Nope, this posting doesn’t involve pesky little critters. Although I am sure there are mattresses out there with parasitic tendencies.

Mattress fabrics (known as ‘Ticking’) play a big part in the overall comfort & feel of a mattress. Recent years have produced massive improvements in textile technologies & the quality of fabrics used by mattress manufacturers. Mattress ticking is a critical element in ensuring the benefits of different mattress fillings & comfort layers (Memory Foam, Latex etc.) are optimised.

Mattress ticking is therefore worthy of a mention in our Luxury Beds Guide. Each ticking used in some of our most popular memory foam mattresses, pocket spring mattresses & divan beds will be explored. We will also look into the benefits & available products of each.

Silk

Nothing is more disruptive to sound & energising sleep than being too hot or too cold… When we speak of silk, we speak of softness, & who doesn’t want to sleep softly? Silk is a pure, natural product & a fibre that has exceptional qualities. Pure silk feels cool in the summer but pleasantly warm in the winter. Silk is acknowledged as the most luxurious & sensuous fabric of all. This reputation has been founded on silk’s unparalleled soft feel & pliability. Raw silk consists of proteins that are similar to those in human skin. This is why silk has such natural affinity with our skin & is highly conducive to skin health. This explains why the Healthopaedic Silk 1000 mattress & Healthopaedic Silk 1500 mattress are two of our most popular mattress & divan bed products.

Origins of Silk

We have the cocoon of the silkworm moth to thank for the silky soft luxury of Pure Silk. The finest silk of all comes from the caterpillar, or silkworm, of the mulberry silk moth, which is so called because it feeds solely on mulberry leaves. The silk is spun by the silkworms. They spin themselves into cocoons before changing into pupae – the transformation from worm to moth. The silkworm spins two threads or filaments at once to build its cocoon. A single cocoon contains around 2,400 metres of thread! Silk filaments are the finest of all natural fibres. Only part of the cocoon can be reeled. The remainder is used to make silk fibre.

Benefits of using Silk as Mattress Ticking

Second Skin

Silk consists of proteins, just like our skin. No wonder then that it has such natural affinity with the functioning of human skin – the components of both silk & skin being fully compatible. This is why silk does not irritate the skin & always stays at skin temperature. When you sleep on the Healthopaedic Silk 1000 mattress or Healthopaedic Silk 1500 mattress the external Silk fabric helps relax  the body & ensures optimum comfort at just the right temperature: Again, not too hot so you’re dripping in sweat or not too cold so you’re chattering you teeth to dust.

Soft to the Eye, Soft to the Touch

Silk is made of protein, but in contrast to other protein fibres, it is very smooth & even, which explains its lustre & sheen.

Fabulous Lustre

The purer the silk, the more lustrous the sheen. Only top quality reeled silk is used in the production of Pure Silk which explains its magnificent sheen.

Moisture Absorption

Silk quickly absorbs large quantities of moisture. It can absorb up to 30% of its dry weight in moisture without feeling damp itself.

Strength

Silk is the thinnest & in relative terms also the strongest natural fibre used in the textile industry. One silk fibre is actually 75 times thinner than a strand of human hair. Yet its resistance to wear & tear is amazingly high.

Elasticity & Wrinkle Recovery

Silk is extremely resilient. Wrinkles & creases soon disappear.

External Influences

Silk rarely suffers from mould or mildew. It is also moth resistant because the protein in silk differs greatly to that in wool.

CASHMERE

Cashmere – also spelt Kashmir - means softness, lightness & pure luxury. A truly natural product that fully deserves its place in the SUENO mattress & divan beds range.

Cashmere Mattress fabrics made from the precious soft wool of the Cashmere goat ensure the ultimate in sleeping comfort. The Cashmere used on the Healthopaedic Cashmere 1000 Mattress, the Sueno Monarch Cashmere 2000 Mattress & our Pocket 1000 Adjustable Mattress have great thermal regulating properties. Not only that but Cashmere can take up to 40% percent of its weight in moisture without feeling humid .This luxury wool is also soft & flexible, ultra fine & lightweight. This results in a luxurious, highly elastic mattress product. Fine cashmere wool comes from the belly of the longhaired, preferably young mountain goat, the Hircus or Cashmere goat. As protection against the biting cold of the high mountain ranges these goats have a double fleece on their bellies. Only the soft, fine hairs of the undercoat are used. A goat yields only 125 to maximum 200 grams of cashmere wool per year.

Benefits of Cashmere as Mattress Ticking

Light Luxury

Unlike common wool that is obtained from sheep, Cashmere is sourced from mountain goats. Fabrics made from Cashmere goats offer an extremely soft sleep comfort, excellent moisture & thermal regulation. Cashmere fabrics also have a fine & ultra soft structure that it would indulge even the most sensitive of sleepers.

Lonnnnnnng process

Cashmere wool is combed directly from the goat’s undercoat; it is full of mud & debris. The wool is then washed to remove debris & grease before spinning commences. Wool contains lanolin, a raw material used in the cosmetic industry. The wool is then carded & untangled by hand, using a coarse steel comb, or mechanically, by way of a fast turning drum with steel pins. The verb ‘to card’ originates from the wild teasel or ‘kaardenbol’ as it is known in Dutch, a plant with a bristly flower head which lends itself perfectly to the task. The carding eliminates all remaining dirt before spinning – but for a finer result, further fine combing is required. The stronger the wool fibre is, the thinner the yarn can be spun. Up to 200 kilometres of yarn can be spun from one single kilogram of best quality wool. The wool is twisted during the spinning process. This binds the fibres together to make the yarn stronger. The spinning results in a single thread which is then twisted together with one or two other threads to produce an even stronger result. This twisting of several threads together is called ‘plying’ & is carried out in the opposite direction as the spinning itself. This prevents the threads from unravelling or getting tangled. The wool can be dyed during any of the production stages, such as before spinning or even after weaving.

Thermal Regulation

Cashmere has excellent moisture & heat regulating properties. This type of wool can absorb high quantities of moisture from the air (up to 40%) without feeling damp itself. The fibre properties remain unchanged up to a moisture content of 17%.

Insulation

Cashmere wool insulates very well against the cold. This is because the tightly curled fibres trap a lot of air. Such a natural layer of still air is the best possible form of natural insulation.

Elasticity

Cashmere wool is naturally very resilient; the reason why cashmere fabrics feel so soft. Cashmere fibre is also extremely elastic & can be stretched by up to 30 to 40% without breaking.

No Sparks

Wool is electro-statically neutral. This is due to its ability to absorb high levels of moisture from the air which reduces the amount of static stored.

COOLMAX®

Not just for athletes…

CoolMax® is the original performance fabric for sportswear that’s been helping top athletes push harder & longer but is now also being used by on the Healthopaedic range of memory foam mattresses to provide more cool comfort during the night...

CoolMax® clearly has proven physiological benefits that, depending on your needs, can be applied to or found in a whole range of new clothing styles from moderate or highly intensive efforts to everyday casual wear. These properties make the fabric suitable for day & night use. We know that on average an adult loses a quarter of a litre of body moisture every night. This secretion of moisture– in the form of perspiration, loss of urine, etc – causes a clammy sensation & stimulates the production of perspiration, which is not particularly good for a peaceful, comfortable night’s sleep. CoolMax® mattress fabrics prevent such discomfort. As it is highly permeable to air & has a high heat regulating capacity CoolMax® is the ideal mattress fabric. The hexagonal structure of the fibres ensures that any moisture released during sleep is immediately carried to the external surface of the fabrics, where it soon evaporates. Perspiration is reduced & the body remains pleasantly cool. The use of CoolMax® is especially beneficial on memory foam mattresses or pocket spring mattresses as the visco elastic memory foam has a tendency to get quite warm.

Benefits of CoolMax® as Mattress Ticking

Physiological benefits

CoolMax® regulates the body’s moisture secretion during the night & actually reduces perspiration during the night. Moisture control tests have shown that CoolMax® dries considerably faster than other absorbent fabrics.

Fast-drying

Because of the Dacron® fibre in CoolMax® the mattress fabric is air permeable & fast-drying. After 30 minutes CoolMax® was completely dry, whereas cotton still contained 50% of the moisture after the same period.

Perfect Combination

CoolMax® is the ideal mattress fabric, thanks to a unique combination of specific properties. CoolMax® is moisture-regulating because it reduces night time perspiration, air permeable & fast-drying while also being absorbent.

Lasting Quality

Because of its intrinsic qualities CoolMax® prevents the formation of stains. As the product is not treated with chemicals, laminates or electrostatically, its moisture regulating properties remain intact even after umpteen washes.

Stress caused by excess warmth in bed?

CoolMax® technology is based on the heat stress phenomenon. This is the irritation you feel when you become very warm & which quickly leads to a loss of concentration. Because of this loss of concentration your performance also drops. Not surprisingly the intelligent CoolMax® fibre was found to be the perfect ingredient for fire-fighter outfits, police clothing, airline pilot uniforms etc. The sleep quality becomes poorer also if the sleeper is too warm. This makes CoolMax® an ideal mattress fabric.

ORGANIC COTTON

Organic cotton reaches full maturity without the use of pesticides.

It is becoming an ever more popular textile in the manufacture of clothing, household linen & mattress fabrics. Highly breathable & ultra-strong, as well as amazingly soft, the cotton used in our Healthopaedic Bio-Cotton Latex 1000 mattress & Bio-Cotton Latex 3000 mattress also boasts excellent anti-irritation & anti-allergenic properties.

Benefits of Organic Cotton as Mattress Ticking

Socially & Ecologically Consistent

The organic cultivation methods by no means detract from the natural qualities of cotton. This cotton is just as soft, strong & voluminous. Cotton breathes & is breathtakingly soft. One could ask that since we don’t eat or drink cotton, why make so much fuss about how it is produced? But the answer is simple: the ever more knowledgeable consumer is insisting on a more consistent approach to social responsibility & environmental management. As people see their children becoming increasingly sensitive to environmental factors, being able to raise them in clean surroundings becomes an ever more critical issue.

Sleep in Fresh Cotton

Organic cotton is therefore very much in demand for the production of mattress fabrics, household linen & clothing. It’s such a comfort knowing you’ll not be sleeping on pesticides.

Environment Friendly

The use of organically cultivated cotton is on the rise as never before. We know that in conventional cotton production, generally far too many pesticides are used. This is often due to the ignorance of local farmers. It is a fact that these pesticides pollute the groundwater & soil, & are dangerous to humans & animals alike.

Peace of mind

You can sleep with peace of mind on organically grown cotton. It’s the perfect way to make your contribution to a cleaner environment. Cotton’s intrinsic qualities are fully safeguarded in organic farming so that its natural softness & comfort are ensured. Organic cotton is an ideal raw material for a pure & eco-friendly product. Organic Cotton mattress fabrics fulfil all our expectations of a natural fibre. The fabrics pureness, softness, its eco-friendliness in processing, its anti-allergenic & anti-irritation qualities.

SMARTCELL

Warm in winter, cool in summer.

Research has shown that people benefit enormously from a balanced sleeping temperature. To that end we state that using Smartcell CLIMA mattress-cover guarantees optimum sleeping environment. The Smartcell CLIMA fabric absorbs & stores thermal energy & releases it in relation to your needs. Warm in the winter, cool during the summer. The middle of January; you’re too cold in bed, your feet feel like icicles & the sheets are cold... The middle of July; tropical temperatures... Not the ideal conditions for falling asleep peacefully... Put these problems behind you with Smartcell CLIMA fabric on your mattress. Independent research has shown that people benefit enormously from a balanced sleeping temperature. That’s why we have used this ticking on the Healthopaedic Smartcell 3000 mattress & divan bed.

Heat-regulating

Smartcell CLIMA is a new heat-regulating concept for mattress covers. The concept is based on what is commonly known as intelligent textile. In order to guarantee a constant sleeping temperature the Healthopaedic Smartcell mattress cover uses micro encapsulated ‘phase-variable’ material. When the body temperature is raised the material enters its liquid phase, which enables it to absorb the heat. At the same time the heat is stored so that it can be released when the body’s temperature drops. Consequently, the body’s sleeping temperature remains constant throughout the night. As the sleeper remains far longer in the ideal temperature comfort zone thanks to the regulating properties of Smartcell CLIMA, his/her sleep will be less interrupted. Thanks to the technological, intelligent manner in which Smartcell regulates the sleeping temperature, noticeably fewer temperature variations are experienced so that the sleeper tosses & turns far less & experiences a deeper & better sleep.

Pleasant Micro-climate

As a pleasant sleeping climate is achieved thanks to the heat-regulating total concept, the impression of heat & perspiration dwindles & the thermal compatibility with your sleeping partner is optimized. Smartcell actively regulates the sleeping temperature by using micro-capsulated ‘phase variable’ material.

Other Benefits

This mattress ticking gives a soft & comfortable sensation & does not absorb any unpleasant odours. Smartcell does is also non-allergenic.