With high anticipation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to the United States this month, MLILY USA is giving retailers a way to connect with the growing wave of soccer fandom through a new national sweepstakes campaign designed to drive in-store engagement and sales throughout the season.
Timed to coincide with the heightened excitement surrounding the global tournament, MLILY’s Sleep to Perform campaign launched in May and runs through July. The promotion invites consumers to enter a national sweepstakes while visiting participating retailers, creating opportunities for stores to connect with soccer fans while highlighting MLILY’s performance-driven sleep products.
The initiative builds naturally on MLILY’s long-standing connection to the sport through its global partnership with Manchester United. As the exclusive bedding partner of the iconic club, MLILY has developed products designed to support rest and recovery, an essential element of athletic performance both on and off the pitch.
“Soccer has always been part of MLILY’s story,” says Derek Leishman, national sales director for MLILY USA. “With the World Cup being hosted here in the United States, we saw an opportunity to help retailers connect with the excitement surrounding the sport while showcasing products that are built around performance, recovery, and quality sleep.”
To make participation simple and impactful, MLILY has equipped retail partners with a marketing toolkit designed for both in-store and digital activation. Materials include point-of-purchase displays, window clings, and creative assets that retailers can use across organic and paid digital campaigns.
The goal, company officials say, is to create a unified national promotion while allowing retailers to activate the campaign locally in ways that resonate with their customer base. With millions of fans expected to follow the tournament across North America, MLILY believes the promotion provides a timely opportunity for retailers to connect sleep performance with athletic performance while tapping into one of the biggest cultural moments of the year.
“Retailers are always looking for timely ways to create energy on the showroom floor,” Leishman adds. “This campaign gives them a turnkey program tied to one of the most watched sporting events in the world, supported by national promotion and strong brand recognition through our soccer partnerships.”
Symphony Sleep Leverages AI for New Marketing Campaign
Symphony Sleep® has introduced a new creative marketing initiative designed to elevate both brand visibility and broader consumer awareness of adjustable bed bases, launching a series of artificial intelligence-generated video shorts that combine advanced technology with human storytelling.
The campaign kicked off with “The Tank,” the first video in the series, which debuted across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Developed using generative AI, each video was written and directed by Symphony Sleep President John Schulte to ensure accuracy, clarity, and a strong connection to the consumer.
“The Tank” focuses on communicating the quality story behind Symphony Sleep adjustable bases and highlighting their unmatched durability. The company says its products are engineered with precision and built on a foundation of German design and manufacturing expertise, a key differentiator that resonates with both retailers and consumers.
The entire video series reflects Symphony Sleep’s ongoing efforts to address a persistent challenge in the category: While consumer interest in sleep health continues to grow, understanding of adjustable base functionality and benefits remains limited. By delivering short-form, engaging content across digital platforms, the company aims to simplify the message and make the category more approachable for today’s shopper.
“We are continually looking for new ways to promote not only Symphony Sleep adjustable bases, but the entire category, and we are not satisfied with the way it’s always been done,” says Schulte. “Innovation is at the heart of our parent company, Innovative Sleep Technologies, and in our brand DNA.”
Several more videos are planned for release throughout 2026, each designed to spotlight a specific Symphony Sleep product feature or category differentiator, from lifestyle benefits to the innovative accessories that enhance the sleep experience.
The initiative builds on Symphony Sleep’s broader strategy of equipping retailers with tools that educate and engage consumers at every touch point, from in-store QR-enabled product videos to comprehensive training resources that support sales teams.
Schulte, who also serves as the creative force behind the campaign, says the use of AI allows the company to explore new storytelling formats while maintaining control over messaging and ensuring brand integrity. According to the company, by blending emerging technology with a clear, consumer-focused narrative, it is positioning itself as an innovator in products and marketing to stand out in a competitive marketplace.
BEDGEAR Continues International Expansion Through Partnership With İşbir Yatak in Turkey
BEDGEAR® has expanded into Turkey through a strategic partnership with İşbir Yatak. The launch marks the brand’s continued growth abroad, following entries into the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece, and Italy.
Through this collaboration, Turkish consumers will gain access to BEDGEAR’s award-winning Performance® Sleep Essentials, including the Storm Performance Pillow, Performance Mattress Protectors, Performance Sheets, and the M3 Performance Mattress—the world’s first dual-comfort modular mattress.
The launch will see BEDGEAR debut in 22 İşbir Yatak stores across major cities including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, featuring the company’s interactive retail displays for pillows, sheets, and mattress protectors. Approximately half of the stores will also showcase the full M3 Performance Mattress experience.
“Expanding into Turkey is an exciting next step in BEDGEAR’s global journey,” says BEDGEAR founder and CEO Eugene Alletto. “We see a unique opportunity to bring our Performance Sleep Essentials and personalized solutions to Turkish consumers who value quality, innovation, and recovery-focused sleep.”
“At İşbir Yatak, we approach sleep health not simply as a product category, but as a comprehensive field of expertise that requires a scientific approach, advanced material knowledge, and a high level of manufacturing discipline,” agrees Ediz Köklü, chairman of the board of İşbir Yatak. “Our partnership with BEDGEAR goes beyond the natural alignment of our long-standing commitment to quality, trust, and manufacturing excellence with a strong global brand. Through this collaboration, we aim to deliver a more personalized and performance-driven sleep experience for consumers.”
“This launch reflects our ongoing mission to make Performance Sleep Essentials accessible worldwide,” Alletto adds. “By combining BEDGEAR’s technology and innovation with İşbir Yatak’s retail expertise, we are delivering a truly unique sleep experience tailored to the needs of Turkish consumers.”
Brooklyn Bedding—manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and direct-to-consumer distributor of sleep products—has announced a new retail partnership with Big Sandy Superstore, a home goods retailer serving the Midwest. With this partnership, Brooklyn Bedding joins Helix as the second 3Z Brands-portfolio company to be featured on Big Sandy showroom floors.
Three Brooklyn Bedding mattresses are available in 28 Big Sandy Superstore locations across the region. The assortment includes three newly redesigned models: CopperFlex® Pro, Signature Cloud Hybrid, and Aurora Luxe Cloud Hybrid. The lineup spans three pricing tiers and features unique combinations of fast- and slow-response foams engineered to deliver Brooklyn Bedding’s signature feel.
“We are thrilled for Brooklyn Bedding to join Helix in Big Sandy Superstores,” says Jerry Lin, co-founder of Helix Sleep. “Big Sandy has been a strong partner, and this expansion allows us to offer shoppers a broader range of solutions across different comfort preferences and price points. Brooklyn Bedding adds a strong value-oriented assortment that complements Helix and allows us to serve customers across multiple price tiers while maintaining the innovation and performance both brands are known for.”
Recently redesigned with upgraded materials, the CopperFlex Pro combines Brooklyn Bedding’s signature copper-infused memory foam with enhanced performance, delivering comfort at an accessible price. The Signature Cloud Hybrid pairs high-density memory foam with VX Responsive Foam to balance contouring and support, while the Aurora Hybrid builds on this advanced foam blend with a zoned coil system designed to enhance targeted support.
Both the Signature and Aurora models available at Big Sandy include Brooklyn Bedding’s new phase change material-infused ThermoPhase Foam and a pillowtop comfort layer to promote cooling and pressure relief. All Brooklyn Bedding mattresses are GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US certified and made without harmful chemicals or fiberglass, offering customers a safe, comfortable, and restorative sleep experience.
Launched in January, Brooklyn Bedding’s retail program is designed to support large-scale partners through key operational advantages, including domestic mattress assembly, in-house production of proprietary foams and coils, and a broad national manufacturing network. Building on the successful retail framework established by Helix, the Brooklyn Bedding program applies a proven operational model while introducing a distinct product assortment, differentiated price positioning, and brand strategy tailored specifically to retail partners.
Big Sandy Superstore is an employee-owned home furnishings and appliance retailer with more than 70 years of experience serving customers across the Midwest, with 30 retail locations spanning Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri.
ISPA Member Successfully Advocates for Disabled Veterans
In Stratford, Connecticut, disabled veterans with 100% total and permanent disability, Gold Star families, and widows of veterans pay no taxes on their homes and up to 2 acres of their property, thanks to advocacy by International Sleep Products Association member Brian Gorlo, an account executive at WT Burnett.
Connecticut had already passed a state law in 2024 for certain property tax exemptions on the homes of veterans and their families. Gorlo, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm who served on the USS Normandy (CG-60), wanted to take it a step further.
The legislation needed at least six out of 10 votes to pass. Working with both political parties, Gorlo was able to successfully advocate for the amended ordinance, with all five Democrats and five Republicans on the Stratford Town Council voting yes.
The Ordinance Regarding Veterans Tax Relief became official on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2025.
“I enjoy being an advocate for those who have served and taken the oath,” says Gorlo. “When you put the state and the town benefits together, this is huge. We’re making their lives easier [for] the sacrifices they have made to our country.”
Alexium Expands AlexiCool Platform With Triple Action Cooling Technology
Alexium International Group Ltd. has announced the expansion of its AlexiCool® product family with the introduction of Triple Action Cooling Technology, a system-level thermal-management platform designed to improve real-world comfort through coordinated heat absorption, moisture wicking, and active movement of heat away from the body.
Traditional phase change material solutions primarily focus on heat absorption. The AlexiCool Triple Action Cooling formulation integrates multiple thermal-management mechanisms into a single scalable chemistry platform to support more balanced and sustained cooling performance. The formulation combines microencapsulated PCM with thermal conductive additives using Alexium’s patented process, enabling heat to be both absorbed and actively moved away from the body. A complementary moisture-management component further enhances comfort by supporting humidity control within the sleep environment.
Together, these coordinated mechanisms deliver:
Enhanced initial cooling sensation.
Improved heat distribution away from the body.
Humidity management for comfort stability.
Longer-lasting perceived cooling performance over time.
“With the latest AlexiCool formulation, we’ve brought together multiple cooling mechanisms that are often delivered through separate solutions into a single, integrated platform,” says Billy Blackburn, Alexium’s CEO. “By combining heat absorption, conductive heat movement, and moisture management, AlexiCool Triple Action Cooling Technology helps support sustained comfort across real-world use conditions.”
AlexiCool technologies are engineered for compatibility across multiple substrates and manufacturing environments, supporting integration into:
Bedding and furniture fabrics and components.
Fiberfill and textile layers.
Performance apparel platforms.
Technical textile applications requiring dynamic thermal regulation.
This flexibility enables manufacturers to deploy cooling performance where it will deliver the greatest system-level impact.
AlexiCool technologies are supported by U.S.-based production infrastructure in Greer, South Carolina, and Dayton, Ohio, enabling responsive supply chains and scalable commercialization for North American partners. This dual-site platform supports:
Supply chain resilience.
Reduced lead-time variability.
Domestic content-alignment strategies.
Scalable regional manufacturing support.
Continuity planning for large-volume programs.
According to a release, the introduction of Triple Action Cooling Technology represents the next evolution of the AlexiCool family of PCM-based coatings, reinforcing Alexium’s commitment to delivering scalable thermal-management solutions designed for both performance and manufacturability.
Americanstar Expands Partnerships in Kansas and Oklahoma
Americanstar Mattress, the Texas-based sleep innovation company, has announced a significant expansion of its partnerships with two retailers in Kansas and Oklahoma.
The Mattress Hub—the largest mattress specialty retailer in Kansas—has increased its Americanstar product offerings to 12 SKUs at its 13-store network, bringing the company’s Cleopatra, S-Class, and First Class collections to Kansas consumers for the first time. Meanwhile, Mattress King, which operates six locations in Oklahoma, has expanded its Americanstar assortment to 13 SKUs across all stores.
The Mattress Hub and Americanstar have worked together in Kansas for nearly three years, and Americanstar products have established a strong track record on The Mattress Hub’s showroom floors. That performance—driven by innovative comfort technologies and the kind of healthy retail margins that are increasingly rare in today’s compressed marketplace—is behind the retailer’s decision to significantly expand Americanstar’s in-store presence. Americanstar has grown into the retailer’s highest-margin vendor.
“We hold our vendor partners to a high standard: Our customers deserve the best, and that means we have to be equally selective about the products we put on our floors,” says Ryan Baty, CEO, The Mattress Hub. “Americanstar has earned its place in our stores through consistent performance. The technology story is easy for our team to tell, and the margin structure works for our business. Expanding this partnership was a natural next step.”
The expanded lineup brings three collections recently featured by Americanstar at Las Vegas Market to The Mattress Hub’s showroom floors. The Cleopatra Collection emphasizes cooling comfort and responsive support, built around Americanstar’s proprietary SilkFoam™ material and a seven-zone ergonomic support system designed to promote proper spinal alignment. Complementing it is the First Class Collection, a hybrid lineup that combines a seven-zone ergonomic support system, conforming memory foams with supportive coils, and cooling fabric, offering shoppers a different feel while maintaining the same thoughtful support design. The S-Class Collection features Americanstar’s exclusive SilkFoam material, paired with Talalay latex, micro pocket coil, and Energex foam.
In Oklahoma, the decision to expand was also driven by in-store performance, where Americanstar’s Presidential hybrid collection has been Mattress King’s best-selling mattress collection for four years in a row.
“Americanstar has proven to be a strong partner for our business,” says Ryan Farris, CEO of Mattress King. “Their products resonate with our customers, and just as importantly, they give our sales team a compelling story that’s easy to tell on the floor. When your top best-sellers all come from one vendor, expanding that relationship isn’t a question.”
The expanded 13-SKU lineup gives Mattress King shoppers access to Americanstar’s broadest assortment to date, including the S-Class, Cleopatra, First Class, Presidential, Medispa Prestige, Ecoflex, and Capella collections. The new range of constructions and comfort profiles allows Mattress King’s sales teams to guide customers across different preferences while maintaining the accessible price points and strong retail margins that define the Americanstar portfolio.
“The Mattress Hub and Mattress King are exactly the kind of retail partners we’re proud to grow with,” says Tony Nguyen, chief operating officer at Americanstar US. “They understand what drives results on the floor, and they’ve built a business around delivering real value to their customers. When performance validates the partnership this clearly, it reinforces our focus on supporting retailers with products that are consistent, reliable, and profitable.”
The two expansions are the latest milestone in a sustained period of growth for Americanstar in the North American market. Over the past several months, the company has expanded its partnership with Bel Furniture, more than doubling its in-store presence across Texas; and deepened its relationship with Mattress Firm Montana, the state’s largest mattress retailer.
Underpinning these retail wins is a significant investment in domestic manufacturing. Americanstar’s 200,000-square-foot Waco, Texas, facility now includes in-house foam production, bringing more than 20 years of global foam-pouring expertise to the U.S. market. This vertical integration enables the company to develop proprietary comfort technologies, such as SilkFoam, while maintaining manufacturing efficiencies that support strong retail margins.
Sinomax USA Wins 2026 Global Recognition Award for Innovation, Leadership, and Operational Excellence
Sinomax® USA has been awarded a 2026 Global Recognition Award for exceptional achievement in innovation, leadership, and operational excellence within the global sleep products industry.
The Global Recognition Awards™ program evaluates applicants through an independent judging process. According to the program, more than 15,000 entrants apply each year, with only 5.8% receiving recognition. Sinomax USA’s application was reviewed by impartial industry experts using the Rasch measurement model, a methodology designed to create objective scoring across categories and fields.
The recognition highlights Sinomax USA’s continued commitment to developing meaningful sleep solutions that address real consumer needs, including improved airflow, advanced cooling technologies, washable foam, enhanced support, and materials engineered for lasting performance. The award also acknowledges the company’s vertically integrated manufacturing model, disciplined operations, sustainability progress, and ability to lead through change in a highly competitive global market.
“Sinomax USA exemplifies what it means to earn a 2026 Global Recognition Award; its combination of protected innovation, transparent leadership, and global operational excellence represents exactly the world-class standard this recognition was created to honor,” says Alex Sterling, spokesperson for Global Recognition Awards.
According to a release, Sinomax USA’s innovation strategy is centered on solving persistent consumer challenges in bedding and sleep products, including heat retention, comfort, support, durability, and product performance after compression packaging. Through ongoing investment in product development, responsible manufacturing, and operational resilience, the company continues to strengthen its position as a leader in the sleep products category.
“This recognition reflects the dedication and talent of our teams across product development, manufacturing, operations, sales, marketing, customer service, quality, logistics, and leadership,” says Frank Chen, CEO, Sinomax USA. “Our teams are united by a shared commitment to innovation, responsible growth, and delivering comfort.”
Jones Family of Companies Earns OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 Certification for PureBlend Organic Cotton Blend
Jones Family of Companies, a manufacturer of sustainable, high-performance nonwoven materials, has received OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certification for its new organic cotton blend, PureBlend™.
PureBlend highlights the purity of organically sourced materials blended to provide exceptional softness and comfort. The product is primarily used as a comfort layer in premium mattresses that emphasize both comfort and sustainability.
The OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 is a globally recognized independent testing and certification system for textile products. Certification verifies that all components of a product have been tested against more than 1,000 regulated and nonregulated substances and have been proven safe for human health.
“OEKO-TEX certification ensures high product safety and builds consumer confidence by providing a trusted, independent standard,” says Dennis St. Louis, chief sales officer of Jones Family of Companies. “This certification strengthens our commitment to delivering high-quality products while supporting our customers’ goals for safety, sustainability, and transparency.”
Posh+Lavish™ has introduced its Curated Collection nationwide.
“The Curated Collection mattress is a work of art, and every detail is a commitment to excellence and a testament to old-world European charm,” says Kurt Ling, principal at Posh+Lavish. “This is the first two-sided mattress I have ever designed or sold in my 25-plus-year career in the mattress industry, so it is uniquely special.”
The mattress is monochromatic in design and has a quilted surface made from 100% organic sateen. Filled with 18 pounds of horsehair, 8 pounds of alpaca, and 24 pounds of wool (in a king), along with cotton and natural rubber, the mattress is supremely comfortable, delivers elevated performance naturally, and is long-lasting, according to the company. The Curated Collection mattress comes with either a 3-inch or 4-inch True Pillow Top optional pairing.
For more than a decade, Posh+Lavish has built zippered covered mattresses by hand, with the natural rubber inside enveloped by wool and cotton. In the last couple years especially, the company says, its retailers asked it to be even more of a luxury brand in addition to a latex brand.
“If luxury were measured by price point, we have always been a luxury brand,” says Ling. “The great majority of our mattresses are sold between $5,000 to $10,000 because we have such a high attachment rate of True Pillow tops with our mattresses, because our brand does ‘super soft’ really well. That said, we have always been the brand about feel first and foremost.
“Luxury has an element of price point in it for sure, but the greatest luxury brands in any category have look, touch, and a story. We have been encouraged to add collections that were as sophisticated and exceptional in look as they have been in feel, all while doing it with luxurious components. Posh+Lavish has always built mattresses with natural rubber, wool, and cotton and will now add more exotic materials like horsehair and alpaca.
“In over 25 years of designing mattresses, I have never built a finer mattress,” Ling continues. “It is beautiful. It is luxurious in feel. It has the finest components available in the world. And it follows the research that says ultra-high-end consumers don’t want a mass-produced mattress made from polyurethane foam and polyester fiber.” •