help the banking system re-accelerate its credit growth,” he said. In export credits, the guarantee will be 100 percent, while it will be implemented to a degree of 90 percent in SMEs and 85 percent in trade credits, Yıldırım added. Accordingly, the government will also give additional support to projects with an investment incentive to the manufacturing industry

in a move to encourage and increase private sector investments in 2017. “The government will increase the investment contribution rate a further 15 percent for investment expenditures in the manufacturing sector in 2017. We will thus fully implement a corporate tax cut,” said the prime minister. Yıldırım added that the value added tax (VAT) for construction investments would be re-funded for 2017 as an additional resource for construction projects. Social security premiums in the

first quarter of 2017 will be postponed nine months with-out interest, he said. In addition, the premier also said the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) would provide vocational training to 500,000 people in 2017 in the private sector as another 100,000 would continue to work for benefit of society program, mainly in the country’s eastern and southeastern regions. Yıldırım also noted that the capital base of Eximbank, which is at around $3.7 billion, will be increased dramatically in 2017 to further support exporters. “We will also put zero interest rates on foreign exchange loans which are offered to Turkish construction companies operating abroad for their Turkey-made goods and services acquisitions. They will not be charged any interest rate for the loans, which are used by these companies for locally made goods and services to be used abroad. These costs will be covered by Exim Bank as well,” he said. “Our main aim is here to diversify our exports, raise their added value and increase our export volume,” he added.

The state will make considerable savings in 2017, said Yıldırım, adding that the public sec-tor would not buy anything unnecessary. “When we are asking something from our people, what are we going to do? For the state, 2017 will be a considerable year of savings. We will cut costs dramatically. For in-stance, we will not conduct spending on new buildings or cars if it is not a must … We will also cut travel costs. As the representatives of the state, we must do what is needed when asking our citizens to convert their foreign currencies into lira,” he said.

agenda, Yıldırım said the basics of the reform agenda were to limit the state’s definite involvement in the economy, enabling citizens to move at will and re-duce bureaucratic burdens for them. “There are two areas that we cannot abandon: justice and security. These two key areas will be in the hands of the state and will not be a part of any reform move. We will take the required measures to let them function properly and quickly within themselves,” he said.

Yıldırım said fiscal discipline would be kept strictly in 2017. State institutions will not make contracts in foreign currencies unless necessary, he said. “Besides, some public institutions have already started to convert their foreign exchange assets into liras. Thus, we have recently produced over $10 billion of assets in liras. This has also enabled us to pump more forex into the markets as well,” added Yıldırım. Regarding the reform

Binali Yıldırım Prime Minister

OECD expects recovery in Turkish economy in 2017 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) expects a slowdown in Turkey’s growth this year and a quick recovery next year. It is reported that GDP growth is estimated to have slowed to fewer than 3 percent in 2016; however, a gradual recovery of around 3.75 percent is expected by 2018. The Global Economic Outlook released by the OECD suggests that the Turkish economy continues to fight back geopolitical issues and unsettled political conditions following the failed coup attempt on July 15 and the military operations that are engaged in Syria. The OECD’s report states, “Uncertainties are high but fiscal, prudential and monetary policies are supportive and should

spur household consumption from late 2016 onward,” and stresses the fact that new and generous incentives are introduced for business investments, however, they have all been subdued so far. The OECD, which expects recovery of private sector in Turkey, writes the report as, “For private investment to pick up, it is important to durably restore confidence by implementing high-priority structural and institutional reforms.” The report states that the Medium-Term Economic Program of 2017-2019, which was published in mid - October, has announced infrastructure investments that gives satisfaction. The OECD further stresses that a transparent and integrated framework for the planning, procurement and fiscal

management of large infrastructure projects, including those undertaken through public-private partnerships, would reduce their costs and produce room for other growth-friendly spending. The report puts forward growth estimations for Turkey’s economy in 2016, 2017 and 2018 as 2.9, 3.3 and 3.8 respectively and the inflation as 7.9, 7.7 and 7.3 respectively. On the other hand, the unemployment rate is predicted for 2016, 2017 and 2018 as 10.6, 10.7 and 10.7 and the current account balance as 4.6, 4.7 and 4.5 respectively. Ankara forecasts a growth rate of 3.2 percent for this year, according to the Medium-Term Economic Program.

ALLBEMAC stands for novelties in mattress machinery!

We made an exclusive interview with Selçuk Varlı, Chairman of the Board of the company about their success story:

SELÇUK VARLI - CEO

Can you brief us ALLBEMAC? “In 2013 when we, as ALLBEMAC family, made machinery progress, our intention was to reflect our engineering contribution to the national economy. At this point, in recognition of the responsibility of our business, we produced the machines that the sector needed in the best way, contributing to

the development of our local productions at a better price than the imported machinery.

What are your products? Allbemac designs and manufactures Automatic Tape Edge Machines, Mattress Border Machines, Automatic Mattress Packing Machines, Press and Roll Pack Machines, Bed Production Lines which are used in the bed sector. In addition to these products, Allbemac can produce customized machines according to customer needs.

ALLBEMAC machines started to be called as Quality and Design... In 2016 the company made its last sale to England with its new product ROBUSTO AB-X 5500 FULL PACK MACHINE. Where do you export these products? As a result of our dedication to our business and our knowledge, we have made sales to the biggest companies of our sector. Currently under ALLBEMAC brand our machines are used in 21 countries as well as European countries such as The Netherlands, Germany and England. From the design stage to the automation and software stage, it is done by its engineer team.

What are your targets and what are your expectations for 2017? In 2017, our company has been

working on 2 different machines which will have radical effect on the sector but are currently kept unveiled. Our goal for the 2nd quarter of 2017, we will start the presentation of new machines by obtaining a patent for our machines.

Do you have any suggestions for further development of the sector? The development of the machinery sector in Turkey will also open up other productions. When we look at developed countries today, one of the sectors that keep up with the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy is the machinery industry. In this direction, we manage our company policy in

line with the goals of our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2023 major targets. We, as a company, have always set the goal of designing something new as a perception on the working staff. So, something like standing in our company is never acceptable for our parents, we should always walk and run. In 2017, we will continue to serve our country and sector with our new machines.

Do you have anything that you would like especially to highlight for the future? Our greatest anticipation is that peace prevails in the world and all wars come to an end.

ALLBECO excels in natural mattress components Allbeco is a recognized company known for its innovative products. The main field of activity of the company is mattress components. We spoke with Burcu KÄąyak, Marketing Manager of the company about their operations:

Can we know Allbeco ? Allbeco is a young and dynamic family founded in 2013, aimed at realizing innovations in the sector. If we explain it shortly Allbeco is the right address for our customers who are looking for innovative mattress components and natural mattress components to improve their mattresses.

What are your pvroducts and capacity? In the Allbeco product range, there are latex foam, horsehair, camelhair, coco fiber, sisal fiber, wool and cotton. In addition to natural

products Allbeco provides technologic products such as Boditrak body pressure mapping systems which is developed for sales points and give possibility to people to choose the right mattresses for their body. Our group companies also produce zipper mattress covers and mattress machines. We have a monthly capacity of 20,000 in the production of bed cover and we attach more importance to new designs. In our machine production, we produce Automatic Tape Edge Machine, Mattress Border Machines, Automatic Packing Machines, Mattress Press and Roll Pack Machines and Full Automatic Bed Production Lines.

What information could you mention about your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exports? Our company currently exports to 33 countries in 5 continents.

Burcu KÄąyak, Marketing Manager

What is your quality policy? The machine and the mattress cover that we have already done in production require very precise workmanship. Our quality policy is systematic working from the selection of our employees, to the raw materials we use and customer expectations.

“As Allbeco family, we will continue to innovate in 2017, proving that Allbeco is the right address for natural mattress components...” How was 2016 and what do you expect from 2017? When we look at the year 2016, the country was really pushed back by very big troubles. The war situation and uncertainties in neighboring countries affected our country’s economy negatively. Nevertheless, the year 2016 was just below our targets for Allbeco. We hope that in 2017, there will be peace in the world first and that the troubles in neighboring countries will end before the end of the year. Human values are at the beginning of our ethical principles. As Allbeco, we will continue with the innovations in 2017, hopefully will look forward to the future as the country.

Do the components used in the mattress sector affect the mattress quality?

If we look at the sector when we evaluate the industry imitation is the biggest problem we encounter. Turkey also has an incredible price competition. In this case, many firms are shrinking the economist’s belly. We need to improve our global vision, product-value competition from price-driven competition. That will affect our country’s growth in the beds sector positively. As Allbeco, we saw this situation when we established our company and by doing so we brought different innovative products to Turkey and the countries of the region. Allbeco is a company with a principle of serving the sector. By using different materials, companies can increase the product value added and we can create very high quality and accurate product perception all together because of the cheap product in bed sector.

There are a variety of components in the bed manufacture. Many products that are not used in the old type beds have been the basic elements of the bed production today. Which products will be used in the future instead of what products are currently used? It is on the negative side of the technological developments other than the positive aspects. Increas-

ing competition, firms are always looking for cheap alternative products. In parallel to that, product qualities can fall. We have a synthetic world. The next generation is now more knowledgeable and researcher. The older type beds were natural products, usually wool and cotton, and they were healthier. People are now more nostalgic about nature. At this point, the demands on natural beds will definitely increase. Also, the number of online purchasers is increasing day by day. The Roll Packed mattresses will have the sector stamp from 2017.

Lenzing number one in the world for sustainable wood sourcing Acknowledgment of the innovative strength of Lenzing’s new TENCEL® fiber from recycled cotton waste Lenzing - The Lenzing Group was rated number one globally with respect to the procurement of wood, the key raw material in cellulose fiber production. This was the conclusion of the latest global ranking compiled by the Canadian non-profit environmental organization Canopy Planet Society, who cooperates with 68 leading retail brands in the textile industry worldwide and is a driver in evaluating sustainable sourcing processes. Achieving the leading position in this ranking is another major recognition of Lenzing’s sustainability leadership that is documented by numerous prizes, labels and certifications.1 In its report2, Canopy assessed the per-

formance on forest conservation and wood sourcing practices of the major players of the cellulose fiber industry. It also commended Lenzing for its new TENCEL® fiber, which uses cotton fabric waste as an alternative source of raw material. “We are proud of this ranking, and see it as further evidence of the

leadership role played by the Lenzing Group in the field of sustainability. The origin of the wood, the most important material, is the decisive factor for us at the beginning of the production process“, says Robert van de Kerkhof, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the Lenzing Group, in commenting on the ranking. “Lenzing is con-

Ranked first by the Canadian environmental organization Canopy Planet Society

tinually striving to improve all its processes as well as its procurement guidelines. Lenzing will also continue to intensively provide support to the roadmap specified by Canopy as a means of preserving and protecting global forests. This is because sustainability is a core element of our business model”, he adds.

Responsible sourcing combined with environmentally compatible technologies Lenzing has been focusing on optimizing the sourcing of the

renewable raw material wood for more than 20 years in accordance with the principle of sustainability. The company mainly relies on the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification system whenever possible. In Europe with its strict forest regulations, Lenzing also makes use of the PEFCTM program as a means of demonstrating its sustainable procurement activities. Close to 100 percent of the wood and pulp used by the Lenzing Group is already certified by FSC® or PEFCTM or is controlled in line with these standards.3

Re-confirmation of Lenzing’s leadership role in the field of sustainability

The combination of high wood and pulp procurement standards with best practice process technologies reflects the sustainability leadership of the Lenzing Group. Both the production of Lenzing Viscose® fibers and the wide range of specialties, such as the TENCEL® fiber and Lenzing Modal®, are produced using high environmental standards and highly resource-efficient closed loop processes. Lenzing has been working steadily on the further improvement and environmental responsibility of its production processes. In this regard, Lenzing relies on the principle of closed loop production as well as the complete use of the raw material wood in its “bio refinery”. R&D expenditures of the Lenzing Group, which are already significantly higher than the industry average, were further increased in the current 2016 financial year to enable the company to press ahead with the development of new, ecologically-driven technologies.

Lenzing also a leader in alternative raw materials thanks to the new TENCEL® fiber from recycled cotton waste Another criterion serving as the basis for Lenzing’s number one global ranking was its performance in the field of alternative raw material sources. Lenzing once again demonstrated its leadership in sustainable fiber industry innovations by developing the new TENCEL® fiber on the basis of cotton fabric waste. This groundbreaking innovation links pioneering work in textile recycling with the environmental award-winning closed loop fiber technology of TENCEL®. With this innovation Lenzing underpins its core value sustainability as a key business driver. It paves the way to solutions for the textile industry’s pressing issue of more than 150 billion garments produced and partly disposed of every year.

President Erdogan: EU not the only fish in the sea ANKARA-Turkey has not ended its European Union accession process but the EU should not see itself as the only fish in the sea, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Speaking at the 7th Bosphorus Summit in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey has been waiting for an answer from the EU for over 50 years, and criticized last week’s non-binding vote by the European Parliament urging a freeze to Turkey’s EU accession talks, calling it “harassment.” “We have not closed the EU subject yet. But the picture we have faced does not allow us to fall for positive expectations on this subject. There are always many alternatives before Turkey. We would continue our way by considering one of these options,” said Erdogan. The EP’s vote was largely symbolic as it has no administrative power but at the same time important for investor sentiment about Turkey and the capital inflows needed to fund Turkey’s current account deficit. On how to cushion the effects of the stronger dollar on emerging economies, including Turkey, Erdogan said using gold and local currencies might help. “Recently landlords of stores in shopping

malls have been charging rent in foreign currencies,” he observed. “I think rentals based on local currency should be put into practice to help our country through this challenging period.” The Turkish lira recently fell to historic lows after Donald Trump’s surprise U.S. presidential election win reinforced expectations the U.S. Federal Reserve could hike interest rates quicker than previously thought. “Instruments like negative interest rates, not even imaginable in the near past, have become ordinary policies of the central banks of developed countries,” said Erdogan. “Despite all this, developed countries cannot overcome the prob-

lems of slowed growth. Because their diagnosis is wrong, they are looking for treatment in the wrong place.” Erdogan stated that the nature of the economy is based on the demands of the people, adding that a sustainable economy must be people oriented. Erdogan also stated that free trade agreements allow people to access various products and stressed the importance of education to be competitive in an open environment. “In this new global system, education is the most essential tool that can provide large sectors of society with the new job opportunities that come with technology,” he added.

Sweeping changes Speaking at the event, Albanian President Bujar Nishani said that the world is now multipolar and has new economic balances, stressing the importance of closer collaboration and acting in coordination as the world transforms rapidly. “First of all we must do a proper analysis. We should now see what we are facing. Through this, we should come up with advice for solutions. Life, the economy, collaboration, and communication now have a global character. This affects all of us.” Nishani said that the last decade has seen sweeping changes, and at such times we question our common values and humanity, he added. “When humanity turns its face to the future, it forgets what happened in the past. Countries have

different type of risks so this summit happening now, at this time, is very important. Gathering different experts from various fields is crucial. This summit produces awareness.”

Cyprus Also speaking at the event, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Mustafa Akinci said it would be helpful for all sides to produce an area of cooperation and collaboration on Cyprus instead of tension and trouble. “We endeavor to make both northern and southern Cyprus a friendly area to Turkey and also to make Greek Cypriots understand how important it is to gain the friendship of a country like Turkey,” Cyprus has long been a bone of contention between the EU, Turkey, and the Greek Cypriot part of the island, especially after 2004, when the EU admitted Greek

Cyprus to the union before the country settled its issues, giving the Greek Cypriots veto power over Turkey’s EU accession talks. Akinci underlined that for peace, the goodwill of all parties involved must be sought. “We took an important step and expected the same from other parties. But it didn’t happen. We now face the threat of losing a historical chance that we don’t want to miss. We want a solution but this doesn’t mean in any circumstances. The only thing we want is freedom, equality, and justice.” The three-day Bosphorus Summit, organized by the International Cooperation Platform (ICP) under the patronage of the Turkish Presidency hosted 150 speakers from all over the world discussing topics ranging from global economic issues to regional matters.

ZOW to be organized by Koelnmesse starting 2018

Koelnmesse enhances its competence in the furniture supplies industry Cologne/Bad Salzuflen. Two cities, two trade fairs, one goal - to secure the position as global player for furniture production and interior design. By taking over ZOW Koelnmesse now offers two efficient platforms for the industry covering international and regional markets equally. As a result, ZOW will shift towards a biennial cycle with ZOW 2018 (February 6-8) being the trade fair’s next

edition. “The furniture supply industry requires fresh trade fair concepts that fit the individual needs of regional, national and global markets. In my opinion there is no other event capable of giving as important economic and innovative impetus to the industry as interzum and ZOW. With this acquisition Koelnmesse further expands its position as leading exhibition organizer for furniture and interior design”, explains Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse.

Dr. Lucas Heumann, Chief Executive of the Trade Associations of the Wood and Furniture Industry, adds: “We absolutely endorse the takeover of ZOW by Koelnmesse, because this will perfectly complement interzum as the leading international trade fair for the furniture supply industry. Ostwestfalen-Lippe is and will remain the heart of the German furniture industry with the highest concentration of industry stakeholders in the country. From our perspective

the furniture industry needs both, a leading international trade fair such as interzum and a working platform with a clear hands-on focus based in Ostwestfalen-Lippe just like ZOW. Offering interzum’s and ZOW’s unique qualities as part of a one-stop solution guarantees perfect coordination and matching of both main events of our industry.” Russell Wilcox, CEO of Clarion Events, the organizer of ZOW since 2010, commented “We are delighted that we have reached this agreement with Koelnmesse. Throughout the process, we have been impressed with their vision for the event and the obvious benefits their coordinated management of both ZOW and interzum will bring to the industry. We believe this great event will continue to thrive under Koelnmesse’s ownership.” Andreas Reibchen and Bernd Schäfermeier, CEOs of Messe Ostwestfalen GmbH (East Westphalian Exhibition Centre): “ZOW is being staged at the Bad Salzuflen Exhibition Centre again.” The joint objectives were determined very fast in advance in extremely constructive discussions. So that the important working forum ZOW can take place at the Bad Salzuflen location, in the heart of the European furniture industry, this decision was taken in the interests of the industry. We are looking forward to a successful ZOW and a collaborative partnership with the Koelnmesse.”

Every two years interzum, being the leading trade fair for the furniture supply and interior design industry, offers a comprehensive overview of global trends in material and design for the furniture production. Accordingly, ZOW, being the Supplier Fair Ostwestfalen, is positioned as a special format in between exhibition event and business meeting. Exhibitors and visitors from the region and neighboring European countries can entirely focus on their conversations, share knowledge and discuss current market trends within the ZOW workshop

atmosphere. Together both trade fairs reflect the complexity of the global market. With ZOW taking place in even, interzum-free years, Koelnmesse will provide the world’s biggest stage for world premieres and product innovations from 2017 onwards. The ongoing evolution of the fair concepts will help create sustainable industry platforms fitted to the needs of different target markets and visitor groups, where products are launched and brilliant ideas turn into market success.

FELT, an old mattress type and an important element of modern mattresses

Felt is a textile that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool, or from synthetic fibers such as acrylic. 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. 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. Turkey has some respectful felt manufacturing brands such as Milkay, Ĺ&#x17E;iteks, Pinteks, Kayteks, Felturc, Simfelt, Felteks, Kisbu, Berfa, etc. 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, di-

mensions 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. 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 materials. 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 web-type structure which is then beaten, pressed and squeezed 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 felt 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 addi-

tional 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 rollform 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; 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 reduces 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 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 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.

AydÄąn Tekstil poised for developing more innovative products As the biggest upholstery, drapery and mattress fabric manufacturer of Turkey and Europe with its half-century experience, having a factory of 48 million meters annual fabric production volume and an expert team of 1200 AydÄąn Tekstil produces top-quality, technological and natural products by using most advanced production technologies and finest quality raw materials. We have recently made an exclusive interview with Ms. Gulfidan Yasar, Marketing Coordinator of Aydin Tekstil.

How do you evaluate the developments Turkey has realized in the mattress ticking fabrics? What do you see when you look at the past and present at this sense? Up until the 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabrics for mattresses were imported from abroad especially from Belgium. From then on, with the emergence

of local producers mattress fabric has began to export their production to world markets. Mattresses are mostly produced by furniture manufacturers, and seen as a complementary item for the industry. In line with the increase in personal income, the changes in family structure from larger family to nuclear family, the expansion size of the accommodations, people began to replace their woolen mattresses into fabricated ones. Also the demand for harmonious articles for furniture, mattresses, bases, head steads, are on the increase. People have

begun to see mattresses as a decorative item far from an understanding of a simple product that should be covered. The supply of raw materials, components, and machinery for mattress production has also grown and the mattress industry is still growing fast.

What are the varieties and standards of mattress ticking fabrics confirming international norms and what should they be? There is no common standard for mattress fabrics in the market, but

producers have their own quality standards while producing for the needs of their specific customers. There are a high number of variety of products are available in world markets, including the ones that are weaved or knitted, from white to various colors, from flowered motifs to geometric patterns and at several quality levels. In some markets people prefer simple designs, while in others color and patterns matter most.

Is the innovation, which exists in the nature of textiles, reflected on mattress ticking fabrics too? How will be the fabrics, which will lead the way in the market in the future? What kind of changes has Turkey been going through in design and production? The innovative side of textiles has become more common on the mattress fabrics in recent years. New and innovative motifs used in mattress fabrics then they are applied to fabrics used in apparels. In the years ahead, the fabrics that will be demanded most, seems to be the ones that increases sleep quality, having a story and those instigating new needs beyond their functionality. Textile companies who are the basic stones of Turkish economy are offering the same quality in their standard products as the products imported from Far Eastern countries at more favorable prices and more satisfying customer services. The supports and incentive provided by state for their R&D and design efforts have been facilitating this process. The companies who completed their branding operations, who emphasize on innovation and designs will only be able to be successful in the future.

Do you have any quality certificates or awards? As our firm, we have all certificates of ISO and Oeko-Tex that proves our ecology sensitive stance. Besides innovative products that improve the quality of sleep that we have been producing, will spend more time on developing more innovation in the coming period. We plan to apply for certain awards for our innovative effort and the year 2017 will be a harvesting season in this regard. Can we say that mattress has been the final and most modern form of its kind on our time? What is the importance of mattress ticking fabric? What value does it add to the bed? Naturally, the mattresses are becoming more and more modern, however, we will see more innovative products then before in mattress industry that will add some more on sleep quality. Fabrics are the most visible part of the mattress; it is kind of a window. Innovations are more limited that can be made in foams and carcass of it. Since the fabric is the

touching part of it, the softness, the characteristics to prevent static electric, to facilitate blood circulation, being anti-bacterial are directly related with quality of sleep.

How do you evaluate merging of companies operating in the same sectors? In mattress fabric industry there may be seen seasonal mergers among companies with an aim to increase their production capacities and to reach new segments

of customers. We are in the opinion that, when realized up to the rational criteria that say the positioning of each partner should be clearly defined these kinds of moves will become healthier and more successful.

We left a hard year at the end of 2016 because of the rising rate fo foreign currency and falling GDP and other parities. Still harder days are waiting for small sized non-exporting companies and who buy their inputs on dollars and sell their products to domestic market in Turkish currency. High rate of dollar will cause problems for the national economy and the living standards of the people in the country. But, we can overcome this situation by producing higher value added products and by selling them to export markets to earn more foreign currency. Also, domestic market may also been affected. We do not expect any recession in global markets; in contrast, we hope to increase our share in the markets, as Aydin Tekstil in 2017.

How will 2017 be after a tough year in 2016 for global and Turkish economy? What are the expectations of your company from 2017? Will you have new investments? Do you have a road map for 2017? We maintain our investments that we planned in 2016 for the year 2017 at full speed. We are going to increase our capacity and our efforts on building our brand to reach more customers and to carry our national flag to every corner of the world with our products.

Milkay – feeling the mattress felt

difficulties in finding markets for their products in the past but they do not have any market penetration problem currently. However, there is pressing need for cutting costs in order to be competitive in terms of price and quality for the players of the sector.

Founded in 1995 Milkay manufactures spring mattress and sofa, nonwoven and padding that are used in isolation in the automotive and furniture industries. It is one of the largest mattress felt manufacturers of the world. We asked the success story of the company along with general issues about mattress felts to Oğuz Özoğuz of Milkay. Full text of the exclusive interview follows:

How do you evaluate the developments Turkey has realized in the mattress felt sector? What do you see when you look at the past and present at this sense? Turkey has turned out to be a country which is able to produce

Oguz Ozev world renowned mattress felts for Sales and Marketing Manager

the mattress industry. The companies operating in the sector had

What are the varieties and standards of mattress felts confirming international norms and what should they be? Spring mattresses sector utilize diverse range of felts. This diversity particularly arises from differences of the weight of the felts rather than the variety of the products. Hardness and softness of the felts vary from country to country. There

are no international norms and standards in this regard. The preferences are largely based on the comfort of the mattresses.

Is the innovation, which exists in the nature of textiles, reflected on mattress felts too? How will be the felts which will lead the way in the market in the future? What kind of changes has Turkey been going through in design and production? The concept of innovation is one of basic pillars of textile sector. As it is the case for many products for the mattress sector, mattress felt sector conducts R&D activities considerably. We are able to healthy and environment friendly mattress felts for the sector. Do you have any quality certificates or awards? Our company complies with major international standards such as ISO 9001:2008 & TĂ&#x153;V. In addition to these, we have quality certificates such as TSEK, TURK-AK. Our production lines and products are controlled regularly by the international establishments. We have also have noninflammable and fire-resistant felt certificates. Can we say that mattress has been the final and most modern form of its kind on our time? What is the importance of mattress felts? What

value does it add to the bed? Spring mattresses would continue to renew their structure in line with the growing demand. Despite other variety of mattresses in the sector, spring mattresses would make their presence felt in the future. The demand for the memory and latex mattresses would not replace the usage of spring mattresses considerably.

The turbulence in foreign exchange markets has increased the cost of our raw materials but we are able to keep our competitive position by holding the mounting costs in check.

How will 2017 be after a tough year in 2016 for global and Turkish economy? What are the expectations of your company from 2017? Will you have new investments? Do you have a road map for 2017? Despite some economic hardships for certain sectors in 2016, we have experienced a fruitful year fom the stand point of our company. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a new investment for 2017 and we are planning to upgrade our production range by increasing our productivity.

interzum provides new online services for architects, designers and interior designers With a blog and regular posts on Facebook, interzum is stirring interest in the many and varied inspiring design ideas that can be expected at the 2017 edition of the industry’s leading trade fair worldwide interzum is the leading international fair for the furniture and interior construction industries’ supplying sections. Needless to say, the trade fair is a must-attend event for the furniture industry. At the same time, interzum in May 2017 will once again also attract many architects, designers and interior designers to the Rhine. Materials, furniture components and textiles have always offered numerous sources of inspiration for these creative professionals. And from today, they can find out about the highlights of the event even in the run-up to it with the new online offering from interzum. interzum is where tomorrow’s trends are set. “Form follows function” is one of the well-known principles in design and these

three words encapsulate the relevance of the furniture and interior construction industries’ supplying sections who, with their new ideas and materials, provide the framework for modern furniture design. This fact also explains why interzum is so popular with architects, designers and interior designers. The trade fair is where they find sources of inspiration for the design of future living spaces and can familiarise themselves with current trends. In order to offer this target group something extra in terms of market orientation and information even while still in the run-up to the event, Koelnmesse has set up a news blog. From the homepage at www.interzum.com, visitors can navigate to the blog, where inter-

esting news about the fair and its exhibitors is provided. With posts about trends and products as well as interviews with prestigious key players, the reader gains exclusive insights into the fair and developments in the industry. New materials and technical solutions in interior design and surprising designs from young, up-and-coming designers – thanks to the internet service, sources of inspiration for the coming event are available right now and visitors can plan their visit in a targeted manner. “We want to offer an extra service with the blog – and demonstrate how relevant interzum is to creative professionals in the interior design industry”, says Matthias.

International upholstered furniture production zone set to shine at interzum guangzhou 2017 More than 1,200 top manufacturers slated to converge As Asia’s largest and most comprehensive trade fair in woodworking machinery, furniture production and interior decor, the next edition of CIFM / interzum guangzhou will be held from March 28 to 31, 2017 at the China Import and Export Fair (Pazhou Complex) located in its namesake city. The event will continue to serve as a world-class “one-stop” trading platform for the furniture

manufacturing industry, attracting the participation of over 1,200 companies, including group organizers from Germany, Turkey, Chile, South Korea, the United States/Canada, Malaysia Timber Council, American Hardwood Export Council, Canada Wood and Swedish Wood. The 140,000-square meter floor space will comprise four core exhibit zones: raw materials and accessories for furniture produc-

tion; machinery, materials and components for upholstery and bedding; machinery, materials and components for interior decor; woodworking and furniture production machinery and auxiliary equipment. Among them, the upholstery and bedding zone for international exhibitors will be showcased in a dedicated 3,000-square meter space in Hall 12.1. Some of the renowned brands to be featured

include Duerkopp, Pfaff, Adler and Xiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an Typical from Germany; Alfa and Robatech from Switzerland; Comfytex, Veysel and Metal Matris from Turkey as well as Baomo and Meixin, who will present their latest machinery and solutions for mattress production, cutting and sewing as well as mattress accessories and pneumatic components. Following advancements in global processing and manufacturing technology of upholstered furni-

Debut of PIAZZA mini lounge in Hall 12.1

ture, manufacturing capabilities of the industry has been greatly enhanced with increasing market demand. According to statistics from the Milan-based Centre for Industrial Studies (CSIL), global upholstered furniture consumption accounts for about 15 percent of the entire furniture industry, with China, the United States and Germany named the world’s leading producers as well as largest consumers of upholstered furniture.

From the domestic market, China’s growing urban population is expected to bring about considerable room for development. With the continuous and steady growth of the country’s economy, coupled with increasing disposable income and consumers’ demand for higher quality of life, more attention is paid to the quality of the products. Going forward, manufacturers of upholstered furniture will need to

increase their investment in brand development, design and â&#x20AC;&#x153;going greenâ&#x20AC;? to cater to demands for high-quality products. The use of top-notch technology is believed to be an important manifestation of industry competitiveness, which safeguards quality, and has a direct impact on production costs. In addition to industry giants converging at the upholstered furniture production zone, international participants can also expect the well-received lounge in Hall 14.1, known as the PIAZZA, to be extended to Hall 12.1 in 2017. Named PIAZZA mini, the resting area will also serve up a variety of complimentary beverages and snacks, like its larger counterpart.

Boyçelik leads the way in mattress and furniture raw materials

Boyçelik, the largest raw material supplier of Europe’s largest furniture and mattress manufacturers, is a forerunner in the manufacturing industry with quality products and on-time service. We have conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Feridun Tosun of Boyçelik both about their success story and about the spring industry in general. Full text of the interview follows:

How do you evaluate the developments Turkey has realized in the mattress spring sector? What do you see when you look at the past and present at this sense?

Mattress spring is an industrial commodity and there are a lots of companies to market this product in the world. When Boycelik established in 2006 we were looking for how to export these products. Because of that it was not easy to start exporting springs which will be used inside of mattresses and sofas. In this respect, we as a sales team did many marketing researches such as visiting customers, joining exhibition and realized that this product has market and a huge share in mattress industry. When we checked the world mattress industry then we found that spring mattress is getting popular day

by day. Many people are willing to buy spring mattresses instead of foam or latex mattress. So, we started. We invested in machines, increased capacity and focused on international mattress industry. While Boycelik manufactures 40.000 pcs spring in 2006, now it is manufacturing more than 1 million pcs springs in 2016 for just export market. Spring demand especially pocket springs is getting popular more and more thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why many spring manufacturers in Turkey have made lots of pocket spring machine investments recently. Spring industry has been growing recently which depends on mattress industry as well. But we lately realized that in many countries sofa manufacturers started to use spring in sofas instead of foam which is another reason why spring demand nowadays increased.

Feridun Tosun, Sales and Marketing Manager of BoyĂ§elik

What are the varieties and standards of mattress springs confirming international norms and what should they be? There are lots of type of mattress springs, such as Bonnel, Pocket, Continues, Off Set, and LFK Springs. All these products has its own specification and standards which can be changed according to different countries demands. There are not any specific and identified international norms. All springs have their own standards

and can be changed according to customer demands. There are lots of special demands of customer such as, packaging, spring height and wire tolerances, resistance, durability, etc.

Is the innovation, which exists in the nature of textiles, reflected on mattress springs too? How will be the springs which will lead the way in the market in the future? What kind of changes has Turkey been going through in design and production?

We should differentiate between textile and springs. Textile and Spring products are not the same and it is easy to make new innovative products in textile industry but it would not right to say the same for springs. Because to make innovative springs cannot be easy that will take many years. In despite of that innovative springs can be manufactured for pocket springs than the other type of springs. So, we recently innovated many different type of pocket springs to meet our customers’ demands. Innovation can be done for any kind of products, but there are some sectors which can be found easily but others take time. So springs innovation takes many years. Turkey’s mattress industry is getting popular and new type of mattress manufacturing, especially pocket springs mattress demand increase recently and a kind of mix springs stared to use in mattress as well.

Can we say that mattress has been the final and most modern form of its kind on our time? What is the importance of mattress springs? What value does it add to the bed? It would be too early to say yes. When The World continues, it is possible to find new and much better mattresses. Springs have lots of affects in a mattress, such as comfort, healthy sleep, etc.

Can we say that mattress has been the final and most modern form of its kind on our time? What is the importance of mattress springs? What value does it add to the bed? If we reply this question for today’s conditions I can easily say that it is correct. The most important thing which spring adds to a mattress is adjustable comfort, hardness and softness.

Turkish economy has been growing up since 2002, and passed very successful years. When Syria war started it affected our country negatively, but 15th of July Coup attack has had the worst affect to our economy. Thanks God, due to strong stance of our President Mr. Erdoğan and Turkish people we did not let them Turkey down . So I believe that we will get rid of those problems soon. The dollar has been getting strongly last couple of years. The main reason of that is FED (Federal Reserve Bank) decided to increase the interest rate and made it twice in 2016. Because of FED decisions, many national currencies lost value against the dollar

including Turkish lira. Normally dollar has a positive effect on export sales. But many sectors in Turkish industry depend on outside. Turkey makes lots of import from outside, especially natural gas, petrol, etc. And private sector is borrowing from outside that has also negative effect to Turkish economy as well. When we look at our industry, I would like to be honest with you, 2016 year is one of the best years for our export sales. We grow up for %20 comparing to 2015.

How will 2017 be after a tough year in 2016 for global and Turkish economy? What are the expectations of your company from 2017? Will you have new investments? Do you have a road map for 2017? We think that 2017 will be much better than 2016. Our expectations are that Turkish economy will continue to grow up in 2017 and export numbers will start to increase again. We are not just focused on 2017 we are focused on 2023. We believe that Turkey will be the one of the most important economy in the world and we as an export worker will do our

best to contribute to our economy to reach 500 billion USD export numbers. Our expectations for 2017 are that we target to grow up around 20% in export sales and reach to export 75 countries and we will make new machinery investments to increase our production capacity.

KÄąrayteks offers innovative mattress ticking fabrics

Kırayteks is a recognized brand operating in home textile business. The company is known for its innovative and trendy products. We have conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Onur Kırayoğlu of the company. Full text of the exclusive interview follows?

How do you evaluate the developments Turkey has realized in the mattress ticking fabrics? What do you see when you look at the past and present at this sense? Turkey’s demographic structure, the magnitude of the economy and the domestic market have all turned out to be an advantage for the sector. The companies operating within the sector have become competitive abroad in line with the investment incentives. Turkey’s strategic position and the advantages of labor costs have paved the way for increasing the country’s competitive power in terms of design and quality, Thus, Turkey has become a remarkable center for mattress and mattress accessories industry.

What are the varieties and standards of mattress ticking fabrics confirming international norms and what should they be? Today, environment and human health dominate the agenda more than ever. Within this framework, the R&D activities are carried out in accordance with the international standards. The production in terms of these standards should target the different segments of the market.

Is the innovation, which exists in the nature of textiles, reflected on mattress ticking fabrics too? How will be the fabrics which will lead the way in the market in the future? What kind of changes has Turkey been going through in design and production? Innovation has gained new dimensions in line with the growing competition. Our country has competitive position from this standpoint. Design and production profile of the sector are increasingly based on global standards. Human health and environment

have become a focus of attention for the R&D works conducted in the sector.

Do you have any quality certificates or awards? Our export products and fabrics directed to the European and other countries comply with local and international standards in terms of quality, health and security norms.

Can we say that mattress has been the final and most modern form of its kind on our time? What is the importance of mattress ticking fabric? What value does it add to the bed? It should be emphasized that mattress and fabric could well be regarded as inseperable counterpart. In other words, quality mattresses need quality fabrics and vice versa. Comfort, security and health dimension of the mattress should be complemented by quality fabrics. Fabric signifies the attraction of the mattress. We are able to meet diverse range of needs of the customers from the viewpoint of this perspective.

How do you evaluate merging of companies operating in the same sectors? Merging of companies operating in the same sectors should be evaluated as a normal process within a globalization framework.

How will 2017 be after a tough year in 2016 for global and Turkish economy? What are the expectations of your company from 2017? Will you have new investments? Do you have a road map for 2017?

Of course, the year we left behind has witnessed a series of negative developments. Global risks related to the USD have prompted a series of hardships from the standpoint of exporting and importing sectors of the country. The solution of Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regional problems assumes a key function in this regard.

It should be noted that major economic developments of 2016 would make their presence felt during the new year. During the first half of the new year, some sectors importing raw materials may face hardships due to the risks arising from the fluctuations in foreign exchange markets. We expect positive developments towards the end of 2017 and at the beginning of 2018.

Colors for 2018 will be organic and tinged with grey

Clariant’s ColorForward® 2018 Forecast Reflects a Dark Mood Among Consumers. (Photo: Clariant)

Clariant’s ® ColorForward 2018 Forecast reflects a dark mood among consumers

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Muttenz – Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals announces the release of ColorForward® 2018, the 12th edition of the annual color forecasting guide for the plastics industry.    As it does every year, the international ColorForward team took a deep dive this past September into the state of consumer attitudes and likely color preferences for the coming years.    All four of the global social trends identified reflected an over-arching feeling of sadness, fear and distrust of the conventional world asit-is. Behind that, however, is what might be termed a “silver lining.” A sense of resolve… of determination to endure and a cautious optimism that people can make a difference and things will get better over time. This melancholy mood is evident in the fact that all the colors are toned down and a little bit grey but, at the same time, warm, organic and hopeful.

The ColorForward concept was developed to help brand managers and designers anticipate – years in advance -- what colors will connect with consumers on a deep, emotional level. Today, after twelve successful years, this unique design tool is rapidly gaining credibility.    “We will present the 2018 forecast at Heimtextil in Frankfurt in January and at Stockholm Design Week in February, and we have been invited to speak at the prestigious Fuse London design event in October,” says Judith van Vliet, ColorWorks Designer and a leader of the ColorForward team. “It is very unusual for a company like Clariant to be consulted on trends by the design community and I think is very real reflection of the respect they have for our work.”   The ColorForward advantage arises from its long-term global view of social trends. Other forecasts, van Vliet explains, are more focused on reacting to short-term trends. Clariant, on the other hand, tries to

Trends suggest disappointment but also determination

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identify the deep-seated emotions that influence how consumers respond to color and, by extension, to a manufacturer’s product. She concludes: “I think that’s what makes ColorForward different from other forecasts and why we are getting so much attention.”    ColorForward 2018 has been completely repackaged this year. The presentation materials are simpler and cleaner. The forecast developers composed a single image for each of the four trend themes. Then, discrete facets of each image are used to represent the different elements of each trend.    The trend colors are offered in a printed booklet and with molded plastic plaques that allow participants not only to see the colors but also to touch them, feel them and hold them in different lighting or against different backgrounds.

The ColorForward 2018 trends and colors include:   Newmorrow The Newmorrow trend theme reflects a sort of yin-yang mood among consumers. On the one hand, they believe the “system” is rotten; unable to change economic and social conditions that have become intolerable. On the other hand, there is also a conviction that change is still possible… not by government but from grass-roots efforts of individuals and small groups. This change, it is understood, will come only

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slowly and so there is a need for “cathedral thinking.” Just as it took the work of generations to build the huge medieval churches of Europe, changing and improving a corrupt system requires unselfish commitment, a long-term vision and faith that the final objective can be achieved in the end.    It is not surprising then, that the Newmorrow color palette includes a brownish green called Primordial Soup. It prompts references to sewage and death and some have referred to it as “the ugliest color in the world,” but it also reminds us of the verdant, rich biological goop that spawned life as we know it.    LongitudeLatitudeAttitude Dissatisfaction with conventional ways of living also stands behind the LongitudeLatitudeAttitude trend theme. It acknowledges that a growing number of human beings are choosing to have no fixed address. These are the “new nomads.” Many are artists, musicians or creative entrepreneurs, but what they really have in common is the desire for a minimalist, wandering lifestyle, limiting their possessions to what they can conveniently carry. These New World citizens cherish the flex-

ibility of a lifestyle that embraces their passion for life on the move and that immerses them in a fusion of ethnicities and interests.    The colors of LongitudeLatitudeAttitude are Bohemian. They range from a purplish fuchsia, called Nomadness, a warm, almost-orange yellow named Kaleido tribe, and grey blue called Cirrus aviaticus after the contrails of jet planes against the otherwise cloudless sky.    Through the mirror Somewhere along the way, many consumers began to experience unpleasant feelings of emptiness related to their mainstream lifestyles. There is a sense that they have lost touch with their inner selves or, perhaps, never really considered that inner self as they felt their way through their lives. The trend theme named Through the Mirror attempts to capture a sense of ennui -- of being adrift in a modern world while, at the same time, knowing that a spiritual reawakening is possible.    The yoga practice of inspires the pearl orange color in the Through the Mirror palette. This Sanskrit phrase is pronounced ‘trataka’ and

means to gaze steadily at a fixed spot in order to focus the mind inward, blanking out visual perception and withdrawing from the external world.    Nerdylicious Out from the gloom that seems to lie behind the other trends described above, there comes the story about the validation of a group of people long stereotyped as a bunch of quirky, overly intellectual misfits – the “nerds.” The Nerdylicious trend theme sees these brainiacs finding acceptance as innovators in a complex world, with continuous curiosity and a passion for exploring new ideas and complex puzzles.  Although the colors of Nerdylicious are soft and subdued like most in the other trend groups, they are nevertheless the brightest and most optimistic of any in the 2018 palette. For instance, Lightning Boot is a transparent almost orange yellow that is reminiscent of LED lights on a control panel, while Alberting out! is a slightly dirty optical white -- a tribute to the ultimate nerd, Albert Einstein. It reminds one of lab coats gone dingy after back-to-back 18-hour workdays.

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Elektroteks runs to brighter horizons! As a company taking firm steps to be the leading global manufacturer for mattress and quilting production technologies, Elektroteks is a respectful name in the sector for over a quarter century.

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Serkan Güler, Sales Director of Elektroteks Mattress Machinery Company, underlines the significance of innovation and passion that the company attaches. “Designing the motion, working on the small artistic touches on the harmony, developing things that make products, thinking differently and innovating the minds; these are all we do and the only source is the passion,” explains Güler and adds, “There are thousands of words to mention to define an unbeatable product, but it is only unbeatable in passionless minds.” Mr. Guler points out that at the end of 2016 they have reached over 85 countries in 5 continents with the export rate of 90%. “As the leading producer in Turkey

and one of the top three in Europe, we increased the production capacity by around 50% with 12,000 sqm closed area new plant, and new machine park investments.” One of the biggest parts of Elektroteks production is to design automated turnkey mattress production projects which are fully tailor made for your company. With the last years turnkey project implementations, Elektroteks became globally the most experienced solution partner of mattress producers. The whole project is studied according each customer from the aspects of decreasing operational costs, increasing consistency of mattress quality, decreasing the dirt and the damages on the mattresses

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during the production, eliminating the unproductive effects of different variety of mattresses, ergonomics and your factory layout. At the end of the day, the turnkey project is implemented in order for you to increase the efficiency significantly with consistent product quality as well as easy management of the production. As for the new products in 2016, the full automatic mattress panel hemming machine, full automatic vacuum & rollpack lines, various border machines and new mattress assembly line automations became the new innovations and joined Elektroteks’ machinery family and gained high volume turnover within a short interval of time. “Research and development activities have always been the most exciting for our business,” says Mr. Guler. “Smarter, faster and sustainable developments will be the 2017 mottoes of Elektroteks. The new and dynamic members of R&D team support new developments on all activities of the company. There are remarkable new machines coming in 2017 as well as many new generation versions of existing machines. Innovations will not

Serkan Güler Sales Director of Elektroteks Mattress Machinery Company

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only be on the products but also on the management and operation divisions of Elektroteks, Elektroteks customers and suppliers.” “The premium after sale service has always been one of the biggest keys of the success of Elektroteks. Everything always starts after installing a machine at Elektroteks and service always has the number one priority among all other business activities. The new after sales management system became effective in the 2nd quarter of 2016 and sustainably lets the customers have faster and more comprehensive service and consultancy. Mr. Guler also says in 2016 various new innovations for quilting machines, border machines, packing machines and mattress finishing lines have been put on the manufacturing line and soon have been revealed to the customers all over the world. He takes pride, “In Elektroteks family, the biggest motto is ‘never done enough.’ Each customer is a member of our family. Growing together is always faster, and stronger.”

FORM SUNGER, foam in form, life in form! 110

The area of expertise of Form Sünger (Foam) is products that add to your comfort. From furniture to automotive, home textiles to insulation, its products provide solutions to many industries. Each industry in turn takes Form Sunger products and transforms them with new technologies and designs, specializing in adding features that enhance your life for better

living. From your car seat to the sofa and pillow… We asked the success story of Form Sünger to Arif Emre Ölmeztoprak, Sales and Marketing Manager of the company: How do you evaluate the developments Turkey has realized in the mattress foam sector? What do you see when you look at the past and present at this sense?

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The foam industry in Turkey develops in line with the development in the world, and consumption of foam is increasing steadily. Foams are part of our lives at every stage. Not only volume but also infrastructure, machinery, tools and technologies are growing in foam industry. Now it is seen as an innovative product. What are the varieties and standards of mattress foams confirming international norms and what should they be? Kinds and varieties of foam that we supply to mattress industry are increasing year after year, because definition of comfort is always changing. Multiple layers of foams are used in mattresses. Foam is used in mattresses especially in Europe; the reason is that it adds less cost to the end product. Foams that are used in the mattresses should comply the international standards. Quality is already out of question. Quality is basic requirement. Most consumers now demand foams of low emission for environmental reason. This should also been met. Is the innovation, which exists in the nature of textiles, reflected on mattress foams too? How will be the foams which will lead the way in the market in the future? What kind of changes has Turkey been going through in design and production? Innovation has its own demand in every field, and opportunities in communication of innovation in every field have been proliferated. Textile industry is open to innovation and why similar is not valid for foam. Foam is a sensitive product, sensitive to

Arif Emre Ă&#x2013;lmeztoprak, Sales and Marketing Manager

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every input added to production process. For example, we have two neighboring factories, however, if we do not take necessary adjustments in our formula, it is difficult to obtain exactly the same products in these facilities. Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential is rising. Recently there were new producers in foam industry. Design side is rather different. I have to say that we follow the trends from far behind. We do our best to improve this outlook. Our ongoing projects that are now being tested will be unique product in the world.

Do you have any quality certificates or awards? We try to offer the best to our customers. We have several certificates both from domestic and international audience, among them are, TS EN ISO 5999, TS EN ISO 9000, TSE 18001, ISO 14001, TSE ISO 10002, Okotex and Certipur. By now no product of us got any award, but, we expect to earn for some of our products in Intezum 2017.

Can we say that mattress has been the final and most modern form of its kind on our time? What is the importance of mattress foams? What value does it add to the bed? Today mattresses are modernized and it will develop more in the future. While competition becoming fiercer producers seek more innovation. It shows that the industry will prosper. Actually, foam is an important product in the mattresses. One third of our lives have being spent in sleep, the foam provides comfort, besides other component of mattress. In some countries it is hard to think any mattress without foam.

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We have closed 2016 with factors such as regional geopolitical risks and 13 year-high rate of the dollar in addition to global conditions. How do you rate the year 2016 from the standpoint of Turkish economy? Yes it was a year of turbulences. People have been tired though it was a productive year for our company. Due to global and local problems the last quarter was not good. Thanks that doom scenarios were defeated. The industry and investments are still growing. The recent problem of raw material supply of foams has been also solved, and the industry has come back to normal. How will 2017 be after a tough year in 2016 for global and Turkish economy? What are the expectations of your company from 2017? Will you have new investments? Do you have a road map for 2017? We hit our targets in 2016 but we are sorry for what had happened in the region. 2016 was a year of uncertainties. We are hopeful about the year 2017. We have to be because we have responsibilities towards our customers and to humanity. We have a second factory that started operations in 2014, so, there is no investment this year. We mostly try to improve our present investments. I wish you and your readers a happy new year.

Rise of the machines: ‘Mert Makina’ 114

Mert Makina has progressed successfully in the sector ‘mattress production machinery’ for more than 22 years.

The brand Mert Makina has become one of the most known and reliable firms among the mattress machinery manufacturers. Mert Makina’s strategy towards the customers and manufacturing processes helped a lot to match the brand name to trust, high quality, and innovation. Mert Makina has managed to export 90 % of their production to numerous countries. They have more than three thousand machineries operating in the mattress production industry throughout the world. Their target is to raise this rate up to 95 % at the end of 2016. Mr. Mustafa Nebi Doğan, Sales and Marketing Director of Mert Makina, said that they reached

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their target for the year 2016 by exporting to 70 different countries and is proud to say that they will definitely reach 75 in the year 2017. He also added that their market are mainly in Europe, Middle East, North Africa, Russian Federation and Asia. Their company is specialized in “Full Automatic Mattress Finishing Line”, “Automatic Hotmelt Glue Line with Conveyor System” and “Turnkey Projects” as well as providing technical services and assistance after closing the deal. Mert Makina has recently been focused on automatic mattress manufacturing lines in order to decrease the operational costs and to

M. Nebi Doğan, Sales & Marketing Director, Mert Makina

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increase the quality of the products. “Mert Makina’s high quality is combined with the latest technology, which makes the mattress production a simple job”, is what their customers say. The inception of relieving starts in your mind. The first thing Mert Makina does to show you how many mattresses you can produce a day with the lowest costs. They are firstly demonstrating the manageable aspects and continue to prepare a perfectly fitting project according to your factory’s layout. A guaranteed customer satisfaction awaits you at the completion of the project. They explain all the steps of the mattress production with the required hygiene on the mattress during these years. Their system maximizes the occupational health and safety measures. Many stories could be written about the doubling of capacities with Mert Makina’s machineries. Automation is covering all our life nowadays and unfortunately those who ignore to move without this innovation won’t be able to succeed in business. Imagine producing a mattress within minutes, this will spectacularly lower your costs and the time spent. Mert Makina has managed as a team to make this dream come true. As they were one of the first manufacturers that produced automatic mattress production lines, they have become an experienced company and know all the crucial benefits which cannot be ignored, and they use it to assist their customers towards better, faster and stable production. They continue to provide you with the necessary information about the mattress production procedure.

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Mert Makina is also very well known for all other Mattress Production Machineries, such as Quilters, Wrappers, Edge Tapers, Coiler, ad Assemblers. The company has been producing these machineries for over 22 years now. In the early years of Mert Makina, a faultless Mechanical Multi Needle Quilting Machine was well inspired by the biggest mattress, sofa, and bed linen manufacturers since this first machine was able to sew the thickest materials used by these sectors with the perfect stitches. Couple of years later, Mert Mak-

ina has embodied its experiences to the mechanical model. It was one of the first quilters to work with a computer, allowing the operators to choose multiple designs in no time. This machine is developed with the fully computerized Multi Needle Quilting Machine. Thanks to its brilliant history, Mert Makina has done a perfect work as an outcome. After long R&D works and exchange of know-how among the Mattress Manufacturers, Mert Makina is plans to continue innovating for Border Machines, Packing Machines and also Wire Forming Machines.

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On the other hand, the new Double and Single Head Quilting Machine of Mert Makine has one of the highest speeds with lowest vibrations on the planet, which is tested during the exhibition and observed by visitors how it works stable on 3000 rpm speed. The new generation Single & Double Head Quilting Machines of Mert Makina seemed to be a mixture of know-how, European Raw Material Quality and long term experience of Multi Needle Quilting Machines. Every customer is a project for Mert Makina. They are both

friends and business partners with their customers and a guide showing all the developments and new opportunities in the sector for their clients. Transferring the knowledge is an easy task for Mert Makina, the knowledge comes from the heart of Mattress Business itself and let them make more operator-friendly machines. This has a headache-free outcome and provides more easiness. Mert Makina should be considered as a model to competitors with this kind of development and innovations.

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Asya Orme bolsters exports with Atex Asya Orme is a respectful name operating in the mattress making industry. The company has recently widened its operations and has become a more familiar name with its new initiations. Marketing manager of Asya Orme, Hakan Erzurumlu, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started to make quilts besides fabrics for mattresses with a new brand.â&#x20AC;? He informed about his company and activities.

How was the story of your new brand? We have been in fabric business for 12 years. Recently we began to produce quilted products. We have plans for developing in domestic and export markets with this Atex brand.

Every brand has its own viewpoint. Addressing to consumers is our priority. Their choices and preferences are more important than the product itself. You should produce right product for right location.

What is your assessment about the situation in Turkey in terms of mattress ticking fabric category? It is a matter of trend. We emphasize on designs even in fabrics used as top layer of mattress. Fashionable patterns are emerging in Middle East, Latin America and Europe. We follow them closely. We have a wide range of choices for our customers for years. We still develop new motifs.

What can be said about the variety of fabrics and international standards? There is a certain design and tones in Turkey preferred most. People like to have similar patterns. Fabrics are differentiated by their weaving styles. Even the same fabric can be seen differently from different perspective. Historical figures and patterns originating from Ottoman culture are mostly demanded in Turkey.

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However, larger patterns and motives are more frequent in far West and in America.

Is it possible to meet with new and trendy motifs developed by Turkish companies in the future? Actually, Turkey is growing fast in both design and manufacturing when compared to other parts of the world, especially in textile products. Our country has enormous potential in textiles having more opportunity in apparel and fabric productions. Even retro products of eighties may become fashion again. Now, people are more sensitive to fabrics that are healthy. We may see several new products in this field. Organic products are another opportunity. European customers are more sensitive to health issues and develop healthier varieties. Quilts and pillows that were made of wool 70 years ago were healthier than modern day products. We always seek to find new ways to produce the healthiest product.

I think that you try to apply new technologies on older products to develop new ones. Is it true? Yes, for example, linen is important material for mattresses. People do not use this material much. But, it is good for health, people may feel the sense of comfort when touch to fabrics. They want to feel good. Fabrics are important because people to feel peace during 6 to 8 hours of sleep.

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Do people think that the outlook is important while choosing fabrics for mattresses? As I mentioned, outlook may attract your attention and event change your choices. Perception is important than the reality. First you see, than you touch and then you buy. So, fashion is effective. In some countries customers, especially in Swiss and Sweden, seek certain quality assurance certificates. Quality affects our lives and choices, it is important. But, our customers define quality; it is not only a matter of certificates.

Some mattresses are double sided, one for winter the other for summer. Is it related with only fabrics of the mattress or with other characteristics of it? Both of them is important. Fabrics should support and provide the necessary functions for ventilation and for cooling. Thin fabrics functions in summer, thick ones are good for winter. What is the share of fabrics on the total value of the mattress? Fashion and functions of the product are important but, fabrics are more important, because it touches your skin and you feel it directly. If it is OK, it is OK.

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Some companies are merging in other industries. Is there any tendency in mattress industry for mergers? Yes, certainly there are several companies who joined their forces and organizations. By mergers they gain comparative advantages over their competition. What are your expectations for the year 2017? Is there any investment on the horizon? Actually, we prepared a road map for the coming year. We started Atex brand and we want to get into four new countries in addition to our present export markets in 14 countries. Close contacts with prospective buyers are important in this regard. Domestic market has some limitations, so we have to direct our interest in export markets. North Africa, Europe, the Balkans, Latin America are seen as promising regions for further development.

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Turkey’s wood and forestry products industry prospering Turkey has a total land area of close to 80 million ha. Forests cover 27.2% (21,2 million ha) of the country land area. Turkey has one of the richest floras in the world with 9,000 herbaceous and woody plant species. The major tree species used for round wood production are Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia), Crimean pine (Pinus nigra), Scots pine (Pinus silvestris), beech (Fagus orientalis), fir (Abies bornmülleriana/alba/nordmaniana), spruce (Picea orientalis), cedar (Cedrous libani), and oak (Quercus). Turkey’s large milling and wood manufacturing industry is in a position

to supply wood products to regional markets in the Middle East, particularly those countries that lack a wood manufacturing sector of their own. Turkey is also in a competitive position to supply semi-processed wood products and furniture to the EU as a result of its relatively lower labor costs. Turkish forest product based industries, such as the panel and furniture industries, have increased their capacity over the last decade, allowing them to take advantage of these regional opportunities. 70 % of timber manufactured in Turkey is used in construction, 20% is used in furniture production and 10% is used in packaging and other industries. Timber consumption per person is btw 0,075-0,085 m³.

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Mitsan forms best foams Established in 1976, the 40-year old Mitsan Foam Industry has been producing high resilience foams for various industries especially for the mattress and furniture industry and cuts them vertically and horizontally depending on the requirements of customers. We asked the success story of Mitsan to Mr. Mustafa Ă&#x2021;etinbulut, Chairman of the Board of the company.

How do you evaluate the developments in Turkey where major foam producers are headquartered? How was the process of development from the beginning to present day? The rising path of the furniture industry that is a major exporter especially from the 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s then on also affected the growth of the mattress industry. Population growth was another factor. Start-

Mustafa Ă&#x2021;etinbulut

ing with spring type of products the mattress industry then moved towards products made of foams and its derivatives.

What is the variety and standards that are accepted in international markets for mattress and how should it be?

Foams are consumed in highly different industries; among them are automotive, furniture and mattress. In line with developments in foam technology the foamy products used in mattress industry were also developed seriously. Visco and HR foams are examples. Medium or high-density foams are generally used on upper layers of

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mattresses. The hardness of the products changes depending on the choices of people in different countries and sleeping cultures. For example, Turkish people prefer the hardest, the Europeans the harder and Iranians demand even the hardest mattresses.

Innovation is important in textiles, is it the same in mattress foams? In the future, what type of foams will be trendy? What are the developments in the fields of design and production? Fast changes in foam technologies also accelerate in the developments in mattress industry. Thanks to the CNC cutting machines specially cut foams produce a sense of natural spring. With further research and development efforts the mattress industry will improve its position in the world. As Mitsan we invested 5 million TL and became one of the leading producer of specially contour cut foams in Turkey for two years. Can we say that ultimate developments are realized in modern mattresses? What is the function of foams and value it added in mattresses? Not yet. It is also difficult to foresee the ultimate position. Ten years ago visco foams were not so popular, but now it is demanded more. Also, fabrics, springs and other components are being developed besides developments in foams. Highly different alternatives will be seen in the market in near future. Foam is important for mattresses and as a comfort tool there is no other alternative to be

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used as a layer. The specially cut foams will be more popular in the future. Our Therapy line series combines comfort and ergonomic specs in our products.

In addition to the adverse conditions in the global environment, we have closed 2016 with factors like regional geopolitical risks and the fastest rise of the dollar in the last 13 years. In this context, how do you evaluate the year 2016 in terms of the Turkish economy and your own sector? The year 2016 was a year in which our country has been adversely affected because of both internal and external factors. In addition, the crisis in the international dimension in supply of foam raw materials in the last 3 months has also deeply affected the furniture and bed industry of our country. How will the year 2017 be for both the world and the Turkish economy after the challenging 2016? What are your expectations for 2017 as a company? Will you have new investments? Will you mention us about your road map of the businesses? Obviously we are very hopeful for our country and for our company in 2017. I believe that our people, who have enlivened a distressed process will overcome the problems with its values and with its strong political will and strong economy. The year 2017 will be a year when we will further develop our sleep products as a company and introduce more products to international markets. We will add new models to the custom-cut foam product portfolio.

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Ersan Madeni opens to American market

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Producing metal, moving and electronic mattress systems for more than 30 years Ersan Madeni added several products into its production line such as beds with hygienic fibers, gelled visco foam pads and smart sleep systems. Brand owner Aynur Erman informed about her company and fair activities.

How were the reactions you got in trade shows? We do not have great targets for the year 2016 because of the problems we have been experiencing in business. We decided to focus on investing in fairs for further development. We recognized that this was a right move at the right time. There was only one Turkish company in the fair we participated. We are going to be in IMM

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next. It is also important for the prestigious of our country as well as of our company. Turkish companies who want to participate in these fairs can only find marginal locations in these events, especially those held in Germany, due to the negative stances of organizers toward foreigners. But, we got a reservation in this fair. We will go to Highpoint fair in October. Now, American market is attractive for us, it excites us, because it is out of our experience to make suitable products for their culture.

What kinds of mechanisms are demanded? There are lots of mechanisms in American market; however, sophisticated mechanism used in European markets is not sold in America. Mattresses are so heavy and are rather simple. We were in a fair in Florida in May, and I witnessed that mechanisms are so simple than those we accustomed in Turkey. We bring our varieties to these markets.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on in your product portfolio? We really have a large variety; I confess that, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know the exact number of them. We are still developing new choices. Our research and development team

Aynur Erman Brand owner

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work hard, and find new solutions for the needs of our buyers. We develop specific varieties for specific companies. We got a good way on the moving mattress mechanisms. We put fibers beneath of them and aimed to especially elderly people. It is also comfortable and suitable for normal people but is not demanded in Turkey. We sleep on flat beds. We have special products that can be adjusted for sitting purposes to offer American market. They can be remote controlled for better comfort, the kinds that are commonly used in Europe especially by elderly.

On their target for American market Target will be set following the fair event. We are not so familiar with this market. We visited only once. We have communications with several businesses. We will keep our contacts with them in the trade show.

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ISPA EXPO Charlotte 2018 pushes the button! As a biennial event ISPA Expo, a 4-day event, will be held at Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, USA, 14-17 March 2018. The event showcases products like mattress machinery, mattress materials, components, adjustable beds, airbed components associated with this field etc.

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Bodet & Horst, a leader in textile innovation, has been constantly working on improving its service range. One of the innovative products and technologies of the company is Gel Streeetch. It is a material which improves climate control during sleep thanks to its unique gel coating. The material has the effect of pleasantly cooling the body. Up to 30% more body warmth can be dissipated compared to similar materials. The advantages of Gel Streeetch are counted as being breathable, heat-dissipating, platinum-strengthened (solvent-free) meets Ă&#x2013;kotex standards, free of softening agents, stable material (even after many washes)

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emission-free, odor-free tested for skin-friendliness. As a service provider to the international mattress industry and being the world’s leading manufacturer of knitted, elastic mattress cover materials Bodet complies with its own requirement to be “The leader in textile innovation” towards its customers. In connection with leading textile research institutes, designers, yarn suppliers and machine manufacturers worldwide, the company co-operates closely with its customers to generate new developments with regards to materials, knitting techniques, design and finish. Knitted elastic materials for mattress covers are continuously gaining more popularity and importance. On the one hand this is due to functional reasons because customers’ demands with regard to mattresses and thus to cover materials are increasing with the increasing use of adjustable and motorized bed bases. On the other hand this is also due to comfort reasons because nothing is more comfortable and pleasant to a sleeper’s skin and body than a soft, elastic fabric covering the mattress, which reassumes its initial position following strain. Bodet & Horst’s in-house development department consisting of highly qualified designers and textile technicians develop individual fabric solutions for you. The company’s products can be seen at its booth in Interzum 2015, 5-8 May, Hall 10.2 Stand F 040.

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The role of materials in individualization: the Materials & Nature Piazzas at interzum 2017

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The leading international trade fair for the furniture and interior construction industries’ supplying sections, interzum, is traditionally divided into three segments: Textile & Machinery, Function & Components and Materials & Nature. In this way, the entire spectrum of components used in furniture manufacturing and interior construction is presented in a concise yet comprehensive way. Alongside the exhibitors’ presentations, every segment offers its own Piazza, providing an area which has been designed to focus on a specific theme and which serves as a meeting place

and source of inspiration. In this year’s Materials & Nature segment, there will for the first time be two Piazzas inviting visitors in – and they will again be conceived and designed by the interior architect Katrin de Louw. The theme for the Piazzas will be “individuality”. In ancient Italian towns, wherever two or more streets joined up, businesses, cafés and restaurants would settle. To this day, people still meet up in the piazza to discuss the latest world events, meet up with friends or conduct business. This is not unique to Italy: it happens all over the world -– including

Concept and design by Katrin de Louw once more

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Cologne, at the world’s leading fair for the furniture and interior construction industries’ supplying sections. Each of the three themed areas at interzum has its own Piazza, all tailor-made to focus on their respective core theme. In the Materials & Nature segment at interzum 2017, there will be two Piazzas for the first time: one in Hall 6 and the other in Hall 10.2. These two areas are linked by their common theme of “individuality”. The desire for individualized design of living spaces is one of the big trends to have been shaping the furniture industry for years. In the search for scope to create individualized designs, the choice of materials for furniture and interiors plays a decisive role today, and will continue to do so in the future. New materials, machining processes and surfaces are being brought to market within ever shorter development cycles. Alongside their variety, the opportunities to combine these different materials are also growing at an exponential rate, so planners and fabricators gain enormous scope to be creative, which allows them to fulfil the most varied of customer wishes. The only difficulty is keeping track of it all. This is where the Piazzas in the “Materials & Nature” segment becomes invaluable with their comprehensive overview of exhibitors’ highlights and coming trends in this segment.

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High-quality lectures across all four days of the fair

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Sova Bedding introduces innovative Penta mechanism

Penta, a new mechanism for bedding, has more ability to move in four directions. It can be lowered and heightened on both sides.

Started to produce in Holland in 1995, Sova Design launches its brand new product Penta first in Sleepwell Expo under its new brand Sova Bedding. This new and innovative product of Sova attracted a great deal of interest from the sector professionals and from buyers. Penta has four movements, more than other competitive mechanisms. General manager of the company Mehtap Akkoyun informed about her company, about the products in general and Penta in particular.

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On the company As a foreign company headquartered in Holland, we started to produce boxspring in 2008 and decided to produce them in Turkey at the end of 2015. So, we established a new production facility and began to produce at European standards.

Penta: A different solution Penta has more ability to move in four directions. This is our superiority on similar products. There are only movements on the head side and on the leg side in our other mechanisms. Penta can be lowered and heightened on

Mehtap Akkoyun Sova Bedding General Manager

both sides.

It is designed for home use Penta is especially designed for

the needs of elderly and patients. Penta is the new form of beds normally used in hospitals and special care units for the needs of special people who need care at their homes. Like other similar products, this product has electrical control units and can be adjusted easily for variety of positions. Its outlook is also somehow different from professional products, and made of metal parts. Balanced distribution of weigh of the patients is important, so, our product is designed for this end. Handset that controls the movements provides high level of practicality to the user.

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Hurpol invest $ 2 bn for expansion Having Ergofoam and Viscofoam brands in the production of foam for medical, furniture, textile and home textile industries, Hurpol adds new products to its portfolio. The company has recently been producing visco and jelled visco products, which are healthier for humans. Sales coordinator of the company Malik Enes Huroglu informed about a new mattress that adapts to the weight of the person customized for legs, bellies and head zones.

Malik Enes HĂźroÄ&#x;lu Sales coordinator

What have you been doing for the mattress industry? At present, we produce orthopedic

products and products heavily. We produce limited amount of mattresses as well, and we want to produce sellable varieties in stores. We want to deal with companies having repeat orders as well as individual furniture companies. We both offer semi-finished or completed products for other companies. Thus we needed more space for production and now we are expanding our factory floor by investing 2 billion dollars.

What do you have to say on exports? We have plans for more exports, especially to countries in the

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region, including North Africa, Iran, Iraq, Middle East and Northern Europe. We will establish contact with retailers in these countries via our sales representatives. We offer them air channeled and jelled pillows. We increased the jell rate of this blue colored product. What are the advantages of air channeled jelled pillows? Air channels increase the ventilation in the product thus it removes perspiration problem. We use 1,500 gram of jell instead of 750 gram to produce a better sense of cooling. Our mattress is really special. Presently we do not consider producing cheaper mattresses. We use visco more than classical foam in this mattress. In our special mattress there are a special lining of springs with an aim to adapt its responses to various parts of body, such as legs, belly and head. We have about 45 different pillows and 4 to 5 mattresses in our product portfolio, besides special mattresses.

Mattress Industry Terms 146

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 material 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.

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Binding tape: Fabric tape used to bind and close the mattress or foundation where the vertical and horizontal panels of outer ticking 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. 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.

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

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 distribu-

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

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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 of wood or a combination of wood and steel or steel springs. See Box

Spring and Foam Foundation. Futon: A Japanese-style mattress construction, consisting of a cover and filling material, which is typically cotton but can be innerspring and/or foam. 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 compression much like a hammock. Terms “dish” and “sagging” also used to describe this phenomenon. Hand: Term used to describe the touch or feel of fabrics (e.g., soft, smooth, etc.). 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.

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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 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.

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.

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 a combination of natural and synthetic latex rubber.

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).

LFK: An unknotted offset coil with a cylindrical or columnar shape.

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.

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

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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.

constitutes the top sleep surface of a mattress, as well as the bottom of a mattress on a two-sided bed.

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.

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.

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

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. 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. Pocketed coil: See Marshall. Polyurethane foam: See Urethane Foam. Print: A ticking fabric, which can be

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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.

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.

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.

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 Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads.The tag is available in a hangtag or permanent label. Smooth top: A plain surfaced mattress, neither tufted nor quilted. Also called button-free. 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. 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. Straightline deflection: Pertains to mattress innerspring construction and refers to the constant ratio between stress and strain, weight and movement. The benefit is

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 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 character-

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ized 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 modules 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.