Flexible polyurethane foam has long been used in mattresses, mattress toppers, and pillows. Now, new technologies and the "Bed In A Box" phenomenon have expanded foam's role.

For decades, flexible polyurethane foam has been used in mattress construction, both as a mattress core and as comfort layers on top of innersprings or other materials.

Foam's versatility and its ability to be engineered to provide different levels of support and comfort, make it an easy choice for sleep product manufacturers.

Foam can be formulated to be very soft or very firm, and combined in thin layers to provide multi-dimensional layers of comfort and support. Foam can also be fabricated, or cut, into shapes that have different comfort properties. For example, convoluted or dimpled foam is often used in hospitals for bedridden patients, to reduce pressure on the skin that causes bed sores.

In the 1950s, FPF was touted as a "space age" product applied over innersprings to enhance the comfort of mattresses. In the ensuing years, mattresses made entirely from FPF were offered, often competing with "foam rubber" mattresses made from latex foam. Consumers often confused the two products, something that persists somewhat to this day.

Benefits of FPF In Bedding Applications

and they resisted bringing in other mattress types that would impact their marketing efforts.

So FPF had established itself as a key part of mattress construction, but typically as layers for surface comfort or to insulate the innerspring core, The foam works in conjunction with other materials in the overall design.

This still holds true today: the largest category of mattresses sold is innerspring, with about 42% of the North American market. But there have been a couple of developments that have changed how people think about mattresses and how they are built. 

The New "Space Age" Foam

The New

Viscoelastic

Remember when we mentioned that FPF was considered a "space age" product when it was first introduced into bedding? Later, another foam technology would make its way into bedding--this time a real space-age product, commercialized from NASA’s AMES Research technology transfer program.

Viscoeslastic or "memory" foam was developed for the Space Program to redistribute G-forces encountered by astronauts during take-off and re-entry. It also provided commercial pilots a more comfortable seating surface during long flights. Viscoelastic pressure distribution performance represents one of the most significant comfort innovations from the FPF industry.

Viscoelastic foam is typified by its slow recovery after compression. When a weighted object (for example, the human body) is positioned on viscoelastic foam, the foam progressively conforms to the shape of the object, and after the weight is removed, the foam slowly reassumes its initial shape. Due to this gradual recovery, viscoelastic foam also can be described as “slow recovery” foam.

This slow recovery also suggested the foam had a "memory" of the object shape.

Viscoelastic foam was adopted into the bedding industry because of its combination of softness and support. The "cradling" effect of the foam provided the sleeper with a new sensation, and viscoelastic foam has found applications in full-foam mattress constructions, comfort layers in innerspring mattresses, mattress topper pads, and pillows. It is sometimes even used in combination with another type of foam, latex, to provide a unique mattress feel.

Mattresses with memory foam construction now account for over 40% of products sold in North America.

Game Changer: Online Sales And "Bed In A Box."

As innovations in FPF continued, the way consumers purchased mattresses also changed. As online sales of merchandise became more popular, and people became more accustomed to having products delivered to their doors, rather than shopping for them in "brick and mortar" stores, the bedding industry changed dramatically.

No longer did people have to rely on traditional furniture retailers or mattress stores. Instead, they reviewed products online (including other customer reviews). They compared prices and constructions without leaving their seats. With strong warranties from online buyers offering full refunds even after "100 nights' sleep," they purchased in confidence.

And they purchased more mattresses made primarily of FPF, particularly memory foam and proprietary foam chemistries and constructions.  Their mattresses arrived compressed into an easy-to-ship-box. 

This was a new level of convenience. No longer did the customer have to schedule a delivery or rent a truck to move a bulky mattress. It arrived small. You open the box and it expands to its final size in a matter of a few hours. 

FPF is a natural for "bed in a box." Sales prove it.

The Future Is Wide Open

Future

Quality Scrutiny

Quality

As more formulations of FPF from more sources have been used in mattresses, the industry looked at ways to make sure consumers were getting quality foam in finished goods. A testing and certifcation process was created.

The CertiPUR-US^® program was developed to provide the comfort and confidence of knowing the flexible polyurethane foam meets standards for content, emissions and durability and is analyzed by independent, accredited laboratories.

The certification process was developed by the foam industry in close collaboration with leading environmentalists, chemists, accredited laboratory research scientists, and bedding and furniture industry leaders. CertiPUR-US emissions and analysis methods are compatible with other standards such as Eco-label (EU), LGA (Germany), OkoTex 100 (Class IV Mattress) EUI, Blue Angel (Netherlands), IKEA, AQS Greenlabel and BIFMA criteria.

Today, foam producers from all countries may participate in the program, as long as they meet the rigorous certification guidelines.

CertiPUR-US also provides consumers with information on how to shop for products containing FPF. See CertiPUR-US's suggestions for buying a new mattress here.

Other Challenges & Solutions

Challenges

In addition to product innovation and quality testing, the mattress and foam industries are actively involved in researching ways to address what happens to mattresses at the end of their life cycle. The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) is a nonprofit organization formed by the mattress industry to operate recycling programs in those states that have enacted mattress recycling laws.

The program is currently running in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island and is known as Bye Bye Mattress to consumers. Each state’s program is funded by a recycling fee collected when consumers buy a mattress or box spring.

The Council is committed to educating the mattress industry about state’s mattress recycling laws and assisting retailers and manufacturers in complying with those laws. Through its work with local governments, waste management professionals, recyclers and others, it has successfully developed accessible and efficient collection and recycling networks in the program states.

There are commercial uses for recycled foam. In fact, one of the most successful recycling stories in North America is carpet cushion. Approximately 85-90% of the carpet cushion market is represented by bonded (or rebond) cushion products, made from FPF recycled from post industrial and post consumer foam scrap. Bonded carpet cushion diverts more than 1 BILLION pounds of scrap FPF from landfills annually.   Learn more

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