Knitting
`
`Use of warp-knitted spacer textiles
`in mattresses
`
`Ulrike Schlenker, Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, Obertshausen/Germany
`
`An optimum support for the body, specific areas which bend flexibly and excel-
`lent performance in terms of their moisture-wicking and temperature-controlling
`characteristics, all these characteristics for use in mattresses have been per-
`fected by painstaking development carried out by manufacturers throughout the
`entire manufacturing chain. They have then been carefully tested in the labora-
`tories of various institutes and research associations. Spacer fabrics awarded
`the material top marks when measuring the contact pressure on mattresses [1]
`and also examined the compression load deformation characteristics and in-
`dentation hardness [2]. But it seems that mattress manufacturers and the trade
`never really received the 'glad tidings'.The 2006 Furniture Fair in Cologne, which
`was held from 16-22 January of this year, could perhaps provide the answer.
`
`We spend roughly a third of our lives in
`bed, which is why we should place a
`high value on the construction and com-
`ponents of this particular item of furni-
`ture, in which the mattress plays the most
`important role. It must suit the specific
`comfort needs of the person lying on it,
`match the shape of their body and sleep-
`ing habits, avoid posture problems, pro-
`mote rest and relaxation during the night,
`and help to create a feeling of well-being
`during the day.
`This is a job for good, all-round bedding
`materials, i.e. warp-knitted spacer tex-
`tiles. With their range of different hard-
`ness zones in particular, they provide op-
`timum support for the body; they can also
`bend flexibly in specific areas so that the
`'in-bed reader' feels comfortable, and of-
`fer excellent performance in terms of their
`moisture-wicking
`and
`temperature-
`controlling characteristics.
`Roughly 70 exhibitors were presenting
`the latest developments in the fields of
`mattresses, lying/reclining systems and
`bed products in hall 9 of the Cologne Fur-
`niture Fair. As always, the most popular
`cushioning materials for the bed were
`sprung mattresses, followed by foam,
`latex and visco memory foam. Sophisti-
`cated constructions, such as pocketed
`mattresses and imaginative relief surfaces
`worked onto structured foam mats having
`varying degrees of porosity, all provide
`the comfort needed for restful sleep.
`Many manufacturers are unaware that
`these features can also be provided by a
`simple 3D material with cover faces and a
`pile layer, which has been designed to
`meet specific applications, or perhaps
`they are still a little wary of it. Moving
`
`away from something old and depend-
`able towards a high-tech material is
`always a slow process.
`
`Breathable strips in the mattress ticking
`
`The first step taken by mattress manufac-
`turers towards using 'spacer textiles' was
`to use them in relatively thin thicknesses
`of 3-5 mm as lateral strips running around
`the mattress cover to improve its breatha-
`bility. Examples of this could be seen on
`the stands occupied by Fey & Co. GmbH
`& Co. KG, Emsdetten/Germany, Rummel-
`Matratzen GmbH, Neustadt an der Aisch/
`Germany, in the Sensoflex sleep system,
`Van Landschoot N.V. Matrassenfabriek,
`Maldegem/Belgium and Koninklijke Au-
`ping B.V., Deventer/Netherlands.
`
`Spacer textiles as a component in the
`mattress construction
`
`The mattress manufacturer Auping has
`gone one step further with integrating
`spacer textiles into the bed. This company
`has made it a functional component of a
`breathable ventilation zone, which is
`
`Fig. 1
`Warp-knitted spacer textile as a component of
`the ventilation zone in Auping's mattress core
`
`located under an assembly consisting of
`an absorbent mattress cover and a layer
`with an open structure for wicking away
`moisture. This clever back ventilation sys-
`tem is made up of two elements, an open-
`pored, warp-knitted spacer textile having
`a thickness of about 40 mm, and the
`open, spiral network of the sub-spring
`assembly (Fig. 1).
`Every movement produces a pumping ef-
`fect, which permits the air to circulate
`freely and moisture to be wicked away.
`'The mattress actually breathes with you,'
`promises the company in its description
`of its new AVS (Active Ventilation System)
`mattresses, which are also available in
`two versions.
`Depending on the season of the year and
`the climatic requirements of the sleeper,
`the user can choose between a cooling or
`a warming version. This difference in cli-
`matic comfort is achieved by a 40-mm-
`thick, open-pored spacer textile under the
`mattress drill. With its airy construction,
`this 3D material creates a pleasant feeling
`of coolness, prevents heat from building
`up, and reduces perspiration.
`The concept of a surface layer having a
`spacer sub-lining also impressed the com-
`pany, Freyja Schlafsysteme, Weischlitz/
`Germany. In keeping with its modular
`mattress system, in which the comfort can
`be altered in the vertical direction, the
`spacer textile can also be used and re-
`moved as a modular system. As an added
`comfort feature for people who perspire
`heavily, it can be inserted easily into a
`zippered pocket of the cushioned mat-
`tress cover.
`This 'air-conditioning system for beds,' as
`the managing director, Wolfgang Frey,
`describes the spacer material, is approx.
`25 mm thick, has an open-pored surface,
`and is perfect for ventilating the backs of
`sleepers in hot countries. The spacer tex-
`tile also ensures that the body does not
`sink too deeply into the mattress during
`sleep. As Wolfgang Frey explains, 'Be-
`cause it is possible to improve the proper-
`ties of the mattress, this innovative mate-
`rial has become an important element in
`our marketing strategy.' Another ad-
`vantage of the removable, warp-knitted
`spacer textile is that it can be machine-
`washed with no problems.
`
`Melliand International 2/2006
`
`125
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`

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`Knitting
`
`Fig. 2 Mattress topper from Sanders, featuring a
`spacer textile in the inner quilting of the shell
`
`Other manufacturers placing their trust in
`this functional, 'undercover' textile in-
`clude Matra AG Swissflex, Flüh, Basel/
`Switzerland, whose mattresses feature a
`20-mm-thick HighDistance mat firmly at-
`tached to the surface, and Gebr. Sanders
`GmbH & Co. KG, Bramsche/Germany,
`which not only uses spacer textiles in its
`ClimaBalance mattress covers, but also in
`its 40-mm-thick mattress toppers. These
`consist of a foam core and a shell, onto
`which a pile fabric with a thin spacer tex-
`tile produced an RD 6 N machine in a
`gauge E 22, is quilted on the inside
`(Fig. 2). Whether used as a cover or on its
`own, this is the perfect surface for sleep-
`ing on - and it can also be used when
`travelling.
`
`Spacer textiles as climate zones
`and in waterbed
`
`Sanders also uses the advantages of warp-
`knitted fabrics as a comfort feature in its
`down-filled duvets. In this application,
`they form square, quilted, breathable cli-
`mate zones (Fig. 3) and create balanced
`conditions of moisture and warmth un-
`derneath the cover. According to the man-
`ufacturer, up to three times more moisture
`is given of from this innovative combina-
`tion of conventional down and high-tech
`textile compared to conventional down-
`filled duvets.
`At the 2006 Furniture Fair, The Sleeping
`Society n.V., Boom/Belgium, was showing
`how spacer textiles can be combined both
`with foam and sprung interiors, as well as
`with water. This company uses three lay-
`ers of spacer material, each having a thick-
`ness of 40 mm, between several nonwo-
`ven layers. This cushioning package,
`which is known as Airlay, is integrated in-
`to the Bodytone Supreme waterbed mat-
`tress (Fig. 4). The nonwoven layers have
`different constructions, their position can
`be varied, and they are thus available in
`four different versions for supporting the
`back. The integrated spacer textile does not
`become crumpled, even during transport.
`It also prevents the so-called 'hammock ef-
`
`126
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`Melliand International 2/2006
`
`Fig. 5 Phi-ton sleep system made entirely from
`warp-knitted spacer textiles
`
`support version. The logical materials
`concept offers a 40-mm-thick HighDis-
`tance spacer textile with a relatively
`open-pored surface and a specific pile
`layer construction is used in the mattress.
`When arranged in a three-layer stack, this
`provides exceptional pressure-relieving
`characteristics, under both static and dy-
`namic loading, as well as exceptional air-
`and moisture-permeability and optimum
`hygiene properties. What's good for the
`mattress is good for the cover! In this case,
`a 3-mm-thick fabric, produced on an RD
`6 N machine in a gauge of E 22, is used
`here. When dyed in warm orange or cool
`white, this is soft, cuddlesome, breath-
`able, washable and permanently dimen-
`sionally stable, and can withstand high
`spot-loading. Elbows propped up on it for
`reading do not sink into it, and no im-
`prints are left behind.
`The Phi-ton Spacer System provides the
`ultimate in sleeping comfort - and was
`awarded the Interior Innovation Award at
`the imm 2006 Cologne Furniture Fair on
`the opening day of the exhibition in the
`Materials-Innovation category. This prize
`is awarded for product innovation, based
`on the use of a material that has never
`been used before in the relevant product
`category. The use of existing materials
`within a new context is also judged. The
`item should combine innovative design
`and functional solutions, and should
`demonstrate a pioneering spirit and the
`courage to try something new.
`
`References
`[1] Kettenwirkpraxis 1 (2005), 21-22
`[2] Kettenwirkpraxis 4 (2005), 8-11
`
`ITMA 2007
`
`Munich/Germany
`September 13-20, 2007
`
`Fig. 3
`Breathable climate zones, consisting of a warp-
`knitted mesh, in Sanders' down-filled duvets
`
`Fig. 4 Nonwoven/spacer textile assembly - the
`cushioning package that 'calms the water' in the
`waterbed, from The Sleeping Society
`
`fect' so dreaded by heavier sleepers, and
`efficiently helps to reduce the movement
`of the water. Conventional waterbeds need
`a complicated system of chambers or a
`waffle cylinder construction to create the
`same sort of effect.
`The Sleeping Society also sets great store
`by warp-knitted spacer textiles for mat-
`tress covers, and recommends them for
`use in babies' cots in particular.
`
`Full-size spacer mattress
`
`Phi-ton, AL, Arnhem/Netherlands, is cur-
`rently the only manufacturer to appreci-
`ate the advantages of the properties of
`breathable spacer textiles for providing
`comfort during sleep, and to use them in
`the right way. This company puts its trust
`in spacer textiles exclusively, from core to
`cover (Fig. 5), and is now using this inno-
`vative material in its pillows. These are
`available in a conventional form or as a
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