Better Home, Ironman among bed debuts
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 9, 2009
LAS VEGAS — The brand-oriented mattress category makes room for two new names at this market — Better Homes and Gardens and Ironman, which are making their debut on mattress lines being shown here.
The Better Homes and Gardens mattress line is being produced by Five Star Mattress. It takes price points for that promotional to mid-priced maker up over $1,000 for the first time. The new eight-bed line, which carries the tag line, “Designed by women, for women,” will retail from $799 to $1,599.
“We've listened closely to what female consumers are looking for in terms of bedding,” said Donna Zett, Five Star president. “Now, more than ever, women want affordability, comfort and quality. This new line delivers on all three fronts.”
The Better Homes and Gardens line will debut at retail in March, Five Star officials said.
Also debuting here is the new Ironman line of sleep sets being produced and marketed by Spring Air. The three-bed line will retail between $1,000 and $2,000.
“Many dealers are looking for new products that will not only bring in current but also new customers into their stores, and this is the product to do just that,” said Charles Dietiker, senior vice president at Spring Air.
The Ironman beds will feature a Celliant product designed to increase oxygen levels in the body, helping to provide the proper rest and recovery that Ironman athletes — and active consumers — need, Spring Air officials said.
Bedding major Serta is updating and expanding its Vera Wang and Perfect Sleeper collections with new comfort and support features, and also is showing value-priced models in its Sertapedic line.
A number of producers are rolling out new green models. Spring Air's new Alluring bed, part of the bedding maker's Nature's Rest latex line, offers anti-microbial and blended natural fibers and convoluted foam. It retails at $999. And it also adds new Back Supporter Four Seasons models at $599, $699 and $799.
Eclipse and Eastman House both have new green mattress offerings, said Stuart Carlitz, CEO of both brands. He said Eastman House will show a “dark green” model in a certified organic mattress program, with 100% organic cotton covers and certified organic wool batting. “Every component will be 100% natural and organic,” Carlitz said.
In addition, Eclipse will be showing a “medium green” line featuring plant-based foams, 60% organic cotton ticks and organic wool quilt fibers, according to Carlitz.
Kingsdown, showing at the Venetian, where it has made occasional product showings, unveils its new Sleep to Live retail concepts, which emphasize the connection between sleep equipment, behavior and the environment in getting a good night's sleep. The bedding maker has introduced a comprehensive version of its new concepts in its new Sleep to Live stores in North Carolina.
At this market, Kingsdown has a 12,000-square-foot display in the Marco Polo Ballroom at the Venetian. Retailers will first see a pop-up Sleep to Live retail store and then move to a wholesale environment, where the concept is laid out in more detail.
Sleep to Live aims to sell the value of a good night's sleep rather than just a mattress, Kingsdown officials said.
“For too long,” said Kingsdown CEO Eric Hinshaw, “our industry has revolved around mattresses rather than sleep. Sleep to Live changes the existing paradigm. Our interactive experience provides each customer with not just the right sleep equipment to suit their individual needs, but also the educational resources to adjust their sleep behavior and the products to help create their optimal sleep environment.”
Added Jim Ross, vice president of marketing for Sleep to Live: “For us, it's about changing the way people think about sleep and helping them realize how important quality sleep is to their overall health. We'd like the Sleep to Live brand to be a trusted resource to consumers, similar to how a nutritionist or physical trainer is, rather than just a product.”
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