Consumers consider qualities beyond size and price when buying a mattress. Given the proportion of our lives spent in bed, comfort is king – and a mattress’ feel comes down to a mix of materials, construction and personal preference. One factor that’s critical to sleepers of all shapes and sizes is temperature regulation, and in February's issue Furniture News asks some of the UK’s top bedmakers why it matters, how it’s conveyed and backed up, and what they’re doing about this growing opportunity …
It is unsurprising that so many of the mattresses launched at last year’s NBF Bed Show has temperature regulation at their heart. Consumer demand for cooler sleeping solutions, and the health and wellbeing benefits they deliver, is mounting, and while other factors come into play (from room temperature and ventilation to bed clothes, bedding and good habits), a specifically engineered mattress can go a long way to alleviating the spikes (and troughs) in body heat that disrupt sleepers of all ages.
Growing awareness of the impact of the menopause – alongside global temperature fluctuations, better home insulation and overheating exacerbated by weight gain – has prompted more interest in this field, and in the fast-evolving technology behind it.
Yes, some of the answers lie in the materials employed. Memory foam can deliver added warmth, while natural materials such as cotton, bamboo and wool can help the sleeper maintain a steadier body temperature, thanks to their breathable, moisture-wicking qualities, and gel foam and latex also promise heat dispersal. But there are many more factors at work.
Understanding and meeting the demand for better temperature regulation has never been more important, so we decided to ask a selection of industry professionals to share their thoughts on why it matters, how the technology works and, given what their top mattresses currently deliver, what its future looks like.
Our thanks go to: Richard Gretton, commercial manager at GNG Group (Komfi); Danny Blackmore, operations director at Silentnight Brands; Clare Schifano, global marketing director at Vispring; Matthew West, product development manager at Hypnos; and Phil McNeill, sales and marketing director at Kayfoam (Kaymed).
Read the feature here.
