Innovation is central to Simba’s approach to all its business operations. At the bed brand, innovation is an attitude, a way of thinking, which sees the team constantly question whether things can be done better, driven by an engineering mindset to solve the sleep problems that affect the greatest number of sleepers through a minimal number of products …
Innovation in product design has led Simba’s approach since day one, months before it even sold its first product, states the brand. Simba used a problem-solving, data-first approach when designing its innovative Hybrid mattress. Having analysed the body shapes of over 10 million sleepers, Simba developed over 70 prototypes in order to use statistical mapping to create a product that was suitable for as many sleepers as possible.
“The perfect recipe needs the perfect ingredient, and the team at Simba finally arrived at the innovation that lies at the heart of our Hybrid mattresses – the Aerocoil micro spring,” states a brand spokesperson.
Aerocoil is a piece of patented Simba engineering with two special features: one, a coiled shape that compresses inwards, which allows it to absorb rather than transfer energy; and two, its titanium and carbon steel composition, which gives it strength.
This design is embedded in a tiny spring that is just 2.5cm tall and has a super-fine gauge of a mere 0.8mm. So, instead of traditional, bulky barrel springs or sticky memory foam under the sleeper’s body, a Simba mattress has up to 6000 of these ingenious micro springs nestling unnoticed near the top of the mattress, with the resulting benefit of ultra-responsive, comfortable and “unrivalled” support – without the bounce factor that passes movement onto a sleeping partner. Says Simba: “Small is most definitely beautiful!”
The Simba Sleep engineers also designed Simbatex foam, which has an open-cell structure, resulting in 30 x the breathability of standard memory foam, states the brand: “Add to that an infusion of natural graphite with its excellent heat-conducting properties, and you get a cooler, breezier sort of foam that’s an absolute gift for great sleep.”
These two core innovations have spawned other new products and techniques. Take Simba’s pillows, for example – the Hybrid features an inner pillow of Simbatex foam Nanocubes, which provides the correct head and neck support and adjustable height. It is surrounded by a sleeve of Simba Renew, a soft cushioning filler, that Simba’s team is proud to have designed using 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.
Challenging the norm is how Simba came up with Stratos, the temperature-regulating finish on its duvets, pillows and bedding. Stratos works like a sort of thermostat, sensing the sleeper’s body heat and reacting to help cool them down.
Equally, this was how Simba approached the bed sector – its new, patented Simba Flex slat systems provide uniquely responsive support and focused pressure relief for the shoulders and lower back, and, thanks to Simba’s Easy-Fit technology, tool-free assembly takes just 10 minutes.
Innovation is not just something Simba embraces to create its ground-breaking products – the brand employs innovation to be fair, responsible and sustainable around all its business practices (Simba recently submitted an application for B Corp status for its global business).
Innovation is also central to Simba’s business mindset, with many people close to the business left in disbelief at the resource and time spent using data to make decisions and operate the daily processes there. “Everything you can think of is tracked and monitored against detailed KPIs,” says Simba. “This is a brand with huge marketing budgets that are scrutinised down to the penny to optimise performance and to ensure that data-led innovation is present in how the team markets and communicates its impressive product range and benefits to the consumer.
“The team at Simba use an innovation mindset to split our time – aiming 50% focused on now, and 50% focused on what the future of sleep will look and feel like, and how we can stay a leader in innovation.
“Simba is a brand that doesn’t just talk innovation – it lives and breathes it across its entire team, driven by a belief that engineering innovative sleep technology can make the world a better place to be for each unique Simba sleeper.”
