In the late 1990’s a leading mattress company started offering a “no-flip” mattress which quickly became the trend with the majority of companies.  Customers were attracted to the idea of not having to flip their mattresses and saw it as the next technological advancement in mattresses.

The reality was that the “no-flip” mattress was not designed with ease of customer ownership or advancements in mind.  It was a cost saving exercise and a success story in marketing.  As the competition grew margins were placed under pressure and costs increasing as advancements were made in mattress foams and layering.  A manufacturer, identifying that very few people actually flipped their mattress realised that much of the foams were never utilised.  By removing the foam layers on the one side they could significantly decrease the costs of the mattress.  All they needed then was to right way to market it and the “no-flip” mattress was born and it became not only a marketing success store, but the golden standard.  Other brands had no choice but to follow, the upside being the cost saving.

While it had some validity in that foams used in mattresses were becoming more advanced and durable, it still shortened the true usable life of the mattress.

Foams, while providing additional support and comfort not attained by spring systems alone, need recovery periods to ensure their longevity.  By sleeping on the foam layers every night, they are not afforded enough time to recover. Technology has improved in the last decade which left consumers frustrated with compressed foam layers, firm beds and hollowing of the mattress, however, the characteristics of a “non-flip” mattress persist to some extent.

Our advice?  Be wary of the hype and don’t dismiss traditional flippable mattresses