It is
recommended adults get at least eight hours of sleep, and while that may be just a wink of an eye for many,
the time you spend snoozing accounts for about one-third of your day. That’s a little over two days a week’s
worth of shut-eye. With so much time spent in bed, it’s important that we rest on the
best.
Marshall Mattress was founded
in Toronto in 1900 by James Marshall, an English-born machinist and engineer, who invented the world’s first
individual pocketed spring mattress. Over a century later, Marshall Mattress has continued
to uphold its long-standing commitment to quality, comfort, craftsmanship and consistency, and is still
manufacturing bedding products in its Toronto factory. The current ownership has a combined 56 years of
experience in the mattress industry and the family’s participation in the industry dates back an impressive
107 years.
“Like many other competitive products, there are
the mass-produced ‘piecework’ versions of pocket coil as well as the more hand-crafted ‘timework’ versions
like Marshall, who produces a mattress set like a piece of fine personal furniture,” says Brad Warner,
Marshall Mattress’s co-president. “The genuine Marshall Mattress is a very distinctive product that can be
both seen and felt.”
Marshall’s pocket spring designs sew each coil spring into their own individual pocket.
When fitted together, the coils become a suspension system that contour to each person, providing support and
comfort that are vital factors in determining whether you spend a restless night tossing and turning, or a
peaceful sleep that leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Over the years,
Marshall
Mattress has
diligently retained James Marshall’s founding philosophy of good design and use of high-quality materials and
workmanship. At the same time, they have developed improved manufacturing methods, such as incorporating
up-to-date equipment and careful handiwork, continually upgrading sewing and assembly techniques, and using
both natural-source and clean man-made components.
Q&A: Susan
Ly
Marshall Mattress marketing co-ordinator Susan Ly explains what makes Marshall Mattress
stand out from all the rest
What is Marshall Mattress’s environmentally friendly approach to
manufacturing?
Our design philosophy is to ensure better use and longer useful life of assembly
materials in finished product. Our proprietary pocket coil and other unique mattress designs are produced
carefully and consistently, offering great support and comfort with enhanced useful life to match as closely
as possible the formal warranty period (or beyond). By intention our mattresses achieve excellent useful life
and won’t end up in a landfill after a few years.
Our manufacturing process is constantly reviewed,
streamlined and improved wherever possible, either to eliminate, reuse or reclaim excess clean new waste.
Post-manufactured quilted and unquilted mattress cover waste fabric offers three ways of waste
reclamation:
1. Certain sizes of quilting scrap are
repurposed and converted to box spring upholstered
corners.
2. Smaller quilt scrap pieces are reclaimed
and reused as raw material to high-grade chip-foam carpet under-padding by a dedicated
manufacturer.
3. Excess short-yardage fabrics too small for
mattress making and sample cover fabric swatches are donated to schools for arts-and-crafts and costume
making.
How does Marshall Mattress set itself apart
from other mattress companies?
We manufacture our pocketed spring mattress sets,
featuring our own current patented pocket spring assembly, produced on-site in our Toronto factory. We do not
subcontract offshore. Our patents include folding mattress designs in king and queen
sizes to deal with difficult delivery access in
older homes, townhouses and modern condominiums. These features eliminate damage to the mattress and your
home during the
delivery and installation process. We are one of the very few companies that still offer a variety of two-sided flip
mattresses. As well, we are known for our custom work. In particular, we are able to create mattresses for
antique furniture and modern European furnishings that differ in sizes from conventional North American
bedding. Our
mattress sets also offer a range of low-profile bed bases and bedding support accessories to customize the
height of the mattress to the customer’s furnishing needs.
How does Marshall make sure it keeps up to
date with luxury mattress craftsmanship?
We are constantly doing in-house research and product development, which as a
stand-alone independent we must do in order to stay ahead of the competition with regards to mattress
performance and overall quality assurance. We continue to develop new products within our core specialties
and Marshall goods are continuing to be sold within Canada and exported
abroad.
Mattress Tips
How do you suggest people find the best mattress for
themselves?
Shop with your spouse or sleeping partner. Be sure you both lie down on the
mattress together. The mattress should serve both your preferences and needs. Voice any health concerns that
might be associated with sleep, such as back problems or allergies. Indicating these issues to the
professionals will allow them to suggest the right mattress for you.
When testing mattresses at a showroom, what should people pay special attention
to when they lie down on the beds?
To gauge the right comfort and support level, lie on the mattress in your sleeping
position. Support needs differ according to how you sleep. If you sleep on your side, you actually need more
cushioning, because your body weight is supported on less surface area than if you sleep on your back or
stomach.
Take your time and let yourself feel the differences. Try several mattresses, and once
you have narrowed down your choices, spend 10 to 15 minutes on each. Don’t be shy; mattress salespeople
understand how important it is to find the right style and firmness level for you. Trust your own feelings
when lying down, as often that will make up your mind for you.
How should you care for your mattress to preserve its
longevity?
Protect your mattress. Keep your mattress clean and prevent cover soiling penetration by
always using a quality mattress protector pad. Flip and/or rotate your mattress four times a year to
distribute the wear evenly. •
Photo Courtesy: Joy Von Tiedemann
