BedTimes magazine June 2010

IndustryNews
Simmons’ PU foams CertiPUR-US certified
A tlanta-based
Simmons Bedding
Co. says that all of the polyurethane
foams in the company’s mattress
lines have earned the CertiPUR-
US certification seal, verifying that
the foams are low-VOC and free from
CFCs. The certified foam products are
made without PBDE fire retardants,
lead, mercury, formaldehyde, prohibited
phthalates and other potentially
harmful materials.
“Consumers today are paying very
close attention to what’s inside the
products they purchase—whether it’s
food, toys, paint, furniture or bedding,”
said Anne Kozel, brand director
of Simmons’ specialty sleep division.
In a recent survey, Simmons found
that almost two-thirds of consumers
were “very” or “extremely” concerned
about the health and safety of the
42 | BedTimes | June 2010
products they buy.
To achieve the CertiPUR-US certification,
foams are sent to an independent,
third-party lab for durability
and indoor air quality emissions testing,
as well as a content analysis.
The foams must meet the environmental,
health and safety standards
described in the “U.S. Voluntary
Physical Performance and Environmental
Certification Guidelines for
Flexible Polyurethane Foam for Use in
Furniture and Bedding Items.”
A team of industry leaders, scientists
and environmental experts
contributed to the creation of the
standards while developing the Certi-
PUR-US program for the Alliance for
Flexible Polyurethane Foam, a foam
industry trade organization based in
Loudon, Tenn.
Short
Carpenter partners with NSF
Industry supplier and sleep
products manufacturer Carpenter
Co. is creating a top-of-bed
line branded by the National
Sleep Foundation, a Washington,
D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy
group. Products will bear
the NSF logo and be independently
and periodically tested
by the organization for comfort
and support. The line is being
manufactured by the Richmond,
Va.-based company’s Consumer
Products Division.
www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes