|
 January
26, 2012 - In a nation where more than 70 million
Americans have asthma or allergy conditions,
Spring Air International will introduce the
first mattress line certified as asthma & allergy
friendly™ at the Las Vegas Market in January.
The breakthrough Back Supporter®-branded bedding line,
intuitively named Breathe™ and carrying the position
statement “Live Healthier™,” has been certified by the
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the
world’s leading non-profit patient organization
dedicated to fighting asthma, allergic diseases and
related conditions.
Spring Air’s certification for its proprietary Breathe
mattresses follows more than a year of rigorous
development and scientific testing at third-party,
accredited laboratories.
 
The company now joins more than 130 other consumer
products that have earned the respected asthma & allergy
friendly Certification mark, including Disney®, LG®,
Valspar® and Dyson®, among many other world-class
brands.
 According
to AAFA, the certification mark is awarded only to those
products that have proven in laboratory testing to be
“more suitable for people with asthma and allergies and
that are effective in indoor environmental control and
allergen reduction.”
“We’ve never been more excited about a product
introduction, especially one that addresses head-on the
No.1 product in every home—the mattress—which has been
identified by asthma, allergy and immunology experts as
the priority target for reducing allergens and improving
indoor air quality, ” said Rick Robinson, president of
Spring Air.
“We say our name has been trusted by millions for 85
years, and we’re proud to be the first mattress company
to make such a product available.”
The Case
for Breathe™
The extent to
which Americans could benefit from products like Breathe
is apparent in AAFA statistics, which confirm that more
than 50 million Americans live with allergies and more
than 22 million have asthma, making those conditions
among the most common and costly in the U.S.
Recent
reports from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) also show a substantial increase in the
number of new asthma cases among children.
“Unfortunately, allergic diseases aren’t rare anymore,
they’re mainstream,” noted Mike Tringale, AAFA vice
president of external affairs. “And the numbers are
rising. More and more families, schools and workplaces
are dealing with the allergy epidemic.”
Of further
significance is that Americans spend nearly 80 percent
of their time indoors, where the air can be five times
more polluted than outdoor air, according to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Health
experts have identified a direct link between indoor
allergens and irritants and the severity of asthma and
allergy symptoms. Triggers like dust mites, VOCs*, pet
dander and others are commonly found in every room in
the home. Consequently, AAFA and other health
specialists stress the importance of allergen avoidance
and reduction products—also known as “environmental
control” in the home.
Tringale
cited two AAFA studies conducted in 2008 and 2009 among
more than 800 attendees at national meetings of allergy,
asthma and immunology medical specialists.
When asked to
identify what types of indoor environmental control
products they recommended most, 42 percent of doctors
named bedding. Other responses included dust mite
control through clutter removal/avoidance (27 percent);
air filters (17 percent); allergen control/prevention
products (9 percent), and dehumidifiers (5 percent).
Also as part
of the 2009 survey, 100 percent of the respondents
agreed that AAFA’s certification is “helpful” or “very
helpful” when shopping for environmental control
products.
“In the home,
the bedroom is ground zero for dust mites,” Tringale
explained, “and the mattress is ground zero in the
bedroom.
” While that
accounts for the focus on allergen reduction in products
like mattress encasements, pillows and sheets, he noted,
solutions for the mattress itself have not been
addressed until now.
“That’s why
we’re so pleased that Spring Air has taken this major
leap forward.”
*Volatile Organic Compounds: Organic
chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary,
room temperature conditions.
Independent Testing and High Standards
The asthma &
allergy friendly™ Certification program is a joint
program of AAFA and Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), a
Dublin, Ireland-based international and physician-led
research and certification organization that develops
laboratory standards and protocols for a variety of
environmental control products.
Each
Certification Standard is reviewed, approved and adopted
by AAFA and companies are invited to submit their
products for testing.
-
The new
Certification Standard for Mattresses (ASP: 02:15)
is designed to assess many factors including:
-
Raw
materials – to ensure that they do not contain
chemicals or allergenic material above certain
levels
-
Construction – including if the outer layer is an
effective allergen barrier
-
Allergen
accumulation – the rate dust mites accumulate, and
the ease of removal of any allergens that accumulate
over time
-
Quality –
durability, comfort and performance
The asthma &
allergy friendly™ Certification mark is awarded only to
those products that have been scientifically proven to
meet the strict standards set by the program. An
abstract of the standard can be found at
www.aafa.org/certified.
The New
Spring Air Breathe Line
Robinson
defines the new Back Supporter Breathe collection as
much for what it is not as for what it is.
“Breathe beds
are not medical products in the conventional sense
because everyone—even people without asthma or allergy
issues—can benefit from a healthier sleeping
environment,” he explained.
“And while
Breathe mattresses are extremely comfortable, we don’t
define them by feel or specification. Their performance
is determined by the type, placement and quality—not
quantity—of raw materials in each of the beds.
“What Breathe
products are,” Robinson continued, “are unique,
exclusive in their components and patent-pending
designs, and scientifically proven to be effective in
indoor environmental control and allergen reduction.”
Carrying a
10-year warranty and expected to retail from $999 to
$2,499 in queen, the Back Supporter Breathe collection
is one-sided and includes a total of six models—three
designs each in two comfort options, firm and plush.
The beds are
innerspring-based and incorporate three different spring
units exclusive to Spring Air. The top model uses the
patent-pending, multi-level innerspring design found in
the company’s premium Sleep Sense™ Back Supporter
products.
All Breathe
models are foam-encased and include components and
materials that are enclosed in a patent-pending,
zippered cover.
The
stretch-knit cover is highly breathable and is styled in
pattern and color to suggest healthy air flow and
circulation. A textured border fabric in slate blue
coordinates with the top panel and includes the
“Breathe: Live healthier” embroidered logo.
Robinson
explained that for anyone seeking a healthier sleep
environment, the benefits of Breathe mattresses cannot
be duplicated by using a mattress cover or protector.
“Most
mattress covers only ‘mask’ potential problems and don’t
assure that the bed’s internal components are free of
harmful VOCs or other key allergen triggers,” he noted.
Initially,
Spring Air will introduce Breathe mattresses as adult
beds but plans to expand the concept into the youth and
hospitality categories in 2012.
“Our ultimate
objective is to begin improving America’s quality of
life one home at a time,” Robinson said. “And that
applies not only to the 70 million-plus who suffer from
asthma or allergies, but also to the remaining 250
million people who can benefit substantially from a
healthier sleep environment.”
Spring Air
plans to present its new specialty Breathe line in its
alternate showroom (B-1125), across from the company’s
primary space (B-1126).
The
presentation, which will be paired with the producer’s
newly introduced, SSA-documented BioMax™ collection,
will be executed in an all-white, architectural format.
Breathe beds
also will be showcased outside in the Las Vegas Market
center courtyard, promoted on all first-floor elevator
door signage in Building B, and included in video
presentations of new products shown at building
escalators.
Marketing,
PR Support for Breathe
Spring Air
has planned a range of in-store materials, promotional
and training support, and consumer publicity events to
create and maintain high visibility for its Breathe
products.
For
retailers, the line will be available with a set of
three headboards that include the Breathe logo, branded
lifestyle photography and asthma/allergy facts. Similar
information can be included on standing, illuminated
acrylic signs for store floors.
A new product
video on asthma/allergy health will be featured on a
dedicated Breathe section on
www.springair.com and made available to dealers for
training, local TV advertising and customer
demonstrations.
The company
also plans to conduct satellite media tours, create
online communications and participate in other media
events targeted to consumers and health care
professionals to build awareness and interest for the
new line.
Robinson said
Spring Air also will be included in an informative
asthma & allergy friendly Certified Products Guide,
published by AAFA and distributed to more than 60,000
doctors, nurses and health care providers in related
respiratory fields.
About AAFA
Founded in
1953, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
is the leading national nonprofit organization fighting
asthma and allergic diseases and related conditions.
AAFA provides free information, conducts educational
programs, fights for patients’ rights, and funds
research to find better treatments and cures. More
information about AAFA and the asthma & allergy friendly
Certification program is available at
www.aafa.org/certified .
About ASL
ASL is an
international certification and standards body that is
committed to improving the lives of people with asthma
and allergy by providing evidence- based international
product certification programs. With a vertically
integrated research facility, ASL is expert in
innovating with clients in the fields of allergy,
microbiology and all issues related to health and the
indoor environment.
www.allergystandards.com.
For more information, please visit:
www.springair.com. |
