How a Mattress Is Made
A mattress consists of two main parts: the core (the inside of the mattress, the foam) and the cover.
Mattress factories almost never manufacture both parts. In fact, these are two completely different areas of expertise.
The Soul
The main materials used in mattresses are polyurethane foam, memory foam, springs, and latex (both synthetic and natural). In order for the raw materials to be turned into foam, they must undergo a manufacturing process. These processes require significant investment, and the conversion of raw materials into foam is highly technical. As a result, there are very few factories worldwide—and in Europe—that manufacture foam.
When it comes to synthetic foams—specifically memory foam and polyurethane—there are primarily two major companies, including BAYER.As for springs, many small factories manufacture them, since the process is much simpler: they receive metal wires, and then a machine forms the springs and encases them—often in the synthetic nonwoven fabric they purchase. Springs are mostly combined with synthetic foam purchased from major manufacturers such as the one mentioned above.
Finally, when it comes to latex (which can be synthetic or natural), there are only three factories in Europe that specialize in natural latex. These include:
- Gommagomma (Italy)
- Artilat (Belgium-Bulgaria)
- Latexco (Belgium)
The cover
As we explained, factories almost never manufacture the entire mattress. So, on one side, there are foam manufacturers, and on the other, cover manufacturers. It’s often the latter that are considered “mattress factories.” They receive blocks of foam, which they cut to size. They then assemble the layers—if the mattress has multiple layers—design the cover, and finally assemble the core and the cover.
The mattress cover typically accounts for between 25 and 40 percent of the mattress’s price... When mattresses are labeled “Made in France,” very often only the cover is actually made in France. Some brands go a step further: they import the foam, as well as the cover — which is designed in Eastern Europe to keep costs down—and only assemble the mattress in France, then display the famous “Made in France” label…
Kipli's Choice
Kipli’s mission is to make our homes healthier, more natural, and more sustainable. We naturally turned to natural latex—a choice largely rooted in the legacy and history of our co-founder, Davide, and his uncle, Mario. Mario served as Technical and Production Director at Pirelli in the 1980s and 1990s, a company specializing in the production of synthetic latex mattresses. Having become aware of the impact of synthetic materials, he chose to leave the company to establish his own factory producing 100% natural latex mattresses in Italy in 1998. For nearly 20 years, his factory was one of only three in Europe producing latex, and he sold primarily to South Korea at a time when Europe was not very aware of the benefits of natural materials in mattresses. In 2017, he sold his business, primarily to Gommagomma, where most of his former team now works and with whom we ourselves collaborate.
The choice of natural latex is therefore first and foremost a matter of heritage, but it also stems from the conviction that natural latex is the ideal material for mattress design: natural, healthy, comfortable, and extremely durable.Furthermore, the team’s knowledge, their expertise in natural latex, and the quality of our relationship—as well as the quality of the natural latex (with no synthetic foam) at Gommagomma—are what matter most to us. That’s right— latex can be labeled “100% natural” as long as the mattress contains at least 85% natural latex. Gommagomma produces only natural latex without synthetic foam and has made this its specialty. The other two European factories manufacture natural latex without synthetic foam, as well as blends that are 85% natural with synthetic foam, and are less specialized.Our relationship with Gommagomma has grown even stronger since Kipli’s inception, thanks to an exclusive contract that also allows us to jointly invest in the development and improvement of our products. As for the production of the cover, we have it manufactured by Paolo, near Turin, who has been with us since our beginnings.
So, is it made in France?
Unfortunately, when it comes to natural latex, this isn’t possible, as there are no natural latex processing plants in France. We therefore believe it’s better to have a mattress made 100% in Italy than one that’s 30% made in France (but proudly labeled as French). This is especially true when you consider Italy’s value for money. By bringing the entire production chain together in a single country, we minimize transportation and the product’s environmental impact. This is also something of a pipe dream for the vast majority of synthetic mattresses. We therefore believe it’s important to consider the reality of how materials are transported— not just the location of the final manufacturing stage. But also wherecompanies have each component manufactured, the transportation between different locations, and the final destination. Finally, the transparency of the brand and its approach. A small French flag is far from enough to compensate for a mattress’s composition, a company’s lack of transparency, or even the notion of a “fair price” associated with the practice of high markups (more information on how a mattress’s price is calculated here). So, of course, as soon as we were able to produce in France—products that are truly 100% made in France, such as our Picardie, Normandie, and Tapissier bed bases—we did so.
Indeed, France is fortunate to still have a number of magnificent companies throughout the entire wood industry, from sustainable forest management to the final stages of woodworking on the finished product! However, French manufacturing must not come at the expense of genuine transparency throughout the production chain, and “Made in France” is not a label to be touted simply for the sake of the phrase itself or for the purposes of positive marketing… Companies have a duty to use it responsibly and authentically so that it continues to be a mark of trust for consumers in the future.