New bedding enterprise 100% Comfort (see January’s issue for our interview with the company’s founders) has been hard at work developing groundbreaking new lines of pillows and toppers – and now it’s doing so in partnership with one of the UK’s top bed brands. Here, Greg Suthern (co-founder and joint CEO at 100% Comfort) and Graham Astle (sales director at Harrison Spinks) explain why this new collaboration is the perfect match …
What exactly does 100% Comfort do?
Greg: 100% Comfort was founded by Mike Clare, Nick Worthington and myself to be the one-stop shop for all things comfort. We have developed a wide range of pillows, toppers and mattresses and we supply own-label, white-label and branded goods.
We have a clear focus on making our products different and better, and as such we don’t stock ‘commodity’ products, but rather we have innovative and super-comfy products, many of which are also specifically designed to help with the most common of sleep issues.
How did the partnership with Harrison Spinks come about?
Greg: Mike, Nick and I have worked with Harrison Spinks for over 30 years, and we’ve always respected how they do things properly, whilst aiming to be different too. We were aware they didn’t have pillows in the market and so we simply picked up the phone and started working together on this project.
Graham: We knew the guys at 100% Comfort for decades, and their reputation for success. When Greg reached out to us it was a no-brainer to talk and listen. Both sides got excited quickly because we could see the potential.
Why does Harrison Spinks not produce its own pillows?
Graham: While we had a small pillow offering, mainly to support mattress demonstration, our strategy has always been to concentrate on making the very best mattresses and beds, without distraction. By working with 100% Comfort, we were able to be involved in the R&D phase and product signoff, whilst leaving the production and distribution to the pillow experts.
Why exactly did Harrison Spinks choose to partner with 100% Comfort, as opposed to any other white-label bedding producer?
Graham: We never wanted to produce just any pillow. The pillows had to match our standards and our values, and live up to the expectations of our retail partners and, ultimately, the customers sleeping on our beds. Greg and the team got that from the very start and have worked with us as partners ever since.
Please describe the product development process, from creation to testing …
Greg: After our first call it was clear we both wanted the same thing – we wanted to produce luxury pillows that heavily leant on the traditions and values of Harrison Spinks. The R&D process involved studying the mattress collections in great detail and identifying comfort levels and materials that would help the Harrison Spinks pillow collection to stand out in the market, whilst complementing the beds perfectly.
We then set to work combining the finest traceable British wool with luxury organic cotton covers and the exceptional micro-spring system that Harrison Spinks are famous for developing. After extensive sleep trials with different filling levels and combinations we hit on the perfect pair of pillows to launch this collection.
Graham: Whilst we were involved every step of the way, I have to say that 100% Comfort were fabulous at taking the headache out of the whole R&D process. Their level of care and attention to detail not only mirrored our approach to handcrafted quality, but it also gave us great confidence.
The sleep trials were amazing – lots of different types of sleepers of all ages, sizes and sleeping positions, to ensure we covered as many variations as possible.
The trials continued until we were all happy that we had the very best pair of pillows for launch: one luxury wool pillow, slightly softer and lower profile; and one deluxe wool pillow with our micro-spring technology, that adds a little more loft, support and breathability – an absolute winner with side sleepers.
Read the rest of the interview in June's issue.
