Dow has opened a SleepStudio in Lake Jackson, Texas, its first location in North America. It is the company’s second SleepStudio location. The first was established in Horgen, Switzerland, late last year.
The facility is a collaborative meeting and demonstration space that fosters dialogue and education and advances comfortable sleep, the company said in a news release, adding that the studio brings together technical expertise and industry insight to drive bedding design, innovation and polyurethane material science forward.
“For 56% of mattress purchasers, comfort is the most important factor in their purchasing decision,” said Paul Cookson, global SleepStudio and innovation leader for Dow Polyurethanes, based in Midland, Michigan. “We know that the key attributes of comfort are unique to each individual, so our network of SleepStudios provides a backdrop to test, analyze and customize comfort solutions. We invite those working across the industry to visit our new facility, and seek and create together the next generation of mattresses and pillows.”
At SleepStudio, Dow’s bedding experts collaborate with brand owners, formulators, manufacturers and retailers to identify emerging trends, market drivers and customer challenges. SleepStudio is equipped with sleep testing rooms that simulate different seasons and geographies through temperature and moisture testing technologies. Visitors also can test and model pressure points and weight distribution across sleep surfaces. Additionally, on-site testing equipment allows customers to conceptualize and validate next-generation bedding solutions, resulting in faster product development, the company said.
The result of recent advancements in ComfortScience also are on display, including more sustainable, durable polyurethane-based pillows and mattresses with added comfort and coolness, improved support and new sensations, the company said. SleepStudio also plays host to interactive speaker sessions, demonstrations and workshops.
“We help customers achieve their ideal levels of comfort by combining our knowledge of material science with an understanding of how human beings think, feel, sense and behave,” said Jessica Chang, marketing manager for North America at Dow Polyurethanes. “SleepStudio reinforces our commitment to our customers in the region, and provides a unique opportunity for foamers, brand owners and retailers to enhance their competitive edge. Through partnership, we can better understand how to engineer comfort.”
