From its factory in Elland in West Yorkshire, The Odd Company handcrafts beds and mattresses to bespoke specifications, selling D2C and putting a unique spin on everything from components to marketing. MD Andrew Seed tells us more …
What does The Odd Company do?
The Odd Company specialises in bespoke luxury mattresses, bed bases, bedding, and headboards, crafted by hand in Yorkshire using traditional techniques and natural fillings. Every mattress is made to order and tailored precisely to the customer’s needs, with no restrictions on size or shape. Our aim is simple – to redefine the art of sleep through beautifully made, deeply personal sleep solutions.
What brought you to this industry?
The Odd Company was founded by my father, Neil, in the 1980s. His first business, Brass Knight, restored antique Victorian beds, which often came in unusual sizes. Customers needed matching, non-standard mattresses, and that’s how The Odd Mattress Company was born.
In 2018, I took over the family business and rebranded to The Odd Company, to reflect the fact we now offer so much more – mattresses, bed bases, headboards and bedding, all bespoke and made to order.
What sales channels do you operate through?
We’re proudly a D2C business. Most of our sales happen via our website or over the phone, where we guide customers through the process to ensure they’re ordering the correct size and the best mattress for their needs. The bespoke nature of our products means that this kind of one-on-one service is essential.
In recent years, we’ve also increased our presence within the interior design community, exhibiting at Decorex at London Olympia. It’s opened new doors and built relationships with designers who value our ability to create truly custom pieces from specific shapes and sizes to using clients’ own fabrics and unique headboard designs. We’ll be returning to Decorex this year, as the demand for customisation in interiors continues to grow.
What sets your product apart?
Our core difference is in the detail. Everything we do is made to order, by hand, in our Yorkshire factory. Whether it’s a round mattress, an angled corner, or a bed for an antique frame, we can make it. That flexibility, combined with expert craftsmanship and traditional methods, is what makes us truly unique.
We use only natural fillings like lambswool, cashmere and horsehair (never foam!), and every mattress is pocket sprung, hand-side stitched, and fully turnable. One craftsperson oversees each mattress from start to finish, ensuring total quality control.
Please describe your typical customer …
Our customers value quality, comfort and craftsmanship. They care about how things are made, prefer to support British manufacturers and independent, family-run businesses, and understand the long-term value of investing in a good night’s sleep.
What’s your bestselling product?
The Richmond 1350, a long-time favourite for over 30 years. It features deep cotton fillings on both sides and two rows of hand side-stitching for a luxurious feel and lasting support.
How is your business adapting to today’s challenges?
We’re committed to paying our team fairly. We’re a Living Wage employer and we’ve taken steps to reduce energy use, including installing LED lighting and ensuring our factory is well insulated.
We keep our supply chains short, working closely with local suppliers. And while consumer spending is shifting, we’ve found that the luxury end of the market remains resilient. We’re focusing on reaching the right customers and exploring export opportunities as we grow.
How do you see the wider mattress ecommerce landscape evolving?
Shoppers are more open than ever to buying mattresses online, especially when backed by a sleep guarantee. A good website can now act as a digital showroom that we can use video on to bring customers behind the scenes and showcase our craftsmanship.
There’s a lot of consolidation in the market, but that creates space for brands like ours to stand out with a unique proposition. And with tools like AI, we’re exploring ways to help customers visualise our products in their homes.
How would you describe your approach to marketing?
We’re trying to bring some personality to our social media content to break up typical brand content that can feel quite stale. We lean into storytelling, using email and social media to share the craftsmanship, people and process behind each product, not just the finished item – but with our Odd spin!
We’ve also embraced more creative, guerrilla-style marketing around events like Decorex, helping us stand out in a crowded space. Digital PR continues to be a strong driver of awareness.
Are you making progress in fulfilment or sustainability?
Yes, sustainability is a major focus for us. We recycle all mattress and plastic waste, use energy-efficient lighting, and optimise delivery routes with our two-person delivery teams, to minimise emissions. We also bale and recycle all surplus natural fillings. It’s about making considered choices at every step of the process.
Annually, we also donate mattresses to a local sleep charity, Zarach.
What’s in the pipeline?
We’re expanding into natural sleep accessories with a new range of wool duvets, toppers and pillows, alongside a linen bedding collection. We’re also updating our fabric range to include locally sourced cotton and linen options, continuing to combine comfort, sustainability and style.
This article featured in May's issue.
