Ahhs in the land of Zzzs
When I can’t sleep, I blame red wine, lack of exercise, caffeine after noon or being stressed out. My mind never goes to my mattress. Still, it is an alluring fantasy to believe that with the right mattress it wouldn’t matter how much wine I drank, how little I exercised or how stressed out I was -- I would still sleep like a baby. My mattress could be the acupuncture, spa treatment and Ambien of my sleep world.
Not likely, sleep experts say.
“There is zero research to support claims that mattresses promote sleep or better sleep,” said Dr. Alon Avidan, associate professor of neurology and director of UCLA’s Sleep Disorder Center, a new state-of-the-art sleep laboratory. “Anecdotally, I have patients who have rheumatoid arthritis or low back pain who claim orthopedic foam mattresses feel a lot better, but this is just subjective. No one has done any studies.”
Still, step into the world of bedding and you would never know it.
Pseudo-science and doctors’ testimonials would have you believe that we are all sleep-deprived princesses, looking for new technologies to get rid of our metaphorical peas. Technology in bedding is becoming as advanced as that of running shoes or rockets, with an explosion of gels, foams, latex and assorted materials harvested from organic rubber plantations and rare sheep around the globe, being molded, refined and patented to provide night after night of perfect, deep sleep.
In a fit of curiosity, my husband and I set out together to find the perfect new mattress.
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Palmpring
Our first stop was Palmpring, a South Korean company that reportedly has a cult following among celebrities, politicians and other elites in its home country. Founded in 1997 by Dae-seob Kim, Palmpring opened its flagship store in Los Angeles last summer, near Lafayette Park. The Palmpring is all-natural, manufactured in India and will appeal to sleepers with green leanings or allergies. The key to the Palmpring is its internal layer of organic coconut fiber, known as coir, which is mixed with all-natural latex. The fiber comes from the outer shell of the coconut. The hairy husks are recycled, then mixed with resin from organic rubber trees and processed using the Dunlop method (that’s right, the same one used for tires and tennis balls). This material is molded into cubes and cut like a big crispy rice cereal square and forms the part of the mattress that has historically been occupied by springs.
This coir pad is then alternated with layers of spongy, 100% organic latex harvested from Indian rubber trees. Depending on the firmness you prefer, you could choose pure coir, one layer of coir and one layer of latex, or the 2way, 3way or 4way. (Men, don’t get excited -- it is just mattress layers). Camilla Kim, the founder’s daughter, found that Americans preferred plush. And so the Puri has two layers of latex atop the coir, to accommodate softer American tastes.
She sleeps on a 4way.
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Sealy Optimum
The Optimum, launched in April by Sealy Posturepedic, marries the temperature-regulating gel of shoes with the contour-hugging qualities of memory foam to create something mattress aficionados claim is totally new. Gel hit the mattress market in 2011 but has seen a surge in popularity this year, with multiple companies releasing memory foam products infused with gel, including Serta and Sleep Number.
Gel memory foam mattresses are the product of choice for the market’s early adopters, says Jamie Piper, senior director of marketing for Sealy. Memory foam mattresses came onto the market about 20 years ago, offering a unique feel when compared with traditional ones. With a traditional mattress, a sleeper lies on top of it; with memory foam, the mattress contours to the lines of a sleeper’s body. Memory foam quickly found fans: About 15% of the market is now memory foam mattresses. But memory foam sleeps hot. So, in the latest tweak, mattress makers have injected gel into the foam to keep it cool.
The gel memory foam is quick release, meaning it springs back into place five to 10 seconds after you get out of bed.
Company marketing director Jamie Piper sleeps on Sealy’s luxury line Stearns & Foster mattress.
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Palais Royale
At the upper end of the market is the Palais Royale, a $33,000 (for a king) hand-made mattress that is 15.5 inches thick and layered with the highest quality traditional materials such as wool and cotton and the newest in mattress technology. The Palais Royale combines the artisanal workmanship of a company that still uses the materials and methods it utilized in the 1930s and ‘40s with a newly patented design that E.S. Kluft & Co. Chief Executive Earl Kluft claims is the first change in mattress construction in millenniums.
“In our industry, there is a lot of marketing hype,” said Kluft, a third-generation mattress maker who bought the Airloome mattress company in 2004 and founded E.S. Kluft. “This is the first and only new design patent in [mattress] construction. There is nothing else like it.”
Kluft mattresses are made by hand at a factory in Rancho Cucamonga, where each Palais Royale takes three days to make. Kluft says the company sells only 100 luxury mattresses a year. (The Kluft is not the most expensive: An all-natural hand-crafted Swedish mattress by Hastens can cost $90,000.)
Kluft’s patent is for a “leading-edge technology” system he calls fill-box construction. The mattress cores are made with individually wrapped coils and a foam encasement. A perimeter wrap is applied, and side walls are attached to create an “open chamber” for upholstery to be layered in. This allows for 14 layers of damask, 5 pounds of cashmere, mohair, silk and Joma wool, followed by an additional 20 pounds of Joma wool, which has been shaved from special New Zealand sheep and then crimped, dried and combed “like a permanent,” says Kluft. That is followed by natural latex, a biofoam air circulation layer, more Joma, more latex, some organic cotton and some more latex. Then the beds are hand-tufted to secure the inner layers.
Earl Kluft, who sleeps on a Palais Royale, compares a taste for the Palais Royale to a preference for a thick steak cooked just so.
“The Palais Royale is a little on the firmer side,” he said. “It is like if you like steak cooked rare. It is a taste. It’s not a real soft mattress. It is very substantive.”
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How the mattress trio rates
Manufacturers can say all they like about the attributes of their mattresses, but there’s one test that matters most. And your intrepid reporter took on the tough job of lying down. Here’s what she found:
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Palmpring
I can’t help it. I am a sucker for organic, green substances and an Asian aesthetic, so Palmpring appealed. The coir “spring” layer is ingenious and deliciously firm and even. Topped with the organic latex, the mattress feels both sturdy beneath (you actually can feel the firm under-layer) and plush. I liked the firm base with the soft give of the latex layer. The latex foam pillow was a nice touch. Plus, the coir really does smell good. For feel and price, this was my top pick.
Palmpring, 3006 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 351-1301. Palmpring products are also available at Environmental Furniture in Los Angeles, Costa Mesa and New York City. Prices range from $2,200 to $2,900. www.palmpring.com
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Palais Royale
If I were a partner at Goldman Sachs, or willing to spend more money on a mattress than a car, I would buy this bed. It is both firm and deliciously pillowy and soft. And the mattress itself is a thing of beauty, with hand-stitching, monogrammed handles, organic cotton outer covering and hand-crafted tufting. Worth lying on just to know what’s possible. Or it might ruin you for life.
The Palais Royale queen is $26,000, the king is $33,000. It is sold exclusively at Bloomingdale’s. www.kluftmattress.com
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Optimum by Sealy Posturepedic
No question, this mattress has a different feel. You sink gently into the mattress, which takes some getting used to. The way the substance molds to the contours of your body is cool and kind of weird, but ultimately not my cup of tea. I was not on the mattress long enough to experience its cooling properties. I found myself craving the Optimum as a daybed, or a place to read, write or work on my laptop. I guess I learned that when it comes to mattresses, I am more of a traditionalist. Feels like the bed of the future.
Sealy Posturepedic Optimum is now available at retailers nationwide, including Ashley’s Furniture and Sit ‘n Sleep in Culver City. Queen prices range from $1,299 to $2,999. www.sealy.com
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Hilary MacGregor