COVID changed the way people live, and therefore changed the purchases people prioritize. For the sleep economy, this has meant meeting customers’ increased demands for luxury fabrics, high-tech sleep accessories, sustainable practices, and other upgrades that make spending time at home more enjoyable. Eastman Machine’s commitment to innovation and quality makes it a reliable cutting and handling partner for manufacturers responding to shifting sleep industry trends, including these five.
1. Modern Fabrics
Educated customers are looking for cooling, sustainable, antimicrobial, and aesthetically pleasing products. Retailers are also interested in upgraded materials; mattress ticking color and pattern don’t matter once they’re covered by a protector and fitted sheet, but the material does have an impact on the retail floor or an e-commerce platform. The sleep industry is turning to innovative fabrics to offer these features and benefits across mattresses and accessories. Natural inputs (like hemp, bamboo, TENCEL™, and organic cotton); copper-infused materials; and new shades of gray, blue, and green are all trending.
Eastman Machine designs, builds, and continuously improves cutting solutions to meet the needs of innovative manufacturers. Cutting machines designed for the sleep industry—including automated systems such as the S135 and manual solutions like the Falcon end cutter—can be configured to suit your specific cutting and handling needs. Eastman works with material producers and sleep industry manufacturers to maximize cutting room effectiveness and efficiencies. Test cuts ensure a facility receives the best solution for their products, including customized cutting and handling machines designed for innovative fabrics.
2. High-End Offerings
In order to meet the demands of consumers who want their bedrooms to look and feel luxurious, manufacturers are incorporating high-tech features, sophisticated fabrics, and upscale accessories. From fabrics that help athletes recover while they sleep to touches of velvet and metallics, sleep industry trends are headed high-end. More technical fabrics mean more expensive raw materials. Automated, software-driven cutting machines minimize waste while increasing accuracy. Eastman’s patternPRO design and nesting software maximizes material usage, which becomes increasingly important as fabrics become more costly.
3. Made in America
With supply chain issues exposing the potential downsides of a global economy, the American mattress industry (and sleep economy at large) is seeing similar pressure to manufacture goods in the US as other industries. Eastman is proud to design and manufacture its cutting and handling equipment domestically, supporting other businesses’ commitment to Made in America labels.
4. Sleep Accessories
Mattresses are no longer the only products that matter. Consumers are looking for manufacturers and brands that “meet all of their sleep needs.” According to Sleep Savvy magazine, sleep accessories like CBD-infused linens, weighted blankets, and antimicrobial mattress protectors are just as important to consumers as the mattresses they put these items on.
For a business to diversify its offerings and meet the wide range of consumer needs, its cutting room must be able to handle a variety of textiles. Eastman’s S135 and C135 are outfitted with a versatile tool head capable of holding up to three individually aligned and calibrated tool spindles. This allows a single machine to transition from one material or pattern to another, quickly and easily. Options include blades, punches, notches, and more. This versatility allows users to complete a full kit on a single cutting system, which can be paired with Eastman’s material handling equipment for a complete solution that maximizes efficiency.
5. Sustainability
A growing number of consumers expect the companies they support to consider sustainability during design and manufacturing. Eastman carefully considers its environmental impact to deliver greener products to its customers. In combination with renewable raw materials and other efforts, Eastman’s commitment to environmentally sound practices allows clients to produce and market products that meet end users’ expectations.
