As most of you have experienced over the last 10 years or so, today’s mattresses are single sided. Sounds great, I don’t need the hassle of flipping the mattress anymore, right? Wrong, really wrong.
The typical memory foams, gel foams and poly foams today just don’t hold up as well as in the past so it is important to be able to let those foams resume their original height by letting them relax. In other words they need to be flipped and rotated so as not to have constant pressure on them for months or even years at a time. Manufacturers know this but would rather see a decrease in life expectancy and an increase in sales which is one of the points of making non-reversible mattresses not to mention the cost factor is also decreased because they only have to build one side.
I’m sure many of you reading this have already experienced the dip factor of today’s non-reversible mattresses but did you know that there is a better way. Having a mattress that gives you access to the inner layers will let you not only rotate the layers but also flip them. Every mattress wears from the top down so that top layer is the most important to rotate and flip and I recommend doing so every six months. Rotate in six months and flip six months later. You do that and you can add years to the life expectancy of the mattress but even more important is that you will be able to replace the layer once it finally wears out without having to replace the whole mattress.
So why is it so difficult to find mattresses with zippered covers? Is there some special manufacturing process involved in making zippered covers? Any mattress manufacturing company has the tools to build zippered covers but they choose not to for obvious reasons. The don’t want you to simply remove the top layer and replace it when if fails. They want you to purchase a whole new mattress. Besides most of the air bed manufacturers about the only place you will find them is with a few latex foam mattress vendors such as ourselves.
There are two basic designs, hybrids and full latex foam mattresses. Hybrids will include a pocket coil spring unit followed by one or sometimes 2 latex layers where full latex is just that, no coils. There is no right or wrong choice. Coil beds will have more bounce to them but most couples prefer the lack of bounce and that’s where the full latex because the best choice. They do have an initial bounce because, after all, it’s rubber but it’s not as noticeable as a coil system.
The only way I see a change coming so more manufacturers provide customers with zippered cover options is if you, the customer, starts asking for them. This is the same reason why latex mattresses are being found in more and more showrooms, because you asked for them. 15 years ago it was a real challenge to find a latex mattress in a showroom across the country but now they are becoming more available. Mainstream manufacturers did not want these extremely durable mattresses to make a comeback but when the facts were presented customers nationwide started asking for them. The same can be true for zippered mattress covers, just start asking for them!
Hello… I agree with this so much! I know the Helix Elite series has a separate zippered comfort section… which I think is fantastic, and wish there were some DIY options that had dual compartments. In the factory, they are also sewing with so much tension to create that taut appearance… a zippered cover and you’ll lose that tension.
But, I also have some issues with what I’ve seen while searching for DIY covers…. there is a total lack of options. Why is there no cover that offers a luxury high end appearance? I’d like to see some kind of Heritage craftsmanship, thick edge piping, luxury quilt and ticking, built in handles, more fabric choices like linen, etc. I understand that cost savings is a big driver for DIY builds… so the covers are inexpensive. But I’d like to be able to DIY a mattress that has a finished appearance similar to a Stearns & Foster, just as an example.
In reality, all mattress manufacturers should be selling modular systems. Create a high quality “forever” support foundation, using either pure latex or high quality coils with a latex transition layer. Then, the mattress companies should be selling separate comfort “cartridges” that you can attach on the support foundation… zipper yes… but why not have corner pegs, so you can “lock” your comfort cartridge on the foundation without the need for metal zippers? Just ideas, LOL.
Dual compartment zippered cover (8” bottom + 3” bottom) in queen is $700 from magicsleeper. Imagine the price of a dual compartment zippered case with luxury quilt, even 1” of wool? They will ask for $1000.
The other issue is the scale of market. Even if someone offers luxury dual compartment mattress covers, how many can they sell every 6 months? Not many. So, they would demand a luxury price instead.
Funny bumping into your post on this… I asked this exact question to the two family owned manufacturers I visited here in Massachusetts. First one responded with that it would ruin the integrity of their mattress either way how is glued together and such. The other just said that’s not how they make theirs. I think it’s about the best idea they ever could come up with helping people design the right comfort. I know if someone created a store with this style mattress to configure in store here in Boston area that store would absolutely be so successful. It’s funny my friends and family know I’m on the hunt for a good mattress and wait for me to do all the hard work research and running around like a crazy person trying out mattresses then they just call and order lol Last store i actually went to I sold the couple that came in after me a mattress lol I had more info about materials and such that helped them decide. Honestly wish i wasn’t such a researcher so I could just buy a darn mattress like they did instead I left feeling unsure spending that money and if the choice would actually be comfortable since we have been sooooooo uncomfortable for so long and wake up barely able to walk some days. Thought about rebuilding our current mattress but that just seemed overwhelming once I dove in and almost same cost. I have looked at a few companies online that have zippers and love the idea but afraid of not being able to try it. Returning a mattress I think would be a huge stress for me and a business:( Anyway I agree 100% with having the ability to change out comfort layers! Customization covers and such…“Interchangeable mattresses” Perfect store front name what a concept!
Zippered mattress ticking requires extra work, compared to using tape edge machines to stitch a mattress. Whenever I see zippered mattresses locally, they are more expensive than others. I usually see these zippered mattresses with coils + 3 inch latex.
Recently, I have seen bed in box hybrid mattresses made in Turkey (yatas bedding). They come with zippered mattress covers. A queen hybrid mattress is sold for $700. Maybe, thats the future for DIY tinkerers.
what a concept!