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If you haven’t shopped for a mattress in a while, you’re in for an awakening.
Bed and mattress makers have come up with all kinds of innovations that promise more comfort and better sleep — or at least some fun bells and whistles.
The new products are evidence that the bedding industry hasn’t taken the recession lying down.
Manufacturers hope consumers are getting the message about the health benefits of proper sleep, so that as the economy strengthens and purse strings loosen, they’ll be poised to buy, said Dale Read, president of the Specialty Sleep Association.
Here’s some of what those manufacturers have to offer.
Temperature regulation
Research shows temperature is an important factor in how well we sleep, so a number of mattress makers are developing products designed to keep sleepers cooler.
Italian manufacturer Magniflex, for example, makes mattresses from Eco Green memory foam, a plant-based foam that reacts to body weight.
That’s different from most viscoelastic memory foam, which is activated by body heat and therefore feels too warm to some people.
The Eco Green foam’s open-cell structure makes it breathable, keeping the sleeper cooler, explained Andrea Mugnai, general manager of Magniflex’s U.S. operations.
Israel-based Hollandia International is relying on fabric in its bid to help its customers keep their cool. It recently introduced a mattress covered in a three-dimensional fabric made in an open-weave design to improve air flow.
The fabric is also easy to clean and dries almost instantly, because the polyester fiber can’t hold water or other substances, said Maya Ben, vice president of operations for Hollandia U.S. Hollandia also makes mattresses with Coolmax fabric, which wicks moisture from the body, and Outlast, a fabric that stores excess heat from a body and releases it when it’s needed.
Another innovation is a temperature-controlled mattress being developed by Chili Technology, a North Carolina company that makes a mattress cover called the ChiliPad.
The temperature is regulated by water flowing through silicone tubes embedded about 1 1/2 inches below the surface, explained Todd Youngblood, the company’s president and co-founder.
Semiconductor chips heat or cool the water to a selected point within the range of 46 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit, Youngblood said.
No wires or other electrical elements are embedded in the mattress.
The mattress will be sold on the company’s Web site. A queen-size mattress will sell for $1,999.
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