On a global level, the health and wellness industry is a 4.2 trillion dollar market. Growth from this sector of the economy actually outpaced global economic growth between the years of 2015 and 2017, with an impressive 12.8 percent growth rate. These statistics confirm that consumers in the United States and across the world are increasingly willing and able to take the extra step and spend the extra dollar to improve their perceived quality of life. While many people might associate the health and wellness industry with workout routines, cryotherapy sessions, and green beauty products, improving the quality of the sleep that we get is an elemental aspect of holistic wellness. This interest in enhanced sleep quality as a fundamental attribute of a healthy lifestyle has led to changing mattress trends in recent years. Below, we take an in-depth look at how customer needs and demands are transforming the mattress market, as well as look ahead to some potential future trends in improved mattress technology.
Customer Needs and Demands
For people who live an average of 79 years, about 33 of those years are spent in bed, either sleeping or trying to get to sleep. We spend more time in our beds than we do at work, at school, or in any other aspect of our lives. Getting a good night´s sleep brings a number of important mental and physical health benefits, including boosting our immune systems and regulating our anxiety. Consumers today are “waking up” to the reality of the importance of sleep, and this is seen in mattress buying trends.
Firstly and perhaps most importantly, one recent study by the Better Sleep Council found that the mattress replacement cycle is significantly shorter than it was only a decade ago. Today, consumers expect that they will be purchasing a new mattress every 9.4 years. This doesn’t necessarily reflect a decline in mattress quality or durability, but rather showcases how consumers are paying increasing attention to the improvements that come with sleep technology. As mattresses become more comfortable, relaxing, and good for our bodies, people will be willing to replace their mattress more often.
Secondly, consumers are exhibiting an amplified interest in healthy mattress options that do not negatively affect the indoor air quality inside their bedrooms. In past years, consumers might not have paid much attention to the chemical flame retardants or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that were hiding inside polyurethane and foam mattresses such as Memory Foam. Today, however, many people are willing to take the time to search for more organic and healthy mattress options such as all-cotton or organic latex mattress options, especially if they are branded as “low VOC” or “VOC free.”
Lastly, with the amount of information available on the internet, many consumers are taking time to do their homework online before making a purchase. Instead of heading to a mattress store, many consumers will research how their most common sleep position is best suited for certain mattress types. Consumers are progressively increasing their knowledge related to optimum firmness, pressure dispersal, and other mattress qualities that are specific to their own situation.
Mattress Market
Following from these consumer needs and demands, we look at three current trends in the mattress market of today.
- Quality and Economy
While there are certainly people who are willing to spend $1,000 dollars or more on a good mattress, the incursion of relatively low-priced mattresses available online has led many consumers to opting for less expensive mattress options. According to a recent article by Business Insider, of the top six selling mattresses on Amazon.com, five of them are under $300. The e-commerce industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and today more and more people are turning their online mattress research into online mattress purchases. The ability to browse through thousands of mattress options and easily compare prices shows that a large number of consumers prioritize economic options.
Lucid 12 Inch Bamboo Charcoal and Aloe Vera Hybrid Mattress Highlights
Brand: Lucid
Mattress Firmness: Medium Soft/4.5
Mattress Construction Type: Gel Memory Foam
Mattress Thickness: 12″
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 30 nights
Warranty: 10 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Side, Back, Stomach sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.1/5.0
- Growth in Hybrid Options
Another emerging trend in the mattress market is that consumers are expressing their interest in hybrid options. Whereas in years past consumers would most likely express their loyalty to either polyurethane foam mattress or steel inner coil mattress options, today several manufacturers are offering hybrid options that claim to offer the best of both worlds. Hybrid mattresses are unique in that they combine two or more support systems, usually including some type of memory foam along with a system of inner springs. Consumers are finding that these hybrid options offer the pressure relieving benefits that come with memory foam mattresses while also offering the durability and characteristic feel of innerspring mattress options.
Zinus Cooling Hybrid Gel Foam Mattress Highlights
Brand: Zinus
Mattress Firmness: Medium Firm/6, Medium/5
Mattress Construction Type: Foam and Pocketed coils
Mattress Thickness: 10″, 12″
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin, Full, King, Queen
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 100 nights
Warranty: 10 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Side,Back sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.5/5.0
- Eco-Friendly Options
While memory foam mattresses generally receive the highest ratings for comfort levels, many consumers are beginning to shy away from these mattress models due to concerns about toxic VOCs off-gassing into their homes. VOCs are found in the foam and adhesives of mattresses and can include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), formaldehyde, benzene, methylene chloride, and toluene. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens, which is one of the reasons that many consumers are conscientiously opting for organic mattress options. In fact, one recent study expected that the global organic mattress market would grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.23% over the period 2014-2019.
Sleep Zzz Natures Novel Latex Mattress Highlights
Brand: Sleep Zzz
Mattress Firmness: Firm/7, Medium Soft/4
Mattress Construction Type: Latex
Mattress Thickness: 12″
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 100 nights
Warranty: Lifetime
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Back sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.8/5.0
Sleep on Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Highlights
Brand: Sleep on Latex
Mattress Firmness: Soft/3.5, Medium/5.5, Firm/7.5
Mattress Construction Type: Latex
Mattress Thickness: 7″, 9″
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Full XL, Queen, King, California King
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 100 nights
Warranty: 10 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Back, Side, Stomach sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.7/5.0
Future Trends to be Expected in Mattress Development
While the future can be hard to predict, we believe that there are two main trends that will emerge in the future mattress industry.
Firstly, we believe that memory foam mattresses will move beyond their dependence on polyurethane to offer optimum comfort levels without the negative VOC side effects. The emergence of natural latex foam mattress is a precursor to this trend which will merge leading comfort technology with organic and healthy material alternatives
Secondly, the growth of smart technology in our homes will lead to the development of the “smart mattress.” Recent studies find that around half of all Americans use fitness trackers on a regular basis and health tracking and monitoring devices are also becoming increasingly common. It is simply a matter of time before sleep tracking devices are incorporated directly into the mattresses that we sleep on. This smart mattress technology in the future might be able to regulate temperature in the mattress and even regulate firmness depending on certain ailments or even the position that you sleep in.
While this might seem futuristic, consumers are continuously showing the relevance of improved sleeping technologies.
