Mattress industry veteran Scott Smalling, who founded the ComforPedic specialty sleep brand, has unveiled Relief Bed, a company whose key product is a small portable sleeping pad with a big humanitarian mission.
For $170, visitors to the Relief Bed website, www.reliefbed.com, can receive a comfortable sleeping pad for their next camping trip while donating one to someone in need around the world.
Relief Bed has partnered with World Vision, a leading international humanitarian organization, which already has shipped Relief Beds to Zambia.
The beds were designed and engineered by Smalling in conjunction with Seattle-based Therm-a-Rest, a producer of portable sleep solutions. The bed is designed to withstand the rigors of an unpredictable outdoor environment while providing support and pressure relief to the sleeper. The product insulates the body from varying ground temperatures, is water repellant, UV-resistant, insect-resistant and easy to clean.
Another important feature is size. The 72-inch by 20-inch sleeping pad with built-in pillow weighs less than 2 pounds and can be deflated and tightly rolled for easy transport. The pad’s core uses a proprietary adjustable air/foam technology that allows users to inflate the bed to their comfort preference.
“Sleep is the No. 3 biological need, following water and food,” Smalling said. “Millions of people around the world either sleep on the hard ground, floor or on a couch, which does not provide the proper back support or pressure relief to the body to ensure a rejuvenating night’s rest. We plan to provide these strategically built beds, while taking into consideration the recipient’s unique environment. We are confident that Relief Bed will be a positive step forward towards promoting improved health, strength and hope for a better tomorrow.”
Smalling said the company is pursuing nonprofit 501(c) status and, also, is reaching out to other international relief organizations to distribute Relief Beds. He plans to support his company’s social mission through cause-marketing projects in the sleep sector, through public and private grants, crowd-funding initiatives and other efforts.
