Carolina Mattress Guild Embraces Sustainability with E-Z Sleep Mattresses
Since first opening its doors more than 20 years ago, Carolina Mattress Guild has been sourcing materials and manufacturing its mattresses in the United States. This commitment to American-made products has translated seamlessly into a strong focus on sustainability in recent years. Following the successful introduction of the Nature’s Image and Natural Living collections in 2008, Carolina Mattress Guild has pushed the envelope of eco-friendly mattresses. The company’s E-Z Sleep mattress line-up features an innovative recycled material called Repreve*.
The E-Z Sleep collection is made up of six compressed mattress models, offered in both innerspring and all-foam iterations. Both the Renew pocketed coil and Resilience all-foam line-ups utilize natural latex, CertiPUR-US certified soy foams, in addition to woven fab-ric covers made from Repreve, a unique fiber made from recycled materials that include post-industrial waste and used plastic bottles.
In developing the E-Z Sleep collection, Carolina Mattress Guild focused on targeting younger, dorm- or apartment-dwelling con-sumers with a design that it could easily be compressed, stored and transported by both retailers and consumers. The company was introduced to Unifi Manufacturing, the creator of Repreve fabric, as they were searching for a wrinkle-free material to use within the collection. Repreve’s quick recovery capabilities made it the perfect match for a compressed mattress, and because the fibers are “first quality,” they feel as soft to the touch as non- Repreve woven fabrics. Additionally, Repreve’s sustainability story went hand-in-hand with the E-Z Sleep collection’s target demographic; research has shown younger consumers are more concerned with the environmental effects of the products they purchase.
This partnership marks a first for the bedding industry. While Repreve is used in other consumer products, E-Z Sleep is the first and only mattress collection to utilize the innovative fabric. Carolina Mattress Guild has highlighted this environmental story with the collection’s in-store marketing. Every mattress includes a tag that outlines the number of recycled plastic bottles that went into the making of the bed: ranging from 65 bottles in a twin to 179 bottles in a king. Following the success of this collection, Carolina Mattress Guild has a new Repreve top-of-bed program—including a pillow sham and foot protector—currently in production.
As an active member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, Carolina Mattress Guild is committed to expanding its breadth of eco-friendly products and educating retailers and consumers about new ways to introduce sustainability into home furnishings.
Visit www.carolinamattressguild.com.
*Repreve is a trademark of Unifi, Inc.