Exhibitors pulled out all the stops, showcasing everything bedding makers need to create new and better sleep products.
Economical and Eco-Friendly
The H993 waste recycling line by Atlanta Attachment Co. transforms remnants from the factory floor into new material. The machine enables manufacturers to recover residuals, such as textile fabrics, nonwovens and synthetic fibers, among others. “We’re reusing items that would normally get baled and sold for pennies on the dollar; that’s not even covering the labor,” said Trevor Fawbush, general manager of the Lawrenceville, Georgia-based company. “Now you’re taking what you would throw away, and you’re grinding it up, and you’re making a useful product that you’re going to put in a bed.” Typically, these remnants are more expensive materials. “You’re taking money that you’ve already invested,” he said, “and you’re finding a real-life use for materials that won’t end up in a landfill.”
All-Round Partner
A Lava’s round mattress stopped attendees in their tracks. The exhibit’s purpose was to demonstrate the company’s ability to bring clients’ ideas to life, said Brent Limer, vice president of sales for the Chicago-based company. But the real showstopper was its sustainable concept. “We’ve created a mattress in which every component has a sustainable piece to it,” Limer said. Materials include organic latex, Global Organic Textile Standard-certified textiles, sustainable polyurethane foam and recycled springs. “We want to be that partner who is there from step one — the design and component selection expertise, all the way to the finished product.”
Ocean Essence
Istanbul-based Aydin Tekstil introduced a marine collagen mattress ticking called Collasea. “The ticking is infused with marine collagen, which has natural healing properties,” said Emine Sultan Simsek, regional sales manager for Aydin. Sourced from the ocean, marine collagen is a natural protein that can help skin health, she said. “This innovative mattress ticking offers more than just comfort — it’s also a wellness revolution for your sleep,” she said. “It’s sustainable and eco-friendly, as well as reliable, with long-lasting durability and antioxidant, hypoallergenic properties.”
Safe and Sustainable
On the heels of announcing its Preserving the Planet initiative, Precision Textiles unveiled its new Endure IFR series made with Repreve performance fibers derived from 100% recycled materials — including post-consumer plastic bottles. “What better way to remove a significant amount of water bottles from the waste stream?” asked Bob O’Connell, executive vice president of marketing and merchandising for the Fairfield, New Jersey-based company. “We partnered with Unify and their Repreve high-performance yarn due to their quality and maintaining the physical properties of our end product, which is a critical element as an FR solution provider.”
On Brand
Wright Creative Branding & Labels showed off its branding capabilities by creating four mock collections with intentionally diverse aesthetics. “Branding your mattress is important. Nobody really knows what’s inside the cover, but good aesthetics and quality branding components help the consumer make an emotional connection to the product, which in turn helps drive a purchase decision,” said Don Wright, chief strategic officer of the Thomasville, North Carolina-based company. To convey luxury, the Adoro collection featured rich purples and golds that nodded to royalty and fine Italian materials. Estuary drew inspiration from coastal living with oceanic colors and pillows stitched with starfish and seashells. With a mod 1960s pattern and color palette, Deja Vu had a nostalgic vibe. The final faux collection, Eden, featured florals in a calming green-and-purple color palette.
Vintage Glamour
Alamance, North Carolina-based CT Nassau/Continental Ticking Corp. of America, launched its Brera collection, inspired by the Brera District, a chic arts neighborhood in downtown Milan. The new line reflects a 1970s Italian design sensibility, chock-full of vibrant hues and dynamic patterns. The Italian influence is no surprise, given that CT Nassau is controlled by majority shareholder Stellini Textile Group Milan. “We also address color and design on the U.S. market in order to be aligned with our customers’ expectations,” said Andrea Lazzaroni, executive vice president and chief operating officer for CT Nassau. “But we try to be innovative and bring something new.”
Everything at Enriquez
Silvia and Martin Enriquez, owners of Enriquez Materials & Quilting Inc. in Commerce, California, have the motto of being a one-stop shop for mattress components. But they also touted custom quilting, thanks to a singular machine. “It allows us to do the tiniest patterns for borders … and different patterns on the top panel,” Silvia Enriquez said. “We can also do vertical stitching on the borders, which a lot of people are looking for. … So, we’re showing off all our new quilting designs.”
Value Added
The Global Systems Group booth buzzed with activity from 24 machines on display. One highlight was a prototype that demonstrated its various automation abilities. “Essentially, it’s a robotic hybrid line that takes a hybrid mattress core and assembles it in its entirety without people,” said Paul Block, president of sales for GSG, part of Carthage, Missouri-based Leggett & Platt Inc. “The only thing people are needed for is staging materials entering the process.” Also notable was the company’s new vacuum-powered, Waste-exit automatic waste removal machine (pictured). “Instead of manually carrying collected scraps from the waste exit system to a front-loading baler, it just drops into an integrated compacting baler, and nobody ever has to touch the scrap,” Block said. “It eliminates all nonvalue-added labor from the process.”
“A Little Bit of Mattress in It”
Inspiration from the 2023 ISPA Sustainability Conference led to the creation of SABA’s latest sustainable adhesive. Sabamelt 4742 is a polypropylene-based hot-melt for pocketed coil production, allowing polypropylene fabric to be recycled without removing the adhesive. But it also takes sustainability one step further. Working with Eric Buck, president of Pocket Coil Recycling (also at the show), fabric from pocket coils that’s been pelletized is integrated back into the adhesive. “So, every pound of this has part of a recycled mattress in it,” said Jim Turner, CEO of SABA North America, headquartered in Kimball, Michigan. On the water-based side, SABA introduced Sababond 3415, a bio-based rollable glue. Created from natural latex, the rapid-drying adhesive bonds with different types of foam, as well as pocketed coils. Turner said both products are not cost prohibitive.
ID Check
Mattress ID — a digital product passport for bedding products — features an RFID chip on one end that is stitched into a mattress to prevent removal. A QR code on the other end of the tag allows customers to learn more about the product. “By having those two, we basically have a solution for the upcoming European Union legislation to inform consumers and enable optimal end-of-life processes,” said Stefaan Cognie, co-founder of digital product identification company TripleR, headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. At the end of a mattress’ useful life, dismantlers will be able to scan the RFID to read the composition of the mattress, enabling them to sort mattresses into different materials categories as they arrive at a recycling plant.
Bio-Based Bonds
The latest foam lamination adhesive from the Upaco adhesives division of Worthen Industries comes, in large part, from natural latex. Called Foamlam 1573, the rollable, water-based adhesive is estimated to have 69% bio-based content, said Steve Adams, business unit manager for the Richmond, Virginia-based supplier. Not only is it eco-minded, it’s also cost effective. Adams said the cost is comparable to standard adhesives, if not a little less.
BioGreen Concept
Kayseri, Turkey-based Boyteks focused on sustainability, showcasing its BioGreen collection. The company developed this mattress ticking by using natural ingredients. “We have customers who don’t want to use any chemical treatments — they want natural products,” said Aydin Aydin, brand manager for Boyteks. Other technologies exist within the BioGreen concept, such as BioCool, BioSoft, BioFR and BioWR. “We can make it cooler, we can make it softer, we can make it flame retardant and water repellent,” Aydin said. “We transfer these and nine different features to the fabric with bio-based products.”
Comfort and Support
Texas Pocket Springs, known for its QuadCoil and its glueless assembly technology, showcased two new coil units together for a coil-on-coil design. Starting with a sturdy base of 10-inch QuadCoils, the unit is topped with a 3-inch 1,900-coil-count comfort layer. “If I push down on the comfort layer, the support layer actually pushes back,” said Martin Wolfson, president of the Keene, Texas-based supplier. “They are working together to give you both comfort and support.”
Impressive AI Design
Soft natural swirls with harmonious colors and asymmetric shapes in bright colors imbue the new Impress collection, by Reidsville, North Carolina-based Global Textile Alliance, part of Love Home Fabrics. The differentiating quality of the new line is the patent-pending technology behind it. “It’s an AI-driven printer that prints directly onto the textile,” said CEO Remy Tack. “But instead of printing, we are dyeing, meaning we keep all the integrity of the fabric. And the big advantage is that there are no design limitations.” In addition, AI technology allows the company to improve speed to market. “We are able to create a new design in a matter of days, which would otherwise take weeks or months depending on the yarn availability.”
En Casa
Waregem, Belgium-based BekaertDeslee is exploring technology and social themes in its new global collection, Casa, which merges style with sustainability and AI. “Casa is like home, and it’s all about interior design,” said Charlene Vaz, design and marketing director for BekaertDeslee North America. “We researched what the upcoming trends in interior design would be with WGSN (a trend forecaster) and then we translated that into our four styles: Pure, Nuance, Classic and Fusion.” Pure embraces simplicity and serenity through minimalistic design and soothing hues. Nuance celebrates the strength of women and the metaverse through winter tropical themes and bold colors. Classic exudes timeless design through luxury, comfort and handcrafted details. And Fusion uses cooling and muscle-recovery solutions (due to carbon- and ceramic-infused yarns) to merge work and play.
Automation Innovation
Gruppo Grassi has developed an automated robotic machine that opens a box, slips a compressed mattress inside, and then closes it. The Automatic Robot Bed in Box takes the place of three to five employees in the packaging/staging area. “You don’t even need one operator for this machine except to replace the box,” said Matteo Grassi, CEO of the Montemurlo, Italy-based company. “This is absolutely new on the market … and we’ve gotten a huge interest from everyone. One robot builds a box every 50 seconds; two robots build a box every 25 seconds. The payback is two months, guaranteed.”
Going the Sustainable Route
Savaré Specialty Adhesives LLC, based in Delaware, Ohio, offered buyers a choice between standard and bio-based hot-melt adhesives. “It’s not a modified formula. It’s the exact same adhesive that you know,” said Paolo Campitelli, Savaré assembly industry manager for North America. “So, if you choose the bio-base option you don’t need to re-qualify anything.”
Tower of Ticking
High Point, North Carolina-based Culp Inc. literally rose to new heights above the ISPA EXPO floor. The company’s tower-like display of cooling polyethylene fabrics nearly touched the ceiling. “The PE yarns have been really popular, so we’re working on expanding the palette,” said Tanja Tusa, senior stylist at Culp. “The tower used all of our PE yarns in our palette to offer different options.” In addition, the company introduced three new fabric lines: Protection (muted hues focusing on comfort and well-being), SoHo (bold colors embracing the digital world) and Zero (as in zero environmental impact, with colors derived from natural tones).
“As Natural as Possible”
Maes Mattress Ticking continued its sustainability focus, showcasing fabrics made with Refibra and Seacell. Refibra is made from pre- and post-consumer upcycled cotton scraps blended with Lenzing lyocell fibers. And Seacell is an eco-friendly fiber made from harvested seaweed. “That’s one of our key themes with our woven damask: We use 100% natural products and try to create the look of both modern and botanical designs, which are very popular,” said Bart Desmet, vice president of business development for the Zwevegem, Belgium-based company. “And these types of products, we don’t dye; we keep them as natural as
possible.”
In Living Color
At Milliken & Co., punchy blocks of colorful foam drew the eyes of passersby. The product? The company’s proprietary Reactint colorants. As 100% homogenous liquids, the polymeric colorants for polyurethane allow manufacturers to create virtually any color from just five primary colors.
Two for One
Humboldt, Tennessee-based Jones Family of Companies focused on innovation with its new stratified product, which combines FR rayon with 100% polyester to streamline steps for manufacturers. “Usually these are two separate items,” said Dennis St. Louis, senior vice president of sales, bedding and furniture. “This has been very well received due to its capabilities to increase efficiencies by saving time, saving money, saving space.” The company also introduced a line of sustainable products including cotton/PLA, organic cotton, wool/PLA needled and non-needled and a PLA/jute/cotton blend. (PLA refers to polylactic acid, a thermoplastic derived from renewable, organic sources like corn starch or sugar cane.) “Natural product requests have increased substantially, and Jones is in the forefront,” St. Louis said.
Automation, Precision, Speed
Edge-Sweets Co. showcased its VTX vertical trim saw that performs like a vertical blade CNC machine but can run up to a ¾-inch blade rather than a standard 3.6-millimeter (0.14-inch) blade. “It was engineered to take the bottleneck out of trimming,” said Rick Seely, executive vice president of the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company. “Our saw is able to trim a king-size mattress in about 20 seconds and cut rails at 2,880 inches per minute … to speed up production with an in-line process.” The VTX is also available with a 50” cut height for use as a blocking saw.
Cooling and Sustainable
“Our wonderful, super cool, exclusive polyethylene.” That’s how Camilla Franklin described Creative’s top new product at ISPA EXPO. “That’s causing quite a stir,” she said. “The coldness is phenomenal, and the hand, the softness, is not your run-of-the-mill polyethylene. The process that our supplier uses is unique to them. And it’s just running off the shelf.” The director of design and merchandising added that the Gastonia, North Carolina-based ticking company is also offering a new bio-polyethylene made from sugar cane. “The other thing, which is major, and it’s very much a niche, is we’re now GOTS-certified for organic GOTS fabric and for cut and sew,” Franklin said. “So, that’s very exciting and quite unique in the States.”
Glue Game Changer
Bursa, Turkey- and Richmond, Virginia-based Elektroteks launched its new polyurethane Vesta Automated PUR hot-melt and water-based mattress and foam hybrid lamination system. “It saves up to 65% of adhesive cost when it comes to mattress lamination, compared to your conventional lamination method,” said Elektroteks CEO Serkan Guler. “And there’s no curing time needed. It also has very good performance for all types of mattress materials.” In addition, the Vesta guarantees a noise-free finished product. “Water-based lamination has advantages but a cost disadvantage, and PSA hot-melt glue has some advantages and disadvantages,” Guler said. “Basically, PUR combines the advantages of both with a lower cost and avoids the need for curing time, risk of moisture or the noise of the PSA hot-melt.”
Cooling as Snö
Eden, North Carolina-based Innofa USA introduced a line of bedding accessories — aptly named, Snö — focusing on cooling. The line includes mattress protectors, zippered covers, pillow protectors and memory foam pillows. “We’ve made the powerhouse of cooling by combining PE yarns … with a dual-sided, specially developed PCM that prevents the slippy-ness of the PE yarns and gives that extra cooling capacity,” said John Cleyman, CEO Innofa USA. A graphite layer on the back of the fabric allows for additional heat-wicking.
Growing Sustainably
Jowat SE, with world headquarters in Detmold, Germany and U.S. headquarters in High Point, North Carolina, highlighted its green hot-melt line, Jowatherm Grow. Jowat, which began using bio-based adhesives in the packaging industry, has transitioned them to bedding. The supplier is also researching and developing recyclable hot melts for pocketed coils. “Grow adhesives are already in the chain of sustainability with renewable raw materials, but we know that especially the pocket coil industry is moving down the road to recycling the entirety of the product,” said Jay Smith, account manager. “ We want to take the bio-based and go a step further to make the actual glue recyclable.”
Happy Anniversary
“Our main goal here was to better showcase all our capabilities for the bedding and furniture industry,” said Anna Montresor, sales and marketing executive for Affi, Italy-based Dolphin Pack. The company participated in the show alongside its American branch, Dolphin Pack USA. To demonstrate its machines, the booth had samples of materials both pre- and post-packaging. For example, the Levante machine compresses foam blocks and rolls and can reduce the volume of polyurethane foam by 70%, which reduces transportation costs. Another cost saver on display was the Mistral D-50, one of the company’s newest machines. Named in honor of Dolphin Pack’s 50th anniversary, it allows for packaging of various polyurethane foam sizes with volume reduction.
Low Maintenance, High Speed
Hengchang Machine Factory showcased its HC4000, a high-speed, computerized, multineedle chain-stitch quilter that only requires one operator. “It’s a very robust machine … with high quality and durability, but at an economical price point,” said Jim Baptiste, quilting machine specialist for the Dongguan, China-based company. He said the machine has been well received, thanks to its easy operation, low maintenance and capability to stitch more than 200 patterns.
Smarter SmartCap
Tietex International debuted a new version of its patented SmartCap, which is an alternative to an FR sock. Essentially, SmartCap is a stretchy fitted sheet made of FR barrier material. “If your worker can get out of bed in the morning and make their bed, they can put on SmartCap,” said Martin Wildeman, chair of the Spartanburg, South Carolina-based company. The new product eliminates the need for a sock stuffing machine, which requires two workers to load the FR sock, insert it over the mattress core and sew it. Now one person can put on SmartCap in 30 seconds. “It’s quite revolutionary,” Wildeman said. “We’re really excited to bring something new and innovative to FR solutions for the mattress industry.”
State of Mind
Lava Textiles, with world headquarters in Wielsbeke, Belgium, and U.S. headquarters in Inman, South Carolina, unveiled a new collection, State of Mind, featuring three lines: Preserve, Rethink and Adapt. “They all are a reflection on preserving and adapting, as we’re all adapting to today’s society,” said Amy Stennett, vice president for Lava. Preserve encompasses stress reduction and minimalism, with organic textures. Rethink pushes traditional boundaries and upcycling new materials (like used plastic bottles), with bolder colors. Finally, Adapt features botanical patterns and earth tones. “I think the whole line is comfortable, organic and fluid,” Stennett says. “Our designer, Sylvie Vanwelden, is so talented; I call this artwork.”
Circle of Life
At Enkev, circularity was a theme. The Volendam, Netherlands-based company highlighted its single polymer Labyrinth, designed to replace polyurethane foam. It is “fully recyclable, with an unmatched combination of elasticity, pressure division and ventilation,” according to Karsten Siewert, U.S. sales representative for Enkev.
Cool to the Touch
At the booth of Council Bluffs, Iowa-based Future Foam Inc., foam blocks with colorful purple swirls, aka the company’s Allay Next product, stood out. “The Allay Next foam is as high airflow as you can have in any foam,” said Mike Urquhart, national accounts manager for Future Foam. “Nobody else in the United States can make this product because we have the only technology that we license with New Wind.” The Allay Next foam also features a phase-change gel coating, making it cool to the touch. The supplier also showcased blocks of Allay memory foam which Urquhart describes as “a really slow, pneumatic memory foam,” that provides long-lasting support without sinking.
Quality and Consistency
Although Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam-based Lien’A produces various heights of latex, one thing remains the same — uniformity. “We are the only ones who can produce 6-inch continuous cores that make the natural latex cores pure and consistent in quality,” said Vincent Nguyen Thanh Vu, international business developer for Lien‘A. That consistency is possible thanks to the company’s proprietary system, which it uses to manufacture the 100% natural latex product.
Easier Adhesives
Hawthorne, New Jersey-based Simalfa showcased a drop-in product, Connect-and-Spray. Typically, adhesives can’t be mixed. But this product can be mixed with any other water-based product, offering better performing, less expensive options without replacing current systems, said Harry Bajakian, national sales manager. “You can use the same equipment, same spray guns, same everything.”
Cotton Pocketed Springs
In 2023, Matsushita Industrial Co. Ltd. launched a pocketed spring machine that uses natural cotton fabric instead of nonwoven polypropylene to make the finished pockets. Now the Osaka, Japan-based company is upgrading both this machine and its cotton pocketed coil assembling machine to an automatic line. “Many customers are interested in machines to produce natural mattresses,” said Yukitoshi Matsushita, president of Matsushita. “They do not like the glued assembly of cotton pocket springs … but it is difficult to find experienced workers to sew and assemble them by hand. As a simple solution, our cotton pocket assembly machine uses c-ring clips to connect the individual units together, and it can save on labor and no glue is used.”
Merger of Equals
United Mert Makina — the new company formed from the 2023 merger between Delray, Florida-based United Mattress Machinery and Kayseri, Turkey-based Mert Makina — made its ISPA EXPO debut. Among the abundance of machines, one highlight was the UMM-BTF-5000 belt table flange machine, which creates “perfect corners every time without the operator participating very much,” according to Michael Porter Jr., board member of United Mert Makina and its director of sales. The company also showcased its UMM-7800 hot-melt glue line, which creates 70% savings on glue and reduces staff needed to operate it, and the UMM-1400 quilter, which comes with infinite pattern support. “If you want a new design or logo two years after buying the machine, we supply it free of charge,” Porter added.
Beat the Heat
Variowell Development GmbH took a hands-on approach to demonstrate its Kikoo technology. To convey its cooling properties to attendees, the company offered two demonstrations. In the first, booth visitors could place a hand in a box with the material to literally feel the chill. For the other, Safin Chowdhury, software development specialist for Variowell, placed an ice cube on a strip of Kikoo, showing that it melted rapidly due to the product’s ability to draw away heat.
Sustainable Springs
A&S Innersprings USA boasts a fully sustainable pocketed innerspring program. The Windsor, Connecticut-based supplier has developed its own glue to match its fabric, making it easier to recycle, said Brian Akchin, vice president of sales. This glue, which has been used in Europe for 18 months, was introduced in the United States six months ago. In keeping with the sustainable mindset, A&S also debuted a full-height natural pocketed product made with cotton and a glueless pocket spring unit. Previous versions came in 4-inch profiles. A vertical innerspring unit front and center of the booth displayed the Relax Guard II, surrounded by springs wrapped with recycled nonwoven fabric.
Setting the Standard
After launching its certification for 25% bio-based foam at the ISPA Sustainability Conference in September, Rochester, Michigan-based CertiPUR-US gave the certification its ISPA EXPO debut. “Even we were surprised by how successful our launch would be. We already have nine foam producers certifying bio-based foams,” said Helen Sullivan, communications counsel for CertiPUR-US. “That’s about 10% of our participating foam producers and more to be added soon.” At the show, CertiPUR-US also reminded manufacturers to update their CertiPUR-US registration and directory listings in what will now be an annual process to continue to use the company’s trademarked name and logo. Pictured are Maura Dolan, Mike Crowell, ISPA President Ryan Trainer and Helen Sullivan.
Wild West
In 2022, Wm. T. Burnett & Co. acquired Phoenix-based Flex Foam. At ISPA EXPO, the company promoted this new division. To showcase the products manufactured out West, a tabletop featured stacks of colorful polyether foam in various firmnesses, including 1580AS, an anti-static model.
Now Trending
Nestor Springs, headquartered in Jaworzno, Poland, brought pocketed springs that fit right in with the trends of the market. Its EverestPocket is the tallest, coming in around 10 inches. “It’s supposed to help manufacturers make a taller mattress and use less foam,” said Adrian Moskala, a fourth-generation member of the family-owned company. “Add a cover with a little bit of foam on top of this unit, and they have a ready-made mattress. That’s the trend we’re seeing.” Keeping sustainability in mind, Nestor Springs showcased its EcoLoop, made from recycled materials (90% recycled steel and 80% recycled nonwoven fabric) and an adhesive that can be recycled with the fabric. Additionally, its SplendidCore, shown as a prototype, encases springs in cotton for manufacturers looking for natural components.
Like a Painting
Duvalli is continuing to experiment with techniques and recyclability of its fabrics. The fabric pictured mimics the stability of woven ticking but has the softness of stretch fabric. At Interzum Cologne in 2023, the Santa Maria de Feira, Portugal-based textile supplier introduced fabrics made with cork yarn to a European audience. At ISPA EXPO, it introduced them to the American market. “We believe we can develop the sustainable advantage of cork,” said Ligia Martins, account manager.
Springing Forward
Hickory Springs presented its newest microcoil under development, the Micro 3D+. With a spacer fabric by Muller Textiles attached to the back of the unit, the component offers durability and airflow. The Hickory, North Carolina-based industry supplier also highlighted a firmer perimeter edge with regular-size coils. “We’ve been playing with gauges and coil geometry,” said Doug Guffey, vice president of sales. “That’s something the market has been asking for.” Hickory Springs also debuted its 500 series, a pocketed spring unit geared toward value.
Private Enterprise
Private-label manufacturer Ecolatex showed off its 100% natural, Sri Lankan-made latex that is the basis of its customizable mattresses and top-of-bed products. “In the same container, you could get a mattress, a topper, a protector, a set of sheets, a comforter and a duvet, all 100% organic, whereas normally you’d have to go to China for this or Turkey for that,” said Denis Bramwell, president of Natural Concepts Furniture Inc. Also on display was the company’s creative merchandising. Its bamboo rayon sheets are packaged in the same material as the lines so that customers can feel the material without opening it.
Light and Airy
While coils are functionally good for mattress airflow, UT+C took it a step further with its vented nonwoven pocketed coils. The fabric itself offers 40% more airflow, said Robert Loy, director of sales. The Nowe Skalmierzyce, Poland-based supplier also highlighted a new technology that allows it to alternate coils sizes in the same unit, from small to large and back again. “By changing the geometry of the coil, we can use a lighter wire and create a firmer feel,” which is important for boxed bed makers, Loy said. Lighter wire means reduced shipping weight and less fuel needed to deliver the product.
Feeling Sheepish
For those who were lucky and fast enough to snag one, the little sheep toys on the table at Jeffco Fibres were a fun find. But they weren’t just there to look cute. “Our sheep were a great conversation starter,” said Lorie Ann Silva, executive vice president of Jeffco Fibres. They also represented the Webster, Massachusetts-based company’s new partnership, as an official licensee of British Wool. “That’s something new and fun for this show,” Silva added. Also new: “We designed a new booth this year highlighting our strengths — fibers, foam fabrication and most importantly, contract manufacturing of mattress toppers and pillows. Because our company started in fiber and ‘fibres’ is part of our name, some do not realize we provide so much more,” she said.
Soft Spot
Mike Tilki, director of sales for Talalay Global (a subsidiary of Love Home Fabrics), showed BedTimes its newest latex product, 8ILD super plush latex. “The level of softness is unique in that it can only be created with the Talalay manufacturing process,” he said. That process, which includes a vacuum freeze, creates a product that is not only naturally resilient, according to Tilki, but also highly consistent. “For us, the show served to reinforce the growing demand we have seen for Talalay latex in the marketplace,” he said. “The features and benefits of our products seem to be aligned nicely with consumer preferences for more sustainable and healthy materials.”
Lightning Speed
Future Coil, the North American distributor of Guangzhou, China-based LianRou Machinery, showcased several machines including its high spring compression coiler (LR-PS-UMD) which fed into its glueless assembler machine (LR-PSA-GLL). Pictured here is the 99EX high speed assembler (LR-PSA-99EX) fed by an EV260 high-speed triple coiler (LR-PS-EV260), which produces 260 pocketed coils per minute via three separate wire inputs.
Read our summary coverage of ISPA EXPO 2024, ISPA Expo Trends: Sustainability & Innovation Take Center Stage. Read coverage on the panels at ISPA EXPO: ISPA EXPO Panel Discussions.
