Bensons for Beds has announced a £1m+ investment in the relaunch of Staples & Co, its historic British bed brand, as it strengthens its portfolio of owned brands and accelerates its growth strategy.
"More than 130 years after its founding, Staples & Co is entering a new chapter," says the retailer/manufacturer. "The relaunched brand brings together time-honoured British bed and mattress-making skills with contemporary design, creating a collection built around carefully selected natural materials and enduring quality."
The investment forms part of Bensons' strategy to build on its turnaround, using its own brands and British manufacturing expertise to create "a more distinctive position" in the sleep market.
Staples & Co will strengthen Bensons' presence in the premium segment, introducing the brand to "customers who value considered design and craftsmanship", says Bensons, adding that he relaunch also reflects its wider evolution into a specialist sleep business that develops and manufactures its own products alongside a curated portfolio of third-party brands.
Nick Collard, CEO of Bensons for Beds, says: "Staples & Co represents something very important to the future of Bensons. We have a remarkable heritage in British bedmaking, and the opportunity now is to build on that with a brand that can stand confidently alongside the very best in the market.
"We believe customers are increasingly thoughtful about the things they bring into their homes. They're looking for products that are beautifully made, that stand the test of time and have a story worth telling. Our ambition is to make Bensons a destination for exceptional sleep, with brands that customers actively seek out. Staples & Co is an important step towards that future."
At Bensons' manufacturing facility in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, traditional techniques remain central to the craft of bedmaking. Skilled makers, many of whom have over 15 years experience, use methods including hand side-stitching and hand-tufting.
The factory holds The Furniture Makers' Company's Manufacturing Guild Mark and BSI Kitemark certification, reflecting the specialist skills and standards behind Bensons' British manufacturing operation.
Natural materials are equally important to the new collection. Among them is regeneratively farmed British wool, sourced through a network of approximately 50-60 farmers who receive a premium for their fleeces. The initiative supports farming practices designed to improve soil health and encourage biodiversity, while creating greater value for British wool.
Emma Forbes, owned brands director at Bensons for Beds, comments: "We wanted Staples & Co to feel as considered as a piece of furniture you would treasure for a lifetime. Not just somewhere to sleep, but something beautifully made that becomes part of your home.
"What makes the collection special is the attention to details that aren't always immediately visible. The way materials are layered, how a mattress is finished by hand and the knowledge of the people making it all contribute to the experience.
"We've been guided by a simple principle – craftsmanship should never be there just for show. Every detail should make a difference to how the bed feels and how it lasts."
For Staples & Co, preserving the traditions of British bedmaking also means investing in the people who will carry them forward, says Bensons. The brand sponsored The Furniture Makers' Company's New Furniture Makers exhibition earlier this month, supporting emerging designers and makers as they begin their careers, and offering one young person a £1000 commission to design a headboard for the brand.
"I always thought [Staples] was something that created an opportunity for us," Nick told Furniture News' editor-in-chief, Paul Farley, at the event. "Staples is already worth tens of millions for us – but this makes the brand more than the sum of its parts."
When asked how the upper end of Staples' new offer – retailing at £5999 – would impact Bensons' wider price architecture, Nick replied: "Our job is to appeal to a range of price points. Re-establishing the Staples brand will help drive reappraisal of the brand as a whole.
"We're very proud of our own-run manufacturing business in the UK. It's one of the reasons I joined the business in the first place."
Informed by consumer research, the new Signature and Iconic Staples models promise to elevate customer perception and pricing expectations – with headboards, divan bases and more complementing the premium natural mattresses, and tailored staff training and white-glove delivery to close the deal.
"The partnership complements Bensons' work to develop specialist skills through apprenticeships and early careers opportunities," says Bensons. "It reflects a commitment to ensuring British furniture craftsmanship continues to evolve and remains relevant for future generations."
The relaunched Staples & Co collections are available in 55 Bensons stores and online, and are being supported by an integrated marketing campaign programme focused on building brand awareness and bringing to life the brand story of heritage, craftsmanship and design through digital content, media and PR activations.
In addition, the in-store experience has been with elevated with branded PoS and visual merchandising materials, and Benson’s store staff fully engaged and educated in the new brand proposition and Staples & Co sleep solutions, following an in-depth training and engagement programme.
