ISPA Centennial, 100 Years of Mattress Industry History

A four-part series recounting 100 years of ISPA, mattress industry and world history

This article series was bound into a book, Commemorating 100 Years of the International Sleep Products Association. Click to view the complete digital edition.

Read the complete digital edition, Commemorating 100 Years of the International Sleep Products Association 1915-2015

Part 1 – 1915-1940

An Industry Comes Together

Part 2 – 1941-1965

Part I – A time of war, a time for peace
Part II – Promoting better sleep
Part III – Mattress makers introduce ‘king’ and ‘queen’ sizes
Part IV – Mattress industry introduces the sofa bed
Part V – NABM introduces magazine exclusively for bedding retailers
Part VI – Mattress components makers ‘integral’ to industry
Part VII – ‘Do Not Remove This Tag Under Penalty of Law’

Part 3 – 1966-1990

Part I – Main feature: ‘The challenge of change’
Part II – New directions for mattress industry public relations
Part III – Uniform Monday Holiday Act brings sales, promotional opportunities
Part IV – The industry enters the computer age
Part V – The Sealy wars erupt: Sealy Inc., Ohio-Sealy duke it out
Part VI – Out with the old: Industry works to keep used mattresses out of circulation
Part VII – Product trends of the time: Waterbeds make waves

Part 4 – 1991-2015

Part I – Main feature: Mattress Industry Booms and Busts
Part II – Specialty Sleep Mattresses Go Mainstream
Part III – Interzum, Las Vegas Market Shopping Venues Open
Part IV – Better Sleep Council Shifts Message
Part V – Mattress Recycling History

View all four special sections as they appear in the print magazine:

1. BedTimes March digital edition
2. BedTimes June digital edition
3. BedTimes August digital edition
4. BedTimes November digital edition