The temperatures may have shot past the 100–degree mark in Las Vegas during the furniture market Aug. 1–5 but exhibitors and retailers stayed cool in the World Market Center. Most showrooms reported good traffic for at least the initial opening days. Market officials pointed to a 3% increase in the number of overall buyers and a 23% jump in international buyers over last summer’s show.
Among the key market trends BedTimes spotted:
- Various formulations of gel—from poured layers to infused foams—made headlines at the show. It’s a cool, pressure–relieving component, mattress makers said, especially when combined with visco–elastic or latex comfort layers.
- Ready to spice up bland retail spaces and engage tech–savvy consumers, illuminated digital point–of–sale signage and gadgets were everywhere, as was vivid lifestyle imagery on posters, headboards and giant wall decals.
- Accessories were big, too, as manufacturers sought to assist retailers in improving average tickets. There were toppers with an assortment of high–end foam and fiber fills and new pillow programs, as well as entire accessories collections and displays.
- In some showrooms, it was all about air flow as manufacturers focused on improving the breathability of foam mattresses by adding open–cell visco–elastics, foams cut and contoured to help move air through the bed and special ventilation–aiding fabrics.
On the following pages, BedTimes presents an overview of market introductions and highlights new products that illustrate some of these trends.
Tempur–Pedic At Tempur–Pedic, retailers found a lot of pillow talk. The Lexington, Ky.–based company added three traditional shapes to its pillow lineup, bringing total molded and filled choices to about a dozen SKUs. The selection includes knit and woven covers in white or cream, with prices ranging from $99 to $399. All are dressed in new packaging—clear plastic totes with handles and zippered access. Tempur–Pedic plans to launch a pillow–only national ad campaign soon, said Mike Mason, director of brand development.
Comfortaire Greenville, S.C.–based airbed maker Comfortaire showed off its coolest—and warmest—bed, the new iC900+. Retailing for about $4,000,* the bed features dual temperature–regulating technology from
Mooresville, N.C.–based Chili Technology in the top upholstery layers. Sleep partners can warm or cool their side from 46 degrees to 118 degrees.
Spring Air International The Boston–based bedding maker has ensured that the body–contouring support features of the all–foam Sleep Sense BioMax bed are plain to see. The specialty sleep line carries the Level II seal of the Specialty Sleep Association’s Environmental & Safety Program. Its polyurethane foams are CertiPUR–US certified and its latex and panel ticking satisfy the Oeko–Tex Standard 100. The four models retail for $1,299 to $2,199.
Simmons The Atlanta–based manufacturer introduced the AirCool Sleep System, part of “Project New,” a package of enhancements to its specialty sleep lines. The system provides better ventilation of foam beds via specially engineered foams and spacer fabric borders. Simmons also launched eye–catching digital point–of–sale tools, MicroGel gel–infused memory foam, the sleek NuFlex adjustable base (retailing for $1,699 in queen) and contoured memory foam—part of its Independent Response Technology.
Pure LatexBLISS Granulated Talalay latex, or latex “down,” fills two new reversible toppers from Pure LatexBLISS. They retail for $400 for a low–profile version and $500 for a high–profile version. The Atlanta–based producer also introduced an innerspring mattress featuring wrapped coils encased with Talalay latex. In two profiles, it retails for $1,400 and $1,600.
Therapedic International The licensing group launched the specialty collection EcoTouch “in response to consumers’ desire for quality, environmentally friendly beds and retailer demand for competitive price points,” said Gerry Borreggine, president and chief executive officer of the Princeton, N.J.–based company. EcoTouch features an engineered foam core composed of layers of high–density polyurethane and open–cell visco–elastic, each with plant–based content from soy. Four models retail for $1,699 to $2,999.
Restonic At Restonic, the top–of–the–line ComfortCare Select made its first major market appearance, dressed in silver and white and draped with a shimmery, molten foot streamer and pillows. The bed from the Buffalo, N.Y.–based licensing group features 800 wrapped coils, Marvelous Middle technology, high–end foams and zoned support. The top Doria model retails for $1,499.
E.S. Kluft & Co. Inspired by European divan beds with toppers, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.–based E.S. Kluft & Co. has created the A3 Series. Each three–piece bed set includes a ComfortTop topper, a mattress available in three firmness levels and a base. Components include high–end latex and gel–infused foams, wool, organic cotton and wrapped coils. A3 prices start under $3,000. Toppers were found throughout the Kluft showroom, including reversible button–on toppers on some new Monogram Series beds. The company says ComfortTops soon will become a standard feature in every line.
Gold Bond Hartford, Conn.–based mattress maker Gold Bond showcased a new ventilated, pressure–relieving EcoSense bed. The all–foam, smooth–top mattress has “Cool Response” gel–infused memory foam in its top comfort layer and is covered in a supple stretch knit. Three models retail for between $1,099 and $1,499. Gold Bond also added several models to its Sacro–Support encased coil line and unveiled a redesigned
Premier Series two–sided collection.
Kingsdown Blu–Tek, a new all–foam collection from Mebane, N.C.–based Kingsdown, made waves on the show floor with its striking point–of–purchase materials and color–blocked borders. Blu–Tek’s Cool Support
Technology includes a number of horizontal and vertical ventilating features: channel cuts, pinhole designs in support layers and in the edge support, and a 3–D fabric on panels. Beds combine polyurethane, visco–elastic and latex foams, as well as poured gel in the top models. The four–bed line retails for $1,499 to $2,999.
Comfort Solutions Playful puppy imagery helps communicate Willowbrook, Ill.–based Comfort Solutions’ key marketing message for its eXtended Life line of extra–durable mattresses: “Saggy puppy good. (Saggy
mattress bad.)” The company also rolled out a limited edition Laura Ashley collection aggressively priced—starting at $599—to help retailers capitalize on late summer promotions. The Laura Ashley beds are dressed in rose or silver and feature foam–encased innersprings and zoned foams in super–soft or firm feels.
International Bedding The mattress maker redesigned its Europa collection with fashion–forward fabrics in sage and chocolate, premium foam comfort layers and foam–encased wrapped coils. The five new models from the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.–based company retail for $799 to $1,599. Also new were nine “great value” beds with retails from $399 to $899 appearing in the American–Pedic, Classic and other collections.
Serta The mattress major accented accessories with a new Sleep To Go program for retailers that includes a large two–sided display case designed to hold an array of pillows, sheets, blankets and protectors. Retailers can customize the exact accessories mix. The company, headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Ill., also added a fifth model to its popular iComfort line. It features a layer of gel–infused latex and retails for $2,999.
Paramount Sleep Showing at the Monte Carlo Casino & Resort, Paramount Sleep highlighted its Boutique Hotel collection. The beds feature open–cell memory foam to improve air flow and pocketed innersprings. The grouping is being marketed to both retailers and hotels. The seven–model line retails for $799 to $1,499.
Sealy The mattress major’s luxury Next Generation Stearns & Foster line stood out on the show floor with fresh styling—upholstery borders, a vertically stitched foundation, top–panel jumbo medallion, upgraded
components (including a 100% latex core in one model) and a new marketing campaign designed to connect with consumers on an emotional level. The brand from the Trinity, N.C.–based company has been regrouped into Core, Estate and, now, Lux Estate, collections. It retails for $1,300 to $2,699.
Englander The Olive Branch, Miss.–based licensing group rolled out Egel, a three–bed specialty sleep collection with contemporary styling and point–of–purchase materials to match. The beds retail for $1,499 to $2,100 and have zones of blue gel injected in the visco–elastic comfort layer. “We’re thrilled because this new national program has been a real hit at the show,” said President Kevin Toman. “The POP and look and feel of these new beds really appeal to that all–important younger demographic.”
Suite Sleep The maker of “luxury organic sleep systems” put the emphasis on zippered pillows with covers woven from organic cotton and then filled with organic wool, kapok or finely shredded 100% natural latex. Angela Owen, owner of the Boulder, Co.–based company, sells retailers extra fill by the pound so that pillows can be customized to each sleeper. They retail for $129.
Boyd Specialty Sleep The St. Louis–based mattress producer displayed a redesigned patent–pending platform Bonus Base with handsome arched legs and a silver–and–brushed nickel finish that retails for $199 in queen. Boyd also added latex toppers, as well as two new beds to its Natural Flex latex mattress collection. The mattresses, at 12 inches and 13 inches, retail for $799 and $999, respectively. An attractive new Natural Flex
point–of–sale display is available to retailers.
Natura World Cambridge, Ontario–based Natura World unveiled a contemporary, smooth–top mattress collection, NaturaSleek, with a cream–colored stretch knit cover and Dunlop latex core. The beds include a layer of NaturaWool to ease pressure points and wick away moisture. Prices for the four–bed line range from $1,799 to $2,999.
Anatomic Global Specialty sleep producer Anatomic Global, which is headquartered in Corona, Calif., entered the adjustable category with two styles of bases. They feature color–matched upholstery, wireless remotes, massage function and lumbar support options, as well as a unique method for anchoring the mattress to the base. The company also unveiled Shoreline, a five–bed line of aggressively priced visco–elastic mattresses that retail for $499 to $1,499.
Newcomers & new showrooms
The Las Vegas Market continues to attract mattress and sleep accessories producers. Companies making their Las Vegas debut this summer included mattress producer Carolina Mattress Guild, marketing specialist Wright of Thomasville and sleep accessories supplier Guard Master. Paramount Sleep showed its line in a space at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino. Others, including Boyd Specialty Sleep and Pure LatexBLISS, expanded their presence into larger showrooms. Representatives cut the ribbon on Ergo Bedroom, a multiuse showroom that will be open year–round to the public.
See more
Check out additional sights and sounds from the August Las Vegas Market in out online video.
Next show
Las Vegas Market
Jan. 30–Feb. 3
World Market Center
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www.lasvegasmarket.com
