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Is It Bamboo or Rayon? A November 2015 Beds.org review found that most of the top-selling pillows on Amazon featured bamboo. However, on reading the descriptions for individual pillows, some said the covers of the pillows contained "bamboo rayon" (or viscose) or "Rayon from bamboo," while others just said "bamboo." So, what is the distinction? What is the difference between bamboo and rayon from bamboo? And are the ones labeled "bamboo" really rayon? First, bamboo itself is a natural...
All posts by Wesley Vaughn
Minicoils or Microcoils?
Minicoils or Microcoils? A previous blog article, Microcoils, covered the use of coils in mattresses that are significantly smaller than innerspring coils. In this article, I noted that some of these smaller coils are much smaller than others, and that there has not been a concensus on terminology. Until now, the whole category of small springs has been classified as microcoils. But now several manufacturers are placing two layers of these coils above the support core of a mattress....
Pillow Talk
It has been almost 4,000 years since Jacob used a stone for his pillow. Honestly, it was not the pillow that caused him to dream about angels walking up and down a tall ladder, but our pillows can affect how well we sleep, and perhaps whether or how we dream. What is the primary purpose of a pillow? To support and cushion the head. When a person lies down to sleep, the head needs to be high enough to keep the neck in line with the rest of the spine. Notice how many people who don't have a...
What Are You Sleeping On? The Ingredients List for Mattress Recipes
What Are You Sleeping on? The Ingredients List for Mattress Recipes What are you sleeping on? A few of the readers of this article may sleep in a sleeping bag or on folded blankets or quilts on a sleeping mat or an air mattress, especially if they are camping at the time and using a smart phone or tablet. Most of us, however, sleep on beds of one sort or another, also including sofas, futons, semi sleepers, and built-in beds. The most common configuration for a bed in North America is a...
Aloe Vera: The Succulent Ingredient
Aloe Vera: The Succulent Ingredient Aloe is a succulent plant which grows naturally in desert and semi-desert areas. Used for thousands of years as the source of medicinal and cosmetic products, this plant has been so widely cultivated that identifying its place of origin is a matter of educated guessing. It is also known by other Latin names, but the official one is Aloe vera. The three most active substances in Aloe vera are derived from hydroxyanthrone. Collectively they are called...
Coconut and Coir
Coconut and Coir Coconuts are not only something you can eat, but something you can sleep on. Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), a tree naturally found on tropical coasts. The coconut palm has spread by means of its bouyant seed floating on water, following ocean currents and tides. From beaches, it spreads to nearby low areas by dropped seeds. Coconuts are rather large and heavy for seeds, so coconut palms do not naturally range far from the shoreline. However,...
Beyond Wood Slats: Winged Slats
Beyond Wood Slats: Winged Slats Wood slatted foundations, more commonly known as European wood slats, were developed in 1956 by Karl Thomas and his son Wilfried Thomas for better support of mattresses. Just as James Marshall invented pocket coils for his wife, Karl Thomas developed the slatted frame for his. In other words each invention was to meet a need. The Thomases sold the slatted frames under the name of Lattoflex. Wood slats became the standard flexible foundation for beds in...
Polyethylene: The Safe Plastic
Polyethylene Penicillin was discovered by accident when Alexander Fleming noticed bacteria dying in the presence of certain molds. Vulcanization of rubber by sulfur was also accidentally discovered by Charles Goodyear. In 1898 in Germany, Hans von Pechmann accidentally synthesized polyethylene. It took longer for polyethylene to become widely used than for rubber and penicillin, but now it is one of the most widely used food packaging materials. And it is also being used in...
Divans and Ottomans: The Alternate Foundations
Divans and Ottomans: The Alternate Foundations We in North America (United States and Canada) are conditioned to think of divans as some kind of couch or sofa which may or may not have armrests at the ends. Thus we are initally puzzled when a divan is one of the foundations available for a mattress. However, the two usages are related. After all, many people will stretch out on a divan for a nap. Ottomans, likewise, come from across the Atlantic with a different application than what we...
My Bed, the Masseuse: The massage function in beds, adjustable and otherwise
Reverie Adjustable Bed ~ Innomax Night Magic ~ Amazing Bed My Bed, the Masseuse: The massage function in beds, adjustable and otherwise Ahh! A good massage is so nice! Especially when I am tired and/or sore. A well-done massage stimulates blood circulation. It relieves tension and relaxes muscles. Stimulating the nerves coming out of the upper back will stimulate the digestive system, improving digestion and movement of materials. A massage can sometimes even manipulate joints back...
