Emily of Dunmore, writes:
Why do companies make Ultraplush/pillowtop mattresses if they are not physically good for the consumer? Isn't there some type of consumer protection? They should be banned from production. Years ago they didn't make these mattresses and no one complained. I never heard my grandmother, aunts, uncles complain about their mattresses. The whole nation complains now. There is definitely something wrong with this picture.
Hi Emily. You noticed?! It's a marketing trend. 20 some years ago, not all that long really, a medical study had shown that, "the firmer the better" was no longer the right way to think about sleep. From that point, at first, mattresses got a little cushier. And again, at first, everything was going well.
The factories all added a little extra padding for more contour. And while this was the improvement the study had suggested, they didn't think to make the side panel any wider to accommodate the extra thickness of the mattress. This created a problem. A rather severe crown developed at the edge of the mattress...and if you were to lie near the edge of the bed, you felt as though you would easily roll off. This problem could have been solved simply, by widening the side panel...which was done evetually, but not at first. The solution to that problem gave rise to the creation of the, "Ta Da", pillowtop. The first pillowtops were thin, but did provide a more even sleeping surface to the edge of the bed. Many of those original pillowtops lasted a long time.
With each gas crisis, came a changes in materials...the switch from cotton batting to poly foam.
Add to this, a change in coil systems. 25 years ago, there were 2 coil systems and 1 foam mattress. Latex foam, the big heavy coil unit, know as "Bonnell", and the individually pocketed coil unit, only found in the Simmons Beautyrest, all had been available to choose from since the 1920s. From the 20s to about 26 years ago, the Simmons Beautyrest was the number one mattress. Their individually pocketed coil had been protected by patent, and with cotton as king filling material and with the mattress being button tufted, it was a comfortable and long lasting mattress. The only consumer complaint was that you could feel the buttons. That's when they took them out. Up to that point, it was a great bed. The cotton and buttons held everything together real well. It hasn't been the same since. But, I digress....back to your comment. Things really got out of hand about 10 years, or so, ago. The wave of over stuffed, overly plush mattresses turned a utilitarian product into a luxury item. In our society, it was like showing a shiny object to a monkey. You can blame the mattress industry for exploiting America's desire to indulge their sense of luxury, but who do you blame for instilling it? Which is worse...suckering someone or allowing yourself to be suckered? There's money in them thar mattresses and it's a part of who we are to ride a gravy train for as long as it runs. It's also a part of us to at some point say, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!". After so many complaints for so long, I would have thought that day would have come before now. I mean, gee whiz, how many times do you have to get screwed before you wize up?!
And not coincidentally, the number of back problems have risen dramatically over this same time period.
If you're looking for the government to protect you, you'll need to call or write you senator and congressman, which is bound to be an exercise in inefficiency and corruption. Or, you could just use some common sense when you shop. You have the power to change this. Don't buy them....and don't shop at stores that push them. Your spending habits dictate, more than anything else, what's made and what's offered for sale.
www.ccmattress.com