Bedding's 'new' twist: Two-sided mattresses
In the category of What Doesn’t Go Around Does Come Around (think about that for a second and you’ll see what I mean), we bring you exciting news this week of the latest innovation in bedding: Two-sided mattresses.
Yes, what is old is new again. Isn’t this a great industry?
Two producers made news during the recent Las Vegas Market with two-sided mattress introductions. Gold Bond, a leading futon producer, continues to boost its conventional bedding lineup and brought out new two-sided beds. And Englander’s new Hotel Grand collection features two-sided beds.
Gold Bond President Bob Naboicheck, who enjoys swimming against the tide, has a clever line about the advantages of two-sided beds: Two of something is usually better than one of something. (That is true in many cases, but there are some obvious instances in which it is not the case. For example, are two wives better than one? Are two flat tires better than one? I trust you see my point.)
Englander President Kevin Toman is outspoken in his own right on the power of two: "In my opinion," he told me, "consumers want two-sided mattresses." He says that two-sided beds are more durable than single-sided models.
And we remind you of our recent story on the success of The Original Mattress Factory, run by former top Sealy exec Ron Trzcinski. He also marches to his own drummer, one that beats out a steady refrain of two-sided beds. Most of the beds sold by Original Mattress are two-sided. Trzcinski says those beds offer more durability and better feels than single-sided beds.
So does all of this add up to a new trend in the market? We call it a micro-trend, not a macro-trend. Gold Bond and Englander are the kinds of companies that have to offer something different to stand out from their bigger, better-known competitors. It is wise of them to identify niches and seek to fill them. In the case of Original Mattress, Trzcinski is a true believer in two-sided beds. He has enjoyed considerable success with his model. Good for him.
As for the marketplace as a whole, the one versus two-sided question was settled long ago. The majors have all switched to one-sided beds. The onset of new mattress flammability regulations helped spur that move. I don’t see any indication that major producers are reassessing their thoughts on single-sided beds.
That’s not to say that two-sided beds won’t get more play. I’ve heard that one significant retailer is considering a switch to two-sided beds, aiming to stand out from its competitors. I could see other retailers trying that approach.
But let’s not kid ourselves here. Single-sided beds reign supreme in the marketplace. There is another side to that story, but it is a minority report. Still, it is minority reports that make this such an interesting industry.
Contact David Perry at dperry@reedbusiness.com
connie commented:
We have had a Sealy mattress for 18 years that we flipped and turned regularly. It needs to be replaced, but I do not want a one sided mattress. I bought one ( a spring air) for our spare room 4 years ago, and with little use it sags in the middle. Please let me know where I might find a two-sided king set.
rich lee commented:
I have been distributing mattresses for more than 20 years, still like the 2 sided mattresses as surface wear are more durable. But if premium mattresses are concern, customers will not care about it as they only choose comfort.
Barbara Stewart commented:
As a salesperson, I often have people ask for two-sided beds. I agree that the industry is probably never going back since we now have beds that are so thick it would require paid help for most of the population to flip them. However, I do think that manufacturers should give some thought to making a portion of low-end beds with two sides. I wouldn't be that much more material and labor on a lower end product and it would give the consumer more choice. It would be easy for them to see that they were getting significantly more surface wear for not a lot more money.
Dave Perry commented:
Thanks, posters. I've heard from a number of people touting the benefits of two-sided beds. An obituary for the death of two-sided beds is premature.
-Dave
Lisa commented:
Dave, They never really left. We've kept two from Park Place all along. I was one that didn't want a single sided mattress to start with. Now that I have sold them for sometime, I realize we can make them better one sided. It is built from the base up. Less warranty problems.
Desiree commented:
I am all for two sided matresses, as a matter of fact, it's all we've carried going on two years, and we've done both King Koil and Simmons prior to that. When showing the benefits of getting a better wear out of a two sided mattress, the customer can't argue the logic.
